With Donald Trump’s inauguration more than a month away, each day presents a new sense of outrage from the liberal left. If it isn’t the president-elect’s latest cabinet appointment, it’s his views on tariffs or the border or what side of the bed he got up on. For the last week or so, a slow roll of outrage has built until members of the media have started doing their best Chicken Little imitation and all because–gasp–Trump might let someone besides the old guard media mavens into the press briefing room. How dare he!?! He wants to let bloggers and podcasters and folks not with WaPo, the Times, and other media outlets that long ago lost the public’s trust in to ask questions? Is he insane? (Psst. The answer’s “no”. In fact, the only ones insane are those who are losing their minds over this possibility.)

A little background first. The James S. Brady Press Briefing Room has a capacity of 49 seats according to one of the last reports I came across. During  the height of Covid, it was cut dramatically to 14. In May 2021, that was increased to 24, or 50% capacity. Approximately a month later, it went to full capacity for the first time in over a year. (The limit was cut to 14 in March 2020). During Covid, to even be considered for entry, reporters had to be vaccinated or show proof of a negative test. There was little to no outrage about this from the press corps. They had no problem marching in lock step to the Covid restrictions and pushing them through their reporting.

In May 2023, new rules were announced that limited who could get access to the briefing room. Mind you, this is during an administration where President Biden has held fewer news conferences than any president since Ronald Reagan. According to the Times, the current administration “has taken steps to reduce opportunities for journalists to question him in forums where he can offer unscripted answers and they can follow up. The result, critics say, is a president who has fewer moments of public accountability for his comments, decisions and actions.”

Yet the media continues to support him and is howling at the fact they may no longer have their coveted front row seats–or any seat–in the Brady Room.

During Trump’s first administration, a reporter’s “badge” couldn’t be suspended because the “rules” didn’t provide them a warning and due process. In May 2023, the Biden Administration closed that loophole, giving them the chance to shut out reporters who didn’t follow a vague set of guidelines and fall in step with the current approved narrative. The six requirements to even be considered for a press pass include such things as having either a business or residence in the DC area. So forget it if you work for the Dallas Morning News or live in New Jersey and report for the Trenton independent station. If you look closely at the requirements, they all seem to point to firming up the walls that keep new reporters and different media outlets out.

Is anyone surprised?

Is anyone surprised that one of the first reporters to fall victim to these new rules worked for the Daily Signal? This decision was made even though he’d been a hard pass holder since 2009.

So fast forward to the latest brouhaha. Approximately a week ago, Donald Trump, Jr., said that he and his father discussed changing things up in the press room and letting folks who aren’t part of the established media stronghold (or maybe I should say stranglehold) to have some of the coveted seats in the room.

At first, this seemed to fly under the media’s radar. But that’s been changing of late.

Newscast Studio, showing just how unbiased mainstream media can be, had the following headline on its story about the potential changes:

Report: Trump officials may meddle in White House briefing room seating, add pro-MAGA outlets

Lets count the number of ways that is NOT unbiased reporting. I guess it’s okay for Biden and his pals to load the press corps up with reporters sympathetic to their causes but heaven forbid Trump might do the same thing. Funny, too, isn’t it the way they didn’t argue too much about the new rules (mainly because it didn’t impact them). But when it comes to having a more open access to the press corps, they want to close up ranks and stop the interlopers.

Yes, the Trump Administration tried to “ban” certain reporters from the briefing room. But is that any different from the Biden Administration rewriting the rules so  they could “suspend” reporters who weren’t doing what the Administration wanted?

It’s not even a done deal that Trump will make any changes. But just the possibility of it is driving certain members of the media crazy. Poor things, bless their hearts.

Would it be such a bad thing to have new faces and new outlets in the briefing room, especially since more and more people are getting their news from non-traditional sources? Besides, think of the entertainment factor. As Politico reported:

Both the strategy and the press briefing room will likely look a whole lot more like the media consumption habits of the American voters of today versus the 1980s,” said a Trump official granted anonymity to discuss plans still in the works. “I could very well see a press briefing room where Maggie Haberman sits next to Joe Rogan.”

Press briefings could definitely be more interesting, right?

Even so, some hard pass holders are anything but happy with the possibility. Some of those covering the White House have “described a feeling of annoyance, frustration and dread at such an idea.” Saying it would be a mess, another reporter said:

I would expect people would probably boycott the briefings, though that would put certain outlets in a tough spot deciding if they want to go along with what the Trump people are trying to pull.”

Poor things. Are they upset they might have to mingle with the unwashed masses of new tech, new news sources, and wrong thinkers? Or are they worried someone might start looking too closely at their own behavior inside the press room and the stories they’ve written over the years and decide they really don’t report the news but do their best to make it?

Here’s an idea. Maybe the Trump Administration ought to look where most Americans are getting their news on a regular basis and give those outlets seats in the press room. Maybe looking for reporters who aren’t trying to actively stir the public up against him wouldn’t be such a bad thing. Better yet, find reporters who report instead for formulating and influencing the news.

As for the reporters and outlets soooooo worried they might lose their coveted seats on the front row and in the center of the room, bless your hearts. To quote Forrest Gump, “stupid is as stupid does” and your actions in not holding the current Administration responsible is coming home to roost in ways you never anticipated.

Welcome, HotAir readers!

Featured Image: National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan speaks during a press briefing, Tuesday, October 1, 2024, in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House. (Official White House Photo by Oliver Contreras). Public domain