When it is deemed "inappropriate" for a journalist to ask the president uncomfortable questions and when that reporter, as a result, gets banned from a later press meeting -- and when such a banning is largely unprecedented in the history of America . . .
Let us be concerned.
Our rights and privileges are being encroached upon -- and in a manner rare in the history of America. Has a reporter ever been banned from an open press conference because she (or he) asked questions deemed "inappropriate'? I don't know.
And, there was another event in which the dissemination of truth was restricted. We can -- and should -- wonder if it was an innocent mistake, or it if was an attempt to allow only the "official" version of what happened, as opposed to the truth. The written transcription of the Trump-Putin news conference was released, and it failed to include the part in which Putin said he had favored Trump in the election.
An honest mistake? Just one person talking over another, and, as a result, that part of the audio was not clear? So, when it came time to make the written transcription from the audio, part of the conversation got inadvertently omitted? Perhaps, but don't overlook the fact that that exchange was one of the most quoted from the news conference. How does the official transcriber fail to realize he has not included it?
If America is not concerned about such things as these two incidents, what has become of us? Where is the "Don't Tread on Me" attitude of our forefathers? If someone comes after our guns, they will have to pry them from our cold, dead fingers? But if Donald Trump wants to take away some of our rights and privileges, that is quite alright -- let him take them?
Here's what happened at the one event: President Trump was making a press announcement in the Rose Garden. Now, not all the press can fit into the Rose Garden, so you have what are called pool reporters, who are there representing those who don't fit into the room. At the end of the meeting -- as is commonly the case -- one pool reporter, Kaitlan Collins of CNN, shouts out, just loud enough to be heard over the din:
"Did Michael Cohen betray you, Mr. President?"
"Mr. President, are you worried about what Michael Cohen is going to say to prosecutors?"
"Are you worried about what is on the other tapes?"
For her conduct, Collins was called into the office -- literally. It was suggested her questions were "inappropriate," and she was too loud, and that the meeting had been over, anyway. So, she was "disinvited" from a later press meeting, which was to be an open press event.
MSNBC's Hallie Jackson commented on the banning of Collins. "This is almost unprecedented. It is inexcuseable for the White House to make that move," she said.
Bless America and its freedoms. Bless it that it remains a place where truth is valued, and where the government version of the truth is not allowed to paint over and wash away what actually happened. We can take these two events and not be overly concerned -- maybe even dismissing them as fake news -- but, I see in them reason for concern. You may argue that the press is not responsible, or not polite, or not honest, or whatever -- in order to justify Kaitlan Collins being banned from an open press event.
Forgive. My opinion is so different. We have what happened clearly in front of us, and we seek to explain it away -- to make it go away. I will tell you, truth should not be so easily dismissed. What happened, happened. There is not good reason for banning Collins. It is an intrusion on our right to have the truth told to us by our government leaders. When government restricts our right to question that government, then that government is in the wrong.
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