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Harding tried it for a little while, then insisted that questions be submitted in advance, in writing. Coolidge refused ever to be quoted, created the "White House Spokesman." He too invited written questions, which he usually ignored. Hoover won applause at the outset by abolishing the "spokesman." His very first sentence to assembled newsmen—"It seems that the whole Press of the United States has given me the honor of a call this morning"—was considered momentous because it was the first direct quotation from a President in years. But like his predecessors, President Hoover soon decreed that questions must be in writing, reserved the right to reply or not. Also he established three categories of White House news: 1) directly quotable; 2) background information ("off the record") not to be quoted, but to help toward intelligent reporting; 3) strict confidences.
The Hoover system failed because the Press audience included not only regular White House correspondents but also their editors and influential friends, magazine writers and "tipsters." Instead of barring the supernumeraries, Mr. Hoover simply talked with restraint. Later when the Press became critical of his official acts there grew a mutual distrust. Acutely sensitive to criticism, the President decided the Press was hostile. In turn the Press decided the President was sour, evasive. He began to ignore written questions, eventually practically abandoned press conferences.
President Roosevelt adopted the three Hoover categories of news, and did not promise to answer all questions. But he limited his audience strictly to the regular White House corps; and he permitted quotation only of his exact words, as recorded by the stenographers. The complete transcript of every press conference will be kept, said the President, because he does not want to revive the "Ananias Club." as Theodore Roosevelt called White House visitors whom he had to turnquote.*
"Smoothie." Long before he entered the White House, Franklin Roosevelt showed that he knew the secret of winning newsmen to him. He never betrays the slightest hint that the presence of reporters is anything but a pleasure. When photographers at last week's press conference requested him to "look this way." he said no, he would rather look toward Miss Lee Krieselman of the Wichita Beacon, one of the few women present. Another time, out of doors, he demurred at waving his hand for the cameras again because he was "afraid of developing a permanent wave." When his wrinkled Secretary Louis Howe bought a new suit, the President issued a playful "special bulletin" to the Press. Last week, when Radio Commentator Edwin C. Hill broadcast over C. B. S. an approving report of the President's first actions, the President had Secretary Steve Early telephone Reporter Hill, thank him, ask for a copy of his speech. With all admiration, slangy newshawks describe their new White House character as "a smoothie."