As a protest of the Trump campaign’s banning of any editorial press on a tour of his new hotel, major TV networks have ‘pulled a camera and erased video’ of Donald Trump giving the tour.
The action was a major show of united defiance against of the GOP candidate by a pool of media outlets.
According to a report from POLITICO, the decision was made after the Trump campaign only allowed still photographers and video cameras along for the tour, excluding reporters who could ask questions. Washington bureau chiefs convened an “emergency conference call” and decided to pull out cameras and erase all footage taken.
“The pool rules state any event that is pooled with cameras, there has to be a pool producer,” an unidentified member of the press traveling with Trump said according to POLITICO.
“Due to the fact we were not granted editorial access, as is customary, that decision was made and the footage was erased.”
The hotel tour was set to take place after the now-infamous press conference where Trump walked backed his years-long dissemination of the “birther” conspiracy theory.
Trump took no questions after the presser, and many agreed that he used the event as free marketing for his new hotel in D.C.
The Washington Post’s Chris Cillizza called the press event “the greatest trick [Trump] has ever pulled,” adding that it was “a low moment for politics and political coverage.”
The networks eventually cut away from the generals, but then Trump was back at the mic — roughly 90 minutes after his event was originally slated to start. Meaning that he drew an hour and a half of live coverage for:
1. An empty podium.
2. A series of military endorsements/testimonials.
3. Three sentences from Trump himself — one that is totally false and two others that represent a total reversal from a position he held as recently as, well, Thursday night
As the hotel tour was about to start, the editorial producer for the networks was “physically restrained.”
As the designated pool producer; attempted to go on pooled tour, as is customary. Was physically restrained from accompanying the camera.
— Candace Smith Chekwa (@CandaceSmith_) September 16, 2016
But this is all irrelevant. The fact is Trump didn't allow the official pool to go with him, successfully avoiding answering any questions.
— Candace Smith Chekwa (@CandaceSmith_) September 16, 2016
“The Television pool members chose not to participate in a tour of the Trump Hotel in Washington D.C. today because our editorial team member was barred from going on the tour with a videographer,” Boughton said.
“The TV Pool traditionally doesn’t participate in events that our reporters or producers are not allowed to attend.”
POLITICO says the Trump campaign has yet to comment.
Watch The Young Turks‘ take on the story in the video below:
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