Robin GivhanVerified account

But you weren’t here as a reporter... you were here as a guest, an attendee, and leading woman defined — one whose definition we now know, but will never claim as our own....

Ummmmm y’all do know that BET posted a video of the convo on their website, right? So let’s stop acting like this was a private chat in your living room. https://www.bet.com/video/leadingwomendefined/2018/michelle-obama-shares-insights-at-leading-women-defined-2018.html …

The link is online. Clips of the talk and reactions from attendees. The whole thing was filmed so not quite off the record.

...and Valerie Jarrett confirmed on her feed that the discussion will air sometime in the future. So is it truly off record?

Air with Mrs. Obama’s consent and ability to make sure that her comments are being presented in the right light & with the right context. Which is why she entrusted BET w/that responsibility. There were no “credentialed” press folks in the room. It was a violation of trust.

If that’s difficult to understand, fine. But our Forever 1st Lady deserved better. I’m out.

You were in a space where everyone else realized it was a circle that wasn't meant to be broken. There were many other journalists in that room and somehow everyone else knew that. Plus you were a guest of the conference. So yes, trip cut short indeed.

The sponsor was a media company and no one knew to make it explicitly clear that it was off-the-record? It’s weird to see so many black woman that I admire on my Twitter act like Mitt Romney caught talking about the poor at a fundraiser dinner. It smacks of elitism.

Thankyou! This is what has made me so uncomfortable with the whole thing. It reeks of elitism. Ugh.

I mean...as if FLOTUS was gonna spill her guts in a “sacred space” filled with journalists, bloggers and influencers? I don’t get it.

still trying to figure out what “Black girl code” is

There were multiple journalists, writers, and prolific live tweeters in the room who *all* knew it was off-the-record-and who all managed not to do what you did. The rules were clear. Mostly, as someone who looked up to you, this is deeply sad.

Hi Brittany, I’m seeking to clarify the root of the discrepancy here. After having read Ms. Givhan’s piece and tweets, it seems she was under the impression everything was on the record and she was there in her capacity as a journalist to moderate a panel. Incorrect?

Yes, incorrect. We were told it was off the record-and if we weren’t, you can bet your bottom dollar you would have seen a barrage of live-tweets, blogs and articles come out from the many writers and fans in the room. You didn’t, and that should tell you something.

Thank you. Understood. From what she wrote, including the mention of the hashtag and the further mention about her being there to serve as moderator of the conversation, it leads to some confusion as to the cause of the backlash.

I get the confusion. It’s a multi-day conference. The hashtag is years old and we’ve used it for everything else. Her panel was today and on fashion, having nothing to do w FLOTUS, who’s not even here anymore. These are the facts she left out.

That further clarifies things. Thank you! I was just wondering why Ms. Givhan was under the impression that it was on the record and everyone else (seemingly), was under a different one.

Let me clarify: BET did not make Mrs.Obama's talk off-the-record. I went into the talk as a journalist.