Biden salutes, fist hits members of media on his way to White House

by



[ad_1]

President Biden greeted members of the press on Wednesday as he walked to the White House and traded punches with some in notable contrast to the former President TrumpDonald Trump Lil Wayne Gets Trump Pardon for 11th Hour Trump grants clemency to more than 100 people, Bannon Trump should forgive Bannon: MORE reportsthe company’s contentious relationship with the media.

The newly inaugurated president was filmed punching NBC “Today” personality Al Roker and reportedly telling other members of the press “keep doing what you do.”

The president’s comments to the press follow a predecessor who frequently denounced the media, attacking them as “the enemy of the people.”

Media industry players have sharply criticized this rhetoric, especially after scores of journalists and photographers were caught amid the lockdown imposed during the deadly January 6 riots on the U.S. Capitol.

Members of the media have also criticized previous administrations for their lack of transparency and access to the press, which they hope the new administration can change.

This week, the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), in a letter to Biden, asked him to rescind rules that started under Obama and, they say, worsened under Trump that limit the agency’s staff that can talk to the press.

“The SPJ believes the nation is suffering from the consequences of these controls during the COVID-19 pandemic. Agencies the public relies on, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration, have blocked reports for years, ”the letter said. “Often the press is not allowed on their premises and journalists do not have the right to contact staff without the supervision of the authorities; in reality, journalists are often not allowed to speak to anyone.



[ad_2]

Source link