Credentials and Control

Denying access won't stop the story.

Only dictators can control the press.

   The Donald Trump presidential campaign has withdrawn press credentials from the Washington Post, one of America's top newspapers. Why? Because the candidate didn't like a headline and the coverage of news stories about his sayings and doings.
   He has a right to withhold press credentials for any reason he likes, or for no reason at all. But he cannot stop reporters from obtaining tickets to public events and entering the venue as members of the general public.
   Nor can he stop reporters from watching Trump talk on television and basing their coverage on that, as well as reading his Twitter feed, and interviewing people on the street outside the campaign venue.
   His staff has blocked other members of the public from entering unless they pledge allegiance to the candidate. Does he have a right to do this, also? Probably, yes, since it is a private event. But whether that's a smart thing to do is an entirely different question.
   The background to the Washington Post ban is the news stories reporting Trump's comments on the Orlando massacre. The coverage noted the vague insinuations uttered by Trump that President Obama was somehow complicit in the shooting. Because of this reporting, Trump accused the Post of inaccurate and unfair reporting. But if Trump's comments were indeed vague and insinuated that the President knew or should have known that something like this was brewing, then reporting what the candidate said was part of journalism's duty
   If the candidate has a habit of being vague, seldom providing specifics, then that is what the news media should report. Trump typically does speak at length with insult and vague insinuations against anyone who disagrees with him in any way. But this candidate takes offense against anyone who reports anything negative about what he says and does.
   Moreover, the Washington Post is not the first major news outlet to be banished from Trump events. There have been several others, most of them online news channels.
   Trump charged that the headline on story that annoyed him was inaccurate and unfair. Here it must be said that a headline is often a compromise, due to limited space. Only a few characters can fit per column, and the skill of headline writing can rise to the level of art as it calls for a summary of a complex story in perhaps five words.
   And if the story itself consists of vague insinuations, as Trump speeches often do, it's especially difficult for writers, editors and headline writers to be precise when confronted with obscure hints and implications.
   Nonetheless, when a newspaper quotes a politician's exact words, that's part of the job, to write what those words mean and the consequences of an inflammatory speech.
   And if the candidate doesn't like it ...

    Politicians demand to be quoted exactly, but they often complain when the repercussions are negative, and they blame the news media for the results.
   Note to candidate Trump:  You can't have it both ways.

   Nor can you control what a free press writes about you. And as a public figure, the laws of libel are different. It's called the principle of open debate and fair comment. Otherwise, Trump himself would be subject of libel suits for his false allegations and name calling against his opponents, including such comments as "Crooked Hillary" or "Lyin' Ted."
   Moreover, when news media report on civil or criminal charges filed in a court of law, citing and quoting official documents prepared by prosecutors and regulatory agencies, you cannot sue for libel, much as you might like to. The news is that fraud charges were filed. If you are later cleared, the news media will report that, too.
   It does little good to whine "unfair" or "inaccurate" or "misconstrued" or "what I really meant was ... "
   If you really are the reasonable, intelligent person you claim to be, say what you really mean in the first place. The news media will record and report what you say and do as if you really did mean it in the first place.
   When it comes back to haunt you, don't blame the messenger.