Reporters Can Be Such Pests

Oh the many sacrifices White House press personnel make for press people who want to go to White House parties being thrown for members of the Fourth Estate. Roll Call's HOH reports today that press demanded so many tickets to parties that the West Wing's press, communications and speechwriters gave up their own party tickets to let scribes go. But not before the press "hounded" the staffers with angry e-mails, Facebook messages and phone calls. One imagines White House Social Secretary Desiree Rogers wouldn't behave in the same vein. See full story after the jump... White House Party Foul. Reporters might have harangued their way out of a chance to mingle over eggnog with their White House sources. HOH hears that they demanded so many invites to the two holiday parties the White House is throwing for the press that staffers in the West Wing's press, communications and speech-writing shops have given up their own tickets to the party to satisfy the ticket-happy scribes. Reporters hounded staffers with Facebook messages, e-mails and phone calls seeking invites to the two soirees. Some would-be partiers were polite, but others "made angry demands," our tipster says. Overwhelmed, staffers decided to give up the festivities themselves (some will still attend as staff, but wonÂ’t get "guest" status that would allow them to bring dates and get pictures with the president). Press Secretary Robert Gibbs is still likely to attend the events, each of which have invite lists of 225 people (a number that could rise to keep up with the clamor, we hear). Reporters who actually cover the White House note that most of the coveted tickets are being eaten up by their "big bosses" * high-level producers and editors, many of whom work in New York * meaning that the party will likely be filled by people who usually donÂ’t even set foot inside the press room. Sadly for those left out of the receiving line, HOH is guessing party-crashing isnÂ’t an option this year.

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Reporters Can Be Such Pests

Betsy Rothstein

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Betsy Rothstein