Is Obama Afraid Of The White House Press Corps?

video

by Glynnis MacNicol | 8:52 am, February 15th, 2010

» 26 comments

Apparently, the surprise daytime visit President Obama paid to the White House briefing room last week was not nearly enough to quell complaints that by not giving a full presser to the White House press corps. Obama is trying to do an end run around the 4th Estate.

Howie Kurtz, whose column last week about the President’s seven month presser dry spell may have motivated his appearance on Tuesday, redressed the matter on Reliable Sources Sunday (because when there’s even the smallest chance you can take credit for the President’s behavior, who can blame you for exploiting it). The President may be doing a lot of interviews says Kurtz, but are they the equivalent of what he would face one on one in the briefing room? Says the San Francisco Chronicle’s Debra Saunders: “Clearly, they’re shielding him. Clearly, they’re afraid of getting the kind of questions that Lynn [Sweet] might ask, and they’re trying to cherry-pick where the interviews come from.”

KURTZ: Well, Debra Saunders, White House officials tell me that the president has been interviewed just in recent weeks by Diane Sawyer, by Katie Couric, by George Stephanopoulos. He’s taking questions on YouTube, average people sending in their videotapes. And they contend that these kinds of questions are just as tough as those you get from the White House Press Corps.

SAUNDERS: Writing for the “San Francisco Chronicle,” there are a lot of national media people who will come in, and they’ll get interviews with Governor Schwarzenegger, Meg Whitman, who’s a Republican candidate for governor, and they like to give those interviews with the national people. They don’t like to give interviews with the locals, because we’re going to really put their feet to the fire on local issues. The White House is playing the same game in a different way. They don’t want to have the press conferences, they want to cherry-pick who they talk to, what they talk about. So they’re picking people for those one-on-one interviews. They don’t want to mix it up anymore.

The obvious and immediaite problem with this argument is that Obama has arguably done more press than any president in history. So, either the White House is the most calculating media savvy organization on the planet, or, the White House press corps. are a group of self-important spoiled brats. It’s probably a bit of both, though I’m leaning more to the former than the latter. Also, Saunders’ entire argument is predicated on the fact that the press corp. asks the sort of hard questions that no one else does, and get answers, which I’m not sure is necessarily true. Though, since the President hasn’t had a full presser in seven months it’s hard to know for sure. One thing is for sure. Now that Robert Gibbs is on Twitter (and I’m not yet convinced this was the best decision the White House ever made) the administration just has one more way to reach around the press corps. Video of the Reliable Sources segment below.

howie kurtz, lynn sweet, President Obama, Reliable Source, Robert Gibbs, White House Press Corps

Azarkhan

“Is Obama Afraid of the White Press Corps?” Duhhh, yes! It’s the one place he can’t use a teleprompter.
The Real Royal King

Azarkhan, that’s an old canard that ought to be dropped. The President frequently used a teleprompter, as have all of his recent predecessors, but he hardly uses it all the time. Get some new material.
Azarkhan

Real Royal A-
One point for using “canard” (a very nice word), but since it means “1 a : a false or unfounded report or story”, and you yourself admit he uses a teleprompter, a one point deduction. So you’re still at zero.

BTW, in more important news:
“Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh will not seek re-election this year, an unexpected decision that comes on top of other high-profile Democratic retirements.

The two-term senator is known as a moderate Democrat. His retirement gives Republicans yet another opportunity to pick up a seat in a year when several incumbent Democrats are considered vulnerable and some have already decided to jump ship.”

I’m surprised-I thought Bayh had a good shot at reelection.
The Real Royal King

Bayh would have been easily re-elected, and any other Democrat would have a tough slog. Bayh has a great deal of integrity. I think he just got tired of being in the cross-hairs. I also think he will likely end up with a cabinet position.
roxsteady

The White House Press Corp is useless. They’ve done an awful job of reporting facts. This President uses more of the new media and it’s ticking off these clowns. IWhile they’re writing stories about the White House Social Secretary and
Azarkhan

I agree. I saw him interviewed on Fox, maybe by Greta van Susteren, and he did come across as a man with integrity.
roxsteady

And other nonsense, they’ve allowed complete distortion of his policies. Besides, it works for Palin!
roxsteady

By the way, Bayh is a dud! He’s also a conservadem and we’re hoping to get rid of more of them. I suspect it’s his wife’s job at Wellpoint which is the parent company of Blue Cross and Blue Shield. You know, the crooks trying to raise rates in California by 39%? Good riddance!
SteveMG

Good post and a topic that Mediaite in particular can talk about.

It is strange that the President is very good at these and still appears to be reluctant now to have them. Why now?

It seems that message control is the key factor and they don’t want to – right now – divert from the economy. Even though the President says that he got off message by now talking about jobs, et cetera.

Very strange contradiction going on.
Azarkhan

Be careful what you wish for, Roxsy. Bayh’s retirement puts those fascist Republicans one step closer to taking control of the Senate in Nov 2010.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Bill-Adkins/1585417987 Bill Adkins

“Is Obama Afraid Of The White House Press Corps?”

Why would/should he be afraid of the press corps? He certainly displayed an ability to handle questions when he appeared at the Republican conference. Besides, the question is totally hypothetical – why don’t you ask a real one, like “Are the Republicans in Congress Afraid of President Obama?” After all – they’re the ones who are threatening to skip an upcoming Summit with the president.
SteveMG

Well, this explains the reasoning. From the Washington Post today -

‘White House officials are retooling the administration’s communications strategy to produce faster responses to political adversaries, a more disciplined focus on President Obama’s call for “change” in Washington and an increasingly selective use of the president’s time.’

