and i have both benefited from being in the first row with our organizations, was started in 1982. and it was something that the administration asked the media to do because they didn't want to be seen as playing favorites. they didn't want to be rewarding -- or being seen as rewarding certain public blaati with better seats and therefore better access. you want to make sure there's a level playing field. >> now we argue amongst ourselves about it. >> the duties switched to the white house correspondents association. you know, i think the issue here is you can debate the value of the daily briefing. but it's not as if -- it doesn't seem as if they're going to replace the daily briefing with something else. what we've seen from this transition is this is an operation that's very hard to get even basic information out of. so i think the problem with access is always that you never get more. once you dial back the measuring stick, you don't gain afterwards. >> i know that many administrations, democratic and republicans, sometimes bemoan the utility of the briefing.