Obama admin to Boston Herald: You're not allowed access because of a story you wrote

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

White House shuts out Herald scribe - BostonHerald.com

The White House Press Office has refused to give the Boston Herald full access to President Obama’s Boston fund-raiser today, in e-mails objecting to the newspaper’s front page placement of a Mitt Romney op-ed, saying pool reporters are chosen based on whether they cover the news “fairly.”

“I tend to consider the degree to which papers have demonstrated to covering the White House regularly and fairly in determining local pool reporters,” White House spokesman Matt Lehrich wrote in response to a Herald request for full access to the presidential visit.

“My point about the op-ed was not that you ran it but that it was the full front page, which excluded any coverage of the visit of a sitting US President to Boston. I think that raises a fair question about whether the paper is unbiased in its coverage of the President’s visits,” Lehrich wrote.

The administration straight out admitted to not allowing the Herlad reporter in due to Obama's visit not being on the front page and instead running a front page story on Romney.

To me this behavior by the white house, especially considering that last sentence, is both UN-Presidential and UN-American. Its also very childish behavior, not very mature at all.

Very silly.. but also not much different from what other politicians have done to keep their critics from having access to them.

Other people acting childish and show poor behavior as elected officials is not an excuse or a justification.

 

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

So you are taking only ONE side of the story to make your accessment of what really happened?

You make a very poor detective.

Are you accusing the Boston Herald of lying about what the White House said? Do you realize how easy it is to prove that if it were true? The White House actually tried to accuse the Chronicle of lying a few weeks ago, and had to admit they were the ones that were lying. That gives precedent and makes this story more credible.

Update: Chronicle responds after Obama Administration punishes reporter for using multimedia, then claims they didn't : Bronstein at Large

Yup

 

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

White House shuts out Herald scribe - BostonHerald.com

The White House Press Office has refused to give the Boston Herald full access to President Obama’s Boston fund-raiser today, in e-mails objecting to the newspaper’s front page placement of a Mitt Romney op-ed, saying pool reporters are chosen based on whether they cover the news “fairly.”

“I tend to consider the degree to which papers have demonstrated to covering the White House regularly and fairly in determining local pool reporters,” White House spokesman Matt Lehrich wrote in response to a Herald request for full access to the presidential visit.

“My point about the op-ed was not that you ran it but that it was the full front page, which excluded any coverage of the visit of a sitting US President to Boston. I think that raises a fair question about whether the paper is unbiased in its coverage of the President’s visits,” Lehrich wrote.

The administration straight out admitted to not allowing the Herlad reporter in due to Obama's visit not being on the front page and instead running a front page story on Romney.

To me this behavior by the white house, especially considering that last sentence, is both UN-Presidential and UN-American. Its also very childish behavior, not very mature at all.

I see this as a good thing. Firstly,, the more media the asshole refuses access to the less coverage he gets. He's just stupid enough to shoot his own foot off. and secondly every time he does this shit it reinforces to the American people what a petty little pussy he is..

There is always a silver lining

 

[LibocalypseNow]

This President has set all new lows as far as Media manipulation & oppression goes. Most of the Press licks his Boots and that's shameful enough. But the ones who don't lick those boots get terrorized. This Boston Herald incident is very disturbing. And shame on all the Boot-Lickers in the Press who haven't stood up for the Herald. They've become mere Puppets for this Administration. An Independent Press in this country has just about disappeared. And that's an awful tragedy. All of the People suffer when that happens.

 

[Trajan]

Didn't Helen Tomas get moved to the back of the bus and have to wait three years before being called upon by Bush again at a presser after she said she was covering the worst President in history?

Yeah, I know...anti-semite but there's your Bush example.

Didn't she still have fill access to the White House and was still part of the press pool?

I'm assuming you meant "full" access and the answer is no. Before her comments about Bush she was called upon to ask a question at every presser. After her comments she went three years without being called upon. Like it or not her access to the President was cut off as a result of her saying negative things about him. The Bush admin punished her for her comments. Now please, join Trajan and tell me water isn't wet.

You have not quite grasped it yet, so, I suggest- a) digesting this- access - definition of access by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia., b) read the OP again, c) don't direct anymore inane, snarky comments at me, we don't have that kind of forum relationship........hummm K?

