The policy of the Republican Trump White House is that if a reporter or commenter says something that the White House strongly disagrees with, the reporter or commenter should be fired.
It remains to be seen how the Trump White House will enforce this newly articulated policy.
The policy was provided as a response to a question about an African American reporter identifying Trump and the White House as being aligned with white supremacy, which is a widely held and well documented truth.
Cindy Boren at the Washington Post has more here.
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Thank whatever that Trump is only a fleeting Fascist filthbag…
“Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.” Macbeth Quote (Act V, Scene V).
This reporter was ESPN Sportscenter anchor Jemele Hill, who tweeted things the White House didn’t like, which ESPN and Disney said were ‘inappropriate’, and contrary to their policy.
ESPN has fired people for their twitter comments, when they expressed right-wing views they didn’t like. So it is clearly a fireable offense. Linda Cohn, not fired, was told to stay home for innocent comments that ESPN has been hurt by ignoring its core audience with its political stuff and moving away from sports.
I don’t have a problem with what people say on Twitter. ESPN should be balanced about it though. They fired Hank Williams Jr for saying Obama and Boehner agreeing is like trying to get an agreement with Hitler and Netanyahu. Not even a direct comparison to Hitler, but close enough for them.
I suppose some viewers would rather ESPN be an escape and wouldn’t even like a balanced approach, but Twitter can be ignored pretty easily.
He actually said that the president’s golf game with House Speaker John Boehner was “like Hitler playing golf with Netanyahu”, and that the Democrats (sic) were the enemy.
But yeah, comparing the president of the United States to the person responsible for the Holocaust is perfectly acceptable. If you are a loon.
(And note, just like noted draft-dodger and racist Ted Nugent, a person perfectly willing to go for weeks without practicing personal hygiene so he wouldn’t have to go to Vietnam, who then threatened President Obama, was brought to the White House as a reward for being scum, Williams was brought back to the ESPN fold.)
MikeN, it does not matter one tiny bit what ESPN’s policy is. The spokesperson for the White House should NEVER make a comment suggesting that a reporter be fired. Ever. Period .
Greg Laden, they shouldn’t have said it, but it is a certainty that every administration has tried to get people fired they didn’t like, though not from the press secretary’s podium.
Greg, how about if a reporter says Obama looks like a monkey? Another reporter asks spokesman about it, and he should say “I don’t agree”?
Re #5: If you are certain of your comment, you must have data backing it up. It’s a pretty strong charge that “:every administration has tried to get people fired they didn’t like.” Ideally, the “people” referred to in your sentence should be reporters inasmuch as that is the topic of Greg’s post.
Re #6: We all look a lot like monkeys – especially very young ones. As adults we’re more bubble-headed and have more trouble walking on all fours and climbing trees than adult monkeys do.
At the least that should be said. What should not be said is that the first reporter should be fired. The hint of a message from someone speaking for the White House that reporters’ first job is to be faithful to the president should raise a red flag for everyone.
Tyvor, I brought up the example because a Univision reporter said that Michelle Obama looks like the cast of Planet of the Apes. Reporter claims White House pushed for firing.
Dean, to go beyond I don’t agree, might start hinting the reporter should be fired. Obama merely had them put on no-fly lists.
“Reporter claims White House pushed for firing”
Univison executive stated White House did not contact them. In fact, Figueroa’s lawyer later reportedly even attacked Univision for lying to him when he was fired. The supposed lie? That the White House had complained!
Aha.
http://www.thewrap.com/sarah-huckabee-sanders-hit-with-ethics-complaint/
Which reporters were put on no fly lists?
Dean, I seem to have confused several stories. I was thinking of James Rosen, who was actually named in a Justice Department affidavit as a possible criminal co-conspirator, or maybe James Risen who was subpoenad and threatened with jail time, along with Stephen Hayes who was placed not on the no-fly list but the terror watch list. However, now he thinks it was automatic based on his travels and not political payback.
While looking this up, I discovered that Bush Administration placed CNN reporter Drew Griffin on the no-fly list who was investigating TSA.
The last two may not have come from the White House, but someone in TSA.