PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES travel with the media in tow, even on airplanes. And the candidates frequently walk to the back of the plane to chat with the journos.When Illinois Senator Barack Obama walked to the back of the plane recently, he noticed the reporters had their voice recorders on and they were taking notes. Obama wasn't happy. He asked that the conversations remain off the record.
Can he, or any other presidential candidate, make such a request?
Can candidates have private moments with journalists that are not on the record? Or is everything the candidate does or says a matter of potential public interest?
14 comments:
We all have rights to say whatever we choose. He may have felt violated when he noticed the recorders because they hadn't mentioned it to him before.
Vote for Hillary!
We all have the right to say whatever we choose, but do the members of the media have the right to publish or broadcast what people say?
- George (the teacher)
I think if you happen to be talking to a member of the media, it's safe to assume that anything you say is up for grabs. Basically, if you don't want it published, don't tell it to someone whose job it is to publish things that you're saying.
I agree with Rachel. Journalists job it to get truthful information to provide the public with and report it. If you don't want something broadcasted, don't talk to the media about it!
Unless you truly are friends with a journalist, I don't think it's safe to tell them anything you don't want published. It's like giving a piece of candy to a little kid, and then telling them they are not allowed to eat it. If something is good and a story could be written about it, journalists are going to publish it.
i think if youre hanging out with a bunch of journalists you should assume what you say has the potential to be published.
after all a journalists job is to spread choose and provide an extra check on government right?
any political figure should know that nothing he says is really off the record unless he is with friends or family
**** spread truth
I agree with all of the above, it is the journalists job to spread truth. If the person being interviewed is especially close to the journalist then there is the possibility for off the record conversation.
I would rather have the media record the candidates candidly, not just what the candidates want the people to hear.
I think it's just impossible to go off the record with a large group of people -- especially when it's a group of reporters. Whatever said in the conversation is bound to slip out into the media.
I kind of have mixed feelings about this...
For one,if he's going to be my president, I would like to know everything about the president, childhood,life,past decisions on critical issues,maybe not personal secrets but I would really like to know who the hell is leading the country which I live in. Therefore in a sense I can relate to or simply understand that voting for this man or women is beneficial to me.There is a pattern that is set, I would like to compare his past actions with the future decisions.
On the other hand, I realize he is a human being, and he does have a right to be off the record.
jounalists follow politicians everywhere and many of them are stationed to one campaign and then to the white house. its human nature to meet people and make friends and enemies if you see and talk to the same people every day, on and off the record.
usually on airplanes, the candidates or their press sectretaries will speak at certain times to the journalists and then they can ask questions back. after that, i'm sure they have to just sit around and chat. what else are you going to to flying from state to state all the time?
I agree with the main point of view every has here. Dont have casual conversation with journalist even if they are really good friends because that information will come back in their stories. Even if they dont mean to because the mind works that way. Hell you cant tell regular everyday people your business without them telling someone else. Obama needs to do like Bush did only talk when needed or spoken to. Then when you become president you can go off and say whatever you want.
I disagree, I feel that Obama should be able to say some things in an ordinary conversation that isn't up for grabs. For example, what if he said that his stomach was really upset and that he really needed to use the bathroom. Would this be considered news worthy? Lets face it guys, some things really don't need to be repeated or reported.
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