Reporters, Facing a Hostile White House, Try a New Tactic: Solidarity

Reporters, Facing a Hostile White House, Try a New Tactic: Solidarity

It was a subtle exchange, about 20 minutes into yet another clamorous White House press briefing, and a casual viewer of Wednesday’s proceedings would be forgiven for missing it.

But an unusual show of solidarity between rival journalists seemed to signal a new approach by the White House press corps toward an administration that regularly uses briefings to deride, and divide, the news media.

Hallie Jackson, a correspondent for NBC News, was grilling the press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, about President Trump’s credibility, given his attempts at damage control after a Helsinki summit meeting with President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia.

Ms. Sanders, eager to move on, invoked a tried-and-true spin doctor tactic: Next question, please.

“I’m going to keep moving,” she said, interrupting Ms. Jackson and turning to Jordan Fabian of The Hill. “Jordan, go ahead.”

(Original source)