Reporters Fire Back After Ocasio-Cortez Defends Barring Press From Town Hall So People Would...

[DonViejo]

Reporters Fire Back After Ocasio-Cortez Defends Barring Press From Town Hall So People Would ‘Feel Safe’

by Joe DePaolo | Aug 17th, 2018, 5:23 pm

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez — the New York-based Congressional nominee poised to make history this November by becoming the youngest woman ever elected to the House — has come under fire for barring the media from a public town hall this past Sunday. Now, her defense has prompted even more head-scratching from critics.

The political wunderkind, who has gained national notoriety for her stunning primary win over longtime Rep. Joe Crowley (D-NY), took to Twitter Friday afternoon to say that she wanted to provide a forum for local residents “to feel safe discussing sensitive issues in a threatening political time.”

Link to tweet

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But the comments drew even more flak from a number of prominent reporters:

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https://www.mediaite.com/online/reporters-fire-back-after-ocasio-cortez-defends-barring-press-from-town-hall-so-people-would-feel-safe/

[msongs]

1. media ppl are also part of the public. event should be listed as private then. nt

[NCTraveler]

2. Pretty naive of her.

But I can understand where she is coming from in her response.

[mythology]

22. Is she under the impression the press would be calling ICE or something

It sort of makes sense until you realize the press would protect the identities.

[DeltaLitProf]

67. Do you think Breitbart or Fox would do that?

Just asking.

[pnwmom]

71. How does she know incognito ICE people weren't there, taking pictures?

She allowed anyone in except reporters.

[gratuitous]

3. Would you look at that!

The media can defend their prerogatives after all, and demand that they get access. After watching their supine behavior toward the administration over the last year and a half, including the passive acceptance of a President who has held exactly one press conference during his term, I thought the media had just acquiesced to being told what they can and cannot cover.

But they've found their voice at last, and directed their ire at Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Can we look forward to this same assertiveness in their relations with the White House? Or is their dudgeon reserved only for Democratic candidates because the White House is too scary?

[JCanete]

5. no shit right? Color me surprised. nt

[Tiggeroshii]

7. Right??

They suddenly grow a spine when it comes to a non elected democrat who banned the press from one event, but somehow are helpless when it comes to the scary orange buffoon threatening them on a daily basis and trying on a daily basis to throw them in jail for doing their jobs??

[Sophia4]

80. Do they demand to be invited to meetings between politicians and their donors?

Do they demand to be invited when politicians speak to businesses like Goldman Sachs?

I don't think so. Some meetings are open to the press, and some are not.

[R B Garr]

97. Have they demanded tax returns from every politician??

Or only Hillary?? Only Hillary was transparent about her taxes. Neither Trump, Bernie or Stein showed their taxes.

That whole canard about Goldman Sachs being equal to a politician’s townhalls while they are running for office is absurd. Were the press invited into the million dollar contract negotiations that Bernie had with his book publisher?? Some of the superficial analogies are meaningless.

[Fullduplexxx]

12. They always find their balls when they face dems but tiptoe around the cons

[brush]

17. No Democrat should be banning the press. Pure and simple. It's a horrible decision and...

of course the press, right wing press included is going to report it.

It's called The First Admendment. Some here are writing and acting like it's non-existent.

[gratuitous]

23. This might be shocking

But Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is not Congress. Holding one campaign appearance without the media is not an abridgment of anyone's rights under the First Amendment.

If the media are really interested in covering her campaign, they can come to the next rally. She closed this one because she's talking with some incredibly vulnerable people who are being kidnapped and tortured by the government, and the media have demonstrated that they can't be trusted to protect them. But for those who are distressed by this horrible breach on media etiquette (replicated several times every month by President Trump at his "campaign rallies," who is an actual elected official, not just a candidate like Ocasio-Cortez), then by all means volunteer, donate, canvass, and vote for Anthony Pappas.

[brush]

26. Make it a private event. No Democrat should ever ban the press from a publc event.

No excuses.

It was mishandled not to make it private. Hope the experience they gained helps them once they get to DC because if they can't handle a little. local paper I can't imagine the horrible press they will get in Washington.

