Meeting the Press

   An important issue facing President-elect Donald Trump is whether he will answer direct questions from the White House press corps.
   In the past, he has ejected reporters from his news conferences and banned others from attending campaign events.
   As President, however, that will present a major problem, first as a public relations issue and then as a communications issue.
   Can he deny press credentials to an individual journalist assigned to cover the White House? Yes. Should he engage in wholesale denial to any reporters or their media organizations that are critical of his positions or who ask tough questions?
   That's a whole 'nother issue.

   Trump has a history of belittling and insulting those who disagree with him, but doing that as a private citizen or as a candidate is one thing. Doing similar things as President of the United States, effectively attempting to restrain constitutionally protected press freedom is a dangerous path to take.

   As a candidate, he was able to say and do many things that millions of people found objectionable. But as the elected leader of America, "There are rules and laws, and you have to pay attention to them," as President Barack Obama put it during a news conference in Washington today. In addition, "You have to listen to the lawyers," Obama said.

   So after January 20, when Donald Trump will be inaugurated as 45th President of the United States, will he speak and act as he has during his business career and the election campaign, and what will be the consequences if he does?
   Acting toward Congress in the way he has treated others during his business career is likely to arouse some serious opposition within that legislative body, to the extent that Trump will be unable to make progress with his announced programs.
   Moreover, treating the White House press corps and other journalists who don't kowtow to his every wish as he has treated other journalists will not exactly endear him to editors or, for that matter, to readers and viewers who rely on news media for information.
   Trump could refuse to hold press conferences at all, as is his right. Other Presidents have done that. But as President, he will need a free press to enable him to convey his messages to the public. Trump has indicated he will continue to use social media such as Twitter to deal directly with the public. But text message limitations of 140 characters won't be enough.
   And trying to control the press, especially the White House press corps, is a one-way trip to disasterville.