Former Obama Official, Media Veteran Makes the

In the days following the taking pictures event Saturday at the annual White House Correspondents’ Association awards dinner, there was no scarcity of media distemper. Outrage, accusations, deflections, reassessments, misdirections, and more have been on show to a stage not seen since the day the Mueller Report was launched. The press are in a state, that’s for sure.

One of the narratives that has been in fixed rotation for days has been speak relating to the First Amendment. As we now have come to anticipate, some of this is referencing that the press has freedom of expression and it wants to be preserved – which ends up stating that people essential of the press need to pipe down. Funny how that paradox works. There are debates about what kind of language is correct to be platformed, and – in tiresome fashion – Jimmy Kimmel is being groomed to be the 1-A poster model of the month.

We all need to gird ourselves: One factor that is dependable are the perpetual appearances by those who will never come close to shutting up about claiming to be silenced. 

It might be a problem to come up with the most insipid feedback in all of the current hectoring over free expression, but I offer up that there was one other instance of First Amendment discourse that rises…er, make that, lowers to that stage. It is one thing of an accomplishment to outperform the likes of AOC, or Ilhan Omar when it comes to talking in hand grenades, yet Richard Stengel has taken up the problem.

READ MORE: Ilhan Omar’s New Magic Filing Trick: $30M Disappears Faster Than Her Principles 

Stengel, a repeated managing editor of Time Magazine, a contributor at MS NOW, and a onetime half of the Obama administration, determined to weigh in on the aftereffects, focusing on the administration insisting that Saturday’s upheaval downtown was trigger for the ballroom construction to plow forward. Rich heard this ploy, and he got here up with his argument regarding why this was a harmful idea.

By the means, the White House internet hosting the correspondents dinner in its own ballroom is arguably a violation of the First Amendment: it is authorities control over press access and expression and might have a chilling impact on criticising the president.

— Richard Stengel (@stengel) April 27, 2026

Oh…oh Richard, did you actually…?

Just on the floor, this is a risible comment to make. Suggesting that the act of the press holding a social gathering may lead to a devious violation of press freedoms by the administration is a farce. Just look at the means these “esteemed” journalists behaved in liquor absconding fashion after the incident Saturday. The only menace to the reputations of journalists is if anybody manages to file their conduct!

READ MORE: A Head Coach, the FBI Director, and a Media Party: The Press Just Poured Out Their Hit-Job on Kash Patel

But Stengel’s declare will get blasted into confetti when the barest of analysis is made. Let’s just start with the group bearing the very title “White House.” That ought to point out a sure stage of co-habitation is suitable. But you actually have to marvel at a veteran newsman showing oblivious to fairly core info about the involvement of these correspondents.

How about the fact that media occasions are a common function at the White House, Rich? 

And the news shops are often seen putting their people inside the Oval Office, having direct discussions with the president, don’t ya know.

And then there’s one other element I might carry up, if I used to be to get very persnickety and presumptuous: How about the fact that there’s a White House briefing room?!

These of us occupy workspaces in that building and have web access, as effectively as credentialed reporters are seen daily submitting newsfeeds around the property. Somehow, all of this performs out on a daily foundation with no influence on public discourse, but if a once-a-year formal social gathering is staged on the grounds, we’re taking a two-stroke weed whacker to the Bill of Rights?

Again, am I shocked that an emotion-based reactionary opinion has been delivered in the press? No, probably not. But, am I shocked to see such coming from an allegedly commemorated determine in the news setting? Only barely more so. There is only one factor more perplexing than Richard Stengel failing to grasp the fundamentals of the press at the White House: 

It is that he has not yet deleted this post.

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