U.S. State Department rethinks plan not to take media on Asia trip

[scorecard]

3 hours ago, Ramen087 said:

My comment was tongue in cheek.  You misinterpreted it.  I'll add a smiley to help you.  CRIKEY.

 

Ah, an attempt to deflect... failed!

[boomerangutang]

5 hours ago, scorecard said:

Seems to me this is the thin edge of the dictator wedge. 

Americans (the champions of democracy) should be totally outraged and should scream in the streets. This should make yanks realize that most recent POTUS holders respected that a free press is absolute and is so necessary.

Seeing it again and again ''I own this show, I make the rules, no discussion allowed'.

Just waiting for the day he slips and says to a reporter (or others):  'Your fired!'

How come so many yanks can't see through this guy?

You're right.  To address your closing question:  His fans know he lies and cheats, but they don't mind it. It's akin to how gun-hugging rednecks like Jesse James (olde tyme outlaw) even though James was a thief and murderer.

Plus his fans keep trotting out the immature argument:  "Well, Hillary would be worse."  Of course that's not true, but his fans have no investment in what's true or not.  

 

 

[iReason]

19 hours ago, Grubster said:

Why should they bring the press, the press is independent of government and I don't want to pay their way.

You do realize you are paying for the government's way don't you?

Apparently not.

 

Hopeless...

[iReason]

John F. Kennedy

The President and the Press: Address before the American Newspaper Publishers Association, April 27, 1961

 

"We decided long ago that the dangers of excessive and unwarranted concealment of pertinent facts far outweighed the dangers which are cited to justify it. Even today, there is little value in opposing the threat of a closed society by imitating its arbitrary restrictions. Even today, there is little value in insuring the survival of our nation if our traditions do not survive with it."

 

"And there is very grave danger that an announced need for increased security will be seized upon by those anxious to expand its meaning to the very limits of official censorship and concealment. That I do not intend to permit to the extent that it is in my control."

 

"And no official of my Administration, whether his rank is high or low, civilian or military, should interpret my words here tonight as an excuse to censor the news, to stifle dissent, to cover up our mistakes or to withhold from the press and the public the facts they deserve to know."

https://www.jfklibrary.org/Research/Research-Aids/JFK-Speeches/American-Newspaper-Publishers-Association_19610427.aspx

 

Here is how to deal with the Press.

 

Light years away from these CRETINS who infest the White House currently.

[Ramen087]

18 hours ago, scorecard said:

 

Ah, an attempt to deflect... failed!

no, actually. it truly was a "little off the cuff wisecrack"...

[mtls2005]

On 3/10/2017 at 5:45 PM, Grubster said:

Why should they bring the press, the press is independent of government and I don't want to pay their way. Next thing you know they will fall down on the way to the toilet and sue us for several million.

 

The press reimburses the government at the cost of an equivalent business class fare + $1.

 

"You" are already paying for the Secretary's salary and travel expenses.

 

I think Secretary Tilerson is avoiding the press as he doesn't want cause any misunderstandings with his boss, at least until he figures out what the President wants/likes re: foreign policy.

 

Having the press travel with him normally benefits the Secretary and the Administration.

 

 

State Department spokesman: I didn't know Mexican diplomat was in DC

 

The State Department’s acting spokesperson admitted Thursday that he did not know Mexico’s foreign minister was in Washington to meet with senior White House aides. Foreign diplomats are typically received by the secretary of State during visits to Washington. But at the State Department’s press briefing on Thursday, Mark Toner said Mexican Foreign Secretary Luis Videgaray’s trip to the capital wasn’t on his radar.

 

“We’ll take that and get back to you. I was unaware that he was — the foreign minister was in town,” Toner said when asked whether State officials would meet with Videgaray.

 

Videgaray met Thursday with President Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, as well as National Economic Council director Gary Cohn and national security adviser H.R. McMaster, according to the Los Angeles Times.

 

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/323340-state-dept-spokesman-says-he-was-not-aware-of-mexican-diplomats

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Redline]

On 3/11/2017 at 8:10 AM, Monomial said:

 

This is the interesting point. I think Trump has to some degree decided he doesn't need the press. Previous presidents all believed as you have stated here...that the press are important to help get the message out.

 

I think Trump has looked at things and decided he can simply tweet his message to his followers. Why does he want to cozy up to the media? It will be an interesting experiment to see if he is right or wrong.

 

I will say this. If he turns out to be correct and manages to get by without the press, it will create a brand new dynamic for all future presidencies.  There is an argument that Trump is right. Mainstream media is dying. A whitehouse Youtube channel making its own propaganda could be every bit as informative as CNN. I don't think there is anyone who actually believes the media is unbiased anymore. The days of Walter Cronkite are long over. News today is about echoing the biases of your listeners. That is what people want to hear, and that is where the money is.

 

If Trump can influence the electorate without the media, then he is probably correct in his determination that it is time to cast them out.

 

Time will tell if this was a smart decision.

 

I'm not sure that people will not rely on 1 source of information.  If that is the case, the country is doomed.  Just sell it now.  Someone has to verify that the information is true or not.  There will always be investigative reporting, until it is an authoritarian state.  I don't think the majority of the USA is believing the administration anyway.