In November 2007, I accepted an invitation to travel with John McCain in New Hampshire on his campaign bus “The Straight Talk Express.” I didn’t support McCain for the Republican nomination, but couldn’t pass up an opportunity for the kind of access being offered.
Conant's observation is relevant only to the extent that the relationship is transactional: Why would DeSantis be obliged to give access to journalists who reliably side with his opponent? To do so serves no good purpose. The continued belief that some good purpose is served by engaging with journalists without qualification is long past its sell-by-date. Conant's observation is at best naive, rooted in his own identity, and self-serving. The _only_ reason for a politician to engage with a journalist is to promote a message to voters: all else is vanity (cf. Trump...and McCain).
Another reason to engage with reporters is concern for the health of a representative government; I am sure there must be a politician who cares about that somewhere, at least one.
Conant's observation is relevant only to the extent that the relationship is transactional: Why would DeSantis be obliged to give access to journalists who reliably side with his opponent? To do so serves no good purpose. The continued belief that some good purpose is served by engaging with journalists without qualification is long past its sell-by-date. Conant's observation is at best naive, rooted in his own identity, and self-serving. The _only_ reason for a politician to engage with a journalist is to promote a message to voters: all else is vanity (cf. Trump...and McCain).
Another reason to engage with reporters is concern for the health of a representative government; I am sure there must be a politician who cares about that somewhere, at least one.