Dana Milbank: "The White House revoked my press pass. It's not just me..."

[Miles Archer]

The White House revoked my press pass. It’s not just me — it’s curtailing access for all journalists.



https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-white-house-has-revoked-my-press-pass-its-not-just-me--its-curtailing-access-for-all-journalists/2019/05/08/bb9794b4-71c0-11e9-8be0-ca575670e91c_story.html

By Dana Milbank
Columnist
May 8 at 5:00 PM

For the past 21 years, I have had the high privilege of holding a White House press pass, a magical ticket that gives the bearer a front-row seat to history.

I was in the White House the night Bill Clinton admitted his affair with Monica Lewinsky, and the day he was impeached. I was there on Sept. 11, 2001, and the fearful days thereafter, when we were trained to use escape hoods. I watched George W. Bush make the case for the Iraq War and Barack Obama pitch his remedies for the market crash. There, too, I have witnessed the carnival-like briefings and high histrionics of Donald Trump’s presidency.

But no more. The White House eliminated most briefings and severely restricted access to official events. And this week came the coup de grace: After covering four presidents, I received an email informing me that Trump’s press office had revoked my White House credential.

I’m not the only one. It was part of a mass purge of “hard pass” holders after the White House implemented a new standard that designated as unqualified almost the entire White House press corps, including all six of The Post’s White House correspondents. White House officials then chose which journalists would be granted “exceptions.” It did this over objections from news organizations and the White House Correspondents’ Association.

[sop]

28. It's not a joke, the first thing dictators do is shut down the free press

What the corporate media should do in response:
- never mention Trump's name
- only refer to him as "the president"
- not allow him or any of his paid liars to appear on their broadcasts or in print
- never publish or broadcast any of his speeches
- never discuss or reproduce any of his tweets
- in short, ignore Trump and starve him of the attention he craves

[DemocracyMouse]

56. Ditto on the above list. Refusing to publish lies leaves more room for the truth.

[yaesu]

63. The first thing they do is secure the backing of the banksters, the wealthy elite

everything else falls in line when you have control of the money.

[coeur_de_lion]

65. Perfect I wish they would do this

but they won't be that bold.

[dmr]

66. Absolutely. The only thing is to be the bearer of truths.

I turn off Trump, and his sycophants. They are all proven liars.

[DENVERPOPS]

99. Actually

Actually it would be perfect for the press/media reporters to not go to any of his speeches or press meetings.

They should direct all their reporting to report on O'Connells graft and the graft of the Entire membership of both the House and Senate Republicans.

Double edge whammy. Take the Repubs in congress that are endorsing all this shit to be up to their eyeballs 24/7 in investigations and defending themselves from articles published about them.

The Republicans in the House and Senate are doing all this shit we are seeing. Trump wouldn't last a New York second with out them being complicit in this entire mess.

If, perchance Trump should go, nothing will have changed. Pence will be in and the Republican Senate will still be going full steam ahead, not missing a step......

[DemocracyMouse]

112. Yes, damnit! You are 100% correct. This is an opportunity

to start covering ALL the criminals supporting the president.

Then one or two of the press corps can write:
ALL THE PRESIDENT's VILLAGERS

[certainot]

120. americans need offense and can destroy RW radio easily now with artificial intelligence-enhanced

transcription.

it means stoprush x 100 is possible. attacks on free press are magnified by the ability of trump/admin/limbaugh and the kremlin to control 1500 radio stations. to keep ignoring it is truly idiotic.

samples can be digitized to know what their up to - when they're ramping up to attack iran or pushing another ebola-coming-accross-the-border scare for instance. those stations are all attacking the investigators. they're threatening judges and polluting jury pools. limbaugh has been yelling about the 'deep state' coup since inauguration.

limbaugh willbe coming to don jr's defense, attacking sen burr. that's why trump paraded limbaugh at the golf course - to threaten 'traitors'.

it's now easy to transcribe local radio stations and list advertisers and associate them with content - and that content will ramp up and many of the local blowhards are not as expertly 'subtle' with threats as limbaugh is.

the advertising industry will see the problem and act to make sure they can still sell all those ears those huge stations reach. they're going to force station owners to change or balance programming. they're going to apply market demand to hate and lies and trump and the gop will lose their most important weapon.