 

[Luissa]

What would you guys call what the Bush Admin did to Helen Thomas?

She was allowed to ask questions every presser and then she wasn't. She had a traditional role of ending every presser and that was taken away. All in response to her saying bad things about the President.

What is that? Hmmmm?

But since what they didn't doesn't fit to a T what the Obama admin did you guys are acting like it doesn't count as an example of an Admin taking away access to reporters. It's transparent and pathetic.

You guys are the ones splitting hairs here. An Administration taking action against reporters for not towing the line is either wrong or not.

 

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

What would you guys call what the Bush Admin did to Helen Thomas?

She was allowed to ask questions every presser and then she wasn't. She had a traditional role of ending every presser and that was taken away. All in response to her saying bad things about the President.

What is that? Hmmmm?

But since what they didn't doesn't fit to a T what they Obama admin did you guys are acting like it doesn't count as an example of an Admin taking away access to reporters.

You guys are the ones splitting hairs here. An Administration taking action against reporters for not towing the line is either wrong or not.

Go back to the first 4 pages of the thread and read the discussion you had on it

My stance was pointing to bush's bad behavior is not justification for obama's bad behavior and by saying bush's behavior was bad i'm acknowledging your statement.

 

[Luissa]

What would you guys call what the Bush Admin did to Helen Thomas?

She was allowed to ask questions every presser and then she wasn't. She had a traditional role of ending every presser and that was taken away. All in response to her saying bad things about the President.

What is that? Hmmmm?

But since what they didn't doesn't fit to a T what they Obama admin did you guys are acting like it doesn't count as an example of an Admin taking away access to reporters.

You guys are the ones splitting hairs here. An Administration taking action against reporters for not towing the line is either wrong or not.

Go back to the first 4 pages of the thread and read the discussion you had on it

My stance was pointing to bush's bad behavior is not justification for obama's bad behavior and by saying bush's behavior was bad i'm acknowledging your statement.

So then you recall that I didn't post it to justify the Obama admin's behavior. An example of another admin "doing it" was requested. I didn't just scream BOOOSSHH.

 

[LibocalypseNow]

This is very sad. And the saddest part is that many people actually defend this behavior. Shame on them too.

 

[Luissa]

This is very sad. And the saddest part is that many people actually defend this behavior. Shame on them too.

What's sad is you acting as if a Republican were President you wouldn't be defending them tooth and nail.

 

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

What would you guys call what the Bush Admin did to Helen Thomas?

She was allowed to ask questions every presser and then she wasn't. She had a traditional role of ending every presser and that was taken away. All in response to her saying bad things about the President.

What is that? Hmmmm?

But since what they didn't doesn't fit to a T what they Obama admin did you guys are acting like it doesn't count as an example of an Admin taking away access to reporters.

You guys are the ones splitting hairs here. An Administration taking action against reporters for not towing the line is either wrong or not.

Go back to the first 4 pages of the thread and read the discussion you had on it

My stance was pointing to bush's bad behavior is not justification for obama's bad behavior and by saying bush's behavior was bad i'm acknowledging your statement.

So then you recall that I didn't post it to justify the Obama admin's behavior. An example of another admin "doing it" was requested. I didn't just scream BOOOSSHH.

Yeah you did.

EDIT: I mean yes, I recall thats what you did. when i just read that it looked like i might have been saying something else

 

[Trajan]

What would you guys call what the Bush Admin did to Helen Thomas?

She was allowed to ask questions every presser and then she wasn't. She had a traditional role of ending every presser and that was taken away. All in response to her saying bad things about the President.

What is that? Hmmmm?

But since what they didn't doesn't fit to a T what the Obama admin did you guys are acting like it doesn't count as an example of an Admin taking away access to reporters. It's transparent and pathetic.

You guys are the ones splitting hairs here. An Administration taking action against reporters for not towing the line is either wrong or not.

not at all, you constructed this strawman, we didn't.

If you had asked-

What would you guys call what the Bush Admin did to Helen Thomas?

straight up instead of trying to use it as an excuse, or a gotcha, I would have told you its a strawman ( I think I did?), I don't see the "punishments" as comparable, at all.

