Crybaby Reporters Complain Trump Controls Agenda With Twitter

Several mainstream media reporters whined on Twitter Wednesday morning that President-elect Donald Trump is setting and controlling the news agenda everyday with his statements posted on his Twitter account. The whine-fest came one day after Trump forced the House GOP to reverse course on weakening an ethics panel as their first order of business with a pair of tweets criticizing the move that said, “With all that Congress has to work on, do they really have to make the weakening of the Independent Ethics Watchdog, as unfair as it………..may be, their number one act and priority. Focus on tax reform, healthcare and so many other things of far greater importance! #DTS”

With all that Congress has to work on, do they really have to make the weakening of the Independent Ethics Watchdog, as unfair as it — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2017

……..may be, their number one act and priority. Focus on tax reform, healthcare and so many other things of far greater importance! #DTS — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 3, 2017

With his revolutionary use of social media Trump has taken power away from the gatekeeper media to filter his communications to the public and others in power and they (the media) do not like it with at least one media executive predicting that Trump’s tweets will soon be ignored.

Eric Lipton with the New York Times started the press’ Twitter tantrum, writing, “Trump sets agenda every morning with exaggerated/false/destabilizing Tweets, and then we all write about them, letting him own the day. Why?”

Lipton’s Twitter bio reads, “Investigative reporter NYT, based in Washington. Helping cover President-elect Donald Trump-without fear or favor. Tweets detailing moves by Trump, other topics”

Trump sets agenda every morning with exaggerated/false/destabilizing Tweets, and then we all write about them, letting him own the day. Why? — Eric Lipton (@EricLiptonNYT) January 4, 2017

The Washington Post’s Dave Weigel added his own complaint to Lipton’s, writing, “Tweet stenography is a cheaper and more reliable source of clicks than original reporting.”

Tweet stenography is a cheaper and more reliable source of clicks than original reporting. https://t.co/MU6zI6rpZH — Dave Weigel (@daveweigel) January 4, 2017

The Times’ Maggie Haberman whined that Trump controlled the agenda all through the campaign with his Twitter account, “This. Was. The. Whole. Campaign.”

Bloomberg’s David S. Joachim agreed with Lipton, writing, “Precisely, precisely, precisely. Can we stop now? –>”

Precisely, precisely, precisely. Can we stop now? –> https://t.co/EESngTPM1O — David S. Joachim (@davidjoachim) January 4, 2017

The Wall Street Journal’s Robbie Whelan added his complaint about Trump, saying, “Because his main goals are setting the agenda and getting us to chase rabbits. And it’s working.”

Because his main goals are setting the agenda and getting us to chase rabbits. And it's working. https://t.co/AFx7HTNoYb https://t.co/dqWQfImTPt — Robbie Whelan (@RWhelanWSJ) January 4, 2017

The Daily Beast’s Executive Editor Noah Schachtman wrote the media will “wise up” about Trump, saying, “Some day soon, reporters are going to wise up and treat Trump’s tweets like WH press releases. Ignoring 99% of them, in other words.”

Some day soon, reporters are going to wise up and treat Trump's tweets like WH press releases. Ignoring 99% of them, in other words. — Noah Shachtman (@NoahShachtman) January 4, 2017

CNN’s media reporter Brian Stelter wrote the concern among the media over Trump controlling the agenda via his Twitter account has been going on for months, but claimed that the coverage would be the same if Obama were issuing press releases the way Trump tweets statements, saying, “Lots of reporters & TV anchors privately asking this same question. True in November and December too, but I’m hearing it more in January…” Stelter also disputed Schachtman’s prediction, saying, “Counterargument: if Obama issued press releases saying what Trump says on Twitter, reporters would cover the heck out of the press releases!

Lots of reporters & TV anchors privately asking this same question. True in November and December too, but I'm hearing it more in January https://t.co/VzCLwaOVPs — Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) January 4, 2017

Counterargument: if Obama issued press releases saying what Trump says on Twitter, reporters would cover the heck out of the press releases! https://t.co/NKaDCPDjj1 — Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) January 4, 2017

To be sure there were some reporters, mainly from conservative outlets, who disagreed with Lipton. But it was Blake Hounsell, Editor in Chief of Politico Magazine who succinctly made the case for reporting on Trump’s Twitter statements, “Probably because he is the next president of the United States.”

Probably because he is the next president of the United States. https://t.co/3k3cGLN5ej — Blake Hounshell (@blakehounshell) January 4, 2017

The mainstream media is in for a long four (eight?) years of no longer controlling the agenda.