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Skip the White House Press Briefings, and Focus on the Leaks The Press Should Skip the White House Briefings
(35 minutes later)
In the early 1990s, when I carried a White House pass as a correspondent for The Boston Globe, I had a seat in the briefing room. I did not spend much time there — neither did many administration officials. My desk was annexed by the photographers as a place to pile their coats.In the early 1990s, when I carried a White House pass as a correspondent for The Boston Globe, I had a seat in the briefing room. I did not spend much time there — neither did many administration officials. My desk was annexed by the photographers as a place to pile their coats.
My seat for the briefings was in the fifth row, which might as well have been Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. On those occasions when the president appeared, he’d work his way through the first two rows, making sure to call on the broadcast correspondents; the reporters from the papers of record and the keyed-up representatives of the wire service, where scoops get measured in seconds, not minutes. Rarely did the president take a question from the outback.My seat for the briefings was in the fifth row, which might as well have been Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. On those occasions when the president appeared, he’d work his way through the first two rows, making sure to call on the broadcast correspondents; the reporters from the papers of record and the keyed-up representatives of the wire service, where scoops get measured in seconds, not minutes. Rarely did the president take a question from the outback.
There I was — a few yards from the Oval Office — and no one would give me the story. President Bill Clinton walked by our window, down the famed colonnade, to his office each morning. Had I screamed, he would have heard me. At times, in frustration, I thought about it.There I was — a few yards from the Oval Office — and no one would give me the story. President Bill Clinton walked by our window, down the famed colonnade, to his office each morning. Had I screamed, he would have heard me. At times, in frustration, I thought about it.
It was different when it was my turn to be the pool reporter. It got me through the doors to the Oval Office, onto Air Force One. A few times a year, I had a seat at ringside. But it was an all-or-nothing affair. The price was endless, mindless hours in a holding room, a hotel hallway or a White House van. Boredom made you loopy. Here’s an actual pool report I filed:It was different when it was my turn to be the pool reporter. It got me through the doors to the Oval Office, onto Air Force One. A few times a year, I had a seat at ringside. But it was an all-or-nothing affair. The price was endless, mindless hours in a holding room, a hotel hallway or a White House van. Boredom made you loopy. Here’s an actual pool report I filed:
Which is not to say we didn’t work hard. I wrote 380 articles one year and was honored by my peers. But when I brought that up while haggling for a raise, my editors scoffed and compared me — accurately, I admit — to a middle linebacker: A lot of plays just came my way.Which is not to say we didn’t work hard. I wrote 380 articles one year and was honored by my peers. But when I brought that up while haggling for a raise, my editors scoffed and compared me — accurately, I admit — to a middle linebacker: A lot of plays just came my way.
“Where was the enterprising work?” they asked. The piercing brand of journalism I had done in New England, that led them to unleash me on the presidency? Their questions echo, as I watch reporters today square off against President Trump, whose contempt for the press seems manifest and menacing.“Where was the enterprising work?” they asked. The piercing brand of journalism I had done in New England, that led them to unleash me on the presidency? Their questions echo, as I watch reporters today square off against President Trump, whose contempt for the press seems manifest and menacing.
Michael McCurry, the press secretary I pestered, described his job as “telling the truth slowly.” It sounds downright laudable now, but was viewed as cynical in that more innocent era. Either way, it speaks of reality. There’s no house edge in Las Vegas like the one held by the dealers at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue — and the new pit boss knows the game. The advice I offer to today’s press corps is thoroughly unoriginal, but tested and true: Get out of the press room, and look for access elsewhere.Michael McCurry, the press secretary I pestered, described his job as “telling the truth slowly.” It sounds downright laudable now, but was viewed as cynical in that more innocent era. Either way, it speaks of reality. There’s no house edge in Las Vegas like the one held by the dealers at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue — and the new pit boss knows the game. The advice I offer to today’s press corps is thoroughly unoriginal, but tested and true: Get out of the press room, and look for access elsewhere.
