»» Columnists

Yeah, Why Was NY Post the Only Outlet to Report ‘White Coat-gate?”

by Tommy Christopher | 10:31 am, October 7th, 2009

» 8 comments

obama1--300x300 Ed Morrissey at Hot Air wonders why the New York Post was the only major media organization to report this about President Obama’s Rose Garden speech to a group of physicians on Monday (what the Post calls White House’s Botched ‘op’):

The physicians, all invited guests, were told to bring their white lab coats to make sure that TV cameras captured the image.

But some docs apparently forgot, failing to meet the White House dress code by showing up in business suits or dresses.

So the White House rustled up white coats for them and handed them to the suited physicians who had taken seats in the sun-splashed lawn area.

Ed is essentially correct that no-one else reported this, although Fox News did characterize the assembled docs as being “costumed” in white lab coats. So, why the blackout on “White Coat-gate?”

The short answer? Because it’s not news.

The photo of a White House staffer handing out white lab coats is the kind of thing that a partisan blogger might drool over, but as a news story, it doesn’t really make the grade. Absent this report, would people have assumed that the assembled doctors were suited up to perform examinations on the President? The fact that the coats were for visual effect is obvious. The fact that the White House had a few extras on hand shows smart preparation.

To the extent that this is stagecraft, news outlets would be just as obliged to report that the President didn’t just wander out of the Oval Office and happen upon a podium to speak at, but that the whole thing was staged!

The point of this story, and of Fox’s jab, was to make the whole thing seem artificial. The problem is, these really were doctors who really do support health care reform. The coats weren’t “costumes,” and the photo op was not, as Ed says, a “masquerade.”

Now, if the White House had clothed 150 ordinary dipshits as fighter pilots, that would have been a story.

Ed Morrisey, Hot Air, NY Post, Tommy Christopher, White Coat Gate, White House

http://www.facebook.com/people/Chris-Jones/1384303476 Chris Jones

Yeah, they were loyal, donating, democrat doctors who support Obamacare. The vast majority of doctors and the American people as a whole reject it. The costumes don’t do a thing to change that.

Red State has the details on the donating doctors:

http://www.redstate.com/brianfaughnan/2009/10/06/loyal-democrats-endorse-obamacare/
jrog83

“The fact that the White House had a few extras on hand…” This would indicate that having white lab coats is normal procedure for the White House. Is there a hospital in the West Wing that I don’t know about?

I think the reason that you are wrong, Tommy, is that maybe the White House shouldn’t be participating in PR stunts. The Bush administration has been roiled, and perhaps rightly so, for “selling” the Iraq war. It is what Scott McClellan (and others) call the “permanent campaign” and it indicates more of the same old tired and typical Washington politics from President Obama. Not, as he promised, change.
sweasel

Right. How long did we have to put up with Fake-Turkey-Gate? George Bush picks up a display turkey and the bottom falls out of journalism.

Somebody had to go out and buy a bunch of lab coats ahead of time, you realize. Just to be sure Dear Leader got the photo op he needed. Tacky, tacky, tacky.
PatrickGr

It may not have been a separate news story, but surely anyone who has a modicum of experience as a real reporter would understand that if the white coats were either shown or mentioned in the story at all (and President Obama made reference to them) then the fact that many of the coats were handed out by the White House was a relevant aspect that should have been mentioned.
Karol

I have very good doctors and none of them – not one – wear white coats. That was the silliest op-ed I have ever witnessed. I would bet that my female cardiologist would scoff at the thought. She has a collection of beautiful suits, which is perfect for her. My neurologist wears T-shirts (all be it, nice ones) and sandals. My back pain specialist wears jeans and a nice dress shirt.

I have never seen any of them, including my primary physician (female), in a white coat.

The White House needs a more aware PR department.

Sweasel is correct: tacky, tacky, tacky.
rmbltmbl

I agree it is not an important story but it is important to note, so thanks for doing so. It’s just pretty silly they did it, anyone can buy a shirt that says security on it.. what the hell is the point of that? Is the WH thinking I can’t grasp what those ‘invited’ doctors think unless they are dressed up like one?
ingenieux

@Karol – that is a hefty collection of specialists you have there. Most Americans can’t get afford to see a primary, let alone 3 specialists on a regular basis to know their wardrobe as well as you do. Actually, having a regular neurologist is pretty special all on its own. You say he “wears” T-shirts, which indicates you’ve been to him more than once and maybe even more than twice. Brain trauma would explain you’re interesting expertise in regular outfits worn in by various medical professionals. Munchhausen? Sanatorium resident?
ingenieux

@rmbltmbl “Is the WH thinking I can’t grasp what those ‘invited’ doctors think unless they are dressed up like one?”

Evidently, you can’t grasp it even when they *are* wearing white coats.