CNN reporter, Kaitlan Collins, was seated in the front row at a recent White House press conference. She was told to exchange seats with Chris Johnson of “the Washington Blade”, who was seated in the sixth out of the seven rows. She, Kaitlan, had gotten into a little sparring with The Donald at a previous news conference; and we know the president is a little sensitive when it comes to that sort of thing. Note: Verbally sparring with the President (any President) is unprofessional, arrogant and disrespectful of the office of the President. Save that for an Op-Ed. Anyway, both reporters refused to move (even when told the Secret Service would become involved…it didn’t become involved. Empty threat.). The press conference went on without further discussion regarding seating arrangements. If anyone stuck pout  their tongue or raised a middle finger in defiance, it wasn’t noted or reported.

The White House Correspondents’ Association determines the seating arrangements. This association is separate from the White House (as well it should be). Supposedly, the WHCA determines seating locations according to the particular news agency’s audience size or readership, how cooperative the agency has been with other agencies when being tasked as a news pool member and the frequency the reporter travels with the President. We know, of course, that is a load of crap.

The reason a reporter is given preferential seating is for more TV face time and a better chance of having the President address their questions. It helps the reporter become more famous and boosts his network’s ratings. The reasons a reporter isn’t afforded better seating are: 1) Wearing a face mask as an athletic supporter. 2) Not wearing shoes. 3) A history of attempting to swat away invisible birds. 4) If they are prone to verbally spar with the President This system is clearly unfair. It needs to be revised.

There is no reason to believe an unfamiliar, cross-eyed, flatulent (oh yeah, two more reasons to not be seated up front) reporter is incapable of asking a more intelligent, more pressing, more relevant question than a reporter who has just spent hours getting his/her/whatever’s makeup and hair done. In fact, it’s probably more likely.

I think there are a couple of ways to address this problem. One would be to seat reporters “first come-first served”. The other would to be to rotate reporters’ seating assignments so that the ones farthest back move to the front at the next press briefing. In doing so, perhaps a reporter could be assigned to sit upon the President’s lectern with the responsibility of waving to the parents of the other reporters in attendance who might be watching, hoping to see their offspring on TV.

Does this seem a bit too childish? I ask you, what about Trump’s and the media’s behavior isn’t?