# Press Failure
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-failure/917253
**Category:** Politics & Elections
**Created:** [August 4, 2020, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-failure/917253 "2020-08-04T13:28:12Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2020, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-failure/917253/1 "2020-08-04T13:28:12Z")
Can someone explain to me why the press will not press Trump and his administration when they fail to answer the question asked? Acosta asked a pretty straight forward question and Trump spewed a lot of smoke but came nowhere near answering the question. The next reporter picked should have asked Trump to please answer the previous question. And the next one and so on. Are reporters still afraid of being banned from briefings or skipped over in future briefings? Trump looks to be on the ropes and he needs to be called out more aggressively when he pulls this stuff.
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### Author:  [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2020, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-failure/917253/2 "2020-08-04T13:36:18Z")
They know they’re never going to get a real answer. I think they’re just resigned to asking whatever their editor expects them to ask, then just report whatever non response they received.
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### Author:  [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2020, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-failure/917253/3 "2020-08-04T14:50:56Z")
ISTM that US news journalist follow a principle of not injecting opinion into news. How that plays out is that a question will be asked with the expectation that an answer will be taken at face value, and that the viewer/reader is expected to form an opinion about the answer - without the news journalist intentionally challenging the answer.
As viewers/readers we naturally find that frustrating, because we can see that the answer is clearly garbage, and that the news journalist can see that too. Why aren’t they calling bullshit? Because they are taught that that is not their job.
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### Author:  [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2020, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-failure/917253/4 "2020-08-04T14:52:45Z")
Why do you think Trump would eventually answer? Here in Colorado, our Senator, up for reelection, dodged the question of if he supported Trump’s suit against ACHA six times and then the time scheduled for the interview was up. Do you still want them following up on a question from 3 years ago since I’m sure there are dozens that Trump never answered. At a certain point you’ve gotten all that you can and you have to try and find something to move on to.
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### Author:  [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2020, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-failure/917253/5 "2020-08-04T15:06:51Z")
Here’s how it would go:
Reporter 1: _asks a straight-forward question_
Trump: _utter nonsense for five minutes_ “Next question.”
Reporter 2: “You didn’t answer that question”
Trump: “Yes I did. Next question.”
ONAN Reporter: “Mr. President, how is it that you are the greatest president that have ever lived or ever will lived, but the fake news media keeps slandering you?”
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### Author:  [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2020, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-failure/917253/6 "2020-08-04T15:14:15Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#):
>
> Reporter 1: _asks a straight-forward question_
>
> Trump: _utter nonsense for five minutes_ “Next question.”
>
> Reporter 2: “You didn’t answer that question”
>
> Trump: “Yes I did. Next question.”
Reporter 1: Kayleigh, can you please clarify the presidents answer to [question].
Kayleigh: Well, I think he answered it pretty thoroughly,
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### Author:  [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2020, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-failure/917253/7 "2020-08-04T16:48:56Z")
> [@MikeF](#):
>
> And the next one and so on. Are reporters still afraid of being banned from briefings or skipped over in future briefings? Trump looks to be on the ropes and he needs to be called out more aggressively when he pulls this stuff.
Because the reporter is thrown out of the briefing then (disproportionately women and minorities) and several have lost their White House press credentials. Persistent news organizations are threatened with losing access to the White House.
Reporting that the question wasn’t answered is the most they can do.
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### Author:  [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2020, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-failure/917253/8 "2020-08-04T16:52:05Z")
This is another example of the maxim that you can’t win against the person who is holding the microphone.
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2020, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-failure/917253/9 "2020-08-04T16:54:31Z")
You’re not going to get Trump to answer a question by asking it to him a second or third time.
Ask him the question, If he doesn’t give an answer, report that the President didn’t give an answer to the question.
The second reporter should ask a different question and see if Trump will be unable to answer that one as well.
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### Author:  [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2020, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-failure/917253/10 "2020-08-04T17:16:08Z")
Here’s a transcript of Jonathan Swan’s interview with Trump. He presses the President repeatedly when Trump goes off onto word salad and lies. He gets nowhere.
