Mississippi Politician Denies Access to Female Reporter So as Not to ‘Insinuate’ an Affair

Where does Mike Pence come in?

More recently, the practice has been referred to as “the Mike Pence rule.”

A 2017 Washington Post profile drew attention to a statement he made in 2002 that he would not eat alone with any woman other than his wife, or attend an event where alcohol was served without her.

Where does public opinion stand?

While many have criticized the practice as sexist, the attitude behind it is common among Americans: A 2017 poll conducted by Morning Consult for The New York Times found that many men and women are wary of a range of one-on-one situations.

Around a quarter said that private work meetings with colleagues of the opposite sex are inappropriate, while nearly two-thirds believed that extra caution should be taken around members of the opposite sex at work, the poll found.

And a majority of women — and nearly half of men — said it was unacceptable to have dinner or drinks alone with someone of the opposite sex other than their spouse.

What’s next in Mississippi?

The Republican primary has drawn high interest from Mississippi readers, and political observers believe Mr. Foster could force a runoff vote, said R.L. Nave, the editor of Mississippi Today, a three-year-old nonprofit site that seeks to provide information on government and politics in the state.

Mr. Foster’s primary opponents are Bill Waller, a former State Supreme Court chief justice, and Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves, both of whom agreed to let another reporter for the site, who happens to be male, shadow them.

Mr. Nave said his organization decided to publish Ms. Campbell’s account of her interaction with the campaign in order to be transparent with readers. He still hopes that the Foster campaign will allow greater access.

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2019/07/10/us/robert-foster-female-reporter.html?emc=rss&partner=rss