"The so-called 'Hinckley Hilton' is one of the only spaces in Washington big enough to host a dinner of two thousand people or more. That the grounds might remember violence is an accident of history, even if what happened should at least ever-so-faintly rhyme with the ideal White House-press corps relationship."
"When the president is invited to dinner by the press at the Hilton, they're sending a message: You're on our turf and at our pleasure; the invitation can be rescinded. There is power in an invite, as the proprietor of Mar-a-Lago surely knows."
"Now, after last weekend's incident, Trump and his MAGA allies have been pushing for future White House Correspondents' Association dinners to be held on his turf, at the still-mythical ballroom that the president tore down part of the White House to build. But this is a solution to a problem that does not exist."
"The security cordon at the Hilton did not fail. The would-be assassin was brought down at the very first barricade he met. It is not even clear he got off more than a single shot."
The White House Correspondents' Association's annual gala at the Washington Hilton is crucial for press independence. The venue, despite its violent history, accommodates large gatherings. Recent calls to move the event to Trump's turf reflect a misunderstanding of security measures. The Hilton's security successfully prevented an assassination attempt, demonstrating that the venue remains safe. The invitation to the dinner symbolizes the press's power over the president, reinforcing the relationship between the two entities. Changing the location would undermine this dynamic and cater to political pressures that do not address actual security concerns.
Read at The Nation
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]