My best source worked not at the White House but a mile and a half away, on Capitol Hill. Senator Ted Kennedy had the means (his friends, liberal allies, staff and former aides pervaded the capital) to know more than all but the most senior presidential aides, and the motive (the need to remain on good terms with the hometown paper) to tell me about it.My best source worked not at the White House but a mile and a half away, on Capitol Hill. Senator Ted Kennedy had the means (his friends, liberal allies, staff and former aides pervaded the capital) to know more than all but the most senior presidential aides, and the motive (the need to remain on good terms with the hometown paper) to tell me about it.
If I was clueless on the internal politics of the Clinton administration — Labor Secretary Robert Reich must still snicker at the fat kiss I gave him, in a Sunday profile, as the liberal mastermind of White House economic policy — Kennedy and his wonks were good to me. Policy mattered to them, and to my readers. On issues of particular interest in Boston and Cambridge — like the troubles in Northern Ireland or Supreme Court appointments — their aid was invaluable.If I was clueless on the internal politics of the Clinton administration — Labor Secretary Robert Reich must still snicker at the fat kiss I gave him, in a Sunday profile, as the liberal mastermind of White House economic policy — Kennedy and his wonks were good to me. Policy mattered to them, and to my readers. On issues of particular interest in Boston and Cambridge — like the troubles in Northern Ireland or Supreme Court appointments — their aid was invaluable.
There’s a sturdy journalistic imperative: Seek out the other side. What Kennedy and his Democrats could not tell me, the shock troops of Newt Gingrich’s 1994 revolution and a growing army of conservative interest groups were ready to supply.There’s a sturdy journalistic imperative: Seek out the other side. What Kennedy and his Democrats could not tell me, the shock troops of Newt Gingrich’s 1994 revolution and a growing army of conservative interest groups were ready to supply.
Republicans may now control the elected branches in Washington, but the Trump years should be fertile time for disgruntled bureaucrats, who for reasons of policy or pique might be ready to leak to the press.Republicans may now control the elected branches in Washington, but the Trump years should be fertile time for disgruntled bureaucrats, who for reasons of policy or pique might be ready to leak to the press.
Did any group of fired employees cause more mischief for their employers, over so little, than the discharged staff of the White House Travel Office? They spurred the first Clinton “-gate” — Travelgate. The travel staff followed a path blazed by Mark Felt, the F.B.I. official who did not get the big promotion that he coveted and, as a source called Deep Throat, helped bring down Richard Nixon’s presidency.Did any group of fired employees cause more mischief for their employers, over so little, than the discharged staff of the White House Travel Office? They spurred the first Clinton “-gate” — Travelgate. The travel staff followed a path blazed by Mark Felt, the F.B.I. official who did not get the big promotion that he coveted and, as a source called Deep Throat, helped bring down Richard Nixon’s presidency.
And then there are the ideologues — the believers in activist government who, seeing a Trump administration dismantle health care coverage or environmental protections, will take their case to the press. It’s the Democrats who have been staffing the executive branch for eight years. The whistle-blowers, like Daniel Ellsberg, Edward Snowden and Chelsea Manning, will be out in full force.And then there are the ideologues — the believers in activist government who, seeing a Trump administration dismantle health care coverage or environmental protections, will take their case to the press. It’s the Democrats who have been staffing the executive branch for eight years. The whistle-blowers, like Daniel Ellsberg, Edward Snowden and Chelsea Manning, will be out in full force.
So take heart, my ink-stained wretches. Even in the Trump years, there will be ways — time-tested and effective — to get around the White House maledictions.So take heart, my ink-stained wretches. Even in the Trump years, there will be ways — time-tested and effective — to get around the White House maledictions.
Not too long ago, one of the nation’s premier reporters, whose clout affords him access in spades, still found it necessary to go out, uninvited, to the home of a general who had been ducking his calls.Not too long ago, one of the nation’s premier reporters, whose clout affords him access in spades, still found it necessary to go out, uninvited, to the home of a general who had been ducking his calls.
It was 8:15 p.m. when he knocked on the door. The general opened it, took a look at Bob Woodward and asked, “Are you still doing this?”It was 8:15 p.m. when he knocked on the door. The general opened it, took a look at Bob Woodward and asked, “Are you still doing this?”
But then he invited him in.But then he invited him in.