Trump plays reporters, so reporters erase his hotel tour
Like any good entertainer, Donald Trump understands the power of suspense. Early Friday morning, Trump flirted with ending his years-long tirade against President Barack Obama over the authenticity of his birth certificate by telling Fox Business to "watch my statement."
"We have to keep the suspense going, okay?" Trump explained to Fox Business.
But what Trump miscalculated was the power of the letdown. Speaking for only seconds at the opening of his Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., it quickly became clear to the press that they'd been had. In protest, Maggie Haberman of The New York Times reports that Trump's pool of press members assigned to cover him actually "erased the tape of his tour of the hotel [after the speech] in protest of [the] bait-and-switch [with] no editorial access."
Once again Trump manages to guarantee live cable coverage of a promotion for his new hotel
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) September 16, 2016
So the campaign blocked @CandaceSmith_ (TV pool producer) from going on hotel tour with Trump. At this point, this is just legit an ad.
— Ali Vitali (@alivitali) September 16, 2016
So Trump is taking cameras ONLY on a hotel tour.There is no reporter with Trump as he gives "the press" a tour of his brand new hotel.
— Candace Smith (@CandaceSmith_) September 16, 2016
As the designated pool producer; attempted to go on pooled tour, as is customary. Was physically restrained from accompanying the camera.
— Candace Smith (@CandaceSmith_) September 16, 2016
In the words of CNN's John King, "We got played."