.jpg) Rudy Giuliani |
BEDFORD, NH- “America’s Mayor” and now presidential candidate, Rudy Giuliani, called for questions, and I asked:
“There have been repeated news reports that the senator from New York has often refused to take reporters questions. Do you believe this is appropriate for any candidate for our nation’s highest office?”
Included in his lengthy response was the following:
“All I can do is tell you what is appropriate for me. I’ve never figured out how not to take reporter’s questions. So it seems to me that if you’re going to run for president of the United States, you gotta take reporter’s questions.”
Both Newsday and the New Hampshire Union Leader reported:
“Giuliani’s 15-minute session with reporters was unscheduled, but essentially became required after he answered a question about Sen. Hillary Clinton’s press policy by saying he ‘can’t figure out how not to’ take reporters’ questions.”
Later that Tuesday – before the Iowa caucus loss of Hillary to both Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. John Edwards – I asked the same question to Sen. John McCain who replied:
 John McCain |
“I’d have to tell you given the quality of journalism today, and the fact that they’re riding around in the bus with me all the time, I can certainly sympathize (laughter) … After every town-hall meeting we’ll be with the media. And we’ll be answering their questions and comments as well. I think it is only appropriate that we do so.”
The next day, triumphant Sen. Obama arrived 1 hour, 5 minutes late – to address a throng of 4,000 at Concord High School.
Most of the attendees were obliged to wait in line for almost an hour where the temperature was 7 degrees below freezing – while media were allowed inside.
After the conclusion of Obama’s rousing but clich?-ridden speech followed by no questions from the floor or from the media, all of whom departed, I persisted because I wanted to ask the same question about Hillary’s refusal to take questions that Giuliani and McCain had answered.
 Barack Obama |
When Obama kept conversing with adoring audience members, and pointedly avoided me, I called out:
“If you become president, no press conferences – right?”
To which he flashed that great grin of his and shot back:
“Aw, come on!”
And I replied:
“Come on where?”
But he was off and running.
That afternoon in Henniker at New England College, which was filled awaiting the late arrival of the GOP victor of the Iowa caucuses, while we waited, I had to seek refuge in an outer room. For in the gym was the most ear-splitting rock band I have ever heard: Mama Kicks.
They kept on playing, on and on and on reverberating through the rafters.
And finally, when Huckabee arrived, he announced – and this is a quote:
“I wanted to have Mama Kicks play today; those of us who are Republicans can have fun!”
 Mike Huckabee |
With that, he unpacked his electric guitar and joined this eardrum-bursting music with shrieking lyrics.
I had hoped to be able to ask a question. But after his speech, this presidential candidate rejoined the Ear Splitters – for more of this horrendous rhythmic noise.
The question I hoped to ask – but had to depart in time to cover a Romney rally:
“The New York Times quotes you as saying in Sergeant Bluff, Iowa: ‘People ask me: Do you believe in resurrection? Of course I do. Dead people vote in every election we have in Arkansas. Resurrection is real to us!'”
“Question: Since the Times reported that might be ‘a Jesus joke,’ was it a joke about Jesus’ resurrection? And how, as a Christian minister, can you think that’s funny?”
.jpg) Mitt Romney |
At the Mitt Romney campaign events in Manchester – which had been advertised as “ASK MITT ANYTHING!” – I wanted to ask him the same Hillary-avoids-media-question that Giuliani and McCain had answered.
But this ASK … ANYTHING! Rally was over in 90 minutes, during which a Romney aide kept harassing me and telling me “no questions from the media.”
When I hung on and called out:
“ASK MITT ANYTHING!” he rapidly responded: “I had a media availability this morning” – and he moved on quickly.
And so, I learned that this Romney promise of ASK MITT ANYTHING! really meant: ASK UNLESS YOUR CITIZENSHIP IS TAINTED BY MEDIAHOOD.