[https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/current-affairs/donald-trump-axios-interview-jonathan-swan-corners-us-president-on-coronavirus/news-story/cfb56dcb88bd369af2c7268bc64a1c40?utm\_source=fark&utm\_medium=website&utm\_content=link&ICID=ref\_fark](https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/current-affairs/donald-trump-axios-interview-jonathan-swan-corners-us-president-on-coronavirus/news-story/cfb56dcb88bd369af2c7268bc64a1c40?utm_source=fark&utm_medium=website&utm_content=link&ICID=ref_fark)
The OP is trying to apply rational standards to the irrational; worse, to someone whose survival depends on lying and not answering questions. It’s a waste of time.
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### Author:  [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2020, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-failure/917253/11 "2020-08-04T17:26:58Z")
> [@BippityBoppityBoo](#):
>
> Because the reporter is thrown out of the briefing then (disproportionately women and minorities) and several have lost their White House press credentials. Persistent news organizations are threatened with losing access to the White House.
What I’ve always wished those reporters would do is just get themselves tossed out. In a perfect world, eventually he’d be talking to an empty room. The problem with that is that plenty of people will play ball. Of course Fox or OANN would ask him easy (if even related to anything) questions or even ask him questions prepared by the WH, but beyond that, I’m sure it’s a huge gold star on your resume to be in that pool, anyone would be happy to give it a shot regardless of their politics.
But can you imagine if he had to do his press briefings to a room with just a few cameras and no one to ask him questions (or for him to talk). I don’t think it would go over well.
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#):
>
> This is another example of the maxim that you can’t win against the person who is holding the microphone.
Sure, but it’s dirty pool to send your goons out into the audience to [take away their mics.](https://www.snopes.com/tachyon/2018/11/intern.jpg?resize=865,452&quality=65)
> [@Little\_Nemo](#):
>
> If he doesn’t give an answer, report that the President didn’t give an answer to the question.
I think all the news outlets should publish the exact transcript of the words that came out of his mouth. Be it in print or on TV.
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2020, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-failure/917253/12 "2020-08-04T17:42:42Z")
Years ago I took a course in how to respond to a news interview. With emphasis on handling an interview where they were digging for something. The advice was simple.
Before you meet with the reporter, have your 3 or 4 points you want to get across to the audience. Then no matter what question you are asked, simply trot out one of your points, ideally the one that has the best connection to whatever was asked. Actually answering the question as asked is totally NOT one of your goals; it’s an anti-goal. Stay away from it.
The difference between a highly skilled spokesman and a rank amateur like me is how slickly they can segue from the reporter’s question to their own canned message.
Now Trump of course isn’t exactly skilled, but he is insistent enough. The reporters’ questions aren’t question. They’re nothing more than “Mr. President, My camera’s on you, it’s now your turn to speak. Go!”
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### Author:  [@DeadTreasSecretaries](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadTreasSecretaries)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2020, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-failure/917253/13 "2020-08-04T18:02:21Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#):
>
> Before you meet with the reporter, have your 3 or 4 points you want to get across to the audience. Then no matter what question you are asked, simply trot out one of your points, ideally the one that has the best connection to whatever was asked. Actually answering the question as asked is totally NOT one of your goals; it’s an anti-goal. Stay away from it.
This is a reason I’ve always thought during debates, if a candidate doesn’t directly answer the question asked, they should turn their mic off and give it to another candidate to talk about whatever they want.
As far as Trump goes, he’s usually at a press conference where it’s supposed to cycle quickly through journalists, he can always just boot someone, and journalists are also probably thinking if they hog the mic it justifies getting kicked out. There also might be some professional courtesy that if one of them hogs the mic, other journalists won’t be able to get their questions in and next time their hoping their competing journalists show them the same respect.
The way to actually press Trump is to do what Chris Wallace did a few weeks ago, get him in into a comfortable setting one on one so you can take your time, and be very slow and deliberate. It also probably helped that Trump didn’t think he’d get a hardball interview from Fox, and I also bet Wallace buttered him up a ton before the real interview started. Unfortunately after how that interview went, Trump is probably not going to agree to another one.
