The White House is demanding that reporters get approval from the communications team before publishing quotes from any administration official.
Prior approval of quotes is not unknown. The White House is demanding that interviews be conducted on “background with quote approval.” This is usually done on stories where an aide provides deep background to a story. But requiring prior approval to edit, approve, or disapprove a quote from an aide in any circumstance is nothing less than trying to manage the news.
Politico: The practice allows the White House an extra measure of control as it tries to craft press coverage. At its best, quote approval allows sources to speak more candidly about their work. At its worst, it gives public officials a way to obfuscate or screen their own admissions and words.
The Biden White House isn’t the first to employ the practice. Many reporters say it’s reminiscent of the tightly controlled Obama White House. The Trump White House used it, too.
Reporters were little better than megaphones for the Obama White House. Their excuse was that they have to write something every day and they were constantly under deadline. Since they couldn’t get the story without prior approval of quotes, they acquiesced to being lapdogs for Obama. – READ MORE
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