2009: Tommy Christopher’s Year In Review

I didn’t get a question in that first day (I did after the briefing), but I did the next time. It was the first in a series of questions in which I asked Robert Gibbs about something I had seen on TV, and to which he replied that he hadn’t seen it. Since I was still too scared to ask a follow-up, I pretty much wasted those first few questions. The silver lining was that I was getting so many questions in at all, a usually rare feat for a freelance blogger. I’m pretty sure I know why, and I’m also going to keep it to myself. This is a business, remember?

It was also about this time that I finally got to meet Ed Morrissey in person, at CPAC. I had always been half-convinced that Ed was pulling my leg when he said he was a fan of my writing, but the visit cemented what has become a great friendship. For the first time ever, here is video of that historic first meeting:

CPAC also marked the start of my friendship with John Ziegler, who is probably one of the most misunderstood conservative figures around.

In fact, I made a lot of friends there. Covering CPAC was an eye-opener for me. I  met a lot of conservative heavy-hitters there, and not one of them tried to shoot/perform an exorcism/teach me banjo. It was another lesson in ignoring assumptions.

Another highlight of this year was the start of my friendship with Meghan McCain. I was very impressed with her reaction to attacks from the right after she spoke out against Ann Coulter-style conservatism. She read one of my stories, and we began a long correspondence on Twitter. I think we share a desire for people on either side of the political spectrum to start treating each other like human beings.

I tried my best to be low-key in the briefing room, letting relationships form organically. Looking back now, the people to whom I have gravitated, and vice-versa, are those who have a deeper connection to the job, who really care about the news. Some White House reporters have a sort of glib, detached view of the job, like a doctor who doesn’t want to bring his day home with him. It’s a fine approach, but lousy for conversation.

Guys like Bill Press, David Corn, and CNS’ Fred Lucas will show up early to a briefing, and shoot the breeze about the stories of the day, what’s happening on the blogs, and their connectedness shows in their work. Fred and I often compare notes about which seat feels good that day, as we’re both squatters.

That connectedness also applies to my two other closest colleagues in the press corps, Jake Tapper and Major Garrett. Forming those friendships required me to let go of assumptions I had made about both of them.

As a liberal blogger, I was wary of them both, and equally certain that neither would give me the time of day. Tapper had been singled out by Rush Limbaugh as his favorite White House reporter, and Garrett worked for the dreaded Fox News. But as I became more familiar with the mission of a White House reporter, I came to realize that these guys really got it.

I had seen Tapper to say “hi” to, but the first real interaction we had was a civil, but spirited, argument about a story he had written. I was really impressed with his willingness to engage an opposing viewpoint, and even to consider its merit. Considering the schedule he keeps, I was also impressed with the time he took. Since then, he has been a valuable sounding board and confidante, and dammit, I’ll say it, a mentor. He was also one of the few who offered encouragement during my weeks in the wilderness following my dismissal from Politics Daily.

To those who resent his tough questioning of the Obama administration, I’d say to imagine what the Bush years might have looked like had Tapper been in the White house then.

>>>NEXT: Meeting Major Garrett and Michael Jackson’s death…

This is an opinion piece. The views expressed in this article are those of just the author.