Why Whatley’s campaign shut the door on reporters

On the calculation behind shutting out unfriendly media, and why it can backfire.

When I was communications director for Dan Forest’s campaign for governor, one of the recurring parts of the job was figuring out what a reporter was really looking for.

Sometimes it was just about getting a quick straightforward story on the event. But sometimes, especially with the capitol press corps, it was more likely to be something else — a reaction to the controversy of the day or the chance to see whether the candidate would say something awkward.

That is why I am more sympathetic than most to Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley’s campaign after it barred Bryan Anderson of The Assembly from a campaign event this week. I generally do not think this is a good strategy, but I understand the calculation.

Anderson had RSVP’d to cover an event touting Whatley’s endorsement from the Police Benevolent Association. But he had also made a bunch of hay recently about Whatley’s awkward Hurricanes moment and the questions surrounding how Whatley describes his North Carolina upbr…