Media mash-up
Both Trump and Ramos prevailed in a battle for the floor
Missing from our friends in the liberal media’s analyses, commentaries and whining in the reactions to the dust-up between Donald Trump and newsman Jorge Ramos at the presidential candidate’s news conference last Tuesday is a simple fact: The one convening the news conference controls it. But listening to the talk on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” news show the next day, viewers might believe that Mr. Ramos had a right to stand and speak at his choosing, and that Mr. Trump was obligated to indulge him.
The drama began as Mr. Trump approached the podium at his Dubuque, Iowa, media meeting and called on another reporter when, at lightning speed, Mr. Ramos rose and began making a series of statements. Mr. Trump, ordering him to sit down, declared repeatedly, “You were not called.” Mr. Ramos, a Univision news anchor, remained standing and continued peppering the real estate mogul with pointed observations about Mr. Trump’s immigration position and his comments about Latinos. A Trump security man approached Mr. Ramos and escorted him from the scene.
Having conducted countless news conferences and media availabilities (at which questions are taken, but no formal announcements are made) as chief communications officer and spokesman at major organizations prior to retirement, this writer never permitted journalists to shout out questions without first being recognized, or “called” on, in Trump parlance. Ideally, these outings are conducted by a media representative on behalf of the targeted news source. The former convenes the meeting, announces how it is to proceed, keeps order by not permitting simultaneous shouting out of questions, points to or says the name of the reporter to ask a question and closes the meeting. The primary news source answers the permitted question and, where applicable, a follow-up one or two.
This approach works best when there is more than one source (such as a panel) to be questioned or when the media representative, or press secretary, is the sole news source. Americans became accustomed to seeing this latter scenario as Josh Earnest, President Barack Obama’s press secretary, and his predecessors regularly met the press alone. But, when high-level elected officials, as well as aspirants running for office, meet the press alone at conferences and availabilities, they both recognize the questioners and answer the questions.
As Mr. Trump began his media availability in this manner last Tuesday, it became clear pretty quickly that Mr. Ramos was on a mission, and even the takecharge Mr. Trump was unable to control Mr. Ramos and thus the meeting. At that point, U.S. News & World Report, wrote, “... Mr. Trump motioned for a body guard to remove him.” Watching the action on television with rapid cuts in angles, this observer never saw this motion; Mr. Trump claims not to have removed Mr. Ramos and not to know him.
Whether the Republican presidential candidate had the news anchor from the Latino media outlet ejected or whether his muscle man acted on his own authority matters not. A breakdown in the proceedings, other assembled reporters unable to question the candidate and an out-of-control evening almost surely would have resulted had Mr. Ramos’ removal not been effected. Of course, Mr. Trump could have yielded and let Mr. Ramos ramble, but he would not then be Donald Trump. If Mr. Ramos had put his declarations in the form of a question, if Mr. Trump had not sued Univision over its dropping his Miss USA pageant, if the newsman were a hero-worshiping Trump buddy, would he have been allowed to continue? Who knows?
What is known is that Mr. Trump did “own” the news meeting and he had a right and a duty to control it. With that re-established, the evening proceeded uneventfully; along the way, Mr. Trump observed in response to a reporter’s question that he would be happy for the ejected newsman to re-enter. When he did, he managed to frame some but not all of his comments in the form of questions. Mr. Trump did engage in a lively exchange and later seemed satisfied with his handling of the matter.
“Morning Joe” personality Willie Geist lamented on Wednesday, “Nobody wants to see a news reporter removed” from a news conference. True enough (this writer never removed one). Yet, with little blood on the floor, both combatants actually prevailed. Jorge Ramos was able to call out the celebrity-turned-politician for his pronouncements about Mexican immigrants. Donald Trump responded eventually without giving an inch, and, of course, did so on his own terms.