White House Press Corps Attended Posh Off-The-Record 4th Of July BBQ
The whole reason why freedom of the press is an important concept is because the journalists are supposed to be “fourth estate” of truth-tellers and fact checkers who keep our leaders honest. But the concept doesn’t do us much good when the journalist elites merge themselves with the political elites.
Reporters from roughly 30 television networks, newspapers, magazines, and web sites celebrated the Fourth of July with Barack Obama at the White House last weekend. Why didn’t you know that? Because they were sworn to secrecy.
We reported yesterday that Politico’s Mike Allen was spotted milling about as a guest at the White House’s “backyard bash” by the pool reporter, who was allowed into the event for 40 minutes and kept in a pen before being ushered out. When Allen quoted from the pool report in his Playbook column the next day, he deleted a reference to his own name and didn’t bother to tell his readers that he was actually at the party.
Well, he wasn’t alone. Gawker has learned that the White House gave tickets to virtually every major news organization that covers the president—the New York Times, Washington Post, Newsweek, Time, ABC News, NBC News, CNN, CBS News, and so on, about 30 in all. The reporters were invited to attend on the following condition:
“You are being invited to attend this event as a guest. Blogging, Twittering or otherwise reporting on this event is not permitted. If you feel that you cannot agree to abide by these ground rules, please don’t claim a ticket.”
That’s right: Much of the White House press corps spent the Fourth schmoozing with White House staffers, catching performances by the Foo Fighters and Jimmy Fallon, and watching the fireworks from the most exclusive vantage point in the D.C. metro area, all off the record—not to mention off-the-Facebook and off-the-Twitter.
So, what good reason is there for keeping secret a party hosted by Obama and attended by the people who are supposed to be the ones bringing us objective reporting about that same President? Obama getting friendly with the reporters gives enough of an appearance of impropriety, even if it isn’t specifically objectionable, but a secret shindig that reporters aren’t even allowed to disclose?
Shame on Obama for organizing an event like this. And double shame on the supposedly objective and independent reporters lapdogs who attended.
