Reporters

When I joined LBJ's staff I ( a babe in the woods) was astonished to see The White House press corps, right in the building, with much access and twice-daily briefings. There were many able people there and some who wrote like a dream. Think Hugh Sidey, Peter Lisagor, Max Frankel.

They all regarded it as their just due, and reported on every jot and tittle of rumor or hard news, some true, some not.

But where does the Constitution say that is an entitlement. It stipulates a free press, not free press access.

Now, President Bush has made press access harder, particularly to closed fund-raisers.

The press pack, past and present, are expressing shock and awe.

They will find out most everything, anyway.

Stop whining.

Ben

Ben