According to three sources with knowledge of the matter, as well as written communications reviewed by The Daily Beast, the new president’s communications staff have already on occasion probed reporters to see what questions they plan on asking new White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki when called upon during briefings.
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“While it’s a relief to see briefings return, particularly with a commitment to factual information, the press can’t really do its job in the briefing room if the White House is picking and choosing the questions they want,” one White House correspondent said. “That’s not really a free press at all.”
White House Reporters: Biden Team Wanted Our Questions in Advance
Isn’t this sweet? They are trying to show they are butch and independent! They are so cute when they pretend to be adults.
Now shut up and do as you are told, propaganda-bitch.
Well bless their little hearts, as Mrs B would say.
“That’s not really a free press at all.”
Thats a feature not a bug. Tell me again, why you thought we have a free press.
Two serious questions:
First: What would happen if a reporter submitted questions beforehand, but in the room asked something different? IOW, what would Jen Psaki have the power to do, and what would the optics be on that?
Second, building from the first: What if the White House held a press conference and nobody came? Either because all the WH correspondents had been kicked out, or because no media outlet felt the need to send anyone?
(On that last point, based on her extremely-formulaic answers so far, I firmly believe that a properly cynical media could accurately predict Psaki’s answers on any question without having to be there to ask it.)
Don’t worry- the organs of the Democratic party may grumble a bit in private, but in the end, they’ll suck it up, fall into line, and act as good little parrots for the party line.
Remember the good old days?
When the President himself stood on the White House lawn and answered the questions from the Democrats with press passes directly?
Can you conceive of President Alzheimers doing that?