President Obama and Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker will take turns at the speaker’s podium Saturday at the exclusive Gridiron Club and Foundation dinner, but don’t expect any news footage of the event. Media cameras and audio recorders are banned.
The irony is that the club’s membership includes Washington, D.C.’s media elite.
“We are obviously disappointed, particularly considering the president is attending this year,” C-Span Communications Director Howard Mortman told Politico. “We continue to believe the dinner should be open to media coverage.”
The club’s leaders said they aren’t hiding anything.
“We don’t allow cameras because we feel their presence would disrupt the ambience of the evening,” Gridiron President Chuck Lewis told Politico. “Everything is on the record during the evening. We have issued a press release with some of my jokes and with the texts of all the songs.”
Still, many reporters are miffed, including CBS’s Mark Knoller, who vented his frustrations on Twitter, saying:
On the president’s weekend schedule is the annual Gridiron event, a press dinner from which some of the WH press pool is barred.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) March 13, 2015
The Gridiron is comprised of DC’s journalistic elite, but the TV, radio & photo components of the WH press pool won’t get to cover the Pres.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) March 13, 2015
Pool reporters will be allowed in to take notes on the president’s remarks, but not TV and still cameras or radio recorders.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) March 13, 2015
But there’s something wrong when a press group bars full WH press pool coverage of a presidential appearance at its event.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) March 13, 2015
Several others joined in on the ridicule, including these folks:
@markknoller most transparent administration ever
— FishingMD (@fishingmd73) March 13, 2015
@markknoller @fiteswithheart I thought this was to be the most transparent administration in US history.
— Bryan Doyle (@Bryan700) March 14, 2015
It’s called Emperor Obama @markknoller
— Sal (@SundevilSal) March 13, 2015
!! -> @markknoller But there’s something wrong when a press group bars full WH press pool coverage of a presidential appearance at its event
— SalenaZito (@SalenaZitoTrib) March 14, 2015
@markknoller When you’re celebrating just how well the propaganda machine is working, you can’t afford to have coverage. Lap dogs gotta lap.
— Life by the Creek (@lifebythecreek) March 14, 2015
@SalenaZitoTrib @markknoller Weird. And Josh Earnest just said a couple days ago…most transparent in history.
— Republicanvet (@Republicanvet91) March 14, 2015
@markknoller @benshapiro Just sneak in radio records, the Press does it to the GOP all the time
— Jersey Shore Rises (@bohratom) March 13, 2015
@markknoller The press has merrily gone along with most everything Obama has done, including winking at wiretapping reporters. Reap/Sow.
— Steve___J (@Steve___J) March 14, 2015
@markknoller He must be having a bad hair day.
— Bernadette North (@notbern) March 14, 2015
The press are Tina Turner to Obama’s Ike (circa 1975): @DMacyBeckwith @markknoller @GayPatriot pic.twitter.com/T5Rl4SFjiP
— Noah Wehrman (@NoahWehrman) March 14, 2015
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