Press Conferences: No. 898

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Weekending at his ranch in Texas, President Johnson called a press conference on an issue of moment. Viet Nam? Selma? Space? All in good time. What Johnson wanted most to talk about, it seemed, was his dealings with the press, which in recent months have been both infrequent and invidious (TIME, March 5).

Stung by newsmen's charges of secretiveness and favoritism, the President declared: "I regard my own responsibility in this field as making available to all of you all of the information that I can, consistent with the national interest, on as fair and equitable a basis as possible. How and where I do that is a decision that I reserve for myself and I shall continue to reserve for myself." Meanwhile, said Johnson, he would 1) see reporters "at many different times in many different ways," and 2) try to hold at least one monthly press conference with "ample advance notice, coverage by all media, full dress—even white tie if you choose."

Having settled the future, Johnson set the press straight on his record. "Today," he intoned, "marks the 39th on-the-record press conference that I have held, along with 18 off-the-record, for a total of 57. 1 have had 18 press conferences with adequate advance notice, 16 covered by radio and television. Eight of these were live television, in addition to three live television joint sessions [of Congress] in the little over the year I have been President."

Inexorably, Johnson proceeded to tick off virtually every time that he had ever seen a newsman since he entered the White House. The countdown: nine rambles with reporters around the

White House grounds; 173 conferences aboard Air Force One; two pooled interviews when he was hospitalized with a cold in January; one convalescent session in his White House bedroom; 374 meetings with reporters who requested appointments; 64 talks with Washington news-bureau chiefs; nine informal encounters at barbecues, speeches and public functions; eight other occasions when he chanced to meet the press; and 200 telephone calls. About all that Johnson omitted was the number of "Hi, y'alls" to favorite reporters and the "One more, Mr. President" smiles for photographers.

Concluding the confrontation—No. 898 by his count—the President allowed for good measure: "I will continue seeing the press, at different times, different places and different ways—at my own choosing." Which, save for the statistics, left the score almost exactly where it was.