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Look Who's Not Talking
On a recent field trip to the nation's capital, students in Melissa Deckman's "Media and Politics" class got a first-hand look at both sides of the political spin machine.
Students met with White House producers at ABC News, and then sat down with Ari Fleischer, press secretary for the Bush administration.
Reporters John Garcia and Shuong Nguyen noted how much more difficult it is to get information from this administration than previous administrations, Deckman says. Fleischer himself acknowledged that the press corps is often frustrated in their quest for information.
"Both came to the same conclusion: that the White House is very tight-lipped," Deckman says. "Mr. Fleischer told students that he knew reporters found him difficult, but reminded them that he's doing what the president wants, particularly dealing in areas of the war on terrorism and issues of national security. He also emphasized the importance of working for a cause you believe in."
Deckman's group came back from their trip to Washington with lots of ammunition for their class simulation. The "reporters" asked questions, and the "White House staffers" just weren't talking.
"It was one of the best field trips I've been on," notes Christina Granberg '03, an art major. "The speakers were friendly and funny, and we actually spotted Ted Koppel."
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