The White House press corps has accused CNN of limiting access to the debate hall for tonight's presidential debate between President Biden and former President Donald Trump. The White House Correspondents' Association has expressed concerns over CNN's decision to exclude the White House travel pool from the studio during the debate.
The WHCA has advocated for the inclusion of the press pool in the studio and appreciates CNN's efforts to provide a television feed to other networks and grant access to photographers. However, the WHCA is deeply concerned that CNN has rejected repeated requests to include the White House travel pool inside the studio.
The WHCA emphasized the importance of the White House pool in documenting and reporting on the president's events on behalf of the American people. They highlighted the role of the pool reporter as an independent observer who provides context and insight through direct observation, separate from the television production of the debate.
The WHCA noted that the inclusion of the White House travel pool in past presidential debates is essential for maintaining standards of access and ensuring transparency in coverage. They emphasized the historical significance of print pool reports and the importance of preserving them for the news cycle and future reference.
The WHCA stated that there was no opposition from the Biden and Trump campaigns to the inclusion of the pool reporter and urged CNN to adjust its plan to welcome the White House travel pool print representative to witness the debate in full. They emphasized the need for CNN to consider the impact on the news cycle, historical record, and most importantly, the American people.
