Biden implores journalists to 'rise up to the seriousness of the moment'. They should listen. [View all]

[Nevilledog]

https://presswatchers.org/2024/04/biden-implores-journalists-to-rise-up-to-the-seriousness-of-the-moment-they-should-listen/

After making a little fun of himself and the media – and roasting Donald Trump – President Biden closed his speech at the White House Correspondents Dinner on Saturday with “genuine thanks to the free press” for reporting “truth over lies,” which he called “my definition of patriotism and heroism.”

He said that “you, the free press, play a critical role in making sure the American people have the information they need to make an informed decision.”

And then he asked the people in the room to do a better job of it:

I’m sincerely not asking of you to take sides but asking you to rise up to the seriousness of the moment; move past the horserace numbers and the gotcha moments and the distractions, the sideshows that have come to dominate and sensationalize our politics; and focus on what’s actually at stake. I think, in your hearts, you know what’s at stake. The stakes couldn’t be higher.

Every single one of us has roles to play — a serious role to play in making sure democracy endures — American democracy. I have my role, but, with all due respect, so do you.

In the age of disinformation, credible information that people can trust is more important than ever. And that makes you — and I mean this from the bottom of my heart — it makes you more important than ever.

His remarks came a few days after a Politico story by Eli Stokols described the Biden White House’s frustrations with New York Times coverage in particular.

*snip*