‘Quiet, piggy!’: Why press-idential decorum matters • FRANCE 24 English

Key Concepts

Freedom of the Press: The right to circulate opinions in print without censorship by the government.
Checks and Balances: A system in which each branch of government has some power to limit the powers of the other branches.
Media Relations: The way in which a public figure or organization interacts with the media.
Narrative Control: The attempt by a person or entity to shape public perception of events or issues.
Antagonistic Relationship: A relationship characterized by hostility or opposition.
Public Broadcasters: Media organizations funded by or on behalf of the public, often with a mandate for public service.
White House Correspondents Association: An organization representing journalists who cover the White House.
Pool Reporters: A small group of journalists who represent all the news organizations at an event.
Off the Record: Information that cannot be published or attributed to a source.

Summary

This discussion focuses on the increasingly antagonistic relationship between the current US presidential administration and the press, examining the implications for journalistic ethics, public trust, and the role of media in a democracy.

The President's Antagonistic Stance Towards the Press

The transcript highlights a significant shift in presidential-media interactions, with the current administration exhibiting a level of antagonism unprecedented in recent history. This is illustrated through a compilation of clips showcasing President Trump's direct confrontations with reporters.

Direct Confrontations and Insults: The clips demonstrate the President publicly berating reporters, calling them "lightweights," "fake news," and questioning their intelligence with phrases like "What a stupid question."
Targeting Specific Outlets: The President has explicitly labeled certain networks as "terrible" and "unfair," such as ABC and NBC.
Personal Attacks: The insults have escalated to personal attacks, with one instance of the President referring to a reporter as "piggy."
Questioning Legitimacy: The President frequently questions the identity of reporters, asking "Who are you with?" even when he has dealt with them for years, often followed by an insulting comment.

The Case of Jamal Khashoggi and Saudi Crown Prince's Visit

A particularly stark example of the administration's approach to sensitive international issues and its interaction with the press involved the visit of the Saudi Crown Prince following the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Intelligence Findings vs. Presidential Response: Despite US intelligence concluding that the Crown Prince orchestrated Khashoggi's murder, the President's response was dismissive, stating "things happen."
Reporter's Questioning: ABC's White House correspondent Mary Bruce directly questioned the Crown Prince about the intelligence findings and the anger of 9/11 families, asking why Americans should trust him.
President's Reaction to the Reporter: The President's response to Bruce was to question her affiliation and label ABC as "fake news," even suggesting revoking the network's license.
Khashoggi's Widow's Support: Khashoggi's widow praised Mary Bruce for her bravery in remembering her slain husband.

The Impact on Public Broadcasting: Voice of America (VOA)

The discussion delves into the severe impact on public broadcasting, specifically Voice of America (VOA), which is presented as a direct consequence of the President's anger towards the media.

VOA Effectively Dead: Steven Herman, former White House bureau chief for VOA, states that VOA has been "effectively dead" since March, having been cut off the air in 48 languages and reaching hundreds of millions of people.
Timing of Shutdown: The shutdown occurred just days after the President had a confrontation in the Oval Office with Herman's successor.
Linkage to Presidential Anger: Herman explicitly links the closure of VOA to the President's anger with the news media and the concurrent cuts to public broadcasting funding in the US.

Advice for a Healthy President-Press Relationship

Steven Herman offers insights into how a president can foster a more balanced and productive relationship with the press.

The Importance of Balance: Herman emphasizes that the key is "balance" in the relationship, which has historically been both symbiotic and antagonistic.
Evolution of Media Interaction: He notes that direct, on-the-record interactions with reporters became more common after World War II, contrasting with earlier practices of off-the-record conversations.
Unprecedented Antagonism: While acknowledging past difficult relationships (e.g., Richard Nixon), Herman asserts that the current level of daily public berating of reporters, especially women and women of color, is unprecedented.

Disproportionate Targeting of Female Reporters

The transcript explores the observation that female reporters appear to be disproportionately targeted by the President.

Prevalence of Women in White House Press Corps: Approximately 50% of White House correspondents are women, making their interactions prominent.
Pattern of Questioning and Insults: The President often asks female journalists "Who are you with?" and follows up with insulting comments, particularly if he dislikes the question.
Personal Nature of Insults: The insults have become increasingly personal, with the "piggy" comment being a recent example.

The Role and Defense of the White House Press Secretary

The actions and statements of White House Press Secretary Caroline Levit are scrutinized.

Defending Insults: Levit defended the President's "piggy" comment by stating that the American people should appreciate his "frankness."
Despicable Response: Steven Herman describes this response as "utterly despicable" and notes that the press secretary seems to go to any length to defend the President.
Diminished Usefulness: Herman argues that the current White House press secretary is "not very useful," contrasting with previous administrations where interactions were more mutually beneficial.
Childish Communication: Levit's response to a question about the location of a potential Trump-Putin summit, stating "your mom," is characterized as a "school boy quip" and indicative of childish communication within the administration.
Official White House Dispatches: This type of bullying and mocking is also observed in official White House social media dispatches, which are deemed detrimental to the image of the White House, the President, and the United States.

The President's Motivation: Base Support vs. Media Value

The discussion examines whether the President values the press or primarily uses it to energize his base.

Win-Win Situation: The President views interactions with the media as a "win-win." Positive announcements are beneficial, and tussles with journalists appeal to his base.
Perception of a "Woke" and "Liberal" Media: The President has openly stated his belief that the majority of the US media is "woke," "liberal," and against him.
Attacks on Sympathetic Media: Even outlets generally seen as sympathetic, like Fox News, are sometimes subtly attacked.
Lack of Change and Need for Re-evaluation: Herman expresses pessimism about the situation changing and suggests that White House correspondents need to revisit their entire relationship with the President.

Inaction on Air Force One and Normalization of Behavior

The transcript addresses the lack of a unified pushback from reporters when the President made the "piggy" comment on Air Force One.

Difficult Situation for Reporters: Reporters are in a difficult position, as they are guests on the President's plane and their primary job is to extract answers, not engage in arguments.
Appropriate Mechanism for Recourse: The appropriate mechanism for addressing such issues is through the White House Correspondents Association.
Normalization of Behavior: Margaret Sullivan, a columnist for The Guardian, is quoted stating that the press corps' inaction on Air Force One "normalized Trump's behavior." She questions whether this "quiet piggy moment" will make a difference, lamenting a potential loss of appreciation for decency in public officials and society.

Conclusion

The discussion concludes that the current administration's relationship with the press is characterized by unprecedented antagonism, personal attacks, and a disregard for journalistic norms. This has led to the silencing of public broadcasters like VOA and raises serious concerns about the health of democratic discourse and the public's access to information. The lack of unified pushback from the press corps is seen as contributing to the normalization of this behavior, with a call for a re-evaluation of the relationship between the White House and its correspondents.