The Press: A Warning, Mr. President

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As senior White House correspondent, U.P.'s Merriman ("Thank you, Mr. President") Smith knows as much about presidential press relations as any man in Washington. This week Correspondent Smith gave the "new President of the United States" the benefit of his experience, and issued a "friendly warning" to him to watch his step. "You may grow to hate us as some of your predecessors did," writes Smith in the current This Week. "You may try to use us as whipping boys and punching bags. If things don't go your way, you may attempt to destroy public confidence in us ... It can be a pleasant relationship or it can be worse than a nightmare . . .

"Unless the new President is a consummate actor with an iron hide, he won't find the spotlight particularly pleasant. If he attempts to curb coverage . . . he'll find himself quickly and widely denounced as a sinister threat to freedom of the press. On the other hand, if he surrenders completely to the insatiable desires of the press . . . he'll find little time to run the Government ...

"Generally speaking, a President begins his stay in the White House with 'a good press.' Everybody likes to slap the winner on the back ... At this point, the President and his family will be so happy about being elected that they will have few objections to close coverage. This happy state of affairs will be subject to change about the time the inauguration bunting comes down . . . Most Presidents, if they stay in the White House long enough, become convinced that they are being persecuted by the press."

To avoid that feeling and to avoid actually being persecuted, Smith suggests seven "don'ts for our new President: 1) Don't be careless with your secrets, 2) Don't discount all criticism, 3) Don't bridle, publicly, about being followed, 4) Don't lie to reporters, 5) Don't drink or swear in public, 6) Don't be patronizing to reporters or photographers, 7) Don't lose your temper in public."