The White House has banned the Chronicle’s Carla Marinucci from the local press pool covering presidential visits. Her transgression? That phone video she recorded of President Obama being serenaded by those folks who paid $76,000 to get into a fundraiser at the St. Regis Hotel the other day.
Add: Phil Bronstein opines that the move is downright 20th century, especially for this president, who’s made such a big deal out of embracing technology. The offending video is posted along with his column. An excerpt:
So what's up with the White House? We can't say because neither Press Secretary Jay Carney nor anyone from his staff would speak on the record.
Other sources confirmed that Carla was vanquished, including Chronicle editor Ward Bushee, who said he was "informed that Carla was removed as a pool reporter." Which shouldn't be a secret in any case because it's a fact that affects the newsgathering of our largest regional paper (and sfgate)and how local citizens get their information.
What's worse: more than a few journalists familiar with this story are aware of some implied threats from the White House of additional and wider punishment if Carla's spanking became public. Really? That's a heavy hand usually reserved for places other than the land of the free.
