In Politics, You Need Them Far More Than They Need You

Unless you control access to the White House Press Room and can yank reporters’ credentials at any time, they really don’t need to stay in your good graces to do their jobs. They don’t really care if their stories piss you off. But you need to keep them in your good graces because without access to the media, you lose access to your constituency. Remember the old saying: “Don’t pick fights with people who buy ink by the barrel.” At the same time, to the extent that you do control access to information, use it as leverage. If you give a reporter a “scoop,” don’t hesitate to call in a favor when you need one.