Carl Bernstein: Live White House press briefings are ‘propagandist exercises’

Veteran journalist Carl Bernstein on Sunday argued that cable news networks should stop airing full White House press briefings because they are “propagandist exercises.”

Bernstein argued the media should consider editing and fact-checking the press briefings instead of treating them as a publicity opportunity for the White House.

{mosads}”I also think because of Trump’s lying and his conduct in the presidency, which is so different than anything we’ve ever seen, we need to start thinking of a different way to cover his press conferences and briefings,” Bernstein said on CNN’s “Reliable Sources.” 

The legendary Watergate reporter is a political analyst for CNN. He frequently speaks out against the Trump administration, calling out President Trump’s conduct as abnormal. 

.@carlbernstein‘s thoughts on how the media should cover Trump’s events: “I don’t think we should be taking them live all the time and just pasting them up on the air because they’re basically just propagandist exercises…” pic.twitter.com/JHPGlPCBSo

— Reliable Sources (@ReliableSources) November 18, 2018

“For instance, I don’t think we should be taping them live all the time and just pasting them up on the air because they’re basically propagandist exercises,” Bernstein continued. “They are overwhelmed by his dishonesty and lying.”

Bernstein laid out a plan for how he thinks news networks can responsibly cover the briefings.

“Maybe we should be there, edit, decide as reporters what is news, and after the press conference or briefing is over, then go with that story with clips,” he said. He added he believes the press briefings should be posted in full on news websites because “it’s a matter of record.” 

Bernstein’s comments come after a week in which CNN sued the White House for revoking the press credentials of the network’s chief White House correspondent, Jim Acosta. A federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to reinstate Acosta’s press credentials. 

“We need to start editing,” Bernstein said on CNN. “Not just give him a microphone when we know that his methodology is to engage and manipulate us on the basis of lying, propaganda and agitprop.”