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### Author:  [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2020, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-failure/917253/14 "2020-08-04T18:05:00Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#):
>
> The difference between a highly skilled spokesman and a rank amateur like me is how slickly they can segue from the reporter’s question to their own canned message.
I’ve seen that trope dragged out on countless TV shows, not to say it’s not something that happens IRL all the time, it’s just not what Trump is doing.
Look at this one that just happened. Sean Hannity asked Trump an easy question. What’s your plan for the next four years? All he had to do was say he’s focusing on the pandemic right now or that he plans to get this under control and then look for more ways to reduce the tax burden on the middle class or even just his meaningless and vague ‘I have a very good plan’. Anything at all and Hannity would have moved on to the next question.
His answer, however, was this:
Well, one of the things that will be really great, you know the word _experience_ is still good. I always say talent is more important than experience. I’ve always said that. But the word _experience_ is a very important word. It’s an — a very important meaning. I never did this before. I never slept over in Washington. I was in Washington, I think, 17 times. All of a sudden, I’m president of the United States. You know the story. I’m riding down Pennsylvania Avenue with our First Lady and I say, ‘This is great. But I didn’t know very many people in Washington. It wasn’t my thing. I was from Manhattan, from New York. Now I know everybody, and I have great people in the administration.” You make some mistakes. Like, you know, an idiot like Bolton. All he wanted to do was drop bombs on everybody. You don’t have to drop bombs on everybody. You don’t have to kill people.
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2020, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-failure/917253/15 "2020-08-04T18:35:41Z")
One of Obama’s first questions at a new conference was, “If Hillary Clinton is not qualified to be President, why did you select her as Secretary of State?”
“Ok, you’ve had your fun, let’s move along.”
I do wish each successive reporter had repeated the question.
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### Author:  [@Mickyfinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mickyfinn)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2020, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-failure/917253/16 "2020-08-04T18:48:29Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#):
>
> The OP is trying to apply rational standards to the irrational; worse, to someone whose survival depends on lying and not answering questions. It’s a waste of time.
This.
The Press is in a no win situation.
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### Author:  [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2020, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-failure/917253/17 "2020-08-04T20:20:36Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#):
>
> One of Obama’s first questions at a new conference was, “If Hillary Clinton is not qualified to be President, why did you select her as Secretary of State?”
> “Ok, you’ve had your fun, let’s move along.”
> I do wish each successive reporter had repeated the question.
It’s 2020 and you guys are still trying to convince people that voting for Hillary Clinton would have been a bad idea.
How’s that working out for you?
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### Author:  [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2020, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-failure/917253/18 "2020-08-04T20:31:23Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#):
>
> How’s that working out for you?
I still see a whole lot of idiots rail against Hillary even now. I’m worried that campaigning against Hillary will be a winning move in 2020 too ☹ doesn’t say anything good about our nation, that’s for sure.
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### Author:  [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2020, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-failure/917253/19 "2020-08-04T21:05:00Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#):
>
> It’s 2020 and you guys are still trying to convince people that voting for Hillary Clinton would have been a bad idea.
>
> How’s that working out for you?
Run that by again.
I voted for Hillary Clinton in the primary.
Obama was being hailed for being such a great guy, and he did political sleaze. Asked by CNN when he and Hillary were interviewed, “Some say there has already been a Black President, Bill Clinton”, he responded “We’ll have to see how well Bill dances”. Candidates not of color would have been crucified,
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### Author:  [@DeadTreasSecretaries](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadTreasSecretaries)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2020, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-failure/917253/20 "2020-08-04T21:16:04Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#):
>
> One of Obama’s first questions at a new conference was, “If Hillary Clinton is not qualified to be President, why did you select her as Secretary of State?”
> “Ok, you’ve had your fun, let’s move along.”
> I do wish each successive reporter had repeated the question.
You wish the other reporters had also perpetuated a [false rumor?](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/obama-hillary-clinton-isnt-qualified/)
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