This is why Lawrence O'Donnell calls them the worst White House Press Corps Ever

[senseandsensibility]

Today was not the first time trump has held forth to the White House Press Corps with abandon, lying about matters great and small, making threats and calling names, and saying things that make no sense. Today he lied that Wes Moore told him he was the best president ever, said his poll numbers were sky high, threatened to send the military to blue cities, said he was the King of Europe, and more.

The press could not cover these propaganda filled diatribes. Or they could band together and do real journalism, with follow ups. Each reporter could ask the question again until there is an answer. Each lie could be confronted in real time.

What they choose to do, though, is the WORST of all the choices they could make. They run the entire "presser" live with no follow up and no challenges. They treat him deferentially and completely differently than they did Biden. What is the possible justification for this?

The sad fact is that there is only one justification. They are on board with the propaganda and helping to spread it because that's what their corporate owners want. It is their job, given to them by the framers of the Constitution, to help stop this. Their role is just as important as the Courts'. And they are failing because they want to.

[Klarkashton]

1. They are just doing what the press does in the rest of the dictatorships.

If they get out of step or question anything there is hell to pay & they know it.

[senseandsensibility]

2. The ones who attend these "pressers" obviously

are cowed and afraid. But I wonder why other journalists, who don't have to worry about being kicked out of the room, don't criticize their collegues more? Lawrence is kind of out there on a limb by himself.

[maxsolomon]

3. I don't watch these events. How many questions actually get asked?

Who is asking them? MAGA-journos? Is MFer calling on specific reporters? Are the Legacy Press getting a chance to ask much?

How long does he bloviate after each question?

Your post makes it sound as if it's the Legacy Press that's kowtowing or helpless in the face of his BS.

[Cheezoholic]

4. MSNBC needs to do what the Break the Fake guys on TVP do when the Russian press is talking, clown noses lol n/t

[Wiz Imp]

5. Are there even any Traditional mainstream media outlets allowed any more?

And if they are allowed in, do they ever get to ask questions?

ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, MSNBC, Washington Post, New York Times, Wall Street Journal - do any of them ever get to ask a question?

Is AP still banned? What about Reuters or Bloomberg (those 3 are considered wire services)?

[senseandsensibility]

6. AP is still banned as far as I know because

the rest of the WHPC did not back them up and walk out. I have seen Kaitlin Collins (CNN) there and I think Garrett Haeke from MSNBC. If they ask a decent question he either insults them, lies, or gives a non answer and the next journalist just goes on to the next thing instead of doing a follow up.

[maxrandb]

7. The current White House "press" corps

consists of the equivalent of the hawk tuah girl giving hand-job advice to the teen bikini model who talks about vaccine efficacy on tic-toc.

That's what 2025 "news" is all about. It's influencers and scam artists that have convinced millions of Americans that, if they hike up their skirts and talk about spitting reach-arounds, they're "geniuses" that must be listened to.

If Jake Tapper could, he'd wear a miniskirt and ensure the camera angle showed what color panties he was wearing that day.

[Martin Eden]

8. The Fourth Estate is metastasizing into the Failed Estate

Stage 3, possibly stage 4.

[senseandsensibility]

10. They are declining before our eyes

Not learning how to deal with him (I admit he is difficult to cover for even seasoned journalists), but not adjusting, trying new things, showing any signs that they understand the adversarial nature of their jobs. They really seem to think their job is to give a platform to showcase whatever he wants to say. It's depressing, and it's dangerous.

[Martin Eden]

11. The question is:

Is that what they "think" their job is; or what they've been told their job is.

[senseandsensibility]

12. I've come around now to the idea

that it's the latter.

[Martin Eden]

14. I'm trying to imagine being a journalist, knowing what needs to be done

But told to be a stenographer for lies rather than a steward of the truth.

It's not easy to defy a directive when you need the job to provide for your family.

[senseandsensibility]

15. True, and these particular journalists

are not the reporter for the local newspaper of yore that may have been earning a working class salary. Many of them have million dollar contracts to protect.

[Martin Eden]

19. Reminds me of a quote from Upton Sinclair:

It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it.

Of course, the vast majority of these overpaid stenographers likely understand what questions are really needed for speaking truth to power. Some may wrestle with their conscience, while others can rationalize away their responsibility to the public.

[Orrex]

9. The last time I watched one of those horrible spectacles...

about 80% of the airtime was devoted to lackeys lining up to tongue-swab Trump's cloaca. It was one of the most nauseating displays I've ever seen.

[Buddyzbuddy]

13. IMHO,no legitimate news organization should give the Whitehouse the time of day.

Assume everything they put out is a lie. Leave FUAX news and all of the wannabe press Corp and internet influencers to do their bidding. Ignoring the Great White Blunder is the best way to get back at him. If you want to cover today's politics in the news, start with " in today's Whitehouse lies, they stated...". And then tell the real news and politics. Mention his name as little as possible or not at all.
Just a thought.

[senseandsensibility]

16. It might be just a thought,

but it's better than anything the million dollar elite beltway media has come up with!

[Buddyzbuddy]

20. Thank you.

[Mysterian]

17. The corporate media is part and parcel of the fascist coup

"A small cartel of billionaires and conglomerates dominates the U.S. media landscape."

https://www.freepress.net/who-owns-media

[thought crime]

18. A White House press conference is now just another Trump Rally.

The difference is, he gets to sit down.