No-questions policy draws ire of media
It was made clear in a press release issued Monday that no questions would be allowed at any of the public events Fox attended Tuesday and Wednesday as he discussed educational, cultural and economic exchanges, along with the touchy subject of immigration reform.
During a speech to a special session of the Utah Legislature Wednesday, Fox touted moves toward democracy in Mexico, including a liberation of the media.
"We have achieved freedom of the press in Mexico," Fox said. "I would be glad to read you some of the things they write about us in the Mexican newspapers."
However, a tight rein was kept on the media here during Fox's visit. The president called off meetings with newspaper editorial boards and canceled a news conference.
He did briefly talk with a few reporters who managed to catch him on the move. But he declined to talk immigration with a Deseret Morning News reporter Tuesday night as he shook hands with hundreds of Mexican-Americans after a speech in West Valley City.
And before the Mexican president took his seat at Rico's Market for breakfast Wednesday, a representative of Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr.'s office and a representative of Fox's office both reminded reporters of the no-questions policy. Reporters were told that if they posed questions, they'd be asked to leave.
The official word on the canceled news conference was scheduling issues.
However, political analysts suspected it had something to do with message control as the Mexican president walked a fine line on immigration.
Before the visit, Armando Solorzano, a native of Mexico and professor of family and consumer studies at the University of Utah, expressed little surprise that the president planned to say nothing about immigration.
That's because Mexican politicians traditionally like to control their message, he said.
Kirk Jowers, director of the U.'s Hinckley Institute of Politics, suggested immigration could be too hot an issue for Fox to avoid altogether, but at the same time, "the devil is in the details."
Jowers said answering detailed questions about his call for comprehensive immigration reform and his criticism of Congress' proposal for a border fence may be "something he cannot afford to do."
E-mail: dbulkeley@desnews.com
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