If you parse that last sentence you'll see that to an extent I agree with you, in only that Bush took action based on Helens actions.

I will be more than happy to discuss it after we are done here.

are we done?

 

[Foxfyre]

But keeping it honest re the Helen Thomas thing, President Bush has NOTHING to do with her losing her front row seat in the White House press room:

Woo-hoo! It's a happy St. Patrick's Day indeed for Helen Thomas, who was just officially re-awarded her front row seat in the White House Briefing Room after it had been rudely snatched away last month, owing to the combination of fewer seats in the newly-refurbished briefing room (7 seats per rows for 7 rows instead of 6 seats per row for 8 rows) and the fact that both Fox and CNN had been agitating for a front-row seat. Instead of picking between them, Thomas was booted.

But now booted no more! Today the White House Correspondent's Association decided that Thomas' pride of place in the front row — 46 years and counting — would be appropriately honored: . . . .

. . . .Meanwhile, whither that lone front-row seat? Who gets it, Fox or CNN? We'd keep you in suspense except that our headline gave it away: CNN was awarded the seat based, it seems, on seniority: "27 years of covering The White House." Fox only just celebrated its 10-year anniversary this past November, so the seniority metric is an easy one to apply, though the WHCA did note that CNN had made the cut "also for the "resources it brings to the in-town and travel pool," which we guess means Fox needs to beef up somewhere.
Eat The Press | Helen Thomas Gets Her Front Row Seat Back In White House Press Room; Fox Shunted To Second Row | The Huffington Post

Doesn't it really change the picture when we have the facts?

 

[Luissa]

No strawman was constructed ... you requested an example and got a damn good one.

Sure, we're done.

 

[PLYMCO_PILGRIM]

But keeping it honest re the Helen Thomas thing, President Bush has NOTHING to do with her losing her front row seat in the White House press room:

Woo-hoo! It's a happy St. Patrick's Day indeed for Helen Thomas, who was just officially re-awarded her front row seat in the White House Briefing Room after it had been rudely snatched away last month, owing to the combination of fewer seats in the newly-refurbished briefing room (7 seats per rows for 7 rows instead of 6 seats per row for 8 rows) and the fact that both Fox and CNN had been agitating for a front-row seat. Instead of picking between them, Thomas was booted.

But now booted no more! Today the White House Correspondent's Association decided that Thomas' pride of place in the front row — 46 years and counting — would be appropriately honored: . . . .

. . . .Meanwhile, whither that lone front-row seat? Who gets it, Fox or CNN? We'd keep you in suspense except that our headline gave it away: CNN was awarded the seat based, it seems, on seniority: "27 years of covering The White House." Fox only just celebrated its 10-year anniversary this past November, so the seniority metric is an easy one to apply, though the WHCA did note that CNN had made the cut "also for the "resources it brings to the in-town and travel pool," which we guess means Fox needs to beef up somewhere.
Eat The Press | Helen Thomas Gets Her Front Row Seat Back In White House Press Room; Fox Shunted To Second Row | The Huffington Post

Doesn't it really change the picture when we have the facts?

All that being said......this was a childish, pigheaded move by the admin.

 

[Luissa]

But keeping it honest re the Helen Thomas thing, President Bush has NOTHING to do with her losing her front row seat in the White House press room:

Woo-hoo! It's a happy St. Patrick's Day indeed for Helen Thomas, who was just officially re-awarded her front row seat in the White House Briefing Room after it had been rudely snatched away last month, owing to the combination of fewer seats in the newly-refurbished briefing room (7 seats per rows for 7 rows instead of 6 seats per row for 8 rows) and the fact that both Fox and CNN had been agitating for a front-row seat. Instead of picking between them, Thomas was booted.

But now booted no more! Today the White House Correspondent's Association decided that Thomas' pride of place in the front row — 46 years and counting — would be appropriately honored: . . . .