And David Axelrod said that “it’s easy to lose the forest for the trees — there was some of that, yes.”

The rest of the story is online but I’m not sure if Mediaite wants us linking to other media sites.
ImNotBlue

Azarkhan says:
February 15, 2010 at 11:15 am

I’m surprised-I thought Bayh had a good shot at reelection.

According to Bayh… so did he. However, in an article linked to by Drudge, he seems to suggest that Congress is too partisan, and that’s why he wants to leave. In other words, it seems he’s not an Obama-fanatic… and doesn’t like getting bullied by some of the farther left of his party. An interesting development.

roxsteady says:
February 15, 2010 at 11:34 am

The White House Press Corp is useless. They’ve done an awful job of reporting facts. This President uses more of the new media and it’s ticking off these clowns.

Well… I’m not sure what “new media” the President is using, outside of his own website. But your point is well taken about the influence of new media, and the frustration of the old media in the press corps.

Bill Adkins says:
February 15, 2010 at 12:04 pm

You’re really only got a one track mind, don’t you?
http://www.facebook.com/people/Bill-Adkins/1585417987 Bill Adkins

ImNotBlue says:
February 15, 2010 at 12:50 pm

Bill Adkins says:
February 15, 2010 at 12:04 pm

You’re really only got a one track mind, don’t you?”

As opposed to what, that jumped the tracks trainwreck you’re using? The question I asked is a fair one, the one posed by the headline a fabrication. Do try to keep up in your dimbulb fashion.
TfT

I doubt Obama is afraid of the press corps(e). They never really challenge him and they repeat his talking points day in and day out. He does his one-on-one interviews because he knows when HE is in their presence, they get all gushy. Just look at Katie Couric as a prime example – “you are so confident, blah, blah blah”.

Donald Trump calls for the Nobel committee to pull AlGores nobel prize, given that the latest news points to a complete and total fraud by the IPCC. Is the media reporting on it yet? Or are they still letting the UK press lead the way?
homie

There’s fourth estate? When did that happen?
timzank

TfT…The English journos are the only ones covering the climate change “meltdown (pun intended)…American press is still chasing Palin around in circles..

Priorities…
http://www.facebook.com/people/Bill-Adkins/1585417987 Bill Adkins

Perhaps we have found something upon which to agree – Palin is not news, she’s a bad sitcom.
parakeeta

Afraid? Of the cowardly media? I Think NOT!
shootfromthehip

Haha. Old journalists smarting over the fact that Obama is smart and realizes a question from a regular American on You Tube is just as tough and probably resonates more with a greater number of real Americans than a question from you (I’m looking at you, dinosaur Debra).
ImNotBlue

Bill Adkins says:
February 15, 2010 at 1:11 pm

Yeah… Bill that’s it.

Perhaps the point is that you can’t help yourself when it comes to attacking people with whom you disagree. It doesn’t matter the topic of the thread, it doesn’t matter what everyone is talking about… all you’ve got is “attack Republicans,” and that’s all you do. You comment was irrelevant to the thread, but it’s all you know how to do.

Forgive me, but I find you inability to stay on topic, or to do much more than bark at those who disagree with you, no matter the situation… very sad.
The Real Royal King

When did Trump become news?
http://www.facebook.com/people/Bill-Adkins/1585417987 Bill Adkins

No, Blue, what you don’t like is I don’t give you the echo you seek, perhaps another joke about a teleprompter. You don’t respond to what I’ve said, it’s you who attack those who put forth premises with which you disagree. I don’t forgive you, you’re not worth the effort. My comment directly addressed the thread’s topic – that you don’t get it is well demonstrated. .
The Real Royal King

Your point is well taken, Bill.
ImNotBlue

Bill Adkins says:
February 15, 2010 at 3:33 pm

Billy… baby… this has nothing to do with the topic thread:

Are the Republicans in Congress Afraid of President Obama?” After all – they’re the ones who are threatening to skip an upcoming Summit with the president.

It’s an attempt to divert to a more “friendly” topic for you to talk about. I get it… really I do! You don’t know the issues well enough to talk about them, nor are you able to defend certain things. You’re always on offense, always on the attack… ready to hit a Republican or FNC, never able to speak intelligently beyond an attack. I get it!

So no… you were not on topic. No, I’m not looking for an echo… just some fairness and maturity. I know that’s a lot to ask, from you, but I’ll just keep trying.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Bill-Adkins/1585417987 Bill Adkins

Blue, honey – taking your methods from Bill O’Reilly? Cherry picking only parts of a post? How dishonest of you. Let’s break it down for you: “Why would/should he be afraid of the press corps? He certainly displayed an ability to handle questions when he appeared at the Republican conference. Besides, the question is totally hypothetical – why don’t you ask a real one, like “Are the Republicans in Congress Afraid of President Obama?” After all – they’re the ones who are threatening to skip an upcoming Summit with the president.”

I not only answered the question posed, and pointed out why the answer is ‘no,’ but I provided evidence of just why he isn’t afraid nor should he be afraid. I know what bothers you, though – my answer showed thawt the only ones afraid of the tough questions are the Republicans.

So, you’re just not being honest – I know it’s a lot to ask from you, just some candor and facts, but I’ll just keep trying.