# Trump bans CNN and NYT from press briefing. **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [February 24, 2017, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-bans-cnn-and-nyt-from-press-briefing/780673 "2017-02-24T22:13:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Belowjob2.0](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Belowjob2.0](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Belowjob2.0)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-bans-cnn-and-nyt-from-press-briefing/780673/121 "2017-02-25T22:17:48Z")
If Trump knew what he was doing wrt to politics, and DC politics in particular, he would not have made these mistakes. Only a fool publicly calls out the CIA. Only a fool starts a public war with the NYT and WaPo. Maybe the actions team Trump have taken will be enough, assuming the Republicans in Congress can hold together. (Some are already turning against Trumpsky.) [https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/25/us/politics/trump-press-conflict.html?\_r=0](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/25/us/politics/trump-press-conflict.html?_r=0) > [@](#): > > His anger is compounded by his belief that he should still be able to plant and steer stories. That was a lot easier to do when he was running a close-knit real estate and branding business with an aggressive legal team that demanded that nearly everyone in his orbit sign nondisclosure agreements. > > For the first time in his life, Mr. Trump is on the public payroll and subject to a tangle of laws and rules no businessman — especially one accustomed to overseeing every aspect of a relatively small family business — would tolerate. > > To some extent, the clash with the press was inevitable. Mr. Trump may be noisier and more confrontational than many of his predecessors, but he is being force-fed lessons all presidents eventually learn — that the iron triangle of the Washington press corps, West Wing staff and federal bureaucracy is simply too powerful to bully. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-bans-cnn-and-nyt-from-press-briefing/780673/122 "2017-02-25T22:36:16Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > So, in short, this is fake news. This wasn’t a briefing to the full press corps, and the organisations were not banned but not invited in the first place, and the practice of selective briefing is not new. This is \*not \*fake news. This is \*\*\*real \*\*\*news. Whether you disagree as to its import is a different matter. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-bans-cnn-and-nyt-from-press-briefing/780673/123 "2017-02-25T22:41:51Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Actually, it seems to me that this is a classic example of the liberal media going for something and not doing their job of stopping to think and checking. Nothing to do with the right-wing media at all. As the OP said, it’s the job of the media to report the truth. What was fake on this?: > [@](#): > > Some of the outlets that were blocked included The New York Times, CNN, The Los Angeles Times, POLITICO, and the BBC. Most of these, particularly the Times and CNN, have had an openly contentious relationship with the Trump administration. > [@](#): > > Back at the White House, more conservative news outlets such as Breitbart News, The Washington Times, and One America News Network were permitted to attend the informal briefing, which is typically known as a press gaggle. All of them have reported favorably on the Trump administration. (Steve Bannon, the controversial White House chief strategist, used to be the chairman of Breitbart.) > > The Associated Press and Time were also invited, but refused to participate in the gaggle out of solidarity for the outlets who were blocked. Meanwhile the White House Correspondents Association condemned the move. What is clear here is that you are only running with the spin from right wing sources of information. > [@Quartz](#): > > With the liberal media trying to discredit him like this and falling flat on their faces Trump really doesn’t need to do anything at all. The only “flat” things you are relying with are reports of different situations, the point stands in this case CNN, for example, had been invited or not prevented from attending. And then inviting members of the real fake news to that was also one item that was a big red flag. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-bans-cnn-and-nyt-from-press-briefing/780673/124 "2017-02-25T22:46:57Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > There comes a point in the dinner where traditionally the reporters all stand up and toast the President. I can’t imagine that happening with our so-called president. They might well toast the Constitution, this time. (And who could object to that?) ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-bans-cnn-and-nyt-from-press-briefing/780673/125 "2017-02-25T22:50:25Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > They might well toast the Constitution, this time. (And who could object to that?) Apropos, when you think about it, since the Constitution under this so-called administration/Congress _is_ toast, if they get their way. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-bans-cnn-and-nyt-from-press-briefing/780673/126 "2017-02-25T22:52:00Z")