[shanny]

127. --dump the "access journalism" model

and go back to actual reporting. Hint: it doesn't lend itself to "fair-n-balanced" stenography.

[Left-over]

41. I'm afraid you are right.

[oldsoftie]

45. Well, if thats the case, we end it Nov 2020.

Donald trump is NOT Vladimir Putin.
If he loses, he WILL be put out if he doesnt leave on his own.

[Chin music]

86. Yeah...let's kick rocks around until Nov 2020. What could go wrong?

Street protesting should be the new college thing. After all, they have to live most of their lives like russian folks. I'll go with them. YOU?

[oldsoftie]

101. No, i'm not going to waste my time. My vote will do the lifting.

He's not going anywhere till the election. Unless he just goes totally freaking nuts (compared to NOW) and the republican Senate wakes up. And thats doubtful.
Voting rids us of him. Marching wont. There have been massive marches since day one. Looks great on TV and lots of people get nice youtube clips, but trump wont move out because of any marching.

[Chin music]

103. Yawn.

It's not trump the protests encourage, it's our congress. AND it may encourage Senators to jump ship, or god forbid, SWITCH PARTIES.
Massive marches since day one? There have been several, but, 'since day one?"
Get some rest ok?

[oldsoftie]

108. Well, the Womens March was the day after the inauguration, so yeah. Since day one.

[Chin music]

110. I'm not going to argue w you.

[sop]

95. Someone could set up bleachers in Lafayette Park and all along Pennsylvania Avenue

and charge admission just to see Trump being dragged kicking and screaming from the White House by Federal officers. Those tickets would be sold out in minutes. Donald could finally claim that he drew the "largest crowd ever" in Washington.

[oldsoftie]

102. The vision of that is absolutely hilarious

[Moostache]

105. I am picturing him being hauled out by the hair and can't stop grinning... (n/t)

[oldsoftie]

106. With a loaded diaper

[Honeycombe8]

52. Yep. We're about to find out how close to a dictatorship we've become.

What's terrible is that 1/3 of the citizens are HAPPY FOOLS, not realizing what his actions mean to democracy. They're just happy because they think it's just hurting their sworn enemies...the other 2/3 of the country.

[Still In Wisconsin]

124. We've been on that road for a while now...

but now, it seems the caravan is accelerating.

[Tommy_Carcetti]

2. Wait, what? nt

[Wawannabe]

107. Ditto!

My first thought!

[dalton99a]

3. "They all serve at the pleasure of press secretary Sarah Sanders"

That's how a dictator operates

[SergeStorms]

113. Sarah Sanders.

The Liar in Chief's chief liar. Fuck Sarah Sanders and the horse she rode in on. Don't forget, she's a good god fearing "woman" as well.

[thecrow]

130. Why has Sarah Sanders been relegated to the White House driveway?

I remember she went away for awhile, but she apparently has not been able to get inside.

[Fullduplexxx]

4. If the media didnt become a lapdog for trumpy this may not have happened

[AJT]

11. +1000

[gratuitous]

12. Yeah, I wonder if the media are re-thinking their behavior

Trump has called them the enemy of the people on numerous occasions, and nobody in the press pool jumped up and said, "Now just wait a minute!" Trump methodically fashioned a noose for them, tried it out on several other victims such as Khizr Khan, and then invited the media to stick their heads in.

Once you've let him get away with bad-mouthing Gold Star Families, Purple Heart recipients, murder victims, and people with disabilities, it's pretty hard to put the brakes on when he comes for you and your profession.

It's rough Dana Milbank. But at least you have (for now) a national platform to defend yourself.

[Chin music]

104. +1

[FiveGoodMen]

122. The media's owners are making plenty of money

Why would they think about changing?

[Maven]

17. Of all the press outlets out there, I think that WaPo has some of the cleanest hands

But yeah, as a whole, the media loved the clicks and ratings from this shitshow. Now our country is in an emergency because they had the wrong motivations and failed to do their jobs.

