White House Day Passes

Remember on the heels of the Jeff Gannon affair, Scott McClellan said that it's not all that hard to get day passes for the press briefing room? "We're practically giving them away!" [ed. - quote from used car commercial, not the White House]

Well, apparently, that's not quite accurate. FishbowlDC documents their futile attempts to get a White House day pass.

We started planning last week while President Bush was in Europe, enlisting the help of MediaBistro's editor-in-chief and talking with several White House correspondents about how the process for admittance should (in theory) work. According to everyone with whom we talked, MediaBistro, Fishbowl D.C.'s parent, should meet the criteria for a day pass to cover the White House: It is (a) independent and nonpartisan, (b) regularly published, and (c) primarily supported by subscribers or advertising.

They're on day three, and already the White House has stopped taking their calls. Read about their efforts, and check back for updates. Aren't you curious?