White House-Press Relations.

The relationship between the executive office and the White House press corps has always been more or less adversarial, as newshounds spar with administration officials who seek to control the flow of information from the White House. Prior to the 1950s, however, the White House held a clear advantage in its information battle with reporters. Presidents effectively managed the news by dictating to reporters the kind of questions that could be asked — and how they could be asked. Furthermore, meetings between the press and the president often were called at the last minute and held in the Oval Office with newsmen gathered around the president's desk. The setting and the format highlighted the fact that any White House information gathering would be conducted on the president's turf in accordance with his ground rules. Much of this changed...