What is your opinion about Erin McPike being the only reporter to travel with Tillerson?

[Stinky The Clown]

She works for the Independent Journal Review. You will recall she was the only one from the media allowed to travel with Tillerson when he went to Asia.

Actually, two questions:

Opinions of Erin McPike, if any.

Opinion of just one media person going on an international trip with the US Secretary of State.

[northoftheborder]

1. I'm not familiar with that publication and it's viewpoint.

Anyone here that can clue us in would be illustrative of her reporting.

[pinboy3niner]

6. "...a conservative website founded by Alex Skatell, a former Republican operative."

--Margaret Sullivan, The Washington Post

Margaret Sullivan: Tracking the special treatment media get when they play nice with the White House
http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/5080139-155/margaret-sullivan-tracking-the-special-treatment

[northoftheborder]

7. Thanks.

[dalton99a]

2. Dictatorships don't like multiple viewpoints in the press

[spanone]

3. she should have declined. no questions asked

[bronxiteforever]

4. +1000

[snooper2]

5. they are having an affair

[Fla Dem]

8. 1st thing that entered my mind. She should have refused if her colleagues were stiffed.

This is a 3-4 year old RW website. About as much credibility as Brietbart. Why else would he have one reporter from a RW website?

The Independent Journal Review is an American news and opinion website based in Alexandria, Virginia.[1][2] The publication was founded in 2012 by former Republican party staffers Alex Skatell and Phil Musser.[3] The publication is owned by Media Group of America. Skatell serves as its CEO. The site covers general interest topics including politics, culture, entertainment, and viral news content.

Founding and early expansion

In 2012, Alex Skatell, a former digital director of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, launched the Independent Journal Review, using $40,000 that Skatell had earned via a software application that he developed at college and $20,000 borrowed from his parents. He believed that there was a gap in the market for a publication that would appeal to "a more mainstream center-right audience" and began aggregating news stories on a Facebook page called Conservative Daily. Skatell promoted the page and later launched the Independent Journal Review.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independent_Journal_Review

Erin McPike
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Erin McPike
Born Erin Kathleen McPike June 28, 1983 (age 33)
Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Alma mater
American University
Years active
2006–present
Known for
Current, White House Correspondent for Independent Journal Review
Former, Correspondent for CNN
Former, Reporter for RealClearPolitics
Former, Reporter, NBC News
Former, Reporter and Writer, National Journal
Erin Kathleen McPike (born June 28, 1983) is the lead coverage correspondent based at the White House for the Independent Journal Review that was announced on February 5, 2017. She has also worked for CNN, NBC News, National Journal, and RealClearPolitics.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erin_McPike

[karynnj]

13. Unless you know more than the rest of us, this is despicable and should be alerted on

What we do know is that other than when she was just out of school, she has chosen to work for right wing publications. In addition, she does not seem to have been an international correspondent - as most people who usually accompany a Secretary of State are.

The problem is that he excluded the rest of the media, not so much that he included her. Here is a great NYT article that speaks of how useful that experienced press corps can be. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/19/world/asia/rex-tillerson-media-access.html?_r=0 Not having those people in the back of the plane - informing you and your aides - as you inform them, means that you are losing input that could help you create better policy.

Now - to your comment. I have no idea if Tillerson is having an affair, but I hate that a young woman doing her job - even a RW reporter - is assumed to have that opportunity just because she must be having an affair. Turn it around and think how wrong that would be - to both individuals - by substituting a Democratic man -- for Tillerson.

Apparently, she wrote a puff piece on Tillerson that countered a lot of criticism that he was out of the Trump loop. Saccharine might not be sweet enough to describe it. (though one sentence almost reads like satire) http://ijr.com/2017/03/814492-tillerson-treads-lightly-in-public-but-blows-up-trumps-phone/

Here is a sample:

That episode followed an Oval Office meeting between the two former businessmen on Monday, another one last Wednesday, and another two weeks before. This past Saturday night, both of them dined — separately — at the Trump Hotel on Pennsylvania Avenue. And the night after, Tillerson had a prime spot for dinner with Trump and company at the Governors' Ball.

No other Cabinet secretary is enjoying the same amount of face time with Trump — at least not in a way that's winding up on the president's public schedule.

“And that doesn’t count all the phone calls,” his aide said.

For Tillerson, though, it's a piece of his strategy to keep his head down while he sets out to make the State Department more efficient.

You KNOW she is straining to make her case when she actually includes eating at the same restaurant -- but not together. If it were at the same time, you could say he was purposely not included.

[randr]

9. Just watched her on the Joe and she is a bit smug

Thinks her imaginary revelations should trump her journalistic ethics.

[Lucinda]

10. It makes her someone I'd like to know more about...Trump and Co make little effort to

hide their favoritism, so her access makes me wonder WHY she has it...

[mulsh]

11. It makes it easier for Tilerson to get emoluments and underage sex workers unobserved.

I suspect that's the primary reason for no press on the plane we're paying for.

[monmouth4]

12. Her voice was so wretched I had to turn her off..n/t

[oasis]

14. Saw her this a.m..She seemed more like Tillerson's public relations

spokesperson than a bona fide member of the press.