Capitol Fax.com - Your Illinois News Radar

“This is the thanks we get”

Posted in:

Illinois

* Team Rauner sent out a list of inauguration events to reporters yesterday, including info on which events were open to all media and which were not.

The inaugural reception and dinner, the inter-faith prayer service, Rauner’s signing of his oath of office and the governor’s dinner party were all listed as “Limited Media”…

Associated Press will provide print and photo coverage for members

* The Sun-Times inquired about the limitations…

When a Sun-Times reporter sent an email asking what “limited media” meant and whether all media outlets were to be shut out except the AP for those events, Rauner’s spokesman responded that they could “make them closed entirely.”

“You are members [of AP] aren’t you? There is NOT ENOUGH ROOM. This is the thanks we get for opening events that previously have never been opened before,” wrote Rauner’s transition spokesman Mike Schrimpf. “We can make them closed entirely if you prefer that instead.”

When called and asked to clarify his statement about entirely closing events, Schrimpf said: “We are committed to running the most open inauguration in recent history and have an unprecedented number of events with media access that allows us to do that.”

Look, I can see the need for limiting access to some of these events. Reporter pools are common on the national stage.

But Schrimpf may wanna take a nap or something.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:14 am

Comments

===“We can make them closed entirely if you prefer that instead.”===

And I keep getting asked why Press Shop Staff is more important that the Appointments!

Pretty pathetic by Schrimpf.

I’m sure that sentence will get you sone fair play from those covering your boss.

There are two “groups” Rauner and his Crew…need…to work with;

The General Assembly and the Press.

Why be so petty with the Press with…

“We can make them closed entirely if you prefer that instead.”

Just because you win, doesn’t make you a professional.

Food for thought.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:22 am
Nice meltdown, Shrimpf. Welcome to the big leagues. Next time you want to go off on Chicago media, do it by phone.

Comment by Getsold Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:22 am
Someone should give him a Snickers.

Comment by metro east transplant Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:23 am
There is a short honeymoon for any new administration. I learned long ago that what was in the press may be more important than what was in the law or what was good policy. Public confidence will be a precious and necessary commodity for this new administration.
This is a poor start on the PR front.

Comment by SkeptiCal Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:25 am
===Someone should give him a Snickers. ===

LOL

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:25 am
not getting off on the right foot… it’ll be even more fun from here

Comment by Reformed Public Servant Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:26 am
Or scratch the phone call - the’ll quote you then, too. Next time you want to go off on Chi media, don’t.

Comment by Getsold Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:27 am
“Never start a fight with someone who buys their Ink by the barrel”

Comment by Mason born Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:27 am
I can’t imagine heels will be dug in on this…not wise.

I sure hope we can’t generalize this situation to how policy and budget matters will be developed over the next two months…

Comment by Waffle Fries Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:27 am
Schrimpf is losing his temper already, in this moment of happy victory. That’s not good. Sigh.
Plus ca change…

Comment by Cassandra Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:27 am
and so it begins…

Comment by lil enchilada Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:28 am
Thank you for your endorsements. Your services are no longer needed.

Smithers, release the hounds!

Comment by Wordslinger Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:29 am
Plus, Rauner owns the Sun-Times, and owns the Tribune Editoral Board, the pesky reports can “eat cake” somewhere away from Rauner…

“If you ask for access again, I may have to call your boss, you don’t want that, do you?”

If the Press Shop is going to be a “fail” with reporters, I hope the LLs are better at their job….

…but who will get the Press to cover the Legislative successes?

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:34 am
You’d think with Bruce’s exciting “business acumen” this wouldn’t happen.

Comment by Del Clinkton Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:34 am
=Reporter pools are common on the national stage.=

They might have tipped their hand on where they are taking this whole thing!

Comment by Nick Naylor Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:35 am
Not smart to start a fight you can’t win …

Comment by RNUG Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:40 am
Patience serves better than petulance.

Comment by Langhorne Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:40 am
So if Mike Schrimpf has a Snickers, does he turn back into Ari Fleischer?!

Comment by Team Sleep Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:44 am
Never get into a p*ssing match with a skunk.

Comment by Ray del Camino Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:52 am
Team Sleep with the win.

Comment by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:53 am
If this is the tone he wants to set with the media they are going to be in for a LONG four years.

Be careful media guys. You’ve seen what Rauner’s crew can do to you if you don’t tow the line.

Take a chill pill already dude. If I were Rauner I’d smack you up side the head for being such a dope in your response. You sound like an a-hole and that’s not how you want to start things off with the media.

