274 Days without press conference

[Guest]

President Bush averaged one every two months, I think. The press complained that he didn't have enough( because they liked to use them to badger him).

Double standard?
http://www.westernjournalism.com/?p=7380

[Guest]

President Bush averaged one every two months, I think. The press complained that he didn't have enough( because they liked to use them to badger him).

Double standard?
http://www.westernjournalism.com/?p=7380

This has bothered me for some time...this open and transparent administration.

I agree with the blogger you cited that it would be great if our leader were stress free and played golf everyday, but that is not real and I just find it hard to accept the reluctance to face the press.

I didnt know about all his golf and that does not bother me, but sure would love to see a press conference and instead of all the folks guessing at what he is thinking or may be doing, we can ask him !

[Guest]

When even The Washington Post gets upset over lack of respect for the press, you know there is a problem.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/13/AR2010041303067.html

Although Obama doesn't like press conferences, he does like giving speeches and one-on-one interviews where the conversation and topics are controlled. Deputy White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said it’s “all about message discipline.”

"Obama prefers interviews and has granted far more than Bush or Clinton in their first years in office. Between Jan. 20, 2009 and Jan. 20, 2010, Obama’s given 161 interviews, according to Kumar. Bush gave 50, Clinton 53.

“ 'President Obama has focused on interviews in a way that his predecessors did not,” Kumar said. “That's because as a professor, as a lawyer, he likes to put in all of the 'buts' and 'wherefores' and talk about something in-depth. He sees himself as an explainer. And the kind of format that is comfortable for him is one where he can speak at length.'

"Defending Obama against press gripes over the recent lack of a full-blown press conference, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs pointed to Obama’s interviews.

“ 'We have done countless number of interviews,' Gibbs said. 'More interviews in the first year than any president certainly in recent memory.'

"Earnest says Obama likes interviews because 'the conversation gives him an opportunity to communicate and explain and engage on or two topics.' The brief question and answer sessions, Earnest says, often seek to drive Obama off message or introduce topics outside of where the president wants to take his message"


http://whitehouse.blogs.foxnews.com/2010/02/05/no-obama-press-conference-since-july-brief-encounters-with-wh-beat-reporters-rare-too/

[Guest]

He does not want to be asked difficult questions. He pulls a hissy fit when things are not to his liking. When he can't answer a question, he will just filibuster.
On opening day someone asked him which players he liked on the Chicago White Sox. He did not know one single player so he "faked it" People are still talking about that one.
This guy can't think standing up. He needs everything scripted.

[Guest]

It is now up to 279 days and I offer this from POLITICO...


"Obama and the media actually have a surprisingly hostile relationship — as contentious on a day-to-day basis as any between press and president in the past decade, reporters who cover the White House say.
Reporters say the White House is thin-skinned, controlling, eager to go over their heads and stingy with even basic information. All White Houses try to control the message. But this White House has pledged to be more open than its predecessors, and reporters feel it doesn’t live up to that pledge in several key areas"

A few other tidbits from the article then I invite everyone to read and see what this administration in 16 months has done and is doing...


"— The ferocity of pushback is intense. A routine press query can draw a string of vitriolic e-mails. A negative story can draw a profane high-decibel phone call or worse. Some reporters feel like they’ve been frozen out after crossing the White House."

This one quote from the article seems to sum up what I think is happening at this WH....nobody cares about the country...they care about Obama...

“They seem to want to close the book on the highly secretive years of the Bush administration. However, in their relationship with the press, I think they’re doing what they think succeeded in helping Obama get elected,” said The New Yorker’s George Packer."

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0410/36454.html

I am not sure how folks can support this kind of action by any WH. Why wont he have press conferences and answer questions ? Over the years each President has a style in dealing with the media but I cannot recall any administration, especially in a short 16 months, that has established such a track record.

[Guest]

Chairman Osama sounds like a spoiled brat, huh?

[Guest]

We are now up to 288 days and I suppose the game plan is to make so much time go by, the press will forget some of the things being done !

[Guest]

Who cares? A president is elected to be the president of the USA, not a suckup to the media. Let the media whine...from mainstream to Fox to MSNBC, I don't give a whit about their lamentations. They produce nothing for our country or our economy and are increasingly nervous about their future. Network news ratings continue to decline, Newsweek is for sale., etc.
They thrive on and try to create controversy. Not having a press conference is a non-story. How often did Washington or Lincoln hold them?
Give me a break!

