Phoenix reporter reverses course, says White House Press Secretary Jay Carney DOESN’T get daily briefing questions in advance

KPHO-TV anchor Catherine Anaya went to Washington to participate in a carefully managed television journalism cattle-call at the White House, and reported that Press Secretary Jay Carney's daily briefings are often just for showDaily Mail – by DAVID MARTOSKO

White House Press Secretary Jay Carney denied on Thursday a television news reporter’s day-old claim that reporters often ‘provide the questions to him in advance,’ before his daily briefings, and that he sometimes provides answers on paper before taking the podium.

WIthin hours, the Phoenix reporter at the center of a quick-drying controversy admitted she got the whole thing wrong.  

Phoenix news anchor Catherine Anaya reported Wednesday night on KPHO-TV5 that in an ‘off the record’ meeting, Carney had told a handful of local TV reporters that White House correspondents often tell him before daily briefings what they’ll be asking.

‘If only this were true,’ Carney told MailOnline Thursday morning.

By mid-afternoon Anaya, fresh of a Washington-to-Phoenix flight, walked parts of her story back in an email to MailOnline. But she insisted that she herself was asked to submit a question in advance for Carney on Wednesday afternoon.

KPHO-TV anchor Catherine Anaya went to Washington to participate in a carefully managed television journalism cattle-call at the White House, and reported that Press Secretary Jay Carney's daily briefings are often just for show

KPHO-TV anchor Catherine Anaya went to Washington to participate in a carefully managed television journalism cattle-call at the White House, and reported that Press Secretary Jay Carney’s daily briefings are often just for show

Carney denied getting a heads-up about daily briefing questions: 'If only this were true'

Carney denied getting a heads-up about daily briefing questions: ‘If only this were true’

‘As a local journalist I had no issue providing my proposed question in advance,’ she told MailOnline, ‘because I wanted to make sure it was an appropriate q[uestion] for a national briefing and I wanted to make sure it was appropriate for Mr. Carney.’

‘[B]ut in discussing it with a staff member the night before, we decided I would save it for the president. I was attempting to not waste national time on a local question, but in my attempt at explaining that I unintentionally made it sound like that experience applied to everyone.’

‘That is my mistake,’ Anaya added, ‘and I own up to it.’

Meanwhile, KPHO-TV issued a separate statement attributed to Anaya, but the CBS affiliate station quickly deleted it from its website.

Assignment Editor Scott Davis told MailOnline that it ‘apparently … was not the correct statement.’

Anaya’s on-air commentary remains on the website, however.

‘We started here shortly after 8 o’clock with a coffee with Press Secretary Jay Carney inside his office in the West Wing,’ she said on the air, before making a stunning breach of journalistic protocol by reporting on an ‘off the record’ meeting and airing a photo of it.

Published and yanked: The statement KPHO deleted

KPHO-TV issued this extended quote Thursday afternoon from Catherine Anaya, and then quickly withdrew it, saying in an email that ‘apparently that was not the correct statement’:

‘It seems much had been inferred about my observations following my White House visit yesterday.

‘First, I did not take notes during our coffee with Jay Carney because it was off the record. But when I referenced the meeting in my live reports I did say that it was a great opportunity to talk about the challenges of his day and how he has to be so well-versed on many topics each day.

‘In my live report I also wanted to share my impression of my experience in getting a question answered during the briefing. I was indeed asked to provide my question in advance. Because my question was largely of local interest, I chose to save it for my interview with the President instead.

‘My mistake was to lump that experience with my coffee meeting reference, inadvertently giving Mr. Carney credit for that when in fact it did not come from him. I regret giving anyone the impression that it was from conversation I had with Mr. Carney.

I do not attend those briefings regularly and cannot speak directly to the process for non-visiting journalists.

None of my observations stemmed from my off-the-record meeting with Jay Carney.

‘And this was off-the-record,’ she reported, ‘so we were able to ask him all about some of the preparation that he does on a regular basis for talking to the press in his daily press briefings. He showed us a very long list of items that he has to be well-versed on every single day.’

‘And then he also mentioned that a lot of times,’ Anaya added, ‘unless it’s something breaking, the questions that the reporters actually ask – or the correspondents – they are provided to him in advance.’

‘So then he knows what he’s going to be answering and sometimes those correspondents and reporters also have those answers printed in front of them, because of course it helps when they’re producing their reports for later on.’

Anaya responded to a request for comment hours later. Davis initially told MailOnline that she was on a plane and unavailable.

But the White House was quick to dismiss her account of what Carney said. Carney himself tweeted a second denial after this report was first published.

Anaya’s recounting of her day at the White House aired Wednesday in at least two separate on-air reports. One was uploaded to a hastily created YouTube account and then reported by The Weekly Standard.

It’s unknown who published that video online.

Anaya published this photo of what she said was an 'off the record' meeting Wednesday morning with Carney, during which -- she claims -- he said he often receives daily briefing questions in advance

Anaya published this photo of what she said was an ‘off the record’ meeting Wednesday morning with Carney, during which — she claims — he said he often receives daily briefing questions in advance

Obama conducted his interviews Wednesday with several local news anchors standing up, Anaya said, so the brief Q&A sessions could be kept to a 4-minute limit

Obama conducted his interviews Wednesday with several local news anchors standing up, Anaya said, so the brief Q&A sessions could be kept to a 4-minute limit

CBS 5 – KPHO

A longer broadcast segment, in which Anaya makes the same claim about Carney’s advance knowledge of daily briefing questions, is the one on KPHO’s website.

