The Hill’s Jonathan Easley contacted me earlier today via Twitter to complain that I had erred in my post asserting his failure to identify any happy campers among the invited guests at the White House reception for conservative media this past Monday afternoon. He pointed to a quote from John Fredericks praising the event in the first of his two Hill stories airing the guests’ complaints. Easley therefore stated that my description of his pieces was “false.” Easley sought a correction.
Easley’s tweet was accurate but misleading. The Fredericks quote was absent from the original version of his first story, the one I described in my posts touching on it. Easley added the Fredericks quote in a later version of his original story, although it was impossible to tell from the text of the piece that he had done so. My “mistake” had been to rely on the original version of Easley’s story.
Easley stated I should have contacted him before writing about his pieces: “you dont reach out to the person you are writing about. I did. You didnt.”
However, to the extent I was commenting on his articles, they spoke for themselves. They had been published online. I was “reaching out” to Easley by reading his published articles. Power Line readers could look over my shoulder and see for themselves whether I treated them fairly or not.
I asked Easley to send me a copy of his first article as originally published. I had closely read it several times before writing about it. He declined to do so.
Moreover, I was in part recounting my own experience at the event. Unlike Easley, I had first-hand knowledge of what had occurred at the event and had talked to other guests at and after the event.
I had a mostly positive view of the event, as did others with whom I had spoken. I invited Easley to quote my view of the event without knowing he had somebody else expressing it in a later version of his story. If he had contacted me, I would also have suggested that Easley contact Charles Kesler, Chris Buskirk and Roger Kimball for their views. I believe they felt much as I did.
My “problem,” according to Easley, “is that a few people viewed it differently than [I] did. They told me about it and I wrote it.” However, Easley’s articles convey the impression that a negative view of the event predominated. I doubt that anyone reading his articles who wasn’t there would think that he was conveying the view of “a few people.” Easley also states that “[p]eople from both sides of the argument told [him] it was fair.”
I don’t have a “problem” or an “argument.” I have my own impressions of the event and some knowledge of the views of a few others. I asked Easley how many people he had talked to. He declined to respond.
Easley’s tweets are posted below in reverse chronological order. In his penultimate tweet to me Easley advised that his second story had secured a Drudge link. That’s obviously the important point to him. In his ultimate tweet to me he concluded: “I can’t get into this anymore.” He added: “I hope you’ll update your story” (which I had long since done).
Jonathan Easley seems to me to represent the mainstream media in the age of Trump. He is belligerent, misleading, obnoxious and out to prove a point. Although he is far from a prominent member of the mainstream media, he is a representative case.
@scottwjohnson I can't get into this anymore. I hope you'll update your story.
— Jonathan Easley (@JonEasley) April 27, 2017
@scottwjohnson The 2nd story took a broader look, pulled it all together. It quoted a lot of people, including a WH official and 2 who agree with you.
— Jonathan Easley (@JonEasley) April 27, 2017
@scottwjohnson Scott, this is very odd to me. People at an event saw things differently. Your problem is with them, not me.
— Jonathan Easley (@JonEasley) April 27, 2017
@scottwjohnson your problem is that a few people there viewed it differently than you. They told me about it and i wrote it.
— Jonathan Easley (@JonEasley) April 27, 2017
@scottwjohnson the story ran at 6am and was updated twice, with new info on scif and from fredericks. I sought out new info and updated.
— Jonathan Easley (@JonEasley) April 27, 2017
@scottwjohnson "you are not working hard enough if" you dont reach out to the person you are writing about. I did. You didnt
— Jonathan Easley (@JonEasley) April 27, 2017
@scottwjohnson "Easley has yet to quote any guest commenting positively about the event." False
— Jonathan Easley (@JonEasley) April 27, 2017
@scottwjohnson please correct your story. A few people were frustrated. Others loved the event. I reached out to the WH for both.
— Jonathan Easley (@JonEasley) April 27, 2017
@scottwjohnson my 'complaint' is rhat you are wrong. Fredericks is quoted about the event in the first piece and more broadly in the second
— Jonathan Easley (@JonEasley) April 27, 2017
@scottwjohnson what are you talking about? John fredericks is quoted in both stories. Please reach out before writing about me
— Jonathan Easley (@JonEasley) April 27, 2017
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