Inside the White House Press Corps: Chip Reid

In part 2, Chip Reid explains why he’s not on Twitter, talks about Robert Gibbs’ attitude, takes on media bias, and channels Helen Thomas.

Transcript:

TO WHAT DEGREE DO YOU THINK THE MEDIA INFLUENCES THE QUESTIONS THAT ARE ASKED HERE?

Not a tremendous amount. Certainly they bring up topics that are the buzz in Washington, and it’s going to be hard not to ask those questions. But one of the interesting things about Robert is–and you may recall, Dana Millbank wrote a piece a while back in the Washington Post bascially accusing Robert of being combative, condescending and smug–I don’t think he used the word smug, but he did with me when he described the article he was going to write.

But since that day, Robert has stepped back a bit. I don’t know if it’s because of that. There may have been other reasons. But I have sensed a lessening of Robert’s combative attitude. I’m not saying he doesn’t give more information. It’s like pulling teeth. But he doesn’t try to one-up you and make you feel like he’s smarter than you are. Sometimes you feel like that when he says “Well, you just asked a question that contradicted that.” I don’t have a position. How I feel about the issue is irrelevant. I’m just asking what I think the American people want answered, and they may sound contradictory, but it doesn’t matter. I may be asking one question liberals want answered and another conservatives want answered. My personal opinions are irrelevant. I want to ask questions that people out there are burning to ask themselves, more than anything else.

DID YOU THINK HE WAS OVEREXPOSED?

Obama or Rob? haha You know, I don’t know. I didn’t really have an opinion on it. I just wanted their opinion. Certainly there’s an argument to be made that if you hear him talking constantly; not enough, in my opinion, on press conferences and places people are asking him questions. But if he’s going to be giving this many statements, to a point where the words are becoming kind of buzz in the background, I think there’s an argument to be made he’s overexposed. But on the other hand, you have people saying Obama didn’t explain health care enough. Does that mean they want him out there?

I don’t know. I don’t know if he’s overexposed, but I think it’s a very legitimate question. There’s no such thing in being overexposed in putting himself in a position where we can ask him tough questions, but there is if he’s just going to be making statements.

DO YOU THINK THERE’S ANYTHING TO THE IDEA OF MEDIA BIAS?

I don’t. There’s a perception of media bias because if whoever’s in the White House is not answering our questions, then we’re going to hold their feet to the fire and be combative. People are may interpret that as bias.

YOU RECALL, A LOT OF REPORTERS FROM THE BUSH YEARS SAID THEY WEREN’T TOUGH ENOUGH ON BUSH.

In the beginning, yes, I think that’s true. I didn’t cover Bush, but I do remember a period where there wasn’t any doubt people were afraid to be tough on Bush because it was so soon after 9/11.

There was a period where there was a soft approach, but it was hard not to because some people thought it generally looked unpatriotic to be beating up a president so soon after 9/11. They came around; it took a while. It’s hard for me to judge because I wasn’t there, but it’s a tough position to be in, to beat up someone after such a horror as 9/11.

I’M EMBARRASSED TO SAY THIS, BUT I DON’T EVEN KNOW IF YOU’RE ON TWITTER?

I am not. I’m old fashioned guy. I love talking to the audience that I talk to on the evening news. I also do a lot of blogging and a lot of speaking to groups. I don’t charge anything; you can’t do that. But I certainly reach out to a lot of people.

One thing about Twitter and CBS is that from the White House, Mark Knoller dominates Twitter. For me to compete with him would be…well, Mark KNoller has been covering the White House since, I believe, Abraham Lincoln. That’s not nice to say, since he’s about my age. But he has been here a long time, and he knows the history and is an incredibly valuable presence on Twitter. I commend him for it.

IF YOU HAD ONE QUESTION OF ANYONE LIVING OR DEAD, WHAT WOULD IT BE AND WHY?

It would probably be Duane Allman. “Why did you ride that motorcycle into that truck?” No, that’s a flippant question, but I miss his music.

It would certainly be Abraham Lincoln, and it would be “Any regrets about what you did with the Civil War?” I’m a Civil War and Abraham Lincoln nut. I’m not sure if there would be one question in particular, but it would basically be to ask Abraham Lincoln if there would be anything he would second-guess during the Civil War.

HELEN THOMAS GAVE ALMOST THE EXACT SAME ANSWER.

Helen and I are bonded. We’re like the odd couple in the front row.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE NEW APPLE IPAD?

I kind of like it. I haven’t really looked into it enough. People say it’s big and bulky, but for traveling on planes and trains and while you’re driving–just kidding! I like the immense versatility of it.

ANY THOUGHTS ON THE NAME?

There certainly have been a lot of jokes; some good ones in fact.

I THINK WHEN YOU SAID BIG AND BULKY, THAT TOOK CARE OF IT

WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE GUILTY PLEASURE TV SHOW?

My wife is a nut about American Idol. I resist it every year, and I’m sitting on the sofa reading and she’s watching American Idol, and every year, I get sucked in. My father is a music teacher, and I’ve sung in choirs my whole life, until I got into this business at 33 years old. I’m really into the human voice, so once they get to the really good people at the end, I really get into it.

HAVE YOU EVER DIALED IN TO VOTE?

No, my wife does that. And my other guilty pleasure is Jeopardy. I have to do that every night.

DO YOU TAUNT THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU WHO DON’T KNOW THE ANSWERS?

No, it’s just me and my wife. If we could go on that show together, we would kick butt.

Next: Bonus question – Star Trek or Star Wars? Chip’s surprising response.

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