In hoping to ask all candidates about the Hillary refusals to take reporters’ questions, I went to Lebanon for a John Edwards’ appearance, scheduled for 1:15 p.m. – for which he did not arrive until 2:05 p.m..
I listened with awe to this eloquent, fiery and enormously successful trial lawyer who spoke so passionately about the poor and the economically endangered middle class.
I had hoped to question. But even though I raised my hand, and he looked my way, he went elsewhere to recognize someone else. And I thought, isn’t this the Great Populist of $400 haircuts and that $20 million mansion he built for himself in North Carolina?
 John Edwards |
By covering Edwards, I got into one of the longest of traffic jams leading into St. Anselm College for the GOP and Democrat forums, inaccurately called debates.
After the GOP forum in the “Spin Room,” none of the Republican candidates appeared.
So I asked a Romney spokeswoman:
Q: Why didn’t he come, instead of sending a beautiful (Bay) Buchanan?
BUCHANAN (sister of Pat): I’m with Gov. Romney. What is the question?
Q: I want to know why isn’t he here?
BUCHANAN: He was just in a debate. He sent me and Congressman Tancredo. This is for surrogates.
Q: For surrogates? That isn’t what we understood.
(Where this conversation took place was called the “Spin Room” at St. Anselm’s College. In previous New Hampshire primaries, the candidates, having debated, took questions from the media. This year: none of that.)
 Fred Thompson |
Then to Karen Hanreddy, spokeswoman for Sen. Fred Thompson:
Q: Could you tell me why the senator isn’t here in this gathering, where we were all expecting? I’ve covered nine of these things, and this is the first time so many Republicans are absent.
HENREDDY: All the candidates are absent tonight?
Q: I can’t find one. Can you find one?
HENREDDY: Well, it was an interesting debate tonight. I think that Sen. Fred Thompson certainly won.
Q: Oh, you do? Well then, why didn’t he come back and see his good friends in the media?
HENREDDY: Well, I think it’s an interesting format that they’ve laid out tonight …
Q: I know, but this is the place we were supposed to meet him. Why isn’t he here?
HENREDDY: I think it is interesting that none of the candidates are here. And I think that has little more to do with the format of the evening – the fact that we’ve got back-to-back Republican-Democrat debates and chauffeuring …
Q: You mean they’re watching the Democrats? Is that the reason they didn’t come to see us in the media?
HENREDDY: I think there’s an issue of chauffeuring the candidates from one location to another, given the fact that we’ve got an audience of about a thousand here tonight.
Q: I know, you’ve got a thousand media here tonight.
HENREDDY: There’s easily a thousand media.
Then to Kevin Madden, a spokesman for Gov. Huckabee:
Q: As the governor’s spokesman: there have been repeated news reports that the senator from New York has often refused to take reporters questions. Do you believe this is appropriate for a candidate for our nation’s highest office, and does the governor?
MADDEN: Here is what I believe Les: I think that very often – and I’m talking as a spokesman here for a presidential campaign. Very often candidates, politicians see every single engagement with a reporter as something to deal with peril, or something to view with.
Q: Peril?
MADDEN: And instead, I believe it’s an opportunity! So I thank you for that opportunity.
Q: Your governor refused to take questions last night.
Madden: You used the word “refused.” I use “chose not to!”
Q: (Laugh) You’re a good spokesman!
MADDEN: Say hello to Dana (Perino, White House press secretary) for me.
After the Democrat forum (not debate) I was able to ask the spokesman for Gov. Bill Richardson of New Mexico, who is Democrat mayor of Portsmouth, N.H., Steve Merchand:
Q: Tonight he said: I have balanced five budgets. In New Mexico, the budget has to be balanced. Isn’t that the case?
MERCHAND: Well, let me tell you this, as the mayor of a city …
Q: No, no, no! I asked: He said he balanced five budgets.
MERCHAND: That’s correct.
Q: And in New Mexico he has to do it! He has no alternative, right?
