OT: WH press briefings

[rcnute]

This is OT and political but not partisan. Does anyone know how to best contact the WH press secretary's office?

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/24/us/politics/white-house-sean-spicer-briefing.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

Ryan

[rwsaunders]

Start with Melania....I heard that she posts here from time to time.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact#page

[eddief]

what's on your mind?

This is OT and political but not partisan. Does anyone know how to best contact the WH press secretary's office?

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/24/us/politics/white-house-sean-spicer-briefing.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news

Ryan

[rcnute]

what's on your mind?

See the article. NYT, Politico and CNN reporters barred from a briefing.

Ryan

[rcnute]

Start with Melania....I heard that she posts here from time to time.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact#page

"I live in a small community in Palm Beach. Can anyone recommend some good places to ride and bike shops to visit?"

Ryan

[eddief]

what it is ain't exactly clear...

Where's Neal Young when we need him?

"For What It's Worth" -- Buffalo Springfield

There's something happening here
But what it is ain't exactly clear
There's a man with a gun over there
Telling me I got to beware

I think it's time we stop
Children, what's that sound?
Everybody look - what's going down?

There's battle lines being drawn
Nobody's right if everybody's wrong
Young people speaking' their minds
Getting so much resistance from behind

It's time we stop
Hey, what's that sound?
Everybody look - what's going down?

What a field day for the heat
A thousand people in the street
Singing songs and carrying signs
Mostly saying, "hooray for our side"

It's time we stop
Hey, what's that sound?
Everybody look - what's going down?

Paranoia strikes deep
Into your life it will creep
It starts when you're always afraid
Step out of line, the men come and take you away

We better stop
Hey, what's that sound?
Everybody look - what's going down?

We better stop
Hey, what's that sound?
Everybody look - what's going down?

We better stop
Now, what's that sound?
Everybody look - what's going down?

We better stop
Children, what's that sound?
Everybody look - what's going down?

See the article. NYT, Politico and CNN reporters barred from a briefing.

Ryan

[Louis]

My comment which I submitted to the NYT web site:

Unbelievable.

How can the organizations that did choose to attend expect to have any credibility whatsoever?

[fogrider]

See the article. NYT, Politico and CNN reporters barred from a briefing.

Ryan

isn't it the "failing" NYT and "overrated" CNN?

[gdw]

Our neighborhood email newsgroup has been spammed by the Indivisible folks who tried to turn it into a political forum, others tack up wanted posters on our street showing one of our state senators that they want to hold a town hall meeting in the area so they can harasses him, and we just voted to exclude a woman from an upcoming backcountry trip because she can't stop talking politics and spewing hate....enough. If you wish to discuss politics please take it elsewhere.

[Gsinill]

My comment which I submitted to the NYT web site:

Who cares about credibility in an era of alternative facts?

[Tony T]

"Sad :("

[Tony T]

And on a positive note: Record Close for the DOW 11 days straight and counting…

[Tony T]

"For What It's Worth" -- Buffalo Springfield..
Where's Neal Young when we need him?


"For What It's Worth" was written by Stephen Stills.

(Grumpy Neil has been in California over 50 years, but never bothered to become a Citizen, so I wouldn't care what he has to say about American Politics)

[Plum Hill]

what it is ain't exactly clear...

Where's Neal Young when we need him?

"For What It's Worth" -- Buffalo Springfield

Neil Young is out hawking PONO.
The song mentioned was written by Stephen Stills, FWIW.

[Tony T]

This is OT and political but not partisan. Does anyone know how to best contact the WH press secretary's office?


Someone in the NYT Comments section posted this. I don't know if its accurate:
Contact the White House to give your opinion on this unusual action: leave a comment: 202-456-1111; switchboard: 202-456-1414 And you can find your congressman at http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/

[pinkshogun]

If you get through to the switchboard ask what tire they recommend for D2R2

[tumbler]

"Sad :("

I think you mean "SAD!"

[Louis]

Well, CNN and the NYT are known to be "enemies of the people" so I suppose they deserve this after all.

[cloudguy]

I agree with this sentiment, bigly.

Signed,
John Barron

ps. I hear our new president is doing amazing things to destroy the fake news media.

[rnhood]

They can just republish off the AP wire like most others do. There isn't room for every news outlet and they need to ensure the more credible ones are there. CNN was outstanding back with Ted Turner at the helm and Linda Roberts on the desk. But that was a good while ago. Lot has changed since then.

[Louis]

They can just republish off the AP wire like most others do.

AP walked out to protest the barring of the others.

I guess the NYT can just republish what Breitbart and Stormfront have.

[Tony T]

They can just republish off the AP wire like most others do. There isn't room for every news outlet and they need to ensure the more credible ones are there. CNN was outstanding back with Ted Turner at the helm and Linda Roberts on the desk. But that was a good while ago. Lot has changed since then.

"Reporters from Time magazine and The Associated Press, who were set to be allowed in, chose not to attend the briefing in protest of the White House’s actions."

NY Times and LA Times are not credible?

[cloudguy]

Any news organization that prints or airs anything negative about our new president, who is doing amazing things every day, is not credible.

