WH voices concern over access to US press during Obama's visit

Expressing concern over access being given to the American press during Barack Obama's visit to India, the US today cautioned that not resolving those issue could have an impact on the coverage of the President's trip.
"I think that he (Prime Minister Narendra Modi) and his government understand that not successfully resolving some of the concerns that have been raised about press access could have an impact on the coverage of the president's trip," White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters.
"That's certainly something that we want to work hard to avoid, and I'm confident that our partners in India will want to avoid that too," he said.

He was responding to a question from the Los Angeles Times' reporter Christie Parsons, also president of the White House Correspondents Association, seeking access for the entire White House pool to all events related to the US President.
Obama would be in India from January 25 to January 27, during which he would be attending events in New Delhi including the Republic Day Parade on January 26 and a visit to the Taj Mahal in Agra the next day.
Neither Earnest nor reporter gave specific details of the press access issues, but it is understood that they are pushing for full access to all the events related to the US President.

The WHCA, which is celebrating its 100 years, represents correspondents who cover the US President on a daily basis.

There is a long established tradition of a pool of White House correspondents -- trailing the President round the clock, which is sent to all WHCA members.
Noting that the talks are still going on with Indian officials, Earnest hoped that it would be resolved during the trip.
Notably during the last India trip of the US President in November 2010, the then White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs had blocked the door from being closed by the Indian security officials and threatened to walk away with Obama from the venue as some of the White House press pool reporters were denied entry.

Earnest said press access is one conversation that the White House has with other governments leading up to presidential visits anytime the president goes anywhere.
"We want to make sure that you and your colleagues have the opportunity to get some access to the President and get a good sense about what the president's doing when he is representing the United States of America on foreign soil," he said.