Atlanta, The White House Correspondents' Association sharply criticized CNN for not giving its group of reporters access inside the room where President Joe Biden and his predecessor Donald Trump participated in the first of three presidential debates here, stating that that undermines a "fundamental principle." of coverage.
CNN is hosting the first of three presidential debates in Atlanta.
Dozens of media outlets from across the country have gathered to watch the debate, which unlike other times does not have an audience. The media only have access to the spin room.
“Tonight's debate will have no audience present and includes formatting rules that may mute candidates' microphones. We don't know how this will play out in real time," Kelly O'Donnell, president of the White House Correspondents' Association, wrote in a strongly worded letter to CNN.
"A typical reporter is there to observe what is said and done when the microphones are off or when one of the candidates does not appear on camera but can speak, gesture, move or participate in some way," O'Donnell said. Thursday.
A group of reporters always travels and is with the President during his official work hours and informs the rest of the WHCA members.
CNN is also a member of the WHCA, she said.
“The WHCA is deeply concerned that CNN has rejected our repeated requests to include the White House travel group within the study. “Through conversations and advocacy, we urge CNN to grant access to at least one reporter from the print group for the duration of the debate,” the letter said.
“WHCA has been informed that a print reporter will be allowed into the studio during a commercial break to briefly observe the set. "In our view, that is insufficient and undermines a fundamental principle of presidential coverage," O'Donnell wrote.
"The White House group has a duty to document, report and witness the president's events and movements on behalf of the American people," the letter said.
"The pool is there for the 'what ifs?' in a world where the unexpected happens. A reporter from the group is present to provide context and insight through direct observation and not through the lens of television production. A pool reporter is an independent observer whose duties are separate from the production of the debate as a news event,” she explained.
Stating that the reporter works on behalf of the entire White House press corps, she said her reporting is an important part of the historical record.
She said that since the pool is inspected by the U.S. Secret Service and travels with the president on Air Force One, there is no safety issue.
"The Biden campaign told WHCA that it supports our request. The Trump campaign told WHCA that it would not object to the inclusion of the White House reporter. The Trump campaign has a separate press corps," wrote the president of the WHCA.
O'Donnel said for weeks that the WHCA has advocated for the inclusion of the White House travel group within the study for the presidential debate.
“Our work has included reaching out to the White House, the campaigns of both President Biden and former President Trump, and debate host CNN,” he said.
“We appreciate that CNN is providing a telecast of the debate to other networks and will grant access to photographers from several news outlets to cover the candidates in-studio. Those are positive actions that the WHCA fully supports,” he wrote.
There was no immediate reaction from CNN.
“White House reporters constantly pressure the president's host organizations to allow us access wherever he goes. That's our job. The idea that a news organization is going to hinder us is pretty mind-boggling,” said Peter Baker, The New York Times White House correspondent.
CNN is hosting the first of three presidential debates in Atlanta.
Dozens of media outlets from across the country have gathered to watch the debate, which unlike other times does not have an audience. The media only have access to the spin room.
“Tonight's debate will have no audience present and includes formatting rules that may mute candidates' microphones. We don't know how this will play out in real time," Kelly O'Donnell, president of the White House Correspondents' Association, wrote in a strongly worded letter to CNN.
"A typical reporter is there to observe what is said and done when the microphones are off or when one of the candidates does not appear on camera but can speak, gesture, move or participate in some way," O'Donnell said. Thursday.
A group of reporters always travels and is with the President during his official work hours and informs the rest of the WHCA members.
CNN is also a member of the WHCA, she said.
“The WHCA is deeply concerned that CNN has rejected our repeated requests to include the White House travel group within the study. “Through conversations and advocacy, we urge CNN to grant access to at least one reporter from the print group for the duration of the debate,” the letter said.
“WHCA has been informed that a print reporter will be allowed into the studio during a commercial break to briefly observe the set. "In our view, that is insufficient and undermines a fundamental principle of presidential coverage," O'Donnell wrote.
"The White House group has a duty to document, report and witness the president's events and movements on behalf of the American people," the letter said.
"The pool is there for the 'what ifs?' in a world where the unexpected happens. A reporter from the group is present to provide context and insight through direct observation and not through the lens of television production. A pool reporter is an independent observer whose duties are separate from the production of the debate as a news event,” she explained.
Stating that the reporter works on behalf of the entire White House press corps, she said her reporting is an important part of the historical record.
She said that since the pool is inspected by the U.S. Secret Service and travels with the president on Air Force One, there is no safety issue.
"The Biden campaign told WHCA that it supports our request. The Trump campaign told WHCA that it would not object to the inclusion of the White House reporter. The Trump campaign has a separate press corps," wrote the president of the WHCA.
O'Donnel said for weeks that the WHCA has advocated for the inclusion of the White House travel group within the study for the presidential debate.
“Our work has included reaching out to the White House, the campaigns of both President Biden and former President Trump, and debate host CNN,” he said.
“We appreciate that CNN is providing a telecast of the debate to other networks and will grant access to photographers from several news outlets to cover the candidates in-studio. Those are positive actions that the WHCA fully supports,” he wrote.
There was no immediate reaction from CNN.
“White House reporters constantly pressure the president's host organizations to allow us access wherever he goes. That's our job. The idea that a news organization is going to hinder us is pretty mind-boggling,” said Peter Baker, The New York Times White House correspondent.