It's called the First Amendment.

[gratuitous]

33. I don't think the First Amendment says what you think it says

Let's review. The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America says, and I quote:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

The key first word is "Congress." The First Amendment pertains to Congress passing laws. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, as I said, is not Congress. That is, the First Amendment does not apply to her as a private citizen should she decide not to talk to the media, or allow them into the hall that she has rented. If you think she's made a mistake excluding untrustworthy folks from her rally, fine. But it has nothing to do with the First Amendment.

[brush]

34. So what's your argument? Congress is the only one who shall not abridge freedom of the press?

Ok, then. So it's all right for soon-to-be Democratic office holders to abridge the freedom of the press from public events because said office holders were too inexperienced to make it a private event?

Such nice PR and transparency in the trump the-press is the enemy of the people era.

Gotcha.

[gratuitous]

37. Really?

I quote the First Amendment verbatim, and you somehow extend that to a candidate for public office? That is a nitwit argument that I would find wanting from the worst - the absolute worst - from Fox or Alex Jones. The First Amendment does indeed refer solely to Congress, not to private citizens, even those running for public office. If you are having difficulty with that, well, I really don't know what to say. Where in the text of the First Amendment do you find it applying to private citizens, even if they are a candidate for public office? Because I'm here to tell you that it doesn't, and you're making a specious argument.

[brush]

41. You seem to be having difficulty understanding that it was a poor decision to ban the press...

from a public meeting by a soon-to-be Democratic office holder.

It's not that complicated. She's smart. She'll learn. As for others, we'll see if they continue trying but failing to justify it.

[Sophia4]

78. I have met with employees of my member of Congress privately.

There is nothing wrong with that.

Freedom of speech, the press and assembly do not require that all meetings be open to the general public.

This has nothing to do with the First Amendment. Not all meetings that politicians hold are open to the press and the public. Think of meetings politicians hold with their donors. They don't have to allow the press to attend.

[brush]

85. The press is part of the public. IMO when you ban them specifically, there is no longer freedom...

of the press.

[pnwmom]

43. She's not Congress yet. But if she's going to hold "public" events, she needs to invite the public.

That includes the press, which is both part of the public and stands in the the public that can't attend.

[pnwmom]

39. It is when you bill the event as "public" -- which she did. The press is part of the public

and stands in for the public.

If she wants a private meeting with supporters, that's how she should bill it. Let people know from the outset who is included and who isn't.

Can you give examples of how the media has demonstrated they can't be trusted to protect identities?

[gratuitous]

40. Really?

The media isn't to be trusted with protecting the identities of vulnerable persons? Truly?

There are just too many examples to list, but let's just go with anyone in the last 30 days who has been tased or arrested or incarcerated or being beaten to a pulp for being insufficiently compliant with the orders of an out-of-control cop. After that, if it's not enough, how about anyone who has accused a rich, powerful, well-connected white man of sexual harassment? Or an applicant for asylum or refugee status whose family has been torn apart by ICE?

Have you really been paying that little attention to the media?

[pnwmom]

42. Who has ASKED to be anonymous whose identity hasn't been protected? nt

[fallout87]

74. This might be shocking...

But shes one the democratic primary and will most likely be in Congress after the midterms. Explain to us how the press is a threat to the vulnerable people at the town event? There have been countless town halls such as this WITH press and they went off without incident.

[Sophia4]

79. When politicians speak to groups of donors, they don't necessarily invite the press.

So why should they necessarily invite the press when they speak to groups of constituents?

I don't understand the fuss.

[mythology]

24. Apparently you haven't read a paper in the last 18 months

The press has been overwhelmingly negative about the Trump administration. It's just an objectively false claim to claim otherwise.

https://www.npr.org/2017/10/02/555092743/study-news-coverage-of-trump-more-negative-than-for-other-presidents

Researchers studied news stories from the early months of Trump's presidency, determining whether each story evaluated Trump overall in a positive or negative light. If a story had at least twice as many positive as negative statements, Pew said it had an overall positive assessment of the president. The reverse was also true for stories with a negative assessment.