-John Barron

[Louis]

who is doing amazing things every day

Can't deny that.

[thwart]

They can just republish off the AP wire like most others do. There isn't room for every news outlet and they need to ensure the more credible ones are there.

Yikes. Double yikes.

... in before the lock...

[rcnute]

Our neighborhood email newsgroup has been spammed by the Indivisible folks who tried to turn it into a political forum, others tack up wanted posters on our street showing one of our state senators that they want to hold a town hall meeting in the area so they can harasses him, and we just voted to exclude a woman from an upcoming backcountry trip because she can't stop talking politics and spewing hate....enough. If you wish to discuss politics please take it elsewhere.

I don't have any interest in discussing it. Just wondering if someone has a better way of contact the WH press secretary's office than the WH website.

Ryan

[saab2000]

if you get through to the switchboard ask what tire they recommend for d2r2

potd!

[Tony T]

I don't have any interest in discussing it. Just wondering if someone has a better way of contact the WH press secretary's office than the WH website.


Call the switchboard: https://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/write-or-call

[Louis]

Just wait and see - Trump probably signed an executive order outlawing disk brakes on road bikes and some of us won't find out until we're arrested and imprisoned for this grave new offense.

[Tony T]

Just wait and see - Trump probably signed an executive order outlawing disk brakes on road bikes and some of us won't find out until we're arrested and imprisoned for this grave new offense.

Done!

https://storage.googleapis.com/is-now-illegal.appspot.com/gifs/DISK%20BRAKE.gif

[notsew]

Done!

https://storage.googleapis.com/is-now-illegal.appspot.com/gifs/DISK%20BRAKE.gif

This is by far my favorite trump meme.

[oldpotatoe]

This is by far my favorite trump meme.

Hilarious!!!!!now one about sram:D

[eddief]

when you need him?

[Plum Hill]

This is by far my favorite trump meme.

Disk?
Must be the Russian spelling.

[Louis]

Disk?
Must be the Russian spelling.

The two are equivalent.

Adding link: http://grammarist.com/spelling/disc-disk/

[drewellison]

I find all this very fascinating. Our last President had a lot of private meetings with selected press, openly aimed at influencing reporting, and I don't recall any reporters, whether invited or not, reporting that that was unacceptable.

Here's a quote from a NYT article about such a meeting.

"Mr. Earnest said the unannounced sessions with the president allowed Mr. Obama to speak more candidly than he can in public, especially about issues that defy easy answers. Columnists who have attended one of the more than a dozen private meetings with the president in the last seven years are directed not to quote him, disclose what was discussed or use the information they gleaned in further reporting. The attendees are not allowed to even acknowledge that the discussion took place."

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/04/us/politics/calculated-candor-inside-obamas-off-the-record-briefings.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0

[cloudguy]

I find all this very fascinating. Our last President had a lot of private meetings with selected press, openly aimed at influencing reporting, and I don't recall any reporters, whether invited or not, reporting that that was unacceptable.

Here's a quote from a NYT article about such a meeting.

"Mr. Earnest said the unannounced sessions with the president allowed Mr. Obama to speak more candidly than he can in public, especially about issues that defy easy answers. Columnists who have attended one of the more than a dozen private meetings with the president in the last seven years are directed not to quote him, disclose what was discussed or use the information they gleaned in further reporting. The attendees are not allowed to even acknowledge that the discussion took place."

https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/04/us/politics/calculated-candor-inside-obamas-off-the-record-briefings.html?smid=tw-share&_r=0

This sounds a little different to what happened in this case, which is that all the pool reporters were apparently asked to write down their names on a sign-up sheet, but then only a select group of those present were actually allowed in to the super-secret-special-briefing. But I'm sure they're saying something different over on Breitbart.

[Ralph]

Seems like Breitbart is running our country now. Trump brainwashed by Bannen and Miller.

[Tony T]

There is a prerequisite to being brainwashed.

Both parties need to look to their youth. Running two 70 year-olds was the start of the problem (and even in the Democratic Party it was a 75 year old vs a 70 year old for the party's "so called" nomination). We, the American People, were given two very poor choices — There was no way to win, it was indeed "rigged"

There needs to be a Constitutional Amendment for an age limit for the office of President.

[Bob Ross]

Hilarious!!!!!now one about sram:D

I love you man!

[Tony T]

12 Great Stories That Have Nothing to Do With Politics (https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/24/nytnow/12-great-stories-that-have-nothing-to-do-with-politics.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=second-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news)

[cloudguy]

There is a prerequisite to being brainwashed.

Both parties need to look to their youth. Running two 70 year-olds was the start of the problem (and even in the Democratic Party it was a 75 year old vs a 70 year old for the party's "so called" nomination). We, the American People, were given two very poor choices — There was no way to win, it was indeed "rigged"

There needs to be a Constitutional Amendment for an age limit for the office of President.

What does age have to do with anything, other than the possibility of dementia? In that case, how about all Presidents need to submit to an annual psychiatric evaluation by a board of doctors selected by a bipartisan committee?

[Climb01742]

There needs to be a Constitutional Amendment for an age limit for the office of President.

