CNN’s incomprehensible decision to block pool reporter from debate

As of 5:15 p.m. Eastern on Thursday, CNN is blocking the White House pool reporter from being able to monitor this evening's presidential debate from inside the actual debate hall. CNN's decision is extremely strange.

The White House Correspondents' Association, representing journalists who cover the White House beat, has made repeated requests in recent days that its pool reporter be allowed into the debate hall in Atlanta, Georgia. Having had no luck, the WHCA issued a public statement on Thursday expressing it is "deeply concerned that CNN has rejected our repeated requests to include the White House travel pool inside the studio."

The statement outlined why the presence of an independent pool reporter matters, especially in light of CNN's decision to mute a speaker when it is not his turn to talk: "A pool reporter is there to observe what is said and done when microphones are off or when either candidate is not seen on camera but may speak, gesture, move, or engage in some way." Considering President Joe Biden's age and mental lapses and former President Donald Trump's erratic behavior, the WHCA request is entirely justified.

CNN later responded to the public WHCA statement, affirming that the event is "closed to press." CNN said a small number of photographers will be in the debate hall and that the pool reporter will be able to enter the hall during the first commercial break. The reporter will then have to leave the hall, however. This is a clear rejection of the WHCA's request. It's clear why so many journalists are angry.

As one White House correspondent put it to me, "CNN isn't acting collegially, to say the least. The biggest debate of the century, and they're putting their own access over the public interest? They can't be bothered to let the pool [reporter] in? Give me a break. We will remember this the next time they're in a jam over press access."

Again, it's unclear who at CNN is making this decision and why. But it's a bad decision. At a basic level, it goes against the public interest and professional courtesy of allowing an independent pool reporter to monitor an event of critical public interest and significant national importance. And unless CNN is attempting to hide some deceptive scheme involving its management of the debate (highly unlikely), this decision also seems nonsensical. I know a number of CNN journalists. All are good journalists dedicated to the public interest. I can't imagine that any of them support this decision.

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Instead, the only beneficiaries here would appear to be twofold. First, the ego of the stubborn CNN official who has made this decision and isn't, at least as of my 5:15 p.m. writing, backing down. Second, Donald Trump. After all, if this decision still stands by the 9 p.m. Eastern debate start time, CNN will have given Trump new ammunition to attack the media's reliable commitment to the public interest. But for the first time, Trump will also be able to say, "Don't take my word for it, ask the rest of the White House press corps."

CNN should change course.