I often write in the library because, well – one feels just that much more “writerie” or Hemingway in a library for, well – reasons. Anyway, in my library there is this ass-kicking huge globe on the table right in front of where I tend to do my work. It is one of those old ones with gravitas that can be seen, and then felt. I went to look at it just now and verified that – yes, I live about as south as one can go without hitting Florida or Houston, and, yes – I live on the Gulf of Mexico. If I had written that very fact in a story about the administration’s name change to “Gulf of America” I would lose my White House access, at least for a period. That’s a bad thing because a White House reporter is nothing if that person can’t get into the White House. Turns out that “Gulf of America” is now entry-level stuff.
According to a back and forth in the press room between Kaitlan Collins and the unfortunately named Karoline Leavitt (The “K” had no effect on her life except to leave people assuming her parents couldn’t spell), we see how the White House now rolls and trolls, baby:
KAITLAN COLLINS: “Which White House official made the decision to bar the AP reporter from the Oval Office and the diplomatic reception room last night?”
KAROLINE LEAVITT: “First of all, let me just set the record straight. It is a privilege to cover this White House. It is a privilege to be the White House press secretary. And nobody has the right to go into the Oval Office and ask a president of the United States questions, that is an invitation that is given. We reserve the right to decide who gets to go into the Oval Office.”
As they say down south, “Oh, hush!” Yes, yes, it is a privilege to cover the White House (Any White House) and no – no one has the right to do so. And yet, if one is the Associated Press writer covering the beat, it is kind of assumed that he or she will be in the room. But not so this time according to Collins.
COLLINS: “But isn’t it retaliatory in nature, is the argument, because the reason that the AP was barred, which they said was because they are not using the phrase Gulf of America, they are using Gulf of Mexico in line with their standards. And so the question here is, is this setting a precedent where this White House will retaliate against reporters who don’t use the language you guys believe reporters should use and how does that align with the First Amendment commitment that you were just talking about?”
LEAVITT: “I was upfront on day one if we feel that there are lies being pushed by outlets in this room, we are going to hold those lies accountable, and it is a fact that the body of water off the coast of Louisiana is called the Gulf of America, and I am not sure why news outlets don’t want to call it that, but that is what it is. The secretary of interior has made that the official designation, and geographical identification name server, and Apple has recognized that, Google has recognized that.”
So what is the deal? I still currently live about a mile and a half from the Gulf of Mexico – I just checked the globe! And I’m still on this globe though, no promises going forward. Are they just in permanent troll mode now? You know, 51st State, Take over Greenland, Gulf of America – are they trying to bully the world? It sure seems so. I challenge her summation that Apple and Google have accepted the name change. The government can call it Lake Trump for all anyone cares (That would be kind of on-brand, it’s not a lake but if it were it would be Trump’s lake), it will still be the Gulf of Mexico on the globe at the library.
As for barring reporters from the Oval Office, that is actually a thing, a big thing. Reporters need that access. Thus all efforts to viciously retaliate against something the administration doesn’t like deeply impacts the kind of coverage the public gets. It would be only human for reporters to shy away from facts as known but hated by the administration. It is actually a much bigger deal than considered at first approach.
Meanwhile, it is dubious as to whether anyone wants to go vacation in Cancun (Other than Cruz) if it is on the Gulf of America. It doesn’t even sound as cool – does anyone envision fish tacos and green salsa when hearing “Gulf of America?” (No) and it also sounds soooo petty, as if bullying one’s way into a new name through the Interior Department proves that they are tough. No, just that their parents got the geography right but these kids are setting about on their own. Now, how about going to Chicago and going down lakeshore drive to see Lake Obama?
Talk about getting kicked out of the White House. Illinois might get kicked out of the union if it did such a change.
God Bless: I can be reached at [email protected] and on X at @JasonMiciak and now happily on Bluesky
I will alway say and always write, “Gulf of Mexico.” And if Trump’s brownshirts want to come after me, bring it.
Overheard: “The Gulf of America is the space between Donald Trump’s ears.”
That deserves a hundred thumbs up!
That’s so good! 🙂
How does the Interior Department get to choose the name of something outside our borders? Just asking for a friend.