Pressing for Press Freedom; Let’s Honor the Guarantee – “The Sunday Political Brunch”
Mark Curtis, MINDSETTER™
Pressing for Press Freedom; Let’s Honor the Guarantee – “The Sunday Political Brunch”
“Press Freedom - Exhibit A: The Oval Office Brawl” – The scene in the Oval Office Friday with President Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky resembled a verbal barfight from Trump’s beloved World Wrestling Entertainment, WWE. Zelensky says his country was hurt by the promised, but failed U.S. diplomacy. Zelensky argued, “He (Putin) signed the exchange of prisoners. But he didn’t do it. What kind of diplomacy are you speaking about JD? What do you mean??” Then Vance fired back at Zelensky saying, “Mr. President, Mr. President, with respect. I think it’s disrespectful to come into the Oval Office and try to litigate this in front of the American media.” Trump chimed in, “You’re (Zelensky) not in a very good position. You don’t have the cards right now. With us, you will start having cards.” The terse exchange lasted seven minutes. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D) New Hampshire, and ranking member on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee said on X that Trump and Vance’s handling of Zelensky was “disgraceful and downright un-American.”
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“Press Freedom or Political Theater, or Both” – Call me cynical, but I believe both sides came bruising for a fight. The parties were supposed to come together to sign a deal where the U.S. would get substantial and critical rare earth elements from Ukraine. Ukraine was essentially promised a side-deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin that there would be an earnest effort for peace with Ukraine. But the sniping has been ongoing for more than a week, and what more public place could you pick an international fight, than right inside the White House? I wouldn’t call it “staged” like TV wrestling, but both sides knew they could throw verbal punches and grab headlines. This, to me, is the classic case for expanding, not shrinking, press freedoms. Does the media sometimes get used in the process, like today? Yes, but I’d rather it be in open sight!
“The People Choose the News Sources; the Politicians Don’t” – I raise the press freedom issue again as the Trump administration last week banned the Associated Press, AP, from White House and Air Force One briefings. Why? The AP still insists on calling that warm body of water to our south, the Gulf of Mexico, and not the Gulf of America as President Trump wishes. Then this week, the White House press secretary announced the president would decide which other news outlets would be allowed in the briefings. What this is, is selective censorship. If you like the questions and tone of one outlet, let them in. If you don’t, block them out. This is essentially saying, “we will select the free press from which you, the public, can choose!” Fox is in, perhaps CNN is out! ABC may be in, but the Wall Street Journal may be out. This is not a good path! The Trump White House is not alone. The Biden Administration banned a New York Post reporter for a time, for asking too many probing questions about Hunter Biden’s laptop computer. Same song, different verse: Don’t censor by exclusion!
“First is First and Foremost” – I consider the First Amendment the most sacred of all because it is the pathway for all other freedoms to exist. I will be at the church of my choice on Sunday. I will speak my mind in this column. I will report and analyze the news of the day, and if, in my frustration, I want to go shout in the town square, then I may, as all of those rights are guaranteed in the very same place. No other amendments, whether it be prohibition and its repeal, or presidential term limits, would have happened without the First. It is the cornerstone, the foundation for everything else! The White House Correspondents Association, which was in charge of who got in the press pool, has had its power stripped. WHCA President Eugene Daniels said, "This move tears at the independence of a free press in the United States. It suggests the government will choose the journalists who cover the president. In a free country, leaders must not be able to choose their own press corps." But White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt argues, “A select group of D.C.-based journalists should no longer have a monopoly of press access at the White House.”
“Mr. President?” - “What Did You Say, Sam?” – The current press v. president dynamic is almost comical compared to past history. The most contentious relationship in modern presidential press relations remains the testy, heated exchanges between ABC White House Correspondent Sam Donaldson and then President Ronald Reagan. Donaldson was the boorish reporter who often shouted down everyone in the press corps and, in the process, often stirred Reagan’s wrath. “Mr. President, what about the Soviets?” Donaldson might shout at Reagan as the blades from the Marine One helicopter whirred in the background, nearly drowning him out. But instead of ignoring Donaldson, Reagan would shout a barely audible response. It was tense, but it was great political theatre and you knew Reagan thrived on that. But there was no ban! It was two-way banter, and Reagan was not nearly as thin-skinned as Trump. Yep, part of it was Reagan the actor, but it was also Reagan who was a First Amendment champion all his life. I once asked Donaldson about why he was so bombastic, and he said, “The presidency belongs to the people. It doesn’t belong to any one person.” And for that I believe he and Reagan agreed. Amen!
“This is How it Works!” – I was a member of the White House Press Corps for six years, so I have some insider insight. President Trump’s press secretary correctly explained it this week, saying, there are “hundreds” of reporters who show up here every day, and you can’t get them all in. So, when you hear “White House Press Pool,” know this: There will be one network camera, a couple of TV reporters, a radio reporter, some wire services and print reporters, all who record and share coverage with the other news outlets. AP represents print, broadcast, and internet outlets. The arrangement has been a handshake deal between all White Houses and the press associations since 1914. It can be clumsy, but there are certain efficiencies and generally it works. Everyone gets a turn at bat, and we share. And yes, I believe “X” and other new media deserve an equal seat at the table in today’s digital world. But, no one should be banned outright! Press Secretary Leavitt said, “It is beyond time that the White House press operation reflects the American people in 2025, not 1925.” I agree, but exclusion is not the solution. A federal judge will take up AP’s challenge to the ban on March 20.
“Must Musk Pass Muster?" – A lot of people are highly critical about the clout held by presidential advisor Elon Musk. And eyebrows were raised again this past week when Musk attended the first cabinet meeting of this Trump term, even though he’s not in the cabinet. First, to be clear, Musk needs no Senate confirmation, as he is a volunteer advisor. Second, presidents have historically had a pattern of influential advisors over the years, who ruffled feathers. Think Karl Rove under George W. Bush, David Axelrod under Barack Obama, and Rahm Emanuel under Bill Clinton. Yes, Musk wields far more clout than any of them, but like them he can only make recommendations, not decisions. The same applies to most first ladies. So, expect lots of noise from Musk, but there’s little critics can do to mute him.
“DOGE Court Updates” – Several court cases remain pending on matters ranging from massive federal worker layoffs, to ending foreign aid through the USAID agency, to stopping birthright citizenship, and ending DEI. Then there’s the issue of Musk asking each federal worker to enumerate five things they did last week, to help justify keeping their jobs. In his cabinet meeting Trump noted to some members of his Cabinet “disagree a little bit” with Musk. My guess is Musk has Trump’s ear and backing more than anyone else in that room. I can’t wait to hear more court rulings on all the challenges.