The Shitty White House Press Room
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The current press room is a repurposed hallway that connects the White House residence to the executive offices in the West Wing. It is the reason you see presidents walking outside along the corridor so often. They either must walk outside along the corridor or navigate the filth and mess in the press room. Beneath the press room (it’s a hallway) is the swimming pool President Ford put in. President Carter had it covered with wooden joists. This room is two dogs under the porch away from being in a trailer park.
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It’s third world shit show sized. This press room, and the unqualified, and semi-literate Marxists who litter it, negatively affect the dignity of the office of the President – primarily visually to those watching the video anywhere in the world. But the space is also just wrong. The ceiling is too low, the stage is too small, the first row of seats are far too close to the podium. The seats are too small and narrow for the obese and lazy writers sitting in them. Visually, this negatively impacts any President’s message to voters or foreign governments.
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Having this press room between the President’s offices and his residence was a mistake. There isn’t enough physical or conceptual space between the President and the street trash being sent to shout at him and endlessly argue with him for the cameras by foreign-owned and controlled media corporations.
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Giving the press corp a dedicated space that and permanent credentials were also mistakes. Any room used for press briefings should be multipurpose “hoteling space” and only open to the press for the duration of any briefing. Any access passes for the press should be awarded for a press briefing event. Stop issuing press passes altogether. Issue one-time “event access privilege tickets”. Remove all sense of entitlement. Seating could be randomly assigned within sections by media type, and those sections could rotate over time.
The East Hall and East Pavilion
(rename them after President and Mrs. Trump later)
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Build a new multipurpose space against the East Wing parking lot, 15 feet below ground and 5 feet above ground for windows. A hall that is 75 feet by 150 feet would fit on the grounds. Camouflage it with landscaping. Connect it to the East Wing with a short colonnade that is open in the summer and enclosed for inclement weather. The colonnade would follow the East Wing entrance’s roundabout.
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The interior of the space could look a lot like the White House Visitor’s Center, just down the street. Open, empty space with high windows and excellent lighting. Formal, but modern and simple and plain walls and carpeting. The ceiling could be something more elaborate such as a complex, green or gray tin design.
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Consider a grand staircase, either short or long with red carpet. Two examples from Buckingham Palace are shown here. It would be largely below ground to leave the White House profile unchanged and would require a spectacular singular feature to overcome the fact you’re actually going underground. An overdone, very wide staircase could accomplish that. It also allows for a grand entrance from the President, the First Lady or Foreign leaders for the cameras.
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This space could be used for White House banquets, press briefings, meetings with Congressmen or Senators. Chairs for press briefings require some thought. They should look permanent but be temporary and allow for different configurations. The podium and lighting and cameras should be removable, just as they are for Rose Garden press briefings.
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The roof of the new hall would be a wrought iron gazebo pavilion using rich dark glass with four wide sections surrounding an open courtyard that would be a lawn. The pavilion’s doors could be removed during good weather and the lawn could be covered with a tent in inclement weather or for special events. The pavilion could be an excellent addition to the First Family’s living space and could replace the two or three cheap ass picnic areas on the grounds. Landscaping should make most of the pavilion unseen. The pavilion and lawn would also be terrific informal space for entertaining or holding large picnics or barbecues.