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Tapper's Idea to Improve WH Briefings: 'They Could Start Providing Us with Information'

'That would be...new'

November 29, 2012

ABC News correspondent Jake Tapper has a simple idea for improving the White House press briefings: The White House could start providing information.

CHUCK TODD: Our day jobs--our job is to make Jay Carney uncomfortable. So, let's make him a little more uncomfortable. How does the White House press briefing, how does it become more informative to the American public?

TAPPER: I guess that they could start providing us with information. That would be a new--

TODD: That's always start number one. You know, the worst thing is that it's televised. And this is hard for two television reporters to say that; but, do you think we'd get more information if it wasn't televised?

TAPPER: I think so. And also, one of the interesting things is people think we're performing for the cameras. The truth is, I'm a lot more quiet on TV. I'm much more outgoing--

TODD: You're loud. We share very thin walls. You're actually kind of loud.

TAPPER: You have a baritone yourself, my friend. One of the things they could do is you know when they're trying to unveil some program we're not going to cover--like something having to do with education reform or trade that our bosses will never put on the air--

TODD: Never put on the air.

TAPPER: They bring somebody to the briefing to answer our questions--why don't they do that with Benghazi?

TODD: With Benghazi, with Afghanistan, with stuff we're covering.

TAPPER: With State Department, with CIA--why don't they do that?

TODD: Because we might actually be interested in their answers.

TAPPER: Right, they might actually have facts to share.