[hlthe2b]

32. They certainly do. I have never subscribed to a national newspaper before, but I proudly do WAPO

[shanti]

43. As do I

it's the only publication that I subscribe to besides my local online paper (got a 1-year discount on that one, won't be re-subcribing).

[Maven]

69. Same here.

[LonePirate]

27. Exactly. The media deserves some of the blame here due to their fawning over him in 2016.

[uponit7771]

48. +1, 60% of Clinton press was about emails or some shit

[jayschool2013]

70. So we deserved it.

Good to know.

[Alpeduez21]

71. To be blunt this is bullshit

It is victim blaming. If the press hadn't worn those clothes, dated him/her, been in that place they wouldn't have been raped.

In case you haven't noticed the media has been VERY critical of this republican administration. This is strait up dictarship and blithely claiming oh well the media made their own bed and now they have to lie in it is the laziest criticism of this travestry of a violation of our democratic principles.

[erronis]

79. I agree with you. We tend to unload on the media because we are being manipulated

and they're not de-programming us. Fox has spent a great deal of money and time on its propaganda machine while much of the media has tried to present different viewpoints, analyses.

[Fullduplexxx]

94. The media cnn msnbc etc gave him 2 billion in free tv time they had a big hand

In creating this monster

[Fullduplexxx]

93. Lol omg ... that's funny well the truth is the media was a total whore for trump they gave him

2 billion in free airtime. the news channels would have a camera on an empty podium with the caption "trump to speak soon" . They had a big part in creating this monster and are now whining that it bit them . Lol that was rich though thanks

[frazzled]

5. Yikes

Samizdat press, here we come.

[cilla4progress]

6. Um, who didn't see this

coming?

[rzemanfl]

7. Fucking Nazis. n/t

[Ohiogal]

8. This is very scary.

[bdamomma]

9. not to be funny or sarcastic

apply or renew passport.

[MissB]

15. Yep.

[SammyWinstonJack]

21. I live full time in a motorhome. I'm applying for a passport and heading

to Canada.

[bdamomma]

38. If it comes to

that Trudeau will welcome American citizens, but they have tough Immigration rules too.

[SammyWinstonJack]

98. I know I can't stay forever. Will have check on how long I'm allowed to stay

on a temporary basis before coming back in.

[Lifelong Protester]

58. I did.

did it on December 27TH even though they did not expire until May

[Glimmer of Hope]

10. Another law suit.

[nolabear]

13. VOTE THEM OUT!! We won't survive as a country otherwise.

[pangaia]

51. IF there is even an election, which I 99% now seriously doubt.. trump will just take another term..

fuck us...

[calimary]

115. That would be good to focus on, were it not for the Russians in the works - AGAIN.

That’s another reason why I want impeachment more than anything. We’re naive fools if we think we can just leave it to the electorate. The Russians are still here, and are determined to get more.

And trump will urge their help even more ardently. He knows that the statute of limitations on a lot of this stuff runs out in 2022. If he gets a second term (that keeps him in office through 2024) then he beats the rap.

[Hekate]

14. What if they gave a press avail and nobody came? The only trouble with at fantasy is ...

...we know (or should know) exactly who would show up and how they'd report on Maximum Leader.

[BigmanPigman]

16. We all saw this coming, didn't we.

[Ligyron]

18. We are at war people.

Have no doubts and make no mistake.

[sellitman]

100. Yes we are.

This shit has gotten all too real.

[world wide wally]

19. And they prefer to show his empty podium to showing his opponent.

WTF did they expect?

[PufPuf23]

20. This as a horrid and unAmerican act by the White House.

Impeach Trump on this act alone.

[HipChick]

22. Where are the lawsuits?

[tymorial]

31. Over what? Freedom of press does not confer access to the white house

[SunSeeker]

35. It does if access is denied based on viewpoint.

The revocations clearly target liberal publications. Viewpoint discrimination violates the First Amendment.

[tymorial]

53. Shutting down access isn't shutting down publication

[SunSeeker]

96. Shutting down publication is not the only way to violate the First Amendment.

The White House simply denying access based on viewpoint is a violation.

