OPINION:
The White House should institute a policy in which it does not respond to news stories or comments based on anonymous sources. Creating this rule would accomplish two goals. First, it would reduce the number of fake stories about the White House. White House denials often add credence to stories. If the White House does not comment on these stories, the reports will likely not gain much traction in the media. Consequently, news outlets would probably not run pieces because they would not be popular.
Second, this new policy would limit the number of White House leaks. Leakers give away information to embarrass the White House and/or gain personal power. If leakers know that the White House would not comment on the stories and that the media was less likely to publish the reports, they would lose incentive to divulge information.
Reducing fake stories and limiting leaks is beneficial for both the White House and the United States. Let’s hope that policies such as the one above are effective and instituted quickly.
MICHAEL B. ABRAMSON
Atlanta
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