I'm old enough to remember Trump's first press conference as POTUS when a reporter from Univision was removed for asking questions Trump didn't like. So what's good for the goose is good for the gander.
I also remember various administration conferences held by the EPA and other departments in which the press were either excluded or in at least one case physically removed. Where was your outrage then?
I also remember press conferences where Trump blatantly refused to answer questions from individual reporters, and when he said that networks should be subject to having their broadcast licenses revoked. In true Trumpian fashion, he had no idea that a) OTA networks like CBS and NBC do not have broadcast licenses - the individual stations do, and b) cable networks are not regulated by the FCC.
I am no fan of Ocasio-Cortez, but there was a reason she decided to exclude the press from her town hall - she wanted to talk to vulnerable community members about sensitive issues, and felt the presence of the press would stifle that discussion, especially after they ignored her previous request to not ask questions or ask for one-on-one interviews. Granted, the press was just doing their job, but in this case she felt they would just get in the way of open discussion. And if you really think that her excluding the press would stop them from gaining access to the Town Hall, you really don't understand how journalists work.
Usually, when making an argument, it's helpful to present ALL of the facts - not just the ones that support your conclusion. |