Mystery White House Intern

In the generally teapot tempest that is the White House press room self-aggrandizing pseudo-journalist Jim Acosta attempted to keep control of a microphone that was being demanded by an unnamed "White House intern" who had apparently been ordered to confiscate it.

There are some questions here that need to be asked. Numero uno, of course, is who is this "White House intern"? What's her life story? Does she have a history of snatching microphones from passive journalists bent on informing the populace of the nefarious activities of the Trump regime? Is she the daughter or wife of a significant figure in US government, politics or business? In the incestuous world of DC, is she the wife or steady of a media operative? What Greek letter sorority at which one of the Seven Sisters claims her as an alumnus? Where did she buy her dress and how much did it cost? Who is she?

Second, what's the chain of command in the White House press room for a microphone confiscation? Who gives the order and what type of situation demands it? What would have been the outcome if the unknown intern had failed in her mission?

Third, why do reporters even need a microphone to ask a question in the press briefing room? Perhaps you might say that possession of the microphone is just a signal that the possessor has the exclusive right to speak. After all, it's not an auditorium. Speakers can be heard from one end to the other without shouting. Or that the questions are being recorded for posterity, as if that microphone was the only one in the room.

Acosta's activities in the press room have been a subject for press coverage since the current president assumed office. During briefings the room is filled with media figures yet an ordinary citizen receives the impression that Acosta has an opportunity to engage more often with administration figures than anyone else. Why might this be? Are the other journalists willing to give up their opportunity to question the powers-that-be in order to observe Acosta's routine? Do administration representatives call on Acosta knowing that there will be an interesting confrontation? Is Acosta a symbiotic partner with the Trump media manipulation machine? How much time, as a percentage of press questioning, did Acosta receive, as opposed to other journalists?

The White House hasn't banned CNN from the press room, only Jim Acosta. It's hard to believe that a national media organization doesn't have a qualified replacement for this prima donna. Isn't there someone waiting in the wings that is at least as capable as he was? If the administration digs in its heels, who is most likely to replace him? Even more interesting, the press has made itself the center of a story. 

The answers to these questions are exactly what the press is supposed to supply to its reader and viewership. They're supposed to come across with the who, what, when, where and why. Eventually, perhaps, some British tabloid  will spill the beans. The US media doesn't seem to have the capability.

The ultimate question is: Why don't we already know all these things?

 

The White House intern class of spring 2018. Which one is her? By the way, the interns are unpaid.