Tony Snow: dangerously incompetent?

posted at 4:34 pm on May 12, 2006 by Allahpundit

Tough call for Olbermann re: tonight’s Countdown. Does he lead with a teary tribute to Qwest, the greatest American heroes since Stephen Colbert? Or does he bump it to make room for this dispatch from serious journalist Dana Milbank? It’s got everything Olby could want: the White House, administrative snafus, and a former Fox reporter in the eye of the storm.

And bratty reporters. Lots of bratty reporters.

After some 60 reporters crammed into Snow’s office, which had room for less than half that number, Cox News’s Ken Herman asked why he decided to move the gaggle from the White House briefing room. “I thought it was a little more informal,” Snow said meekly. “I didn’t realize it would be so highly attended.”

Kelly O’Donnell of NBC News was steamed. “This was 9 a.m., then pushed back to 9:30, then I walk in at 9:20 and it’s already well under way,” she protested.

“It’s my fault,” Snow confessed. “It had to do with the vagaries of the schedule today and I apologize.”

The complaints continued to pour fourth.[sic]… “There’s a lot of us out here in the hallway and we can’t hear any of this conversation!” called out the Associated Press’s Jennifer Loven.

The thought of Jennifer Loven being inconvenienced fills me with an indescribable sorrow. A sorrow I call “glee.”

Anyway, Snow went on to defer some questions he didn’t know the answers to and Milbank adds some perfunctory hand-wringing over the fact that Chris Wallace — OF FOX NEWS — dropped by to see Tony after the gaggle, so it’s just a big disaster. No clever “Snow job” pun, though, so the lefties are likely to leave it alone.

Here’s Loven’s report. She notes that Snow’s first televised briefing has been moved back to Tuesday … the morning after Bush’s immigration speech. Sleep well, Tony.

Update: The bratty blow-by-blow from Spruiell:

QUESTION: I’d like — this was 9:00 a.m., then it was pushed back to 9:30 a.m., and then I walk in at 9:20 a.m., and it’s already well underway.

QUESTION: Do not do that again.

QUESTION: This isn’t good.

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Who cares?

None of them have a real job anyway.

clyde on May 12, 2006 at 4:58 PM

LOL. How inconvenient for the press. I hope they didn’t get their wittle toes stepped on.

bopbottle on May 12, 2006 at 5:03 PM

So, the first thing he does is assemble the WH gaggle on home turf (his office– not the press room), packs ‘em in like cattle, makes it so many couldn’t hear what was going on, all the while apologizing profusely for his “error.”

Then he has a nice quiet with Chris Wallace afterward.

Heh.

I had a boss like that once. Sonofabitch got anything he wanted.

a4g on May 12, 2006 at 5:09 PM

“There were small hints that fueled worries that Snow would be partial to his friends at Fox News and other conservative outlets. On his desk was a note card from somebody at the Washington Times encouraging him to ‘break a leg.’ A photographer for the Detroit News was given access to the off-camera gaggle.”

Oh. My. GOD.

Alex K on May 12, 2006 at 5:16 PM

At least David Gregory didn’t get all unhinged on Tony’s first day.

It really is difficult to take these people seriously (the press corp I mean).

skwired on May 12, 2006 at 6:31 PM

So some of the press were a bit inconvenienced and were left out in the hallway? Who the hell cares? I hope the press gals got their panties in a wad and the press guys got their nuts in a knot…especially Helen Thomas and David Gregory, respectively.

You can’t snow Snow.

doingwhatican on May 12, 2006 at 6:33 PM

What this tell me is that Tony will call the shots..not the spoiled Kelly O’Donnel or that troll Helen Thomas or even smarmy David what’s his name. Tony did good…called it the way he sees it and showed them he appears to be TRYING to do things in an amiable manner. The ball is in their court…let’s see what they do with it. Tony, just don’t try putting lipstick on this pig…it will still be a pig.

Sandys Beach on May 12, 2006 at 6:55 PM

These people have an overexaggerated sense of self-importance.

I’m surprised their egos could fit in such cramped quarters.

