Power needs to be treated with respect. That’s the message that Republican ex-Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich has on Fox’s “Fox & Friends” as President Trump’s first trip overseas winds down. What Gingrich has to say about news reporters is entirely correct, in that to get a press pass for White House news conferences, all a person has to do is write a bunch of articles or be sent by a prestigious press publication or media organization, the bulk of which have been trashing the president non-stop since his inauguration.
By forcibly narrowing down the list of people who are admitted to White House news conferences (or by limiting their occurrences altogether), President Trump could start to send a message to the nation’s press corps that he’s ready to play hardball as far as being treated with the same dignity that foreign leaders have accorded our commander-in-chief.
In fact, it may be time to start denying people such as CNN reporter Jim Acosta or New York Times correspondent Maggie Haberman access to the president entirely. After all, when have those people ever had a shred of responsibility other than typing what they’re told to write in some dark office at night?
The prime ministers, presidents and kings Trump has been meeting with, on the other hand, have responsibility for entire nations, and they understand the seriousness and the gravity with which Trump takes the sanctity of his office.
Yes, our country has freedom of speech, but presidents also have the right to say who is and isn’t invited to listen to them (or their press secretary) speak. Watch as political veteran Gingrich has a few sage words that it wouldn’t be a bad idea for our current president to listen to.