[Guest]

making prepared speeches, in controlled environments is all Obama does and that IS NOT communicating.

btk

[Guest]

Who cares? A president is elected to be the president of the USA, not a suckup to the media. Let the media whine...from mainstream to Fox to MSNBC, I don't give a whit about their lamentations. They produce nothing for our country or our economy and are increasingly nervous about their future. Network news ratings continue to decline, Newsweek is for sale., etc.
They thrive on and try to create controversy. Not having a press conference is a non-story. How often did Washington or Lincoln hold them?
Give me a break!

Yes, your right of course. Why should the Anointed One be under the same scrutiny as his predecessors?
Are you for real?????:shrug:

[Guest]

Chairman Osama sounds like a spoiled brat, huh?

I am outraged, OUTRAGED, that Tony allows these sorts of personal smears on this message board. If I said this about a member...well, you get the point.

[Guest]

He does not want to be asked difficult questions. He pulls a hissy fit when things are not to his liking. When he can't answer a question, he will just filibuster.
On opening day someone asked him which players he liked on the Chicago White Sox. He did not know one single player so he "faked it" People are still talking about that one.
This guy can't think standing up. He needs everything scripted.

Personal attacks are to be avoided, according to Tony the moderator. If I accused Donna2 of having a hissy fit and and "faking it" wouldn;t you find t offensive?

[Guest]

Really? No other politician emphasizes controlled speaking situations and prepared texts? Tell me about the open-forums held by our local congresswoman? None. Tell me how she did not manipulate the filing deadline and lied to her own party so that she could hand-pick the GOP candidate for her spot in Congress? They're politicians! Get over it. They do what it takes to get elected and re-elected and anoint their successors. The American people elected this guy overwhelmingly; they get to revisit their choice in less than three years. Let's see what happens. In the meantime, he's the president and the media have no say in the deal. They are the media engaging in self-aggrandizing and trying to suck you into their agenda. The h--- with them!

[Guest]

Yes, your right of course. Why should the Anointed One be under the same scrutiny as his predecessors?
Are you for real?????:shrug:

Personal attacks Tony, once again.

[Guest]

Personal attacks Tony, once again.

:a20: I did not know that Obama is a member of this:wave: forum.

[Guest]

Lets see...an elected official who leads a public life and asks for your votes and a person who expresses individual opinions on a forum on the internet....

of course there is no difference !

[Guest]

ptownrob--- How are Donna2's remarks personal attacks? Is Obama on this forum? I wish he was, maybe he would learn something.

[Guest]

ptownrob--- How are Donna2's remarks personal attacks? Is Obama on this forum? I wish he was, maybe he would learn something.

:coolsmiley: You go girl. LOL

[Guest]

Who cares? A president is elected to be the president of the USA, not a suckup to the media. Let the media whine...from mainstream to Fox to MSNBC, I don't give a whit about their lamentations. They produce nothing for our country or our economy and are increasingly nervous about their future. Network news ratings continue to decline, Newsweek is for sale., etc.
They thrive on and try to create controversy. Not having a press conference is a non-story. How often did Washington or Lincoln hold them?
Give me a break!

Have you forgotten that this is THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA where all presidents have press conferences.

[Guest]

suggesting "...the American people elected this guy 'overwhelmingly'..."

Not true. He won by a couple of percentage points. Yes a win is a win even if by one point....but PLEASE...."overwhelmingly".

Hence the ONLY true re-statement would be.....he won the election(that time).

His loss in the next election will be by significantly more than a 2 % margin....and he has earned that based on promises not kept.

btk

[Guest]

suggesting "...the American people elected this guy 'overwhelmingly'..."

Not true. He won by a couple of percentage points. Yes a win is a win even if by one point....but PLEASE...."overwhelmingly".

Hence the ONLY true re-statement would be.....he won the election(that time).

His loss in the next election will be by significantly more than a 2 % margin....and he has earned that based on promises not kept.

btk

Thank- you for bringing that up. I had to chuckle when I read that.

[Guest]

"Defending Obama against press gripes over the recent lack of a full-blown press conference, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs pointed to Obama’s interviews.

The brief question and answer sessions, Earnest says, often seek to drive Obama off message or introduce topics outside of where the president wants to take his message"

A press conference might "introduce topics outside of where Obama wants to take his message".

Exactly! Isn't it important that a President speak on all topics, not just those in his "comfort zone"?

[Guest]

You would think Obama would be bowing down, like he does to all our enemies, to the media. The media got him elected.

[Guest]

Obama would very much like to have press conferences every day, but his managers are afraid of what he would say so they will not let him.

Obama when speaking adlib always speaks from the heart. His sincere responses go like this: "Yes it is time to level the playing field, we need to share the wealth and stop the private sector from doing what it wants to do".