[Glimmer of Hope]

55. I think this was the basis of Acosta's lawsuit and he won.

[defacto7]

23. They're going to try for a dictatorship. They will fail!

[Still In Wisconsin]

126. I hope they fail...

problem is, approximately 40% of the nation is just fine with Trump as dictator.

[defacto7]

128. I think the majority of that 40% are either delusional

or ignorant of the fact that what they clamor for will end up a dictatorship, or they don't even know what a dictatorship means. There certainly are exceptions but I think there aren't that many who actually want a dictator. 40% are definitely pointing that direction though.

[Still In Wisconsin]

132. I think you hit it on the head: they want something and are not aware that the something they want

amounts to a dictatorship. They want Trump with unchecked power. So, yeah, a dictator.

[docgee]

24. I like to look at it as more evidence of the tRump train crash and burn.

They can't handle it. All the negativity is bombarding them from all directions.

[Jarqui]

25. Unbelievable. Buckle up. This could get rough. nt

[progressoid]

26. The rest of the press should leave in solidarity.

[H2O Man]

30. Definitely!

[tymorial]

34. They won't.

The president oozes sensationalism and histrionics. Every tweet results in media coverage. The trump presidency is a 24/7 40 car pile-up and the media is addicted to rubbernecking. No way those left give up their opportunity not to mention they are likely sympathetic to the orange menace

[progressoid]

37. Yep. Every story is BREAKING NEWS!

Trump feeds them and they eat it up.

[oldsoftie]

46. That COULD happen. We'll know soon if its going to.

[Doremus]

29. When's the revolution?

[pdsimdars]

33. I think they forced journalists to do what they should have done long ago -- boycott

Boycott those fake "briefings". They were spin machine lie fests. Journalists should stay at their desks, make phone calls to their sources and dig up all the grunge associated with tRump.

[Jarqui]

36. Haven't seen anyone else in the media running the story yet

I did see a number of tweets commenting on this story ....

[BootinUp]

39. Please proceed assholes. Nt

[bdamomma]

40. Shutting

out the Press??? this is going to get ugly. Horrible situation. Americans need to save themselves.

[Ferrets are Cool]

42. Are we there yet?

The dictatorship, I mean.

[durablend]

44. Oooh lemme guess

The peeps with Fox News, Infowars and the other kooky organizations got their renewed?

[shanti]

47. Ordered by Pooty Poot

most likely.

[lunatica]

49. They're having trouble keeping their lies straight

so naturally their action is to obstruct the press.

The press should continue to report on the facts, and ignore the blatant lies being belched up by the like of Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Stop going to her for answers. They’re all lies anyway!

[Mme. Defarge]

50. Under the circumstances it would have been even more insulting

to not be among those whose passes have been revoked.

[DFW]

54. "Neues Deutschland" comes to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

If journalists don't report what you want them to, and propagandists do, well, eliminate all but cooperative propagandists.

Problem solved!

[Laura PourMeADrink]

57. Horrible! It's been 811 days since he had a press

conference!!! Sarah not since March 11th.

Every Dem should be talking about this all the time. How dictator trump gets away with everything...he never has to answer for the insanity.

[dhill926]

59. Fascism on the march...

[Iliyah]

60. Corporate media can contest this.

[barbtries]

61. i think they can sue and win.

the white house is the people's house. this is a threat to first amendment rights.

it never ends. i'm getting really, really tired.

[SergeStorms]

114. That's their plan.

They're trying to get everyone sick and tired of being sick and tired so they won't pay attention any more. The entire country throws up it's hands and says, "screw this", and the fascist coup is complete.

[barbtries]

116. yep.

they're like zombies constantly swarming from all sides. republicans never sleep. a war of attrition.

resist to the end. that's my plan.

[dchill]

62. I think from here on out...

This all begins to go quickly bad for Trump and his remorae.

[Iliyah]

67. It certainly seems like it is . . .

More and more conservatives/republicans appear to be jumping ship . .

McTurtle has his whip out in full form.

[Solly Mack]

64. K&R

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

68. For the short term Dana

you write your stories without talking to him. How do you think that will make him feel? The press did him lots of favors (especially TV) when he was running. You (the Press) need to show him what a free and independent press corps can do. You do not need to talk or ask questions of him or his lame ass press secretary. Actions (his) speak louder than words...…….

