White House efforts to control the news should worry everyoneDon't be misled.
The President of the United States is controlled by a group of handlers, and the people around him are very, very protective. One has to wonder if they are more afraid of terrorists, Democrats or the press.
If his recent tour to promote his Social Security plan is any example, President Bush's crew is petrified of the news media. They don't want us around him, and they don't want us to even talk to people gathered for such invitation-only, made-for-a-sound-bite events.
Bush was in Orlando nine days ago. We, as usual, wanted to attend to hear what he had to say and to talk with Brevard County residents who were going to be there.
(snip)
About 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Managing Editor Bob Stover received a call from the White House Press office. They said Weldon's office had called to say a reporter got a ticket and would be sitting in the audience.
The press office wanted us to know that he was welcome to do that -- but not if he was reporting on the event.
If Peterson sat in the audience, the caller said, he couldn't interview other people in the audience and he couldn't report on it afterward. He didn't say what the penalty would be for violating that ban.
Peterson called Weldon's local aide, J.B. Kump, on Friday morning to say he didn't need a ticket because he had press credentials. Peterson never went to Weldon's office and never picked up the ticket they were holding.
Just before the event, Peterson was approached by Tim Bailey, a White House press assistant. He told Peterson he could not interview anyone before the speech.
He couldn't say why, but said the Secret Service issued that order for security reasons. Bailey then asked an Associated Press reporter and a TV crew to stop talking to people who were entering the building.
Bailey even went so far as to follow Peterson into the bathroom to be sure he wasn't talking with anyone. He then showed Peterson to the press area and told a volunteer to make sure he didn't leave or talk with anyone.
After the speech, he was free to go wherever he wanted and never saw Bailey again.
The steps that are being taken to control every bit of information that flows from this White House to the public are deeply worrisome.
It's worrisome for me as a newspaper editor, and should be worrisome to everyone who believes in the freedom of speech and freedom of expression.
Contact Eberle at 242-3898 or
[email protected].
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