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Robert Gibbs Rescues White House Press Corps on Foreign Trip…Again

by Tommy Christopher | 9:51 am, November 8th, 2010

» 12 comments

Some days, it might not seem like it, but White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs has proven, once again, that he has the White House press corps’ backs. When Indian security officials tried to restrict press access to an event yesterday, Gibbs not only threatened to pull President Obama from the event, he even offered to let them break his foot!

This isn’t the first time Gibbs has had to swoop in and intercede like this, either. While he’s getting major props from White House reporters, Gibbs was characteristically humble in comments to Mediaite.

The event in question was an extended bilateral meeting with Indian Prime Minister Singh, and when Indian officials tried to cut the number of White House pool reporters at the event from 8 down to 5, according to the pool report, “Katie Lillie and other U.S. officials lobbied hard for the eight, but no luck until Gibbbs announced loudly and persistantly on steps of Hyderabad House that he would pull POTUS of(f) bilat with PM Singh unless ‘the White House 8,’ as we’ve come to be known, were all allowed in.”

West Wing Report’s Paul Brandus reported on the incident early this morning via his indispensable Twitter feed:

At one point Gibbs, w/his foot literally in the door, threatened to yank #Obama from the event if reporters weren’t allowed in. 3:07am

Indian security tried to shut the door on Gibbs, who refused to budge and asked the Indians if they wanted to break his foot. They gave in 3:09am

After all that, of course, it turns out Gibbs risked his foot for a 60-second photo op, during which neither world leader uttered a syllable.

I asked Gibbs if he had any comment about the incident, and how his foot was feeling. His response: (via email)

We had an agreement to get a certain number of people in to the meeting. We simply stood up for that which is our job.

Thankfully they didn’t take me up on closing the door and breaking my foot.

Of course, this isn’t the first time Gibbs has gone all “Road House” on a foreign trip to make sure the White House press corps got access. Here’s a clip of Gibbs making just such an intercession last December in Copenhagen, threatening to pull the President from an event if US reporters weren’t allowed in.

barack obama, india, India Trip, New Delhi, Paul Brandus, President Obama, Robert Gibbs, West Wing Report, White House Press Corps

Seeing 2012 From My Window

Baghdad Bob, you reminded me of Dirty Harry there! NOT!
BatBoy

The press is pulling out all the stops to find something nice to say about this administration.

“Here he comes to save the day….Bagdad Bob is on his way!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdIev12fCPs for you sing a long types!
http://www.facebook.com/people/Jon-Martin/43100610 Jon Martin

It’s good to see him doing something non-partisan, that can’t be attacked. He was making sure the press could get in, everyone should agree that is a good thing.
The_Reasonable_Lib

Jon Martin said:
It’s good to see him doing something non-partisan, that can’t be attacked. He was making sure the press could get in, everyone should agree that is a good thing.

cue MichelleF and the rest of the right wing “Obama no can do right” clique.
BatBoy

The_Reasonable_Lib said:
“Obama no can do right”

I’d say your assessment fits Obama’s accomplishment to date.
Padfoot

Our press secretary kicks butts!!!..
LibertySister

I am not a fan of the president and his policy but “Way to go Gibbs..

Even us conservatives thinks he Rocks!

Hell lets just say “Rubio/Gibbs 2012″
valkyrie101

Fortunately Gibbs was only kidding since his level of authority would never allow him to make such a decision.
Padfoot

LibertySister said:
I am not a fan of the president and his policy but “Way to go Gibbs.. Even us conservatives thinks he Rocks! Hell lets just say “Rubio/Gibbs 2012″

why would you say that?
http://twitter.com/pewestlake Paul Westlake

The reactionaries are around to make sure we understand that nothing anyone in the Obama administration ever does will ever be treated with anything but pure contempt by them. If God, Himself, parted the heavens, descended from on-high and told reactionaries to accept their fellow humans as brothers, they would throw rocks at God…. until he smote them. ;-)
ertdfg

Well at least our guys got to ask questions as well; they didn’t block us from … oh, no questions were allowed, just pictures taken?

At least… um, we got another 3 camera angles covered on the photographs then; that was totally worth threatening to have the President skip the meeting.

Those pictures are significantly more important than anything else Obama could add to the meeting… right?
Nahu Tuk

BatBoy said:
….Bagdad Bob is on his way!

Maybe “Baghdad Boob” would be more appropriate.

Seriously though, I really do admire Glibbs’ ability to get up in front of the world day after dreary day and take the heat, condition the message, and outright lie for the emperor. He is aging fast, though, and I’ll bet he’ll soon be gone.