Fully two-thirds of news stories about Trump from his first 60 days in office were negative by that definition — more than twice the negativity seen in stories from the first 60 days of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush or Barack Obama's presidencies.

[Devil Child]

25. Preach it gratuitous!

[leftstreet]

73. +1

[brush]

4. They keep making this worst. She needs seasoned, professional advisers.

You never want to be known as a politician who bans the press.

[Older Than I Look]

15. But such people would be part of the "elitist establishment" ....

You know, the people that actually know what they're doing.

[brush]

16. Which is why we need the older, experienced hands in the party too.

[Older Than I Look]

19. preachin' to the choir, here.

[brush]

21. Oh, I know. We're on the same page.

[Autumn]

6. Have they ever demanded access to the clown fuck in the White House?

It was a dumb thing for a Democrat to do.

[Hekate]

50. Where have you been?

[Autumn]

55. It was a rhetorical question.

[joshcryer]

8. Demonizing the media does us no good.

[DeltaLitProf]

68. I just don't see any sign of her doing that

. . . but maybe you saw a statement from her I didn't see. If so, show it to us.

[joshcryer]

72. Not really.

But it enables it from people who like to make such patently ugly arguments. Merely bringing up peoples safety in regards to the media allows bad actors to continue demonizing the media.

[Cal Carpenter]

9. The fact that this is such an issue is because of intellectually dishonest bullshit

Unreal. I almost typed 'unbelievable', but that would be a lie. Knee jerk crap is all there is anymore.

This is happening for one event and she has what looks to me like a very legitimate reason for not inviting the press. Can anyone just slow down enough to listen to her reasons and see that they might actually be good? That it may be about her constituents and not some fucking political game?

Or is it better for people to take the situation out of context and turn it into a reason to slam someone who they disagree with?

I don't care where anyone stands in terms of this candidate, this particular outrage is blown out of proportion and it is bullshit.

[NCTraveler]

11. I think this is a pretty fair assessment.

It’s also far that in her short career as a campaigner after her primary win she sets herself up for these things. I’m still confident she is going to learn quickly. She isn’t someone who just wants to yell at walls, in my opinion.

[lapucelle]

14. After spending 5-6 weeks out of state, AOC had three scheduled public events in her district.

The local press was barred from two of them. That's the context. Of course the local press is upset at being shut out. And of course they are going to cover the story.

The Democratic nominee for Congress in the 14th District — and virtually guaranteed winner because she has no real opponent — Ocasio-Cortez held the event as part of a “listening tour” around the district she will represent. At a prior event in the Bronx, she was “mobbed” by reporters even though her campaign had told the media there would be no question-and-answer period and no one-on-one interviews, her team said. Hence the barring of the press from both another event in the Bronx and the one here [in Queens}. Also, they wanted residents to be able to speak their minds without the distraction of reporters and cameras. But, they said, these were the first of AOC’s events the press was barred from, and that will not become the norm.

http://www.qchron.com/opinion/editorial/aoc-must-deal-with-press/article_882eed8d-4056-5f74-88ca-f5e7185717b5.html

[brush]

18. It was so obviously mishandled. Inexperienced advisors didn't know to make it a private event.

Democrats should never put themselves in a position to favor banning the press.

NO EXCUSES. One event or not.

It was mishandled and I hope they learned their lesson.

If a campaign can't handle a small, local paper, not even a major daily, look out when they get to Washington with reporters roaming the halls of Congress constantly.

[pnwmom]

45. We have a GOP President who calls the press "the enemy of the people"

and now a Democratic candidate for Congress who claims that the event is open to the "public" and the press isn't part of the public.

Not good.

[JCanete]

10. some of those comments are dumb. "how does presence of reporters make people feel unsafe? "

It could absolutely do that and some "news" organizations are in the business of demonizing people and outing them...etc.


That doesn't mean I think this was a smart political move, nor that I think the press isn't vital for American democracy, but we don't need to be naïve about it.

[Hekate]

13. Hmmm. Steep learning curve for the darling of the left. The smackdown was righteously deserved.

Democrats and progressives should be on the side of freedom of the press and transparency or give up and join Trump.

