It’s become rote in DC press circles to whine about Hillary Clinton’s lack of press access. She hasn’t done any press conferences since the start of 2016! What is she afraid of?
The reality, of course, is that she’s been very available to the press, with her campaign claiming at least 300 interviews. Oh, and even some press conferences! For example, there’s this one, but it didn’t count because it was in a room full of black journalists. NPR also has plenty of reasons why those other press avails don’t count. First of all, their review found that the Clinton campaign had understated the number of press avails. The actual number was 350. Then ...
- Mostly TV: Clinton favored television above all other forms of media. Clinton gave one hundred interviews to national cable and broadcast network news programs in that period and also emphasized brief interviews with local television news stations. She also frequently graced local radio hosts with her calls.
- Not all journalists: These interviews were not, however, all conducted by reporters or journalists. Nearly a fifth of the total, or 65 interviews, were conducted by people NPR did not classify as journalists or in settings that would be considered journalistic, even using expansive definitions
Got it? TV doesn’t count as media, even though that’s where most people get their news. And 18.5 percent of those interviews were to undesirables. On the flip side, 81.5 percent of 350 interviews is 298 interviews. We are currently on day 243 of the year. You do the math. Seems crazy to whine about a lack of media access when she does well over an interview every single day.
Furthermore, who are these undesirable non-journalists that don’t count?
- Neha Gandhi of Refinery 29, a lifestyle website aimed at millennial women, in conversation with Planned Parenthood chief Cecile Richards.
The site, Refinery29.com, gets 17 million monthly unique visitors. Fuck you, NPR, for acting that it doesn’t matter because, what, it’s a women-centric site, on an interview focused on reproductive matters and not bullshit fluff like yet another question about her email server?
- Mr. Chase, host of a midday show on the Detroit R&B station Mix 92.3, who decided to give Clinton an astrological reading: "You're basically a water sign. You have tendencies of Libra. You're great at getting people along and creating harmony."
Ah, a black radio station, where the host had the gall to add some levity to the interview. Not real! And shit, given the crap we hear from Alex Jones and the rest of Donald Trump’s brain trust, astrology is a breath of fresh air!
Clinton also participated in nine town-hall sessions from Jan. 1 to July 31, at which she took questions from journalists and members of the public
Doesn’t count! “Members of the public” got in the way, what with their own questions and shit.
The reality is that the vast majority of Clinton’s media appearances are on local media. Why? Because one, elections are local, but two, check this out:
Jon Delano, the political director for KDKA, CBS' Pittsburgh station, has interviewed Clinton twice this year — once during the height of the state's primary season, and the other time right after the Democratic national convention. His state and his region are considered vital swing state territory.
Nonetheless, Delano had just three minutes the first time. He asked Clinton about fracking and gun control, issues that matter both to western Pennsylvania voters and to the national electorate, with little opportunity for follow-up questions.
The second time, Delano interviewed Clinton for 8 1/2 minutes, pressing her on what she was willing to do to create jobs in the coal and steel industries.
Aside from the complaints about the brevity of the interviews (it’s the nightly news, everything gets edited down to 30 seconds anyway), look at how substantive the questions are. When was the last time a national press corp reporter asked about fracking or the steel industry? So not only does local media reach the people she needs to reach (read: not the DC elite), but they also ask real questions!
Put another way, who would you rather have asking questions about climate change? Chuck Todd, or Dave Roberts? Who would you rather have ask questions about LGBT issues, our own Kerry Eleveld or Ron Fournier?
Furthermore, this happens:
Clinton said by contrast she picked up valuable clues about a region's concerns from talking to local reporters. "They will actually say, 'Well, you know, this is a problem that we're having. What do you think about it?' " Clinton said. "So there's actually a conversation that goes on.”
Clinton actually likes to listen. She gets shit on for doing so, but it’s a valuable trait for our president, and one that should be celebrated. If the national media actually injected substance into their questions, asking things that real people actually care about, perhaps then Clinton would be more apt to pay them heed. Instead, they give us this nonsense:
I know this is supposed to be a taunt, but really, it betrays something else:
Clinton is crushing Donald Trump in the metrics that actually matter. The fact that she is “losing” the national press conference contest 17-0 makes one thing clear: just how irrelevant that national media has become.
This is 2016. Clinton will connect with voters via local media, or directly via town halls and social media. That’s all that matters, no matter how much the stupid national press corps stomp their feet.
They. Don’t. Matter. Freeze them out, focus on reaching real people. And so far, it looks like Clinton is taking the right approach.