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White House press corps frustrated with access to president

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    Reporters shut out from Obama vacation

  • Duration 9:27
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The white house press corps expressing its extreme frustration that's a quote.

With the access they have been given to the president complaining about a lack of transparency.

Their current -- relates to this past weekend when the president well of course the press follows everywhere including all -- personal and professional outings.

Shut them out of his golf outing with Tiger Woods.

They say they had zero access to our commander in chief the entire weekend down in Florida.

And they are not happy and now the president had suffered a bit of a dust up with the press.

Who's -- right so I -- and now author Kevin McCullough he's radio host and Kevin McCullough show and Mark Hanna who's an adjunct professor now -- media studies at the new school.

And a former aide to the Obama and Kerry presidential campaigns have right there when you see the White House press association's standing up and saying.

You're not transparent enough it's it's it was the president is our own Ed Henry but he speaks for the White House correspondents association association.

Expressing this extreme frustration now -- I think the initial instinct is to say.

-- -- need to see the president golf with Tiger Woods.

This is what they do -- New Jersey spent a lot of money to send these reporters that where we are paid to and we pay to watch him and report on him.

All but -- It's part of the job and it's part of the job that you know is part of the job when you take the job and when you get reelected to the job it should still be part of the job.

As you pointing out -- and it it was a vacation weekend.

And the president was in a different place -- the first the rest of the first family and and I I can't begrudge anybody that is running an organization that they may want some time off for some down time -- -- -- But it is the problem is not just this one event if it had just been in this one occasion.

Then I think the press might not even.

Care so much.

But you've got -- going back to the passage of obamacare all the way through fast and furious all the way through -- Ghazi.

All the way through current problems with the economy.

But the white house press corps.

Has never really been given straight answers on and I think that win when they experience this after a long history of that lack of transparency frustration overwhelms them and they bubble up sometimes even someone.

-- -- collected as Ed Henry.

Well I'm and it wasn't it's and expressing his own personal frustrate you tackle -- be happy association but mark you know.

What what do you think really went on here because the speculation is that -- White House are -- president.

Didn't want the photo to come out of the president golfing with Tiger Woods who used to be this storied golfer but then.

All these reports of his multiple mistresses and you know these encounters with the porn stars in -- xxx testimonials by the you know it's not the best photo op.

For President Obama and maybe that's the reason -- -- want the press following.

Or maybe the president didn't want Ed Henry shouting out questions about -- -- while it was on his backswing or maybe you know checking out looking over his shoulder about whether he was replacing it did it or.

Taking a Mulligan -- now that I think to be serious this is this is an important issue and I'm glad your bringing it up Megan because.

Open open government and government transparency are really hot topics about which a lot of Democrats are very concerned.

So I think it's important that we're having this conversation but let's put it in perspective here when we're talking about transparency it's one thing to talk about whether or not.

The press feels left out while the president's taking a vacation that not even his family is -- joining him on.

Or whether you know three years ago we heard this because he went out and and kind of absconded from the White House this -- daughter's soccer game and they didn't getting tipped off and and they complained a lot.

-- this smells a little bit like sour grapes but when we're talking about transparency this has been indeed the most transparent government.

-- restaurants presidency and and I hear Kevin laughing in the back.

I'm sorry -- -- -- -- anyone of your -- let me just say anyone of your viewers can go to whitehouse dot -- -- a list of everybody who visited the White -- you can go to recovery dot -- -- every dollar of the the stimulus -- spend the recovery was then you can go to.

USA spending dot gov and see where all your tax dollars are going so it's important for the government to be accountable and after the most probably.

Unaccountable presidency in in recent history this presidency -- that this president realized he had to.

Restore accountability to -- Oval Office and that's exactly what he's doing I -- I think.

I'm part of the issue that mark brings up is the mr.

-- and congratulations on your professor and by the way and it's good to see you making that -- -- -- -- but here's the thing that aren't that.

That would -- what you're getting here is a lot of -- until.

Following what they said on stuff that most people don't know about and don't care about.

And what you've had is about four or five big issues that have come through.

The administration where you've had.

