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Joe Lockhart: Why it matters that Biden team restored regular press briefings
https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/03/opinions/biden-press-briefings-lockhart/index.html-snip-
Actually, if you can manage to put the last four years out of your mind, it's not really that unusual to see this many briefings. Before Donald Trump, the White House, State Department and Department of Defense held regularly scheduled briefings. The Trump administration quickly moved away from this tradition by holding sporadic White House briefings, at one point 400 days passed between briefings, while the State Department and Pentagon virtually abandoned the exercise.
For sure, there is symbolic value in holding regular briefings at the White House and national security agencies. The Biden administration is sending a strong symbol that transparency and accountability, two things lacking in the previous administration, will be central to how the government will work moving forward.
But it goes well beyond symbolism. Reporters now can depend on regular access to senior officials and spokespeople. The public also has the ability to watch the briefings live or read a transcript later to stay in touch with what their government is doing. And it's not just being responsive to all questions from the media. We can all learn as much from the questions that are avoided or evaded to fully appreciate what the government is doing right and, what the government is doing wrong.
Briefings makes for better government as a whole. Regularly scheduled ones impose discipline and accountability. The discipline comes from having to make decisions in a timely way -- namely, in time for the briefing. Staffers know explicitly that there is a ticking clock on all decisions, forcing them to come to one. It also forces coordination between agencies. The worst of all worlds is the White House briefing at odds with either the State Department or the Department of Defense.
Most importantly, it enforces accountability. Staffers know that the administration's spokespeople will be held accountable for everything they do. It's a powerful and practical reminder of the value of doing the right thing.
-snip-
Most of all, Jen Psaki at the White House, John Kirby at the Pentagon and Ned Price at State are using decades of experience and credibility built up by being straight with reporters even when the news is not good. Psaki spent years at both the White House and State Department and has earned the benefit of the doubt through that service. Kirby is returning to his old job at the Pentagon and Price moves to State after working in the Central Intelligence Agency (Both Psaki and Kirby were CNN commentators until recently).
-snip-
Actually, if you can manage to put the last four years out of your mind, it's not really that unusual to see this many briefings. Before Donald Trump, the White House, State Department and Department of Defense held regularly scheduled briefings. The Trump administration quickly moved away from this tradition by holding sporadic White House briefings, at one point 400 days passed between briefings, while the State Department and Pentagon virtually abandoned the exercise.
For sure, there is symbolic value in holding regular briefings at the White House and national security agencies. The Biden administration is sending a strong symbol that transparency and accountability, two things lacking in the previous administration, will be central to how the government will work moving forward.
But it goes well beyond symbolism. Reporters now can depend on regular access to senior officials and spokespeople. The public also has the ability to watch the briefings live or read a transcript later to stay in touch with what their government is doing. And it's not just being responsive to all questions from the media. We can all learn as much from the questions that are avoided or evaded to fully appreciate what the government is doing right and, what the government is doing wrong.
Briefings makes for better government as a whole. Regularly scheduled ones impose discipline and accountability. The discipline comes from having to make decisions in a timely way -- namely, in time for the briefing. Staffers know explicitly that there is a ticking clock on all decisions, forcing them to come to one. It also forces coordination between agencies. The worst of all worlds is the White House briefing at odds with either the State Department or the Department of Defense.
Most importantly, it enforces accountability. Staffers know that the administration's spokespeople will be held accountable for everything they do. It's a powerful and practical reminder of the value of doing the right thing.
-snip-
Most of all, Jen Psaki at the White House, John Kirby at the Pentagon and Ned Price at State are using decades of experience and credibility built up by being straight with reporters even when the news is not good. Psaki spent years at both the White House and State Department and has earned the benefit of the doubt through that service. Kirby is returning to his old job at the Pentagon and Price moves to State after working in the Central Intelligence Agency (Both Psaki and Kirby were CNN commentators until recently).
-snip-
8 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
Sunshine in.. Let the country know the Reality of what's Going ON!
TY hpd
No doubt. I am addicted to watching her whenever I can.
-Laelth