[Turbineguy]

72. Then, it would seem

he is no longer is obligated to report the truth. He can make stuff up.

[Miles Archer]

74. He

[Turbineguy]

75. Sorry.

[They_Live]

73. "you are an extremely rude person!"

Who was he talking to when he said that just the other day? Anyone know? It was the Putin phone call presser.

[iluvtennis]

76. But the media/journalists still line up to "ask questions" of this white house. BOYCOTT damn it.

[kyburbonkid]

77. Criminals that don't want to talk in front of a camera

The POTUS (and crew) have committed too many un-indited felonies that being recorded would certainly come back to haunt them. So select your professional propaganda PSIOPs teams and build the totalitarian executive seems to be there only hope of no prison time.

[duforsure]

78. all media need to respond

by not showing his tweets again,and stop promoting all his propaganda any more. they also need to up their attacks on him while they can.he deserves each one, and nothing positive about him.

[iluvtennis]

81. +++ agree

[RVN VET71]

125. Media should act in unison

but they won't. I mean, Fox, of course, will be up Trump's butt regardless. But the rest of the media, the real media, should just stay away. By ignoring his tweets. By ignoring his speeches, or just giving a summary of them when reporting:

"Trump, in Michigan today, gave his usual speech about invaders from Central America, about the love he shares with Kim and Putin, and also made the same baseless and absurd allegations he's always made about voter fraud, Hillary's emails, and blah, blah, blah. The mostly passive audience began drifting away before he was 2 thirds of the way through the speech which consisted of all his usual bromides, caveats, persiflage, and self-praise."

That would suffice because it is an apt description of every damned ranting-monologue Trump has given in every venue since he launched his first campaign for the Presidency. And it would give the real media the time to focus on the baby jails in southern Texas, the tax fraud Trump and his family are guilty of, the criminal acts of the right wing, pro-fascist governments in Europe and Brazil, the phenomenon of murders and mutilations of women in Pakistan, the rising waters endangering virtually the entirety of Bangladesh, the loss of the great barrier reef in Australia, the general collapse we are witnessing in the Earth's environment caused chiefly by man, the dangers posed to civil society by governmental tolerance of anti-vaxxers, the apparent plans by China to set up a military base on the far side of the moon, to name just a few "off the top of my head" items.

Let Fox continue it's Trumpian propaganda, and let C-Span put up the full videos of Trump's "speeches" in case anyone really wants to watch.

[k8conant]

80. And look what they had the unmitigated gall to state at the White House today--

Today, we welcome the release of Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, who were pardoned by Burma’s civilian government. Jailed for over 500 days since December 2017 for reporting on atrocities against the Rohingya, we are delighted they will be reunited with their families. We hope that other jailed journalists in Burma will also be allowed their freedom. A free press, freedom of religion, and the rule of law are fundamental principles for any democracy. The United States will continue promoting a stable, prosperous, and democratic transition in Burma.

[Emphasis mine]

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefings-statements/statement-press-secretary-55/

[Martin Eden]

90. There is no God

Otherwise, a bolt of lightening would struck upon the statement extolling the free press.

[think4yourself]

82. Guess we're going to Iran

any day now.

[struggle4progress]

83. How to identify a sociopath

[Politicub]

84. Breaking norms I had never even considered as being norms

I made the assumption that there wasn't a question about the media going to White House press briefings.

But I was wrong. Most institutions are more fragile than I have ever realized.

The mass press purge. May 8 will go down in infamy.

In repose, I wish the media would dig in its heels and cover Trump and his crimes instead of giving this administration any quarter. I don't understand why it doesn't at this point. What do they have to lose?

The United States is under siege by a dangerous cabal: It's not just Trump... it's the entire GOP that stands idly by.

[warmfeet]

85. Hey everybody,

I hope we can all have some fun with our new fascistic, authoritarian dictatorship.

This should be a real hoot!

One thing I definitely don't want, that's impeachment. It would do so and so, and blah, blah, blah.

I sure as hell don't want that - especially the blah, blah, blah.

