Trump policy: Genuflect or reject

WTF time at the Trump/Bannon White House

The White House blocked a number of news outlets from covering spokesman Sean Spicer’s question-and-answer session on Friday afternoon. 

Spicer held an off-camera “gaggle” with reporters inside his West Wing office instead of the traditional on-camera briefing in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room.  

Among the outlets not permitted to cover the gaggle were news organizations President Trump has singled out for criticism, including CNN. 

The New York Times, The Hill, Politico, BuzzFeed, the Daily Mail, BBC, the Los Angeles Times and the New York Daily News were among the other news organizations not permitted to attend.

Journalists from several right-leaning outlets were allowed into Spicer’s office, including Breitbart, the Washington Times and One America News Network. 

A number of major news organizations were also let in to cover the gaggle. That group included ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, Reuters, Bloomberg and McClatchy. 

Reporters from The Associated Press and Time magazine were allowed into the gaggle but refused to attend. 

The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) sharply criticized the decision. 

Journalists gathered in the briefing room to await the gaggle. When aides came to gather the pool, those who were not selected were turned back by Grisham in the West Wing hallway leading to Spicer's office. 

 

After some reporters voiced their frustration with the arrangement, Grisham asked a uniformed Secret Service officer to tell them to leave the hallway. 

The incident escalated Trump’s long-running feud with the media.

The president repeatedly slammed the “dishonest media” earlier Friday at the Conservative Political Action Conference, while also saying he respects the First Amendment. 

“I love the First Amendment; nobody loves it better than me. Nobody,” he said. 

“But as you saw throughout the entire campaign, and even now, the fake news doesn't tell the truth,” he continued. “I say it doesn't represent the people, it doesn't tell and never will represent the people, and we're going to do something about it.”

I wonder what John Knight, who refused to vote for Richard Nixon because he was so corrupt, would do today.

Thomas Jefferson disagrees with Trump and Bannon.  Jefferson said a free press, even when its writes things that politicians don't like, is essential to a sound democracy.

This sure sounds like "The Emperor Has No Clothes" conundrum. Genuflect or eject is the order of the day. Breitbart, to the right of Attilla the Hun, gets in, but CNN doesn't.

Adolph Hitler is dancing on his grave.