ChopperTalk: Where the White House Press Corps Goes to Get Ritually Abused by Donald Trump
Esquire Magazine, Nov 26, 2019

We’ve got a fresh Diet Coke,” the cameraman announced, peering through the lens at President Trump, who was locked in conversation inside the Oval Office. “Beverages were just served.” The White House press corps erupted in groans. It was getting towards an hour since we’d been marched out to the edge of the South Lawn to wait for the president. The cameraman, zooming in on the window, informed us that the other guy was Attorney General William Barr. Outside, the crisp fall dusk was punctured by the metallic roar of a helicopter engine. The soft drinks were a grave portent: they signaled the meeting would stretch on, which it did, as the sun dropped in the cold November sky. We would have to wait a bit longer for the chance to ask the President of the United States a question over the almighty din of the helicopter stationed 50 yards away. We would have to wait for ChopperTalk.

When the president has a flight to catch, he jumps on Marine One—the call sign for any Marine Corps aircraft the president is on, but which is normally a green-and-white VH-3D with “United States of America” stamped on the side—and heads to Andrews Air Force Base to meet Air Force One. Historically, this departure has mostly been an event for photographers, White House tour groups, and anyone else who might be struck by the visual experience. The president would stride out, wave at the small crowds, and climb on-board. Occasionally, he would stop and take a couple questions along the rope chain, but it was a rarity.

Not anymore. In the brave new world of the Trump White House, where there has not been a White House press briefing in over eight months, ChopperTalk is among the only opportunities members of the press have to question a principal member of the administration. And around three out of four times, members of the White House press told me, he’ll come over to take questions. It has become an essential event.

The White House press are people who have reached what has traditionally been viewed as the pinnacle of American political journalism, waiting—and jostling—to ask the president a question no one can hear over the deafening hum of Marine One, only for him to yell about whatever the hell he wants and ignore attempts at a follow-up question. Sometimes, Trump will spot someone he considers an enemy of the state and jab a finger in their direction while saying the magic words: “You’re Fake News!” On television, it appears as if the president is up against a pack of faceless jackals, baying at him for a quote. If it’s become essential, it’s also become something of a farce.


More: https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a2...ers-helicopter/

This is a fairly long article. FWIT, I found my smile growing the more I read.