(ConservativeHub.com) – President Joe Biden is struggling with his performance ratings, and it appears some White House officials are trying to push news about the administration in a positive direction. This situation brings up an important question. Is it appropriate for the White House officials to attack journalists who don’t report the news they want?
With President Joe Biden receiving poor job performance numbers and the midterms approaching, the White House team has amped up attacks on media reports with which it disagrees. https://t.co/lB1DXv9Cew
— Newsmax (@newsmax) April 8, 2022
In response to a Politico reporter promoting the publication’s West Wing Playbook newsletter, Kate Berner, White House deputy communications director, tweeted a condemnation of the content. She was upset they didn’t cover the confirmation of Ketanji Brown Jackson, the decrease in unemployment claims, or the “international effort to provide relief on Putin’s price hike.”
White House deputy press secretary Chris Meagher also weighed in with a sarcastic retort that the publication did cover Jackson, but it was “about 1,110 words” into the article.
Berner you probably just didn’t read far enough down in their “news” letter. Their passing glance at KBJ’s historic confirmation shows up after about 1,100 words. https://t.co/xEnQJqdZ8R
— chrismeagher46 (@chrismeagher46) April 8, 2022
Politico reporters pointed out that neither Berner nor Meagher was correct in their assessments, showing screenshots of the article that did highlight the news about Jackson’s confirmation.
Must be talking about another newsletter! https://t.co/CvEcYEfapm pic.twitter.com/3Vl4UsPkQj
— Max Tani (@maxwelltani) April 8, 2022
These comments from the White House fall in line with a December report from The Hill that said the administration was blaming the press for Biden’s falling approval ratings. The story pointed out Politico was the target around that time as well.
Should an administration continuously try to shape the stories media sources put out? Do you think this type of interaction crossing ethical lines?
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