MERCHAND: Well, but wait a second. I’m the mayor of a city where we also have to balance the budget – by statute. And I can tell you this: You have to make tough decisions to follow the law. You have to follow the law – you’re absolutely right. But you have to make tough decisions to do it. In Washington, you don’t have to make the tough decision – because you don’t have to balance the budget.
Q: You are enormously eloquent – but he said he balanced five budgets without telling us that he had no alternative! What kind of truth is that? Could you tell us? You’re the mayor of what?
MERCHAND: Portsmouth, N.H. It’s a great city! You should come! You should visit!
When I asked him the Hillary question, he replied:
MERCHAND: Well, I can only speak for Gov. Richardson; you’ll have to ask the Hillary folks about Hillary. One of the reasons why people love Gov. Richardson is I find him to be very candid – that last question – is there a question that you would take back? He answered the question as honestly as one could. That’s the kind of practice that we’re looking for, and I think he’s very good about that.
Q: But my question was: Do you believe it is appropriate to refuse to take reporters’ questions like Hillary has done, so repeatedly?
MERCHAND: Like Gov. Richardson, I think it’s important to take reporters’ questions.
Q: Thank you very much – you’re a pistol!
I then interviewed Susan Rice, senior foreign policy adviser to Sen. Barack Obama, to whom I also directed the Hillary question:
RICE: We’ll, Sen. Obama has made himself available to the press often, at every turn. He’s been open to …
Q: No, no, no. In Concord I was the only reporter who waited. He refused, so I just called something to him. And he did grin. But he did not answer my questions, no.
RICE: He is open to voters’ questions. He has answered them all …
Q: I’m a voter!
RICE: all throughout Iowa and throughout New Hampshire. And he’ll continue to do so.
(So much for my access – as a voter – to candidate Obama)
 Hillary Clinton |
And finally, the largest crowd of reporters was clustered around the spokesman for Sen. Clinton, who, after winnowing my way through the huge huddle around him, I asked:
Q: There have been repeated news reports that Sen. Clinton has refused to take reporters’ questions. And my question is: Why do you believe it is appropriate for a candidate for our nation’s highest office?
MARK DALEY: Well I think she’s answered hundred and hundreds of questions throughout this. And here in New Hampshire, she has, at a number of events now, been taking every single question until people ran out of questions. She has been talking to the people of New Hampshire.
Q: Will she be willing to do that tomorrow in Nashua?
DALEY: She is taking an enormous number of questions. She has taken an enormous number of questions. She will be taking questions from a lot of people, I assure you.
It was comforting – I thought – to be so assured by Hillary spokesman Mark Daley.
The following day, however, I watched as Sen. Clinton – whose arrival was 1 hour, 30 minutes late – spoke briefly and then began more than one hour of taking questions – not one of which questions were allowed from the media.
All of us – I estimated at least 200, with 25 TV cameras – were strictly confined at the greatest possible distance from candidate Clinton.
I was seated between Gail Collins, former editorial page editor and now columnist for the New York Times and Anne Davies of Australia’s Sydney Morning Herald.
Ms. Collins recalled having covered Hillary campaign stops four times – with no opportunity for the media to ask any questions. Ms. Davies recalled six such no-questions-from-any-media appearances of Mrs. Clinton.
This Hillary-ban-the-media policy raises three considerations:
- 1) Very few, if any, of the non-media recognized for questions by Hillary have followed her career and her campaigning as diligently as the media.
2) Very few, if any of them, have studied the issues of the campaign as extensively as those of us who are covering it.
3) Very if, if any of them, are more experienced in asking questions of top politicians – and being willing to ask these celebrities challenging questions.
No wonder she seeks so often to avoid the verbal scrutiny of our nation’s free press!
The fact that she is so newsworthy as to be able to get away with this while a candidate begs the question as to what on earth could happen if she got elected president?
Can you imagine President Hillary either reducing presidential press conferences to one or two – or none – per annum?
And how long would it take the second Clinton administration to transfer the White House pressroom out of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue?
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