. . . .Meanwhile, whither that lone front-row seat? Who gets it, Fox or CNN? We'd keep you in suspense except that our headline gave it away: CNN was awarded the seat based, it seems, on seniority: "27 years of covering The White House." Fox only just celebrated its 10-year anniversary this past November, so the seniority metric is an easy one to apply, though the WHCA did note that CNN had made the cut "also for the "resources it brings to the in-town and travel pool," which we guess means Fox needs to beef up somewhere.
Eat The Press | Helen Thomas Gets Her Front Row Seat Back In White House Press Room; Fox Shunted To Second Row | The Huffington Post

Doesn't it really change the picture when we have the facts?

This has already been gone over.

How many years did Thomas wait in between questions?

What happened to her traditional role of ending every presser with "Thank you Mr. President?"

 

[Luissa]

But keeping it honest re the Helen Thomas thing, President Bush has NOTHING to do with her losing her front row seat in the White House press room:

Woo-hoo! It's a happy St. Patrick's Day indeed for Helen Thomas, who was just officially re-awarded her front row seat in the White House Briefing Room after it had been rudely snatched away last month, owing to the combination of fewer seats in the newly-refurbished briefing room (7 seats per rows for 7 rows instead of 6 seats per row for 8 rows) and the fact that both Fox and CNN had been agitating for a front-row seat. Instead of picking between them, Thomas was booted.

But now booted no more! Today the White House Correspondent's Association decided that Thomas' pride of place in the front row — 46 years and counting — would be appropriately honored: . . . .

. . . .Meanwhile, whither that lone front-row seat? Who gets it, Fox or CNN? We'd keep you in suspense except that our headline gave it away: CNN was awarded the seat based, it seems, on seniority: "27 years of covering The White House." Fox only just celebrated its 10-year anniversary this past November, so the seniority metric is an easy one to apply, though the WHCA did note that CNN had made the cut "also for the "resources it brings to the in-town and travel pool," which we guess means Fox needs to beef up somewhere.
Eat The Press | Helen Thomas Gets Her Front Row Seat Back In White House Press Room; Fox Shunted To Second Row | The Huffington Post

Doesn't it really change the picture when we have the facts?

All that being said......this was a childish, pigheaded move by the admin.

And the same with the Obama admin not giving the Herald full access to the Boston visit.

 

[Trajan]

Yes, I beleive there was; I requested an example and got one as in I asked for an example of murder and you gave me one for battery......*shrugs*

 

[Luissa]

Yes, I beleive there was; I requested an example and got one as in I asked for an example of murder and you gave me one for battery......*shrugs*

I think the Bush admin shutting out Thomas from questions for three years and embarrassing her by taking away the presser ending was worse

At least the Obama admin can half assed play the "not enough space card" though is clearly BS... what was the Bush admin's excuse?

 

[Foxfyre]

But keeping it honest re the Helen Thomas thing, President Bush has NOTHING to do with her losing her front row seat in the White House press room:

Woo-hoo! It's a happy St. Patrick's Day indeed for Helen Thomas, who was just officially re-awarded her front row seat in the White House Briefing Room after it had been rudely snatched away last month, owing to the combination of fewer seats in the newly-refurbished briefing room (7 seats per rows for 7 rows instead of 6 seats per row for 8 rows) and the fact that both Fox and CNN had been agitating for a front-row seat. Instead of picking between them, Thomas was booted.

But now booted no more! Today the White House Correspondent's Association decided that Thomas' pride of place in the front row — 46 years and counting — would be appropriately honored: . . . .

. . . .Meanwhile, whither that lone front-row seat? Who gets it, Fox or CNN? We'd keep you in suspense except that our headline gave it away: CNN was awarded the seat based, it seems, on seniority: "27 years of covering The White House." Fox only just celebrated its 10-year anniversary this past November, so the seniority metric is an easy one to apply, though the WHCA did note that CNN had made the cut "also for the "resources it brings to the in-town and travel pool," which we guess means Fox needs to beef up somewhere.
Eat The Press | Helen Thomas Gets Her Front Row Seat Back In White House Press Room; Fox Shunted To Second Row | The Huffington Post

Doesn't it really change the picture when we have the facts?

All that being said......this was a childish, pigheaded move by the admin.

???? Did you miss the point that the Administration does not choose the seating order? That it is the White House Correspondence Association that assigns the seating?