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I like the Washington Examiner for the most part. They’re one of the few publications that can toe the line between being centrist in their approach to the news while leaning ever-so-slightly to the right editorially. Many of their views are downright conservative. But they broke the trust they’ve been given by publishing a conversation with Kellyanne Conway knowing full well she believed she was talking off the record.
FOR the record, all conversations with journalists are considered to be on the record unless noted otherwise. Kellyanne Conway invoked her desire to have an off-the-record conversation. This was very clear, as was the fact that she believed she was off the record throughout the conversation. Frankly, I’m not even clear what loophole the Washington Examiner exploited to justify putting the call on the record. But one thing is certain. Conway did not say she was speaking on the record and believed the conversation was protected.
The call itself was juicy, which is why nearly every reaction from progressive journalists has been cheering on the reasoning behind the decision. But they’re doing so from a purely partisan perspective. If someone who worked for a Democratic politician was caught in the same questionable scenario, they’d be lambasting the Washington Examiner as everything wrong with the vast right-wing conspiracy-theory-loving conservative media industrial complex, or something like that.
But they hate Conway, so they’re okay with it.
Someone who believes shutting down thousands of small business vape shops is fair politics in the quest to win over soccer moms is also a big bully to reporters? Shocker. https://t.co/uZ27FSDCPO
— Gregory Conley (@GregTHR) October 24, 2019
"He gets his power through me, if you haven't noticed." https://t.co/rTR8fQ3lmZ
— Greg Miller (@gregpmiller) October 24, 2019
Kellyanne Conway, who is in the world's most fascinating marriage, is trying to stop reporters talking about her husband.
Kellyanne may be about to become Trump's Chief of Staff. Her husband is calling Trump an insane criminal every day. It's relevant to the story. https://t.co/HobZYxZCFo
— Matt Bevan ? (@MatthewBevan) October 24, 2019
this entire call is amazing.
POTUS views never-Trumpers “human scum” & Kellyanne’s husband is a prominent R who regularly calls for Trump to be removed from office.
so Kellyanne browbeats a reporter for noting that may complicate her chances of becoming chief of staff. https://t.co/aKkkCiV1dG
— Jesse Lehrich (@JesseLehrich) October 24, 2019
It is good to know that Kelly Anne’s values are both personally and professionally aligned. https://t.co/ChxazTRFQW
— Matthew Dowd (@matthewjdowd) October 24, 2019
#MalignantEnabling is insidious & harmful. You are an enabler if you: (1) Willfully ignore the behavior; (2) Fake your feelings; (3) Act out of fear; (4) Act on the sick person's demands; (5) Lie to cover up; & (6) Attack and blame others. WH staff enables POTUS. #Presidementia https://t.co/axoAz40zkV
— John M. Talmadge, MD (@JohnMTalmadgeMD) October 24, 2019
I don't link to Washington Examiner articles very often, but @hausofcait had a fucking BONKERS exchange with Kellyanne Conway — and there's audio. Caitlin held her own like a boss. (Seriously, you have to hear this.) (No, seriously.) https://t.co/Fben0COU6D
— shauna (@goldengateblond) October 24, 2019
Kellyanne Conway thought she was off the record when she threatened to investigate a reporter's personal life.
Nope. And there's audio:
"If you’re going to cover my personal life, then we’re welcome to do the same around here," Conway said https://t.co/OQNawKr7MF
— Dave Brown (@dave_brown24) October 24, 2019
Yes, Conway’s rhetoric and haughty conversation was damaging. She shouldn’t have said what she said on- or off-the-record. But just because she was verbally abusive to someone who didn’t deserve it (yes, her husband’s feud with the President is relevant) doesn’t justify breaking the sacred pact we all sign up for when we’re journalists.
What makes this worse is the Washington Examiner is so powerful and has so many connections with conservatives, I could only find four people who spoke up for Conway or good journalism.
The ENTIRE conversation with @KellyannePolls was off the record.
The Washington Examiner reporter broke that agreement.
The Examiner reporter even acknowledged their convo was off the record during the call when she asked Conway: "Would you like to dispute that on the record?" https://t.co/VE2QmoVKTc
— Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) October 24, 2019
Transcript:
Tom Joannou, assistant to Kellyanne Conway: "So, this is, um, can we agree to off the record here?"
Yilek: "Sure"
*later, talking to Conway*
Yilek to Conway: "Would you like to dispute that on the record?"
It appears the reporter thought this was off the record https://t.co/wmBWCNoq9h
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) October 24, 2019
Why did you need to go after her personal life? @KellyannePolls was right https://t.co/whfw7k17RR
— Jack Posobiec ?? (@JackPosobiec) October 24, 2019
So… @KellyannePolls was right? You did this for Twitter likes and clicks?https://t.co/deIZAY6rCm
— Elizabeth Harrington (@LizRNC) October 24, 2019
Some would hear the content of the call and believe it doesn’t matter that she believed she was off the record. She was wrong. That’s an inappropriate argument in context. It doesn’t matter what she said. Public figures should have an expectation that their off-the-record comments will not be published. The Washington Examiner knows this with crystal clarity, but they chose to find a workaround to defend their journalist (admirable) and get a big story people would be talking about and clicking on (despicable). As much as we need to protect our reporters from abuse, we must also protect the integrity of the media. Fake news is rampant enough without bending the rules for the sake of clickbait.
Off-the-record comments should never be published on-the-record. Betraying that trust makes it harder for journalists to remain credible and trustworthy. If the subject believes she is off the record, the journalist shouldn’t seek a technicality.
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