Oh yeah, that is sarcasm in case anyone can't tell.

It's time to fight for what you believe in. This is not hypothetical, not any longer.

You like our system of government? You like Democracy?

Fight now or you may not get the chance later on.

It's all just hyperbole, of course. Just as many German citizens thought during the Weimar Republic.

It can't happen now, and certainly not here.

Good luck everybody. Embrace it. Own it.

[DeminPennswoods]

87. Trump can't live without media attention

If all the reporters just stopped showing up to what are essentially lie fests anyway, Trump wouldn't know what to do.

[moonseller66]

88. The media won't do shit!

They haven't done anything but polish the "knobs" of every conservative the last 28 years.

They're like the dog an asshole keeps chained out back with a simple rug on the ground even in cold or freezing weather and gets scraps of food that his master wouldn't eat and doesn't even get dog food on a regular basis. But when he's brought in to a warm house for a few minutes, he slobbers all over his master, gets his shoes and lies at his feet awaiting the next command before getting sent out into a cold night to do it all over again.

They are as bad as the Republicans who supposedly represent their constituents or the ignorant deplorables who have no clue what life is about so long as they can hate anyone less than themselves they think gets something for nothing.

The media could have stopped this years ago but they, like the aforementioned dog, are just too happy to do their master's wishes...even if it means loss of self respect, just as long as they can keep their cushy jobs and pretend what they do is fair and balanced.

As Obi Wan said, Who's the more foolish, the fool or the fool who follows him?

They don't even know themselves thining they're something special while most of us just shake our heads in disbelief.

Journalism went out with the "Fairness Doctrine."

[leanforward]

89. The white house is bunkering down against the Press and Citizens

What's next? More subpoenas. Actions make me think the outside pressure is building.

The most recent analysis of his taxes have him shook. It's what I've thought all along. Especially, the sources of his income over the years since, pick a year from 1985 . . . . 2018(9).

pRezident agent or mob underling to the oligarchs.

[Fiendish Thingy]

91. Seems like First Amendment violations should be included in articles of impeachment...

Unless we're too skeered to defend the Constitution by fighting with every ounce of strength, every weapon at our disposal, because we *might* lose the 2020 election.

Pro Tip to the masses:
Despite what the polls say, the narrative is shifting; just one example: this past Saturday, SNL made at least two mentions of the Dems being too weak and scared to impeach Trump.

If the Dems do not start impeachment proceedings, and focus all efforts on winning the 2020 election, we *still* might lose, so why not stand on principle and fight the fight that must be fought? Even if we win in 2020, as we have seen in the past week, there might not be much of the Constitution left...

Let's hope the steps taken today by Congress are just sound of "lock and load" before unleashing full force "shock and awe" upon Trump and his enablers...

[Grasswire2]

92. "People's Bill Of Rights For White House Transparency" ..

..has been advocating for the return of credentialing authority from the White House Press Office to the White House Correspondents' Association where it resided until some decades ago.

This WH has abused the credentialing authority by allowing access for stooges and shills and even a white nationalist sympathizer.

Now we see the culmination of the authoritarian domination as Trump makes his move.

This will be the most important fight of all for the Republic.

See FB group "People's Bill Of Rights For White House Transparency" for more info.

[Amaryllis]

97. Are teh exceptions all Fox "reporters"?

[spanone]

109. Cockroaches don't like sunlight.

[misanthrope]

111. Who are the other journalists?

Milbank just named himself and six WaPo journalists. I'd like to see full list somewhere.

[Demsrule86]

117. The press is complicit. They would all walk out and not support his little speeches

Televise nothing.

[Dorn]

118. Exactly, the one thing DT hates is to be ignored

Ignore him

[Demsrule86]

131. This is what they should do.

[tiredtoo]

119. First they came for the journalists

After that we don't know what happened.

[wryter2000]

121. So will they start doing their jobs now?

No more"Dems in disarray," no more "false claims," no more "both sides do it," no more "Mueller's report hurts Dems." Do your freaking jobs!

[Blue_Tires]

123. Greenwald and Snowden were unavailable for comment

[lsewpershad]

129. Mayne it's

time for journalists to boycott tRump altogether.