[brush]

20. Hear, hear. Well said.

[NurseJackie]

27. Agreed. Big mistake.

Was it an ego based mistake? Or something else?

[Cha]

28. It's definitely Not a "non-story" as

she wanted us to believe.

Aloha Friday, Jackie

[NurseJackie]

30. If she's tired of having her mistakes and missteps documented and called-out...

If she's tired of having her mistakes and missteps documented and called-out, then she should stop making mistakes (or at least ADMIT when she's made a mistake and LEARN from the mistakes she's made.) But that would require swallowing one's pride and being humble. I'm sure she can do that.

[Cha]

31. Yes, admit it, apologize, and

move the fuck on.

Don't Ban the Press. Bad example.

[tonedevil]

44. The darling of the left...

aren't you just too cute by half.

[Hekate]

49. Young, attractive, energetic, politically naive, overnight celebrity, in need of a mentor. Better?

It's a steep learning curve. She will either learn the ropes or she won't. Best of luck to her this November, because we need that House seat, and it is not all about her.

I've participated in putting on many town halls and public Commission meetings. The protocol is: if you need the whole thing to be done without the press there, don't call it a town hall. Be honest about your motives (ie "We are talking with sexual assault survivors and would appreciate privacy this time." ) If the Commission (or Board of Supervisors) needs part of the Agenda to be private, make sure that is written in the Agenda. Then open the doors after that bit is done.

Otherwise people will wonder what's going on, and you end up with revealed recordings like Romney and Nunes got.

The press is not the enemy of the Democratic Party. I can't speak for the rest of the political universe.

[tonedevil]

56. Darling of the left...

Last edited Sat Aug 18, 2018, 03:31 PM - Edit history (1)

is an insult to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and any Democrat who considers themselves on the left. As someone who registered as a Democrat in 1974 to vote for Governor Jerry Brown and has voted straight Democratic ticket since then while always identifying as on the left, I don't appreciate your tone.

[Hekate]

58. My blushes. I didn't know you cared, tonedevil.

[tonedevil]

59. Caused by phone trouble...

but at least you were able to use it to get another dig in on me.

[Hekate]

60. (bats eyelashes) Wanna meet for coffee? Ooops, you edited a lot. Sad.

[tonedevil]

61. This probably isn't the dating opportunity you seem to have hopped for. /nt

[Hekate]

62. Well, I am crushed. My bitter tears are making my morning coffee all salty. How can I go on?

I await your words of wisdom -- but you should be careful who you call "Darling" as hearts may be broken.

[tonedevil]

63. I should never try to answer...

a post using my phone, something goes wacky almost every time. Sorry for the misunderstanding.

[brush]

87. You do get that tongue is planted firmly in cheek, right?

[brush]

86. Thank you. Can't be any clearer than that.

[SkyDancer]

83. You should be on the side of undocumented immigrants

who are at risk, like most Democrats.

Link to tweet

[Hekate]

89. And who makes sure we know about what's going on? Who let us know about caged babies?

Who let us know about the secret fundraiser Devin Nunes just held?

Let me think...let me think...

Oh, I know -- the Fake News!

SkyDancer, do not fling around gratuitous insults at me or anyone else on DU.

[SkyDancer]

90. And who let you know

all that? Whistleblowers.

OMG imagine! People speaking out! Meanwhile the press is being used by Trump to round up people.

Hekate, do not try to DUsplain to me exactly what you did calling AOC the "darling of the left".

[Hekate]

92. "DUsplain"? That's a nifty new word. Please explain in detail your claim that...

... "The press is being used by Trump to round up people." Links and details, please.

[Wwcd]

94. DUsplain??? Wth is DUsplain?

Eeewwww!

[Hekate]

95. You'll have to ask SkyDancer, who coined it. Almost sounds like...

..."mansplaining," which is condescending "explaining" that men do to women, or "whitesplaining," which is "explaining" that white people do to black people.

Which is weird, because it's almost like SkyDancer feels I'm a DUer and s/he isn't. But that can't be right.

