Tension in the White House press briefing room came to a head on Monday afternoon when reporters rejected a peer calling an end to the briefing with Press Secretary Jen Psaki, setting the stage for a long overdue confrontation. The clash put the on-going negligence of the
majority of the press corp out in the open.
Although it is a tradition for the wire reporter from the senior wire to track the time of briefings, some members of the press consider it an unacceptable, outdated approach. Reporters were united in begrudging the end of the event when senior AP reporter, Josh Boak, notified around 43 minutes into the briefing.
New York Post Reporter Steven Nelson interjected, "You know, you don't have to call the briefing over." When someone else asked, "Who called it", Nelson returned, "They've appointed themselves in charge of calling it. We have questions back here."
"Why, why did you do it?", asked Sweet, DC Bureau Chief of the Chicago Sun Times. Nelson chiming in again: "Then ask for an explanation".
This workplace dissention only set the stage from a much deeper issue that was unearthed by Mona Austin of the Slice News: "Specialty media needs an opportunity. I've been here on my third president, and people don't even know my name." [Add more of quote]
As Austin points out, there is a culture in the White House press room that give preference to the people in the room with the most perceived power. The tension between specialty media and the mainstream press has been permeating under multiple administrations, and the lack of equality and need for standards amongst the press is needed more than ever in the current political climate.
Boak invited reporter comet to his AP booth to "yell at" him as he explained he was essnetially doing his job.
"Here is what I can tell you is standard. If it was up me me it could have gone on all day. I'm also on respectful of other people's schedules."
"Maybe it's time to end your tradition," suggested street.