For the second year in a row, a large number of reporters were once again frozen out from President Joe Biden's Christmas parties, according to a report in The New York Post.
According to several journalists who work for left-leaning media outlets, they believe the White House is retaliating against the media for what they consider negative coverage and unfair on various issues, such as Biden's unpopularity, the immigration crisis and the president's health problems.
The most recent retaliation, according to The New York Post, is that many reporters, even those from outlets that are "friendly” to the White House, are being excluded from parties organized by the Democratic administration.
“If you’re hosting a reception for the press, invite the entire press corps or just call it what it is, a private party for your friends,” a reporter excluded from the event who covers the White House and works for a major left-leaning outlet told The New York Post.
This year, two traditional parties will be held with the media, one for television teams, which will be held on Friday, Dec. 5, and another for print and radio journalists, scheduled for Dec. 6.
The invitations, in theory, were sent two weeks ago, but many of the journalists who make up the second group have not yet received theirs.
According to The New York Post's report, some journalists believe that the White House is simply rewarding journalists who cover the Biden administration positively and snubbing the rest, turning events or interviews with officials into a kind of payment system where access is quite limited for critical reporters, regardless of the editorial leaning of their outlet.
“They use it as bait for access,” another reporter who works for a left-leaning media outlet said.
None of the journalists who work for liberal or left-wing media wanted to give the name of their publication.
“It’s basically turned into a pay-to-play system,” said another journalist who works for a “non-conservative” outlet that recently had problems with Biden's advisers over a report that the White House “didn't like.”
“In order to get access, you must be willing to spend the money to report on the ‘stories’ the press office desires — including the first lady ‘fluff stories’ like Christmas decorations and state dinner menus,” claimed this journalist. “If you go against the press team, not only are your reporters and news editors cut out of social events, but you’re also threatened with a lack of access in the future to high-profile members of the administration that speaking to is necessary in order to do your job. This includes not being called on in the daily press briefings.”
Likewise, several conservative media outlets, such as The New York Post itself, The Washington Examiner, Newsmax and the Catholic channel EWTN were also snubbed by the White House.
“The Clintons, Bushes, Obamas and Trumps all welcomed me at Christmastime as a member in good standing of the White House Correspondents’ Association and a reporter who covered them fairly. Only the Biden White House has exhibited such pettiness at the holidays,” said James Rosen, a veteran journalist for Newsmax, which has been covering these types of events for decades.
