CNN's Brian Stelter panned for White House, press corps relationship reset remark
President-elect Biden's campaign press secretary discussed media relations on the host's "Reliable Sources" program
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CNN's media reporter Brian Stelter suggested there's a glimmer of hope for journalists, who apparently had to endure the Trump presidency, and that there will be "a restoration of normal relations" between the White House and the press under a Biden administration.
Biden campaign press secretary TJ Ducklo appeared on Stelter's media-focused program "Reliable Sources" on Sunday and was asked what kind of "tone" a President Biden will set once he's sworn into office.
"President-elect Biden believes that the media is a critical piece of our democracy; that transparency is incredibly important," Ducklo said. "He also believes, though, that it's the media's job to hold him accountable. He's there to do the people's work and he welcomes that relationship. He welcomes their role, the media's role in our democracy and I think it will be, frankly, the polar opposite of what we've seen over the last four years... I think you'll see a huge change in the culture in the way this White House treats the media."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CNN'S JAKE TAPPER CONDEMNED AS 'SMUG AND REPELLENT' FOR TWEET ABOUT TRUMP SUPPORTERS
Stelter summarized the exchange on Monday, tweeting: "Coming soon: A restoration of normal relations between the president and the press corps?"
The CNN host's forecast of "restoration of normal relations" was panned on social media.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"This will happen without doubt. The press corps will go back to being well-behaved, deferential and sleepy, tapping into the extensive practice they had doing this in the 16 years before Trump. With Biden in office, the media will be the first to take post-brunch naps," journalist Glenn Greenwald reacted before adding "'Democracy Dies in Deference.'"
"Normal relations = 4 year tongue bath," columnist Rita Panahi concluded.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"So I guess this means no more yelling from Acosta," Daily Caller reporter Chuck Ross quipped, alluding to Stelter's colleague, Jim Acosta.
"Normal relations meaning the president spins, obfuscates, and misleads and journalists fall for it because they have a jovial relationship with him, like they did repeatedly under Obama and Bush? No thanks!" journalist Zaid Jilani exclaimed.