Washington Post columnist Kathleen Parker has charged the Obama administration with sidestepping the press to disseminate information tightly controlled by the White House. (Washington Post, March 1, 2013, by Kathleen Parker) But Lynn Denniston of the National Constitutional Center in “Does it violate the First Amendment to bypass the press?” finds no threat in the president going to to the public directly through the social media. (Constitutional Daily, March 7, 2013, by Lynn Denniston)
The issue arose in a different context this week when reporters objected to the limits placed on a recent press conference. The White House limited the press to a pool reporter and live streamed the remarks on whitehouse.gov. The White House Correspondents Association president Ed Henry said that reporters did not want to see live streaming take the place of reporters standing face-to-face with the president. (Politico, March 12, 2013, by Mackenzie Weinger) -db