Comment by Demoralized Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:53 am
“Never pick a fight with people who buy ink by the barrel.” -Mark Twain

I think this translates to the modern era electronic media too. Fasten your seat belts kids, me thinks it is going to be a bumpy ride

Comment by JS Mill Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:54 am
I believe that Rauner team refers to this type of reply as being “Mckinneyed”

Comment by pundent Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 9:55 am
This is a prime example of why Shrimpf should step aside and let experienced government media handlers take over. The campaign is over. He fought like a lion and won but it’s become apparent that he can’t reset.

Comment by Getsold Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:04 am
I’ll bet you one donut or one cannoli that at least one member of the Sun Times is on the list. Call it a hunch.

Comment by A guy Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:09 am
Who died and made Schrimpf the 1999 Dave Urbanek?

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:10 am
Mike, apologize and move on. Then everybody else will too.

Comment by B4L Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:11 am
We all know who the real “Smithers” was. Out of politics now.

Comment by Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:12 am
If this latest pronouncement from Rauner & Co. is indicative of how they plan to “shake up” Springfield, it’s going to be a mighty stormy four years at the Capitol. I hope that the Gov.-elect has the good sense to rescind this action. He has enough serious problems with which to contend without having to justify his limiting press coverage of his activities. He now needs to realize that he is a public figure should expect to be treated accordingly in the the media.

Comment by nikobey Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:13 am
The real stuff hasn’t even started and everyone is already edgy and uptight. Hoped for better from both sides of the aisle-but guess not.

Comment by Soccertease Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:18 am
===the 1999 Dave Urbanek?===

Oof.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:18 am
nik, I think you need to keep an eye on this and watch. Newsies don’t just like access; they need it. As lobbyists, staffers and everyone else shuffles, so does coverage. The good ones adjust. The great ones (like your moderator here) make sure they justify their access long beforehand. At privately held events, where access is limited, some are going to be left out. The better ones will be left in.

Comment by A guy Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:21 am
Great point, nikobey.

Comment by Del Clinkton Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:24 am
===At privately held events, where access is limited, some are going to be left out. The better ones will be left in.===

So…the AP, and only the AP is the “good one”? lol

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:28 am
At privately held events, where access is limited, some are going to be left out. The ones that continue to only praise Bruce will be left in.

To quote your friend Willy: There- fixed it for you

Comment by Roadiepig Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:40 am
As my grandma used to say, “Uff da.”

Comment by Norseman Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:50 am
A little bit of perceived power here? That power wimp attitude will get you off the “A” team real fast. Yep, tick off the press right out of the gate…..boy is that immature and dumb, dumb, dumb!

Comment by Sunshine Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:54 am
The best flacks keep a cool head and never get rattled. There’s no upside to a tantrum.

It’s odd that you’d hit the “send” button on a written tantrum. Count to ten and edit next time.

Comment by Wordslinger Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:56 am
Saying that old Mark Twain “barrel ink” quote like it somehow reflects today’s world of journalism, is like telling a nineteen year old salon beautician that “a little dab will do ya!”

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 11:07 am
Just curious, Rich. Are you going? If so, are you paying for the privilege or have organizers comp’d it?

This, really, is a by-invitation-only event. You might–might–be able to make a case for pool photography, but a pool writer? In a freaking banquet hall? When the president plays golf or something like that, OK, a pool reporter is fine. You can argue that you don’t want the herd trampling the greens. But this is just beyond.

What they should have done if they felt there was a space issue was have eight or so slots filled by lottery, with minimum of one slot for video, one for radio, however many for print, etc., and had journalists from organizations with capitol credentials draw lots. To simply pick the AP on the presumption that the AP is The Media is, well, presumptuous and indicates a profound level of un-knowledge, or perhaps profound level of let-them-eat-cake. Whichever.

Whoever botched this, Rauner needs a media pro. Schrimpf apparently fails to understand how the media works and how to make things better for his boss.

Comment by Let Them In Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 11:09 am
Guy, it’s not a private event if you invite in some reporters.

If you’d read the story, you’d see those who have been around the block a few times described it as unprecedented here.. Pool reports are for presidents.

It’s a dumb move, an unforced error.

Comment by Wordslinger Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 11:13 am
=== Roadiepig - Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 10:40 am:

At privately held events, where access is limited, some are going to be left out. The ones that continue to only praise Bruce will be left in.

To quote your friend Willy: There- fixed it for you===

Roadie, if that helps you sleep at night, OK. But it isn’t how it works. There will be critics with some credibility and notoriety there to be sure. To Willie’s inane remarks, AP has some outstanding reporters. I don’t know what he’s talking about in his criticism of that bureau, but hey…neither does he.

I fixed it for you. Believe or not, doesn’t matter to me. Or anyone else that matters more than me.

Comment by A guy Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 11:18 am
In a world of smart phones, where everyone is taking selfies, making video recordings and instantly posting on the Internet, the idea that there needs to be a lot of reporters recording an event, seems kind of quaint and old fashioned.