Not just grudging reluctance to cooperate -- -- all out.

Obstruction in some places and end which started with -- -- where he was gonna put the whole debate about Health Care Reform on C -- so that the world could see it.

And the next thing you know his lap dog speaker Pelosi is out -- -- we got to pass it before anybody can read it.

That was just how the whole gravy train started -- all the way through -- Gaza.

It was an -- complaints -- it could be I think it was the -- Associated Press did it did this.

Survey back in 2011 that showed of the Freedom of Information Act request this is when the citizens.

Or their representatives gin up a request that they want to forget what the White House decide to post online that people say I wanna know about -- -- talent out of this.

That their record and transparency was not so good in fact it was it was.

It was.

And that they care president F 544000.

Times that Freedom of Information Act requests were made of the 35 largest agencies.

That the government responded to nearly 121400.

Fewer requests than before in any event here's the question I have they had an -- -- -- mark because.

That he he absconded to go watch his daughter's soccer game and -- the press and this that they can try to have golf do we really really need to watch this.

But here's the deal.

The reason the reason.

That we do it is because everything he does makes news from and -- forbid something happens something happen and I mean.

-- -- people have put it is the death watch you know that he got forbid something were to happen him.

The press needs to be there.

If he decides to make news and anyway the press needs to be to people people want -- now.

And and it for better for worse it's what that what these guys sign on to when they become our president so.

Does he really get to -- -- he really directed to dodge them when he goes golfing with tiger.

Sure sure no I mean there is this this idea of the body -- and I've heard that I've I've traveled with the full press and traveling press -- when I did advance work for.

For Senator Kerry in and then during the Obama campaign.

And the idea though that the press gets access to everything that actually happens to the president of the vice president.

Is is just not true I mean there are private closed door meetings with fund you know fundraisers there are private dinners with his family that the press -- and it in attendance on.

Yes they might be a stone's throw away.

But the fact is that there are private meetings that the president does get to take that are off the record that don't don't have press access so.

And to speak to the Freedom of Information Act requesting it is true that yes it you know.

This president is if you think about captain of the ship been and the federal government -- this gigantic ship.

Not every agency has been able to change -- -- and organizational culture in just a year or two.

And there are there is a lot or room for improvement for sure I'll I'll grant you that as a Democrat.

But I think that you know that the commitment to -- explicit commitment to transparency is going to be a really strong part of the president's legacy for decades in the future.

And analysts -- -- -- -- have to live up in defense of the white house press -- they were they were kicked off not to because of the Tiger Woods.

Outing but they say -- the entire weekend right right right which they say is very unusual White House by the way says this is not a usual that their statement was that they the press sexist -- he was entirely consistent with the press access offered for previous.

Presidential golf.

-- right -- -- this president has had a record number but let me just say this plays until one other narrative that I think even mark would admit is probably not helpful in terms of whether whether it is pinpoint insured not the it's the feeling that the voters yet and that is that this president does what he wants he makes is he makes up his own rules.

He he he has joined.

The elites.

And kind of lives like the elites and he's not remembering that he's accountable to we the people when it comes to these types of things.

He works for us he's our employee he's not -- he's not our ruler.

He's our -- and he's our public servant he he administrate the country for us.

And he has an accountability.

Unlike any other person on the planet and it's fair for us to be able to.

-- in and see what he's doing.

Obviously if he's on vacation with his family I would say it's even more understood that he'll want some private time and time -- Looking back on this that this wasn't with.

Family now -- is still isn't always a controversial figure Tiger Woods for better for where -- -- -- -- -- -- you know what he did you know really good American Idol and I'm not an -- with -- in the woods conspiracy I think because.

As you heard there was that's in the past this is a general immigrant parents.

If given -- look guys it's -- -- -- -- -- an idea how it's gonna swing of our -- we remember the reporter got a lengthy reports some middle eighties when -- just imagine what you're gonna say Ali Zardari Stephens and a couple of Oregon and it's I don't know if that's out I don't know aren't I don't Titanic I gotta go -- data it is a million.

Mark great to see Kevin -- well.

Coming up --

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