Topic: Press Pool

The technical quality of White House press briefings is criticized, specifically the lack of a consolidated audio pool. Reporters are seen using individual recording devices like Zooms and phones rather than a professional feed, leading to poor broadcast quality.

The media criticizes Donald Trump for ditching his press pool, but the hosts point out that the Obama administration also restricted access by releasing its own photos and videos. They argue that the "new media age" and tools like Twitter are accelerating the demise of traditional journalism.

The White House press corps expressed outrage after Donald Trump "gave them the slip" to have dinner with his family at the 21 Club in New York. Media outlets framed the lack of a press pool as a national security risk and a break in protocol. The hosts argue the press is simply upset about losing control of the narrative and being scooped by social media photos.

The Obama administration is accused of punishing the media by banning a Boston Herald reporter from a fundraiser after the paper ran a Mitt Romney op-ed. Lou Dobbs reports on other instances of media restriction, including a San Francisco Chronicle reporter being banned for using a cell phone and a reporter being locked in a closet by Vice President Biden's staff.

President Obama reportedly disappeared from the White House press pool for 90 minutes over the weekend. While the official reason involved a soccer game, researchers found no such game occurred at the specified location. The hosts discuss the incident as a potential joke on the media or a lapse in transparency.