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 11:20 am
===Wordslinger - Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 11:13 am:

Guy, it’s not a private event if you invite in some reporters.

If you’d read the story, you’d see those who have been around the block a few times described it as unprecedented here.. Pool reports are for presidents.

It’s a dumb move, an unforced error.====

It’s unprecedented with Quinn and Blago maybe. That’s not the manual anyone is reading from. Pool reporting is as much an invention of a shrinking media as a sensitive public official if that’s where you’re headed.

Let’s see who’s there, then criticize away. I don’t see a lovefest, do you?

Comment by A guy Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 11:20 am
VMan, could you explain why that metaphor no longer applies?

I haven’t noticed that politicians and their flacks have stopped manipulating, worrying or complaining about press coverage. In fact, they’re obsessed by it, minute by minute of every day.

Comment by Wordslinger Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 11:21 am
- A Guy… -,

You seem to be a person who rarely reads what others comment, and default attack when you do read abd realize it goes against your narrative.

I didn’t criticize AP, I was mocking..,you…saying;

===At privately held events, where access is limited, some are going to be left out. The better ones will be left in.===

If you read, AP, and only AP, will be in there.

So according to that Dopey excuse, AP, is the ONLY better one. No other Press is a “better one”? lol

It’s about limiting access and a tantrum from a Press flack against….the Press. Pathetic.

- Roadiepig -, thanks for the h/t, and understanding by reading.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 11:26 am
Looks like that obsession could be a bit on the wane - hence the diss.

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 11:31 am
Is AP like a court stenographer? A hat tip to old timey journalism?

Comment by VanillaMan Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 11:33 am
Wilbur. Try again. I can’t even bring myself to copying and pasting that puffery into a comment to rebut. It would insult both of us. It was that goofy.

Comment by A guy Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 11:34 am
- A Guy … -

Attacking me isn’t making a point.

===Wilbur===

Stay classy, just like Scrimpf.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 11:37 am
Guy, come on. You can’t really defend this so stop trying. He made a dopey remark. That’s my issue. He came off as an a-hole. I don’t have a problem with the pool reporting concept here. But I think they will create problems if this is how they intend to run the press railroad. We’ll see. I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt for now.

Comment by Demoralized Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 11:39 am
Rich your ending line …take a nap or something… made me laugh out loud… very funny well done I needed that today!

Comment by objectional observer Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 12:01 pm
===Just curious, Rich. Are you going?===

I’ve been too ill to do anything about it. So, I dunno yet.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 12:02 pm
==“Never pick a fight with people who buy ink by the barrel.” -Mark Twain==

How about:

“Never kick a skunk.” - Cornelius Vanderbilt

Comment by Anon. Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 12:10 pm
“nothing’s going to happen. why do we need reporters??”

Comment by D.P.Gumby Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 12:14 pm
Some advice for Mr. Shrimpf don’t ever get in an argument with a bottle of ink because they have more ink.

Comment by Springfield watcher Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 12:14 pm
“Never pick a fight with people who buy ink by the barrel.” — Mark Twain

“Reporters don’t own that ink.” — Dave McKinney (attributed)

Comment by MrJM (@MisterJayEm) Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 12:16 pm
===- MrJM (@MisterJayEm) - Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 12:16 pm

“Never pick a fight with people who buy ink by the barrel.” — Mark Twain

“Reporters don’t own that ink.” — Dave McKinney (attributed)===

This wins.

And congratulations on your Golden Hoseshoe. You and - Soccermom -, very derseving winners both.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 12:19 pm
VMan, when you discover a politician or flack who is not obsessed by their press coverage, let us know.

Comment by Wordslinger Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 12:20 pm
It is fairly obvious that Schrimpf did NOT stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

Comment by Man with a plan Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 12:37 pm
Caps busted out before the guy even gets sworn in? This is going to be a delightful rodeo.

Comment by haverford Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 12:44 pm
–Pool reporting is as much an invention of a shrinking media….–

That makes sense to you?

You limit and shut out reporters because there are fewer of them?

Geez, give it a think some time.

Comment by Wordslinger Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 12:58 pm
Geez, what a bunch of spoiled self deserving brats - with wilber leading the pack, as usual.

Comment by A Citizen Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 2:48 pm
Oh, - A Citizen -, if you want attention, just throw a tantrum.

You comment is as blams and faceless and ordinary as your handle.

Have a good weekend. Smile. It helps.

Comment by Oswego Willy Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 3:00 pm
When you make Jim Romenesko’s journalism site as a PR flak — not usually a good thing. Esp if Jim spanks you: “Schrimpf’s LinkedIn profile says he knows about media relations; I don’t think he does.” Ouch.
http://jimromenesko.com/

Comment by poor start Friday, Jan 9, 15 @ 3:17 pm