Shoot, forgot a word: The only “flat” things you are relying with are reports of different situations, the point stands in this case CNN, for example, had been invited or not prevented from attending **before**. And then inviting members of the real fake news to that was also one item that was a big red flag. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-bans-cnn-and-nyt-from-press-briefing/780673/127 "2017-02-25T22:55:57Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Trump just announced he won’t be attending the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner. That’ll show them! Clearly not a safe place for our Snowflake-in-Chief. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2017, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-bans-cnn-and-nyt-from-press-briefing/780673/128 "2017-02-25T23:41:29Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > R-i-i-i-i-ght, froggie. That water is lukewarm now, but don’t worry, you’ll get used to it. Until you’re cooked. Thelma, pointing out the water is lukewarm is noble; acting like its’ already boiling only makes you look foolish if it never heats up. All I am saying is that I want to see a pattern for this denial of news; not a one-off, but a pattern of abuse that is so obvious and detrimental to the health of this nation that _anyone_ except those who will never see will recognize it. To be honest, I expect Trump, given his reckless inclinations, will be most happy to give it to us. > [@SmartAlecCat](#): > > Citation? The news currently reporting on this generally say it is unprecedented. Do you have information they are lacking? A fair question, and I admit that I was going with several references higher up in the thread regarding President Obama, so i did do a little research. > **[The Complicated History Between the Press and the Presidency](https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/complicated-history-between-press-and-presidency-180959406/)** > > Banning a newspaper like the 'Post' is a move that wouldn't fly even in the Nixon White House > **[Dunce caps and wiretaps: A history of fractious relationships between...](https://www.cbc.ca/news/multimedia/dunce-caps-and-wiretaps-a-history-of-fractious-relationships-between-presidents-press-1.3992065)** > > "Fake news" and "unwatchable" — these are the adjectives U.S. President Donald Trump has used to describe the media in what he has deemed a "running war." But Trump isn't the first commander-in-chief to have a rocky relationship with the media.... Without quoting wholesale, the Presidental “Press Conference” has only been around since 1913 (Woodrow Wilson), so before that the President had sole choice on what newspapers he chose to talk to. The Press Briefing room in the White House was established by President Richard Nixon in 1969. As for incidents, beside the ones mentioned above regarding President Obama, from the [cbc.com](http://cbc.com) source: > [@](#): > > Calvin Coolidge was nicknamed “Silent Cal” for his quiet manner. He met with reporters frequently, but demanded that questions be submitted in writing. > [@](#): > > But privately, Kennedy also authorized a wiretap on a New York Times national security reporter to find out who was leaking secrets to the media. > [@](#): > > Nixon had a hard time concealing his disdain for reporters, whom he called “the enemy.” Nixon’s vice-president, Spiro Agnew, gave a speech in 1969, calling the press a “small and unelected elite.” He also suggested news organizations were not producing credible reporting. So yeah, I concur that these is little ready evidence of such exclusions before (of course I haven’t really dug deep), so I may have mis-spoken, for which I apologize. But the often…fiesty…relationship between President and Press is well known through American history. What is of concern is if this administration is going to change that relationship in a fundamental matter. And they might be trying that very thing–I have no love nor trust for this leadership cabal; all I ask is to see a pattern of actions, not a one-off outrage. Is that really too much to ask? ---
**Author:** ![JackieLikesVariety](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackielikesvariety/32/296_2.png) [@JackieLikesVariety](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JackieLikesVariety)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2017, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-bans-cnn-and-nyt-from-press-briefing/780673/129 "2017-02-26T00:08:39Z")
> [@jasg](#): > > Clearly not a safe place for our Snowflake-in-Chief. and there isn’t any reason for him to go since he has no sense of humor. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2017, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-bans-cnn-and-nyt-from-press-briefing/780673/130 "2017-02-26T00:17:44Z")
> [@Belowjob2.0](#): > > This. > > Dominoes continue to fall. > Part of what team Trump is doing now is buying time until they’ve fully figured out how to weather the shitstorm that they know is coming. This would explain circling the wagons & the Bunker Mentality. Say, just how big is that iceberg anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2017, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-bans-cnn-and-nyt-from-press-briefing/780673/131 "2017-02-26T00:21:12Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > For a guy who ‘doesn’t really need to do anything at all’, he sure is busy shoveling shit from one place to another. You’re absolutely correct. Trump’s an idiot: there’s a maxim, ‘Never stop your enemy when he’s making a mistake.’ All Trump has to do is sit back, but no, he can’t help but interfere. > [@SmartAlecCat](#): > > Citation? The news currently reporting on this generally say it is unprecedented. Do you have information they are lacking? As detailed upthread it is not unprecedented; indeed quite normal. > [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Trump just announced he won’t be attending the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner. That’ll show them! As I said above, Trump’s an idiot. But then again, he’s surprised us all for the past year and more. ---
