Evasion as Media Control

   Ignoring the press does not make it go away, nor does it mean you control what journalists do.
   For a second time, the President-elect today evaded the small team of reporters assigned to be near him whenever he appears in public. There is, of course, a right to privacy, but for decades it has been standard practice that a handful of journalists be instantly available. Just in case.
   This is not harassment of the incoming leader of the free world, but it is an effort to make sure the President (and the President-elect) has access to the news media in an emergency. And if an emergency involves the chief executive directly, journalists will be available to cover the issue and keep the public informed.
   But to deliberately mislead the coverage team, telling them you're calling it a day, and then sneaking out the back door to an activity in some other public place is tantamount to media control, and ignores responsibility to the public.
   Reporters do not have any more right of access to public official and events, but as citizens themselves, they have no less a right. As representatives of the general public, they have an important role in keeping citizens informed.
   Donald Trump today ditched the press team just so he could play golf. Several weeks ago, he evaded the assigned team and went out to a public restaurant for dinner.  On each occasion, there was no national emergency that would have called for immediate response from the President-elect, nor was there any threat to him. But both activities were in public places, where Trump was seen by the public but there were no reporters on hand to cover any newsworthy event.

   Separately, the President-elect has inserted himself into public policy and international diplomacy issues weeks before Inauguration Day. He certainly has a right to have opinions and to express those opinions. As do we all. But he is not yet President, nor is he a monarch, although sometimes he behaves like one.
   However, he does have a responsibility to represent all Americans and to keep the public informed as to his comings and goings, especially in public places. And the medium through which that information is transmitted is traditionally and primarily journalism -- the news media.
   To ignore reporters and to rely exclusively on Twitter shows a contempt for journalism and for the general public. But more important, it betrays an attempt to control everything he deals with. That may be a useful strategy as head of a private company, but the White House is not Trump Tower.