Posted on 11/15/2012 6:56:38 AM PST by Clint N. Suhks
Presidential news conferences aren't what they used to be.
Barack Obama's 52-minute encounter with the White House press corps Wednesday was less of an illuminating give-and-take and more of a television promotion in which the president demonstrated his ability to avoid answering questions and at the same time showed a fresh sense of confidence and command spawned by his re-election victory last week.
Six of the 10 reporters whom Obama called on were from television networks with relatively big audiences: CNN, Telemundo, NBC, CBS, ABC, and Fox. Two were from large wire services, Associated Press and Reuters. Two were from newspapers, the Chicago Tribune/Los Angeles Times and the New York Times.
The president was able to easily slip and slide away from questions he didn't want to address, such as what happened in the deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya.
I've covered nearly all of these news conferences over the past quarter-century. And in the not so distant past, presidents seemed to feel more of an obligation to explain themselves and the media seemed more willing to press the presidents when they were elusive. But there is no one in the current press corps with the aggressive, bulldog style of a Sam Donaldson or a Helen Thomas. Both of them are long gone from the beat, and they are missed.
In addition, the press corps has fewer cards to play. The public doesn't side with the mainstream media the way it used to. Instead, Americans dislike and distrust the media and don't think the reporters represent them and their interests. As a result, a president feels little or no reluctance to stiff reporters or dodge their questions.
(Excerpt) Read more at usnews.com ...
Kinda sums it all up.
Not exactly correct. This style was only used when the POTUS was not a Democrat.
(Please, do not post anymore photo's of Helen Thomas.)
From now on all press conferences will be held in the White House “Wiggle Room”.
As dying dead-tree media careens towards a formal request for a government bailout, the fawning and arse-kissing is only going to continue to get worse.
At least Lewinski worked in private..not with a national tv audience.
At least Lewinski worked in private..not with a national tv audience.
Michelle Malkin said this morning, of the female reporter who told Obama that she had never seen him lose, that she put the “sick” in sycophant.
It’s not my fault. It’s Bush’s fault. Nobody told me and I WON so you have to do what I say. That’s all he’s said for the last 4 years and all he’ll say for the next 4. Now, leave me alone while I hang out with the stars and look cool. OTOH, it got him elected for a second term so apparently it works.
All that’s missing are the fishnets and stripper heels.
This wasn’t a “press conference”
This was their ‘dear leader’ giving his ministry of propaganda their marching orders.
The latter is the result of the former, not the other way around, as the author implies.
” “Thank you, Mr President, and Congratulations. I’ve never seen you lose.” Christie Parsons, Chicago Tribune White House correspondent.”
Pretty sure Christie had an orgasm right there on national TV.
Where does Chris Matthews find those in his size?
Old Christie was flirting with him and sticking it in the Republicans eye. Childish. The media think they are the kingmakers. How many people in inner-city Philadelphia read the New York Times? The media is patting themselves on the back for electing Obama when they are in fact....irrelevant.
White House press corps = Lewinski’s
That was baraq’s first presser in 8 months.
Now that he has won, but that will be the last one.
He doesn’t need them anymore.
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