[Wwcd]

96. That's how I felt when I read it. Demeaned, belittled, condescended

WOW!
Hard to just brush that off one's shoulder when it's directed at you.
Jeezus...!

[wellst0nev0ter]

29. Oh, those preening fucks

The reporters, that is.

Not every meeting with constituents needs media coverage, and the presence of the press CAN create a chilling effect on those who do not want publicity.

If the media wants transparency, they can start with Agent Orange in the White House, whose closed-door meetings are more pernicious.

[Cha]

47. Oh yeah? then why did the AOC campaign say..

"It won't happen again"?

"Oh, those preening fucks".. are the free press.

[wellst0nev0ter]

65. This may be part of the reason for the blackout

[SkyDancer]

82. Bingo!

[USALiberal]

51. Lol......

If a GOPer did this we would rip them! So funny how we can hold a double standard too.

[wellst0nev0ter]

64. If it's with regular constituents, who gives a shit?

It becomes a problem when its with power brokers.

[Jake Stern]

32. When these whiny assholes stop rolling over

For President Cheeto and Pinocchio Fuckabee Sanders I'll be glad to hear what they got to say about AOC.

Jeeesus I thought Dems were for safe spaces.

[Cha]

48. "..whiny assholes.. " are the Free Press.. not a good example

for a Dem to ban them from a public event.

[RelativelyJones]

77. Since when did the press, which includes local Queens/Bronx press, become "whiny assholes"?

What is up with that kind of talk?

[JonAndKatePlusABird]

35. Segue from the MSNBC personality thread

Who is gonna be most upset at MSNBC over this unforgivable faux-pas?

I'm gonna guess Steve Kornackie, Kacie Hunt, and Chuck Todd. But didja know Ari interviewed Steve Bannon??? Priorities

[Hekate]

54. When you have details and not just a smear, let us know. What are your personal news sources?

It's always interesting to get a feeling for how people form their opinions.

[comradebillyboy]

36. She's a rookie so it's not surprising that she makes

rookie mistakes. But she's young and in a safe district so she has time to learn from her mistakes and fix her problems.

[pnwmom]

38. This is a terrible move in an era with a President who calls the press "the enemy of the people."

Alexandria has a great deal to learn. Coming of age in the era of Trump seems to have left her with some misunderstandings.

[Cha]

46. Benjy Sarlin makes a good point..

Last edited Sat Aug 18, 2018, 04:39 AM - Edit history (1)

Link to tweet

And, AOC's campaign said.. "It Won't Happen Again".

[AlexSFCA]

52. at this rate she may lose general election

[Hekate]

53. I am baffled at the venomous attacks on the press in this thread. Where have all of you been?

Why do you think Trump has been screaming at the news media in his rallies, singling individuals out by name, singling out individual news organizations?

It isn't because they flatter him. It's because they dare to ask questions and fact-check him.

As a whole the media certainly made some mistakes early on, but I distinctly remember Rachel Maddow giving us all a heads-up months and months and months ago about Ukrainian financial papers with Manafort's name all over them that had been tossed in a pond at some dacha. When he first surfaced as Trump's campaign manager? She had a LOT of questions. Sorry if all the details aren't on the tips of my fingers, but by gods when he got arrested a lot of already-familiar details emerged. Not everybody is Joe and Mika.

The media (print and cable) made the mistake of thinking Trump was an entertainer who couldn't win. Then they made the mistake of thinking he would "rise to the office," and "grow into the office." Even the ones who were not asleep at the wheel initially made that mistake -- except for the people who have been my go-to sources all along.

Now they are really awake, with a job to do. What else do you call it when some 400 newspapers put out First Amendment editorials on the same day?

[JCanete]

75. No, they made the mistake of not even doing their job. They are supposed to vet these people for the

public, not feed us pap and dog and pony shows. They are the News. They did a horrid job and that's not the only thing they've done horridly over the years. And seriously, anybody who made the mistake that this man was going to rise to the office and grow in the office has no business being in journalism. What would they have based such an absurd notion on? What did he show us that would have warranted that interpretation?

None of that changes how important they are or how the sanctity of the Press should be respected, but sadly, corporate media doesn't exactly produce an independent press.