‘They provide the questions to him in advance,’ she said in that report. ‘And so he is already preparing for the answer. And sometimes – in some cases, I should say – he actually prepares that answer for them, so that they can have that to work on their reports later on.’

Anaya also told viewers that she was limited to four minutes for her brief encounter with the president, but ‘stretched it to six.’ At the beginning of KPHO’s video, she’s seen glancing off-camera to see if her time has started.

The interview was conducted with both parties standing up in the White House Diplomatic Room.

‘The reason why we’re standing, I was told by one of his staffers, is because he likes to get comfortable when he’s sitting, and he tends to get very chatty,’ she said.

‘And so this was another way to keep him – and us – at the four minutes that they were suggesting that we not go over.’

‘Yeah,’ responded anchor Adam Longo, ‘and it sounds like the pressure is on when some guy is standing behind him with a countdown clock. That’s a little ridiculous.’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2585306/White-House-Press-Secretary-Jay-Carney-denies-TV-reporters-claim-gets-daily-briefing-questions-IN-ADVANCE.html#ixzz2wY3Rh600
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16 thoughts on “Phoenix reporter reverses course, says White House Press Secretary Jay Carney DOESN’T get daily briefing questions in advance

  1. My Fellow Americans:

    Catherine Anaya, has suddenly had a change of heart, as she pulled a card from her pocket and read, “Sideshow Caney does NOT prescreen or script his media questions,.. or answers,… or retractions,.. like the one I’m reading right now,… my apologies for the confusion.” (then mumbling to someone nearby,.. “do I get to keep my job now??”)

    JD – US Marines – And the 3-Ring Circus called the Communist Party, that IS the Fed Gov’t,… drones on,.. and on,.. and on,……

  2. Ha Ha She was brought back to order awfull fast! She’s lucky, she could have been suicided. 🙂

  3. Ha Ha. They just tweaked her mind control screws a little tighter, so that she was toting the party line. Nothing to see here. Move on…

    Cue the Twilight Zone music. Do we have a category for that?

    1. Hi Deb,

      Well,.. I guess we can make the official Theme Music for our new news catagory, “Word From The Trenches – Insanity Locker” the Twilight Zone music Hahahahahaha,……

      Some day, historians will lock back on this period of time and wonder,… What the HELL where those people on!!!!???

      JD – US Marines – Apologies to Rod Serling….., most of what is happening in this country is to bizarre,.. even for him!

  4. thats cool…..US marine….”Word From The Trenches-Insanity locker” The twilight zone…..
    Damn there JD your’re gettin better every day….
    LOL….from this post…. meaning, seems…alright with me!

  5. HAHA roll it into one JD! Let’s leave it to Henry and Laura to have fun with it.

    I don’t want to burden them, but give them some time and have some fun with the hand we have been dealt.

    Rod Sterling is probably rolling in his grave. Never in his lifetime did he think, any of this would be real. HAHA! We are truly living in the twilight zone. For sure!

    We should have a freaky Friday. LOL Freakin Friday is good, but we could improve on it! LOL

  6. absolute…
    good music and I pressed the play button..
    to give myself a reflection …..wellll……..of………good music..
    tks Deb…..and
    name of the street is….funky funky broadway….
    my…are you into some tunes or else……

      1. here I am asking, but:”:?….would you consider the both of us email…? If you would, then ask Henry to give you my email address,,,,regarding music! Cause, you are a rarity on this site who can do music….I believe, big time, meaning as an enjoyment of sharing, stating of musical pieces, perhaps of suggestions of adaptations for and the beauty of just playing a simple piece …..
        I am speaking of being an arranger but thats not my saying …..AND I would enjoy your time….rbeason

        1. perhaps that scared you off for ever…
          actually, i don’t look for contacts of music on the web…have not thought of it for that purpose..
          I am smitten though…you have a style;…
          to put up funky funky broadway…
          well, that says it all…

          1. not only that, Wilson Picket is a work horse along with james brown I think Picket is generally a better musician. the both and others of so called soul music of the 60’s which I lived as a young person enjoying each moment of the day…Otis Redding…many others, Marvin Gay, Smokey Robinson..Oh so maney more…and lets not forget the white people who were at the top also…I doubt there was fighting among color..music is what it is….and if It sounds good it is good…”count Basie..” one of the best..
            Love to all who come to this web site.

  7. I listened to this again, and am taken….cause people just do not…in a moment notice put up for posting…their hearts…course this posting is not the total, by any means of yourself……you know what though,,,,,you have an inside of uniqueness…just by, I say, understanding and having a longing, or love for music and that is in your own words…”you appreciate”…in that regard…tks so much for your response to my posting of music on this site…rbeason

  8. oh my Deb…want to be exposed to music before your time…
    1957 to present…is my time frame of which I was electric of the whole scene. Loving the radio, transistors first,in person concerts, vinyl records, 8 tracks, cassettes, CD’s and here we are…
    I have a few hundred youtube songs on my computer all that I placed there…some I just lost due to changing my web browser..no big deal, I put them there, one by one…and I did not loose myself…by changing browsers….and so the songs are going back…

  9. BAHAHAHAHA!!! TOO LATE!!!

    Looks like someone got threatened by Barry and company after releasing her previous statement.

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