Another side to the story

Bob Miller is right. The Nixon Administration is very tight lipped. I worked for the state for 25 years (now retired) and the Nixon Administration controlled information flow more than any other I worked under. After Nixon took office, only certain people could talk to reporters. Regular staff weren't allowed to.

I'm no Nixon fan, but there's another side to this story.

Some reporters practice "gotcha" journalism, some would rather be provocative than accurate, and some are biased. I remember an interview I did with a reporter who was professional and courteous until the camera started rolling, then she changed. She surprised me with a letter I hadn't seen before and berated me for not knowing about it. She made me and my agency look bad on television using surprise and intimidation. I was naive and easy prey for such "gotcha" tactics.

Some reporters distort information or use it out of context. They do lengthy interviews but use only a small part of what is said in their story. Therefore they can spin the story in almost any direction by selective editing. You are pretty much at their mercy.

Therefore, government agencies and others who deal with the media often put tight controls on the flow of information. That's a shame because most reporters I've dealt with were honest and just wanted to report the facts. But the others are out there ready to pounce.

Gary L. Gaines, Cape Girardeau