Are younger candidates immune from stupidity, corruption or sidling up to dictators?;)

[Louis]

how about all Presidents need to submit to an annual psychiatric evaluation by a board of doctors selected by a bipartisan committee?

I won't be holding my breath on this one.

[Louis]

stupidity, corruption or sidling up to dictators?;)

Since when are those disqualifications for office?

[Tony T]

What does age have to do with anything, other than the possibility of dementia?

That.
Reagan was rumored to be suffering from alzheimer's at the end of his 2nd term.
POTUS will be 78 at the end of a 2nd term if re-elected.
Sanders would be 83 if he were elected and re-elected!
(Some people complain when a 70+ year-old is on the road driving, but have no trouble with them running the country)

[rnhood]

The best thing we can hope for is term limits in Congress and Senate. It would be nice to get the money out of elections (campaign finance reform) but, at least this recent one showed that money doesn't always buy the Presidency.

[Tony T]

Are younger candidates immune from stupidity, corruption or sidling up to dictators?;)

Regarding electing a Senior Citizen President, my concerns are the ills that effect those of us of advancing age.

A 34 year-old can't run for President. A 64 year old shouldn't be able to either.

"I'd like to say a belated happy birthday to the President [Regan], who turns 7 … 75? Seventy-five, is that right? Seventy-five, and he has access to the nuclear football? You know, my grandfather is 75. We don't let him use the remote control for the TV set!" — Dennis Miller

.

[Schmed]

This sounds a little different to what happened in this case, which is that all the pool reporters were apparently asked to write down their names on a sign-up sheet, but then only a select group of those present were actually allowed in to the super-secret-special-briefing. But I'm sure they're saying something different over on Breitbart.

It doesn't sound much different to me.

Liberal-leaning columnists from newspapers tend to dominate at Mr. Obama’s secret sessions, but the White House has invited some new-media journalists, and prominent conservatives have attended as well. In 2013, Mr. Obama invited five conservatives to a Roosevelt Room discussion.

[paredown]

It doesn't sound much different to me.

Liberal-leaning columnists from newspapers tend to dominate at Mr. Obama’s secret sessions, but the White House has invited some new-media journalists, and prominent conservatives have attended as well. In 2013, Mr. Obama invited five conservatives to a Roosevelt Room discussion.

The journalists themselves made the distinction between the acceptability of private meetings (which, as you say happened with the previous POTUS --and most/all? others I think) and the deliberate exclusion from the "gaggle" (as they call the press briefings) of news agencies deemed to be "false media."

FOX condemned it, WSJ said they would not have attended if they had known of the exclusion and at possibly two other news organization refused to attend when they heard (Time and AP)>

So--not the same and not business as usual where the press briefings have traditionally been open to all credentialed media.

[cloudguy]

I won't be holding my breath on this one.

It seems the idea was thought of a long time ago:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/donald-trump-mental-health-ted-lieu_us_589a4b70e4b0c1284f2930cd

Perhaps feelings will change after nuclear winter sets in.

[sg8357]

I miss Donald Rumsfeld, he was so much better at complaining about lousy press coverage.
This sounds like it could be today.


"I picked up a newspaper today and I couldn't believe it. I read eight headlines that talked about chaos, violence, unrest. And it just was Henny Penny -- "The sky is falling." I've never seen anything like it! And here is a country that's being liberated, here are people who are going from being repressed and held under the thumb of a vicious dictator, and they're free. And all this newspaper could do, with eight or 10 headlines, they showed a man bleeding, a civilian, who they claimed we had shot —one thing after another.
From the very beginning, we were convinced that we would succeed, and that means that that regime would end. And we were convinced that as we went from the end of that regime to something other than that regime, there would be a period of transition. And, you cannot do everything instantaneously; it's never been done, everything instantaneously. We did, however, recognize that there was at least a chance of catastrophic success, if you will, to reverse the phrase, that you could in a given place or places have a victory that occurred well before reasonable people might have expected it, and that we needed to be ready for that; we needed to be ready with medicine, with food, with water. And, we have been.
Freedom's untidy, and free people are free to make mistakes and commit crimes and do bad things. They're also free to live their lives and do wonderful things. And that's what's going to happen here"

[zmudshark]

I got shut down right away when I posted this without political comment:

https://storage.googleapis.com/is-now-illegal.appspot.com/gifs/SHIMANO.gif

I can't believe this is still an open thread.

IBTL

Post count +1

[Louis]

I can't believe this is still an open thread.

I think all the mods are out partying.

[zmudshark]

I think all the mods are out partying.
https://storage.googleapis.com/is-now-illegal.appspot.com/gifs/PARTYING.gif

[Tony T]

I miss Donald Rumsfeld, he was so much better at complaining about lousy press coverage.
This sounds like it could be today.


Not really. Rumsfeld did not call it "fake news" and did not declare war on the media.
Administrations since Washington have complained about the press.
What POTUS is doing is unprecedented.

[gasman]

I think all the mods are out partying.

I wish. But I am on vacation ! You all stayed very civil but gonna have to lock it. You know the rules.
Thanks