When on his own he speaks about sincere belief in and his love for socialism.

That is why his comments are all scripted ahead of time and he does not answer questions unless they are pre-planned and the answers rehearsed.

[Guest]

Well said Cashman. His handlers are petrified of unscripted questions. When told his buddy got arrested in Massachusetts, he quickly said that the police acted "stupidly". And of course his impromptu statement to Joe the Plumber about "spreading the wealth".

[Guest]

You guys are going to have a field day with this one. But in the interest of letting the truth out...

I found this on a website for "The American presidency Project" at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/news_conferences.php

It defaults to 2009 but shows something that one can't help but notice.

You see a huge list of foreign news conferences. Ones that are listed simply as "The President's News Conference" (and don't have something after it explaining the wher or 'with whom' that seem to go with the foreign ones) number a total of 5 (just noticed one was listed as being in Pittsburgh), possibly 6 as one is listed with the Iraqi President but doesn't say where. Overall he missed the entire month of May 2009. There's plenty of other interesting stuff there.

However, for 2010, I see 4 news conferences listed. Looking at the transcripts for the 4/13/10 entry, I see plenty of questions asked. In fact, for all the news conferences (2/9, 3/30, 4/8 & 4/13) I looked at the transcripts and see that questions were asked.

So what's with the escalating count of days without a news conference?

[Guest]

You guys are going to have a field day with this one. But in the interest of letting the truth out...

I found this on a website for "The American presidency Project" at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/news_conferences.php

It defaults to 2009 but shows something that one can't help but notice.

You see a huge list of foreign news conferences. Ones that are listed simply as "The President's News Conference" (and don't have something after it explaining the wher or 'with whom' that seem to go with the foreign ones) number a total of 5 (just noticed one was listed as being in Pittsburgh), possibly 6 as one is listed with the Iraqi President but doesn't say where. Overall he missed the entire month of May 2009. There's plenty of other interesting stuff there.

However, for 2010, I see 4 news conferences listed. Looking at the transcripts for the 4/13/10 entry, I see plenty of questions asked. In fact, for all the news conferences (2/9, 3/30, 4/8 & 4/13) I looked at the transcripts and see that questions were asked.

So what's with the escalating count of days without a news conference?

I cant speak for anyone else, but for me.....the "press conferences" you cite were pretty specific event driven conferences or with visiting heads of state.

My problem is not having the traditional press conference which is open to ANY subject and nothing is off limits.

This President controls what he speaks about....I read, albeit briefly, the conferences you cite and found them to be pretty specific in subject matter !

I might add that it is not simply on this forum where it is noticed nor are his remarks (snide) as they may be about the press and HIS interpetation of what is right and wrong and WHO is right and wrong. The most recent I have read...

Obama Works the Refs

http://reason.com/blog/2010/05/10/obama-works-the-refs

I will be last one to defend the press, but I still believe in my heart he is controlling everything and continues to be totally condescending to anyone who does not agree with HIM

[Guest]

Just to keep up with the latest on this front...


"Will Barack Obama go an entire year without holding a formal news conference? He's getting close: The president's last full-scale session with the press was on July 22, 2009, which was 307 days ago.

When Obama last held a big news conference, there had not yet been terrorist attacks at Fort Hood, Detroit, and Times Square. Scott Brown was an unknown Massachusetts state senator. There was no national health care bill, much less national health care law. Tiger Woods appeared to be a model family man.

A lot can happen in 307 days, which is far longer than George W. Bush or Bill Clinton ever went between news conferences.

In its defense, the White House says Obama answers a lot of questions from reporters, just not in the traditional news-conference setting. In fact, the president does a lot of one-on-one interviews, frequently with sympathetic reporters. But even in terms of brief question-and-answer sessions with the White House press corps, he has still done fewer than Bush or Clinton."

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/Fawning-press-now-gets-cold-shoulder-from-Obama-94783304.html


Now I realize that those of you who routinely forgive and make excuses for this President, this is a non issue. I see this as a HUGE issue since this President more than any other campaigned on, promised, etc the transparency, etc. I will give him this...he said he would be different...I suppose this is the one area where he will keep that promise and ignor the public. We know that in all other areas where he promised that he has lied and is more hard core politics than any other President.

We shall see when he faces the press...does not sound very close !


Of course perhaps my expectations are too high for the press also...

