Why are US politicians so wary of British journalists?

By Michael Baggs (with Emily, Jon and Lewis)

Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall reflect on a week at the Democratic National Convention, and the hurdles they've faced trying to speak to politicians.

In brief...

• The News Agents admit they've been 'waved away' from US politicians when trying to speak to them at the DNC.
• They say there's a different relationship between politicians and the press in the US and the UK.
• Politicians are held in much higher regard in America, while British journalists can also be more forthright with their questions, which can lead to these differences.

What’s the story?

After a week at the Democratic National Conference (DNC), The News Agents have survived their time without any US politicians telling them to "fuck off" or "get their head examined".

That's what happened to Emily Maitlis in her previous US visits, when interviewing Republicans Marjorie Taylor-Greene and Kari Lake.

While they’ve avoided outright confrontation, Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall haven’t had it quite that bad at the DNC, but it’s still not been an easy ride speaking to some of the US politicians at the DNC, having been "looked at like we're filth", says Lewis, while others have just waved them away.

They say their Chicago visit has highlighted the difference in the relationship between politicians and journalists in the US and the US.

"There is a much more robust relationship between British journalists and British politicians than there is between American politicians and American media," says Jon.

"I think there are all sorts of reasons for that, but I think that there is an element in which the American media and particularly interviewers, are much more restrained than we are in Britain."

It's true. When Emily Maitlis met Marjorie Taylor-Greene in Florida in March 2024, it was probably the first time the hardcore Trump supporter had been asked directly about her conspiracy theory comments about "Jewish space lasers".

Emily also threw Kari Lake into a spin when she asked what would happen in November if Trump loses the election, leading the Republican senator to say she thought The News Agent "needs to get her head examined."

"In the UK you have journalists doorstepping people, going up to very senior politicians, getting in their face and saying, 'Well, what about this?' Or, why is the PM not doing this?' - and they don't complain about it," says Lewis.

"It pisses them off, I've no doubt, and they try to avoid you sometimes, but they don't complain about it. That's the culture."

The News Agents recently interviewed Nancy Pelosi, and recall her being "actively annoyed" when they tried to quiz her about having a role in Joe Biden's decision to step down as the Democratic nominee.

Joe Biden gives speech at the Democratic National Convention

Why are there differences between the UK and US?

Lewis says one key example of the differences is the fact that Kamala Harris hasn't done any interviews or press conferences since Biden first stepped aside, meaning she's faced almost no scrutiny from the press. He says this would be "unthinkable" in the UK.

Because of this, he adds, coverage of the Democrats' election campaign in US broadcast media has focused on "vibes" – because they've not had much else to work with.

He says there is more robust coverage in newspapers such as the New York Times and the Washington Post.

But that's not to say, they agree, the system is better in the UK.

"Within American political culture, there is less kind of hobnobbing and schmoozing between the two sides." Says Lewis.

"There isn't such a thing as the lobby as there is in British politics. There's a bit more of a kind of iron wall between politics and the media.

"In the US, you don't tend to get people who've worked in the media going into politics and vice versa, like you do in our country. So I'm not saying that our culture is perfect, but on this question around accountability, it seems to me that there is no comparison."

What’s The News Agents take?

"Part of it, I think, is because Americans tend to venerate their political institutions, and they're such a big part of their national political culture and consciousness in a way that Britain doesn't quite replicate," Lewis concludes.

"Our relationship is somewhat different. The president in particular gets huge deference, partly because they're not just the head of government, but they're the head of state.

“And obviously we don't have that."

Listen in full on The News Agents.

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