Gee, I wonder how they got themselves into this dilemma? Oliver Darcy reports:
Journalists across Washington are trying to determine how to respond if Donald Trump derides the press at Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Status has learned. “There are lots of discussions about it,” one high-profile Washington journalist told me Thursday. “If he starts attacking us, I think it is a fair question as to what the appropriate response is. Obviously some people will want to walk out, but the question about such a thing is: does that not give him exactly what he wants, making us the opposition, not the Fourth Estate? Making us the story instead of the journalists covering the story? And, suggesting that we can dish it out but we can’t take it? And so I don’t think there is any easy answer.”
Of course, that’s precisely right. There is no great answer for how to respond in such a scenario—which is why some journalists have said it is better to skip the event entirely, given the WHCA’s decision to invite Trump. Perhaps outlets like MS NOW will give their talent more leeway in how they respond. And, with thousands of journalists in the room, my guess is there could be some audible boos or voicing of disagreement with any attacks. In any case, most journalists will not want to make themselves the story, putting them in an awkward position as the cameras pan. But trying to laugh it off risks projecting the wrong optics, too. So what is the right response?
► Related: The NYT explained why it has for years opted against attending the annual dinner: “We don’t want to leave readers with any questions about our independence and credibility by seeming to be overly friendly with people whose words and actions we need to report on.”
This was when I knew the event had jumped the shark. It was 2002:
I only wish he had broken out into a rousing rendition of “War Pigs.” It would have been so apropos for 2002.
The only one of these things that’s been truly worthwhile was this one:
Ballsiest performance I’ve ever seen.