"Obama crimes? The national press sleeps"

"Then why won't the White House say who spoke to Rep. Sestak and what was discussed? Here is why: Offering a federal job in exchange for a political favor is a federal crime"

http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Obama+crimes%3F+The+national +press+sleeps&articleId=64fbacfc-3458-4ffd-902e-87aebe07bc96

Now I am not accusing anyone of anything but the silence of the WH, maybe call it evading, is suspicious, and if you didnt know it, this is NOT THE FIRST time they have been accused of this kind of thing as pointed out in the article.

[Guest]

AND NOW....

Gibbs, the press secy calls reporters into a room yesterday and admonishs them for asking too many questions about the oil spill !!!

http://www.breitbart.tv/reporter-reveals-gibbs-privately-scolded-press-for-asking-too-many-bp-questions/

To borrow from a thread begun by VK....."Does this bother you at all" ?

[Guest]

Gee, what about the April 13, 2010 press conference?

Is there something wrong with the following transcript:

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=87760

[Guest]

Gee, what about the April 13, 2010 press conference?

Is there something wrong with the following transcript:

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=87760

Again, a very closed and specific q and a session. If you check the OFFICAL PRESIDENTIAL SCHEDULE for that day it was as follows:

"The President will then hold a press conference at the Washington Convention Center. This event is open to Nuclear Security Summit-credentialed press."


The questions were purposely narrow, AND I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THAT....that is par for the course for these type of activities.

I know that you are an intelligent guy and you KNOW what I am talking about, yet you continue to defend this President....I suppose I should compliment your loyalty to him but you KNOW what type of news conference I am referring to and always try to sluff it off with these nuances (and that may not be the correct word) but you know what I mean !

[Guest]

Gibbs will no doubt have coached the press on what to ask and the ones to not do follow ups on....I am kidding....I think!?
I usually do not watch Obama speeches, but I will DVR this one to speed past the posturing, blaming and campaigning.

btk

[Guest]

It is not Obama that I'm loyal to. It is the opposition to double-standards that I'm loyal to.

I do not think Obama has the cure for everything that ails us - not by a LONG shot. It was another case of voting for 'the lesser of two evils'.

My personal opinion is that we need a valid third party that takes most of the centrist positions from both parties without the moonbat fringes of both. IMO, they'd win in a landslide.

[Guest]

It is not Obama that I'm loyal to. It is the opposition to double-standards that I'm loyal to.

I do not think Obama has the cure for everything that ails us - not by a LONG shot. It was another case of voting for 'the lesser of two evils'.

My personal opinion is that we need a valid third party that takes most of the centrist positions from both parties without the moonbat fringes of both. IMO, they'd win in a landslide.

I want to tread a bit lightly with my response to you on this.

I was NOT EVEN CLOSE to a McCain supporter...NOT AT ALL, and I do understand the mentality of the lesser of two evils, HOWEVER, I spent quite a bit of time investigating our current President and despite how badly McCain may have done, he (Obama) is much worse in my opinion !!!! MUCH

Now, did not see the press conference, but I still will wait for the REAL press conference in prime time where folks can ask whatever they want about anything they want.

I read the transcript of todays conference, and I think there were a total of 11 questions asked, 8 of which were regarding BP. Each of the other 3 (1 on Afghan, 1 on the troops sent to the border, and 1 on Sestak) were dismissed quickly by him (especially Sestak) and when the veered away from BP the conference was over.

If I have misstated any of this, please correct me.

[Guest]

Our President has shown time and time again that he has difficulty "thinking on his feet". He is a lot like Hillary Clinton in this regard; primarily only appearing at scripted events with his prompter in tow.
People liked to point to imperfect responses to questions that our former President gave, but the thing is he took hundreds of off-the-cuff questions and answered them like the confident leader that he was.

[Guest]

Our President has shown time and time again that he has difficulty "thinking on his feet". He is a lot like Hillary Clinton in this regard; primarily only appearing at scripted events with his prompter in tow.
People liked to point to imperfect responses to questions that our former President gave, but the thing is he took hundreds of off-the-cuff questions and answered them like the confident leader that he was.

I must agree with you. I enjoyed the last few minutes of his conference. After saying he was running the show and NOT BP he was asked about
Liz Birnbaum and the MMS. He professed he didn't know if she quit or was fired. Yea he's running the show.

[Guest]

I must agree with you. I enjoyed the last few minutes of his conference. After saying he was running the show and NOT BP he was asked about
Liz Birnbaum and the MMS. He professed he didn't know if she quit or was fired. Yea he's running the show.

Good catch of the President contradicting himself when he speaks without script.
You know, as BP seems to be finally getting a handle on it's problem, despite the inaction of the Obama Regime, there will soon be a "press conference" where Obama claims "he's" solved the crisis.