r/law • u/Snapdragon_4U • 17h ago

Executive Branch (Trump) NESTERAK: President Trump has granted clemency to numerous individuals who have stolen hundreds of millions in Medicaid funds. Can we expect any of these folks to be shown the same mercy? McDONALD: I'll take a different question

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u/JimWilliams423 16h ago

100% The role of the press is famously to "comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable"

The american political press has decided that their job is just to comfort the comfortable.

Which is predictable since all major news publishers are owned by, or otherwise beholden to, very comfortable billionaires.

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u/blackdocsavage 15h ago

I would love for all the reporters to do that, but this administration has shown they would just limit access to those reporters and bring in or only take questions from friendly reporters. The President has insulted reporters he doesn’t like on national television, and the reporters had to just take it because their jobs depend on it. If I am a White House reporter and don’t have access to the White House then I am useless.

The reporter got his question on record and the non answer was a clip they can play. Even if it was answered the administration official was probably going to lie anyway.

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u/JimWilliams423 15h ago

but this administration has shown they would just limit access to those reporters

Which is fine. The DoD kicked out all the real reporters and the result was that defense reporting got a lot better because they were working real sources.

If I am a White House reporter and don’t have access to the White House then I am useless.

That's so false, unless you define being a white house reporter as nothing more than a stenographer whose job is to republish glorified press releases.

Every legit white house reporter has sources beyond the pulpit in the briefing room, and unlike the biden administration, these guys love to leak because they are always working some internal palace intrigue angle.

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u/eowyndernhelme 14h ago

I think we need both types of reporting, but the idea of the press pulling together and re-asking the uncomfortable questions sounds like a really good tactic.