What’s the point of having staffers attend closed door briefings in your stead if not to be able to claim ignorance (i.e., implausible deniability). What, me worry? 🤷🤷♀️🤷♂️
I guess the Founders were wrong in their assumption that members of Congress would naturally cherish and defend their Constitutional prerogatives and roles. Delegate, obfuscate, gaslight, and accommodate seems to be the new rule set.
@matt, first thank you for continuing to pressure our elected officials for answers.
i have a genuine question, and please understand it is not a critique. In your experience how do politicians who tend to routinely respond "no comment" react to questions that are intentionally provocative? Do they tend to ignore, give more of the same? do you find it has an impact on the reporter's rapport with them?
That said, while most reporters just abide by their ‘rule’ of no hallway interviews, I just regularly ask them what I ask other senators — they refuse to move their lips, that’s on them; and it gets awkward, like after Roe v Wade was overturned and Marsha Blackburn was 🤐 “no interviews!” I was like, “ma’am, you have nothing to say to your evangelical constituents? I’ll surely let them know…” (another reporter actually tag teamed her with me, which was just him riding my wake but it made us feel more aggressive and I had to apologize to the senator and her staff, cause I was alll, “why are you cutting off a US senator!?! Can you let your boss speak for herself!??” etc).
But for me, I just refuse to let them normalize silence as a fitting response. Like Banking Chair Tim Scott — hard fast rule, no hallway interviews, but 2 or 3 times a week I ask him casually about crypto. “You celebrating, House is having Crypto Week next week…” “oh really” — treat em like humans and they slip up and treat us humanely, by simply telling us what they’re thinking.
That pencil dick looking fucker always weasels out of the hard questions yet still gets elected every fucking year.
Next time I’m home in Little Rock I’m gonna drop off a pamphlet of info on Grusch at his office
😂
aw man, while i was drinking a coke. you made me lol abbas. good job chasin em down and tryin to get answers as usual laslo.
Sorry to make you waste some coke 😓😁🤪 he does look like a pencil dick though..
What’s the point of having staffers attend closed door briefings in your stead if not to be able to claim ignorance (i.e., implausible deniability). What, me worry? 🤷🤷♀️🤷♂️
I don’t understand why Senator squander their special roles. But goddamn the contemporary Congress is a wet noodle…
I guess the Founders were wrong in their assumption that members of Congress would naturally cherish and defend their Constitutional prerogatives and roles. Delegate, obfuscate, gaslight, and accommodate seems to be the new rule set.
‘Merica!
God shed on it.
Talk about being tone deaf. I know these guys have a lot going on….but come on. Thanks for all your work Matt 👍🏻
@matt, first thank you for continuing to pressure our elected officials for answers.
i have a genuine question, and please understand it is not a critique. In your experience how do politicians who tend to routinely respond "no comment" react to questions that are intentionally provocative? Do they tend to ignore, give more of the same? do you find it has an impact on the reporter's rapport with them?
Press corps sucks, even if far from monolithic.
That said, while most reporters just abide by their ‘rule’ of no hallway interviews, I just regularly ask them what I ask other senators — they refuse to move their lips, that’s on them; and it gets awkward, like after Roe v Wade was overturned and Marsha Blackburn was 🤐 “no interviews!” I was like, “ma’am, you have nothing to say to your evangelical constituents? I’ll surely let them know…” (another reporter actually tag teamed her with me, which was just him riding my wake but it made us feel more aggressive and I had to apologize to the senator and her staff, cause I was alll, “why are you cutting off a US senator!?! Can you let your boss speak for herself!??” etc).
But for me, I just refuse to let them normalize silence as a fitting response. Like Banking Chair Tim Scott — hard fast rule, no hallway interviews, but 2 or 3 times a week I ask him casually about crypto. “You celebrating, House is having Crypto Week next week…” “oh really” — treat em like humans and they slip up and treat us humanely, by simply telling us what they’re thinking.
Congressional kids these days…
'preciate the thorough and rapid response as always!
Also, please critique away — always trying to improve.