**Author:** ![GIGObuster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gigobuster/32/421_2.png) [@GIGObuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GIGObuster)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2017, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-bans-cnn-and-nyt-from-press-briefing/780673/132 "2017-02-26T00:30:56Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > As detailed upthread it is not unprecedented; indeed quite normal. Missing the point again, the precedents mentioned in the thread either do not apply much or had a history of being criticized before as not being the usual thing. [http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/321059-fox-anchor-baier-rips-white-house-for-barring-outlets-from-briefing](http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/321059-fox-anchor-baier-rips-white-house-for-barring-outlets-from-briefing) > [@](#): > > Fox News anchor Bret Baier blasted the White House’s decision Friday to exclude several news organizations from covering spokesman Sean Spicer’s question-and-answer session. > > Baier said the White House press gaggle “should be opened to all” credentialed organizations, pointing to treatment of his network during the Obama administration. > > “Some at CNN & NYT stood w/FOX News when the Obama admin attacked us & tried 2 exclude us-a WH gaggle should be open to all credentialed orgs,” Baier tweeted. Again, the other point missed is that it is not normal to allow then fake news groups to be in place of the ones that are not a rubber stamp or cheerleaders of the president. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2017, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-bans-cnn-and-nyt-from-press-briefing/780673/133 "2017-02-26T00:53:52Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > Is it too soon to ask if 45 will be invited to the annual White House press corps dinner? > [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Trump just announced he won’t be attending the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner. That’ll show them! I wonder if he backed out before they could kick him out. I suggest they invite all the living presidents. Carter and H.W. Bush might have to miss due to age and health, but the other three could make it. The dinner is used to raise college scholarship money for journalism students. Would be a shame if it was poorly attended. ---
**Author:** ![BigAppleBucky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigapplebucky/32/178_2.png) [@BigAppleBucky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigAppleBucky)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2017, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-bans-cnn-and-nyt-from-press-briefing/780673/134 "2017-02-26T01:00:13Z")
I cannot help but think this whole thing is a diversion to get us away from the bigger story of the administration attempting to stifle the investigation of the 45 - Russian collaboration. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2017, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-bans-cnn-and-nyt-from-press-briefing/780673/135 "2017-02-26T01:08:52Z")
Or maybe the plan is to get people to scold others out of talking about objectively significant stuff because EVERY SINGLE OTHER ISSUE is a “distraction” from the ONE BIG ONE. Or maybe this issue came about BECAUSE the White House is trying to cover up the BIG ONE. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2017, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-bans-cnn-and-nyt-from-press-briefing/780673/136 "2017-02-26T01:14:26Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Trump just announced he won’t be attending the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner. That’ll show them! Is Alec Baldwin busy that night? ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2017, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-bans-cnn-and-nyt-from-press-briefing/780673/137 "2017-02-26T01:15:45Z")
BigAppleBucky: The press aint gonna let that story go ignored. Just aint gonna happen. ---
**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2017, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-bans-cnn-and-nyt-from-press-briefing/780673/138 "2017-02-26T01:43:33Z")
> [@BigAppleBucky](#): > > I wonder if he backed out before they could kick him out. > > I suggest they invite all the living presidents. Carter and H.W. Bush might have to miss due to age and health, but the other three could make it. > > The dinner is used to raise college scholarship money for journalism students. Would be a shame if it was poorly attended. That is a great idea! NPR [reports](http://www.npr.org/2017/02/25/517257273/trump-will-be-first-president-in-36-years-to-skip-white-house-correspondents-din) that the last two Presidents to skip the “Nerd Prom” were Nixon in '72 and Reagan in '81 ( to be fair, he was recovering from being shot). ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2017, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-bans-cnn-and-nyt-from-press-briefing/780673/139 "2017-02-26T01:50:30Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#): > > Trump just announced he won’t be attending the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner. That’ll show them! Awwwww. The sad little snowflake Trump has such a thin skin, he cries when the mean people make fun of him. Pathetic little orange man. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2017, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-bans-cnn-and-nyt-from-press-briefing/780673/140 "2017-02-26T01:52:46Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > This is \*not \*fake news. This is \*\*\*real \*\*\*news. Whether you disagree as to its import is a different matter. For the Trumpistas, “Fake news” is anything at all that makes Dear Leader look like an idiot. Which is really quite a lot at the moment. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-bans-cnn-and-nyt-from-press-briefing/780673.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-bans-cnn-and-nyt-from-press-briefing/780673.md?page=8)