Asked & Answered

I wish the White House Press Conferences would use the term “Asked and Answered” a little more than the spokespersons do.  It is a term I used to have to pay attention to, since many of our military leaders do not like the answer a question more than once in the same meeting.  Usually, it means the people asking the question have not been listening to the questions asked before they get their two questions, nor have they been listening to the answers given to previous questions.

The White House Press Corps has to be the most arrogant group of people ever assembled in one spot on a regular basis.  This current crop has done more damage to the image of the press as a whole than any group ever could have.  They pretend to not hear the questions or responses of anyone but themselves.

I could pick any day as an example, but yesterday they were on the story of Stormy Daniels, the stage name of a woman who is a well known porn star, who says she had sex with the current President of the United States, something he denies.  The sex life of Presidents has always made good news.  So, one reporter asked the question about a payoff given by the President’s lawyer to this woman, the question is answered.  The question had also been answered in press handouts before the session began.  Refer those questions to the President’s personal attorney.  The next two reporters asked the same question phrased a different way, and even though some changed their questions to a new topic, others always came back to this one.  The simple answer is “Asked and answered”, next question.

This group of press has an agenda beforehand that is reflected in the number and types of questions being asked about the same subject.  They want the press conference to be dominated by questions on a certain subject and no other.  They want it to be their news and not the news of White House.  So, we don’t get to hear about the North and South Korea meeting until the very end, and then only briefly.  If you want news, the White House Press Conference is not a good place to get it, unless you are looking for news about the White House Press Corps.