JammieWearingFool on May 12, 2006 at 7:40 PM

I’m sure Snow will maintain control of that gaggle of professional voyeurs and whiners. Frankly, who gives a rat’s backside what those dolts in the press corps think or want? They need to stop trying to make themselves the news and try reporting it for a change.

rplat on May 12, 2006 at 7:42 PM

I think he planned it this way. Just to get a response.

shooter on May 12, 2006 at 8:14 PM

Those prima dodos think they’re exempt from any rational and/or civil behavior. When in the presence of Gentleman Tony the dodes are completely flummmoxed.

BeeCharmer on May 12, 2006 at 8:58 PM

I think he should remove all the chairs from the pressroom. Make them stand.

wallyqc on May 12, 2006 at 10:26 PM

Let us not misunderestimate Tony Snow.

mikeyboss on May 13, 2006 at 12:21 AM

Well, that was a short honeymoon. Something tells me if Paula Zahn was beginning a stint as Hillary’s press secretary, the MSM would have been more forgiving.

right as rain man on May 13, 2006 at 10:53 AM

…as I said on another response page, the news is about THEM. I do not understand how we elevated these half wits to this position of importance. Who give a rats patoot how uncomfortable and cramped these whinny creature are? Just report the stinkin’ news and go get a life. I had the
shear enjoyment of listening to Wolf Blitzer gasping some such nonsense this morning about how humbled he is…this is his 18th year in the “profession” and he just cant believe it…blah, blah, blah. Who cares? Report the news…and then let me turn the TV to another channel for some entertainment. Jeeeez!!!!

Sandys Beach on May 13, 2006 at 5:02 PM

I’d like to do a phone traffic pattern analysis on those reporters. Ratio of calls with Democrats to Republicans, Number of layers between reporters and democrats, Al Queda, illegal immigrant sympathizers, Hollywood leftoids, and Soros like sympathizers. I suspect phone traffic patterns financial transaction patterns, and geographic travel patterns would be quite revealing. No wonder they are going ballistic about any surveillance methods that might involve them.

I think Tony should start each press conference with the Pledge of Allegiance and a prayer led by the Congressional Chaplain. A national TV camera should be panning thier faces closely. He could even invite all of them who would care to attend to pre-press conference devotionals focusing on themes such as unity of the country, A Nation Under God, Favorite Scriptures of the Patriots of the United States, etc.

Since press conferences have become one of the most means of transmitting information from the Executive office to the american people, the privelege should be taken seriously. I have heard that journalism majors have a high rate of self-reported cheating. Perhaps a mandatory orientation for the press corps that includes American history, the way it REALLY DID happen, not as taught in liberal journalism schools; a refresher course in American Government and International relations; and a competency exam to pass orientation. I think these would be reasonable requirements for the privilege and awesome responsibility of relaying news from the office of the President of the United States.

This sounds very reasonable to me, and if nothing else, watching their reaction would provide several weeks of entertainment for us to talk about on the blogosphere.

CountryDoc on May 14, 2006 at 12:53 AM

Can she start by banning Helen Thomas?

Defector01 on May 14, 2006 at 12:08 PM

Tony is the best thing to happen in this administration in the second term. There could not have been a better choice – cool, classy, and smart. Dems must just hate all that great stuff the Republicans have and they can only dream of.
BJB

bjb on May 15, 2006 at 11:02 AM

Continuing in Countrydoc’s and wallyqc’s theme..
1.Install a metal detector outside Tony’s office with TSA guards and dogs. Make them remove shoes each time they enter.
2. Invite 60 reporters – and make sure there are never more than 10 chairs in the hallway outside.
3. Use a PA system or bullhorn.
4. Turn the AC or heat off or way down/up to ‘conserve on oil’
5. Make every meeting a set duration, and when time’s up, have an alarm bell sound and have security start escorting people out.
6. Make it a habit to take ‘one last question’ 5 seconds before the alarm sounds, so a reporter always gets cut off with “I’m sorry, that’s all the time we have.”
7. Change the alarm time by a few seconds every day.
8. Place a doormat with Clinton’s and Gore’s picture on it in front of Tony’s office.
9. Make sure Rush Limbaugh, Laura Ingraham, or Hannity is playing on the radio during every meeting.
10. Put a great big photo of the President smiling with Tony on the door as the first thing the reporters see.
11. Put the press meeting on the radio and ban TV coverage of it.

They will quit in droves.

BemusedMalkinite on May 15, 2006 at 2:48 PM