I do think whatever the intentions, Cortez and her advisers should have thought this one through in the wake of Trumps war on truth, but I'm not going to elevate our American press to sainthood simply because they(and WE) are in jeapardy of our 4th estate being dismantled by our President. They own that too. In sooo many ways they own that and it hardly started with Trump.

Bottom line: I can fear for the loss of our shitty journalism and still believe its mostly shitty.

[robbedvoter]

57. 15,000 + votes, some media attention and the 🍊/Avenatti bug has bitten!

It's not just guys who become divas!

[gulliver]

66. She's just one candidate in one race. Every candidate is important.

She is very talented, but she shouldn't be sucking up all of the oxygen on the left. We need to stop being lazy and "star hungry," and we need to stop fixating on her. That plays into the hands of the right.

[yardwork]

69. This is stupid and dangerous. Democrats don't suppress journalism!

What the hell is wrong with people defending this.

[dgauss]

70. The comments on those tweets are more supportive of AOC than most comments on this thread.

How is it that DU, with rules about supporting democrats, is more negative about this particular democrat than a sampling of responses on various twitter feeds?

[pangaia]

76. Where has the fuckng media been the last 2 1/2 years???

[SkyDancer]

81. Some replies to tweets from the press

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

ICE tracks down immigrant who spoke to media in SW Washington: ‘You are the one from the newspaper’
After talking to The Seattle Times about his girlfriend’s arrest by immigration officials, a Pacific County man was detained himself. He said an agent told him it was because of what had been written.

A man who recounted his longtime girlfriend’s arrest in a Seattle Times story about ramped-up immigration enforcement in Pacific County last month has now been detained, and says U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents told him the arrest was because he was in the newspaper.

Baltazar “Rosas” Aburto Gutierrez, speaking by phone from the Northwest Detention Center, where he is being held, said he got off work about 4?a.m. Monday — he harvests clams around Willapa Bay — went back to his Ocean Park home and, a few hours later, headed to Okie’s Thriftway Market for coffee and eggs.

An SUV blocked his path into the parking lot, he said. An ICE agent got out and approached his car.

“You are Rosas,” the agent said, according to Aburto Gutierrez. “You are the one from the newspaper.”

More

Now that being said, this is what AOC was trying to do; protect the most vulnerable who are too afraid to speak and too afraid to have a voice. AOC has said before the community she represents has a very high amount of undocumented immigrants. Are people forgetting what is happening right now in this country with immigration and how Trump is using ICE to pout kids in cages? Seriously? It was just a few weeks ago that was the top news story.

The press this! The press that! The press is being used by Trump to round people up. Think about that for a second.Immigration activists are being targeted left and right who are in the news and give interviews ( See The 20+ Immigration Activists Arrested Under Trump )
Why should AOC risk the safety of her constituents? I for one am glad she isn't.



Why is it so difficult for some to understand what AOC was doing? Her tweets above spell it out quite clearly yet I see some not getting it. It's sad, it's depressing and it makes me wonder if some simply can't stand the fact that she was endorsed by Bernie and because of that can't stand her and can't see through their own hate of Bernie to see what she was doing.

Yup, I'm going with that.

[Nanjeanne]

84. Ding ding ding. You got it. That's all it has to do with. So sad.

[R B Garr]

88. "Yup, I'm going with that." You seem to go with a lot of

things.

It’s not hard to remember the false attacks on Democrats and the accusations about lack of transparency. I just heard the recording of Bernie on Colbert saying my party has to quit being the party of the 1% and that is not true. That is simply self-promoting propaganda. Our Revolution berated our nominee/party with nasty insinuations about speeches and transparency, and we see the press being banned. Still no taxes. It’s the hypocrisy and double standards.

Please quit with the RW attacks on Democrats. Read the Mueller indictments and who was attacked and why. The Russian’s are loved by the GOP for helping attack Democrats. Our Revolution needs to quit contributing to the GOP’s war on Democrats.

[Hekate]

93. This

[lapucelle]

91. She wasn't endorsed by BS. She wasn't on his radar until after she won. N/T