Ocasio-Cortez defends banning press from event: We wanted 'residents to feel safe'

[Awsi Dooger]

290. I have no idea how this thread got so long

I'm certainly not going to wade through all of it.

Let me preface by saying I have a print journalism degree and am proudly biased in favor of the media. Obviously we are upset and devastated that the media often failed us during the 2016 campaign. IMO, a primary reason for that was no way to prepare or compensate for a nominee who bypassed the typical level of 24-30% lies and misleading statements all the way up to 72%-80%. We never had a 50 or 60% liar. It was actually part of Trump's unintentional genius to deceive in Roy Cohn proportions like that.

However, we need to set that aside for what it was. Nowadays the right wing is doing everything it can to demonize and devalue the media. That is understandable with truth as a daily obstacle. However, I am more than troubled and disgusted by the related polling that finds Democrats with such a lowered opinion and upticked distrust of the media. That is ridiculous. I am seeing it on sports forums and everywhere. Even people I know as reliable Democrats have been suckered along these lines.

That is why I am so dismayed and outraged by Ocasio-Cortez's action here. I don't know much about her but in brief televised clips she seems rather simplistic. That may be unfair but when suddenly I hear about her banning the press I don't particularly care about details or excuses. I am a big picture type. Someone who finds any excuse to ban the press from a campaign event is not someone I trust to understand the big picture capably, not at all. And we need every big-picture acuity now and going forward, among our next wave of candidates, advisors and pundits.