There’s really no change at all. Just seems to be formalizing what should’ve been common sense all along. And, it seems the WH backed down because of the deadline from the judge. So, here’s what the author says:
No biggie. How long will it take Acosta to violate the newly promulgated rules the next time he’s called on? Fifteen seconds? Trump will get his chance at a rematch.
It’s not included here but are there any rules about the pushing, shoving, and yelling of members of the press corps trying to get the attention of whomever is running the show?
More @ White House gives up on denying Acosta's press pass, drafts new "single question only" rule for reporters
Here’s the full letter:
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
November 19, Bill 8
Dear Mister Acosta:
We received a letter from your counsel yesterday responding to our notice letter of November 16, 2013. That letter says, among other things, that “there are no so-called widely understood practices governing the conduct of journalists covering the White House. This statement impresses us as incorrect. Over many years, members of the White House press corps have attended countless press events with the President and other officials without engaging in the behavior you displayed at the November 2013 press conference, which gave rise to the suspension of your hard pass.
We would have greatly preferred to continue hosting White House press conferences in reliance on a set of understood professional norms, and we believe the overwhelming majority of journalists covering the White House share that preference. But, given your insistence that shared practices be replaced by “explicit . . . standards,” this letter attempts to convert into rules the widely understood practices described in our prior letter, and which. your counsel’s letter inexplicably concludes were non-existent.
Please be advised of the following rules governing future press conferences
A journalist called upon to ask. a question will ask a single question and then will
yield the floor to other journalists;
At the discretion of the President or other White-House official taking questions, a followup question or questions may be permitted; and where a follow up has been allowed and asked, the questioner will then yield the floor;
“Yielding the floor" includes, when applicable, physically surrendering the - microphone to' White House-staff for use by the next questioner;
Failure to abide by any of rates (1)-(3) may result in suspension or revocation of the journalist hard pass -
We are aware that Rules (2) and (4) afford the White House a degree of discretion in enforcing these rules and we see no substitute for reserving discretion. A press conference is not a mechanical exercise We are likewise mindful that a more elaborate set of rules might be devised, including, for example, specific provisions for journalist conduct in the open {non-press room} areas of the White House and For Air Force One. At this time, we have decided not to frame such rules 1n the hope that professional journalistic norms will suffice to regulate conduct in those places If unprofessional behavior occurs in those settings or if a court should decide that explicit rules are required to regulate conduct even there, we will be forced to reconsider this decision.
Signed by Bill Shine, Assistant to the President and Sarah Huckabee Sanders, White House Press Secretary
From White House restores Jim Acosta's hard pass
How long until Acosta or others break the rules?
No biggie. How long will it take Acosta to violate the newly promulgated rules the next time he’s called on? Fifteen seconds? Trump will get his chance at a rematch.
It’s not included here but are there any rules about the pushing, shoving, and yelling of members of the press corps trying to get the attention of whomever is running the show?
More @ White House gives up on denying Acosta's press pass, drafts new "single question only" rule for reporters
Here’s the full letter:
THE WHITE HOUSE
WASHINGTON
November 19, Bill 8
Dear Mister Acosta:
We received a letter from your counsel yesterday responding to our notice letter of November 16, 2013. That letter says, among other things, that “there are no so-called widely understood practices governing the conduct of journalists covering the White House. This statement impresses us as incorrect. Over many years, members of the White House press corps have attended countless press events with the President and other officials without engaging in the behavior you displayed at the November 2013 press conference, which gave rise to the suspension of your hard pass.
We would have greatly preferred to continue hosting White House press conferences in reliance on a set of understood professional norms, and we believe the overwhelming majority of journalists covering the White House share that preference. But, given your insistence that shared practices be replaced by “explicit . . . standards,” this letter attempts to convert into rules the widely understood practices described in our prior letter, and which. your counsel’s letter inexplicably concludes were non-existent.
Please be advised of the following rules governing future press conferences
A journalist called upon to ask. a question will ask a single question and then will
yield the floor to other journalists;
At the discretion of the President or other White-House official taking questions, a followup question or questions may be permitted; and where a follow up has been allowed and asked, the questioner will then yield the floor;
“Yielding the floor" includes, when applicable, physically surrendering the - microphone to' White House-staff for use by the next questioner;
Failure to abide by any of rates (1)-(3) may result in suspension or revocation of the journalist hard pass -
We are aware that Rules (2) and (4) afford the White House a degree of discretion in enforcing these rules and we see no substitute for reserving discretion. A press conference is not a mechanical exercise We are likewise mindful that a more elaborate set of rules might be devised, including, for example, specific provisions for journalist conduct in the open {non-press room} areas of the White House and For Air Force One. At this time, we have decided not to frame such rules 1n the hope that professional journalistic norms will suffice to regulate conduct in those places If unprofessional behavior occurs in those settings or if a court should decide that explicit rules are required to regulate conduct even there, we will be forced to reconsider this decision.
Signed by Bill Shine, Assistant to the President and Sarah Huckabee Sanders, White House Press Secretary
From White House restores Jim Acosta's hard pass
How long until Acosta or others break the rules?
