Presidential Press Conferences Over Time

Robert Letterman

Reading Summary 10

Reference

Eshbaugh-Soha, M. (2003). Presidential Press Conferences Over Time. American Journal of Political Science, 348-355.

Theme

               Presidential press conferences are an important vehicle for the President to communicate to the media and the public.  This article examines how press conferences are used by different presidents and attempts to explain the methodology.

Summary

Most presidents begin their press conference like a speech where they define the policies and procedures related to their topic.

Research has shown that some presidents avoid press conferences despite the fact they have so much control over who they allow to ask questions.

Most presidents will strategically avoid certain reporters who they suspect will ask them difficult or controversial questions.

The President's reputation, political climate, and technological advances have all contributed to the decline of press conferences.

Presidential press conferences have declined dramatically since the Truman administration because many presidents will want to avoid the unknown questions that could lead to embarrassment.

Presidents Bush and Clinton used far more press conferences than their predecessors in an effort to control the information the media would disseminate about them.

Bush and Clinton press conferences were statistically significant in the author's study.  Bush used them as part of his public strategy.

Presidential press conferences are more of a function of individual preference than the political environment.

Application

               I thought this was an interesting study and article examining Presidential press conferences.  Often times following a natural or man-caused disaster incident the President will hold a press conference.  I thought the statistics of the study showed President Bush's increased number of press conferences due largely because of 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina.  He used them as a method to control the type of information and clear up any misinformation.  As a PIO this should be the same line of thinking.