Posted on 09/09/2009 7:12:39 AM PDT by rightwingintelligentsia
Tommy Christopher is a columnist and White House/media reporter for Mediaite.com, proprietor of DailyDose.us and Asylum's resident gonzo journalist.
As with any endeavor, covering White House press briefings comes with its own set of specific challenges, pitfalls and fauxs pas. In the event that any of you ever find yourselves working in the Brady Briefing Room, I feel it is my duty to enumerate some of these.
Recently I was, again, frustrated in my attempt to track down the president's poker preferences, but I did manage to commit two such gaffes. Rather than hang my head in shame, I prefer to use this, as the Prez would say, as "a teachable moment." Read on, to learn from five mistakes made by the pros in the White House press corps.
First, here's my recent double-play:
(VIDEO)
1. The "Pit Check"
Look, my hand was already up, it was a hot day, and I just wanted to be sure. The good news is that my Axe Bullet did the job. The bad news: My maneuver was caught on camera.
The lesson here: Always be conscious of the cameras. There are lots of them, just waiting for you to scratch or sniff the wrong thing.
2. Mute Your Frakkin' Phone!
This is particularly embarrassing for me, because a few months ago, there was a cell-phone-plagued briefing, and I was a total prick about it. Gibbs actually confiscated one reporter's phone (John Gizzi's), but you won't believe what CBS News's Bill Plante did later in that same briefing:
(VIDEO)
(Excerpt) Read more at asylum.com ...
What the HELL is a “gonzo” journalist??? I thought there was only one, Hunter Thompson (?) and he died from alcoholism or something.
Right....maybe “gonzo” means Druggie.
LOL! Could be.
The proximate cause of Mr Thompson's demise was self-induced lead poisoning.
LOL! He committed Suicide?? Maybe “gonzo” means Suicidal.
His doctor said that his liver was in good shape!
What is the point of this post?
Comic relief.
WH press briefings serve no other purpose, since no one actually asks serious questions.
Click HERE for signs of hope, as Chip Reid and Helen Thomas (!) take Gibbs to the woodshed.
So careful with your cigarettes, folks, it's liable to ignite!
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