Video: Obama meets White House press corps, gets annoyed
posted at 9:15 pm on January 22, 2009 by Allahpundit
“Annoyed” is a relative term when it comes to Cool Hand Luke but the irritation was palpable enough to squeeze a story out of Politico. What, pray tell, did they do to irk the un-irkable? Why, the one thing that could be counted on to get a rise out of him throughout his interminable campaign: They asked him a question.
Skip ahead to 3:20 and note the repeated “friendly” shoulder-patting. I had to laugh when he looked the guy dead in the eye and said, “That’s all I was trying to do, all right?”
Blowback
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Most. Open. Administration. Evah.
/sarc
Y-not on January 23, 2009 at 12:29 PM
It’s about time we had the press stand up to the Democrats–starting with Obama and going through Congress–and ask the tough, hard questions!
INC on January 23, 2009 at 12:40 PM
“I just wanna say hello to everybody, in er um the press, not here to answer questions, er um – see what happens when I come down to say, er hello, thank you, and er um just wanted to meet everybody and say thank you for getting me elected, er um…”
Meanwhile, the press is having multiple orgasms…
Wonderful.
RedbonePro on January 23, 2009 at 1:01 PM
of course
the messia is pissed off
how DARE you pee-ons how dare you
ASK a question of the messia
Dont you know he knows all
Dont you know he is the compassionate one (as long as yoru a liberal or an islamic terrorists)
How dare you ask a question
now bow down to obama and say the obama pledge..
jcila on January 23, 2009 at 1:03 PM
So let’s get this straight…you don’t think that the President is beholding to the public.
You think the President totally dictates what he wants to say to the public. And we have no right to ask him any question he does not want to answer.
…He was elected President, not Dictator…I know how confused you liberals get about this.
You say for me to change the law, you are under the assumption that there is a law that states he doesn’t have to answer any questions, or that he does not work for the public.
You are not real sharp on the concept of a Republic, and representation are you…
You got the fevah!!!
right2bright on January 23, 2009 at 1:08 PM
All in all a pretty shabby display. I hope Obama does more of these flesh the press events. I can’t think of a more effective way of showing what a disreputable, sycophantic lot they are. Like children hovering around their teacher.
It seems the only reason he was there was to cover for Gibbs’ performance, which, of course, he NOT proud of. Wonder if Gibbs will last.
As for Obama hating to be questioned, of course he hates questions. I thought what irked him the most was that the press stooge didn’t follow directions more than the substance of the question.
He still doesn’t seem to realize how they live and breathe for him.
Boy, when the press honeymoon ends, it’ll be fun to watch…
EMD on January 23, 2009 at 1:11 PM
It how you play the game jackass
Kini on January 23, 2009 at 1:19 PM
roberts gibbs is holding the white house news conference….what a loser. this guy says, “umm, uhh, ummm, and uhh….” more than his highness. i hear an enormous amount of “i’m not going to get into that, i’m not going to talk about that”. a bunch of amateurs trying to pretend they are old hats. what an embarrassment. chuck todd is a kiss ass. another, “i’m not going to get into these matters” so much transparency, it is BLINDING!!
sandlin71 on January 23, 2009 at 1:38 PM
he is basically saying nothing. he doesn’t have a clue what he’s talking about!! this administration is so snotty. they talk down their noses to everybody they speak to. Thank you Obama for gracing us with your graciousness.
*runs to bathroom to puke*
Hold on to your nickers….it’s going to be a bumpy ride. i’ll bet the world is going to be very impressed with this bunch.
so much for restoring our image around the world.
Somebody wake me up from this nightmare!!
sandlin71 on January 23, 2009 at 1:43 PM
Barry Whosane annoyed by the fawning press corps? What will he do when we’re nuked during his 6th month in Ecstasy? No press conference then.
Christine on January 23, 2009 at 1:55 PM
Is it really true that this Twinkie has a 70% approval rating?
Christine on January 23, 2009 at 2:10 PM
I guess I dislike the Press more than Obama.
My understanding was that this was just a “meet and greet,” and the ground rules were no questions. But of course, some jerk in the press wants to ask a question anyway.
It’s not like this was a press conference, and he said, “I’m not going to answer your question.”
asc85 on January 23, 2009 at 3:02 PM
The IRS Audit for that reporter begins in, 3…2…1…
Obama will get the hang of it soon, instead of addressing the media members personally, he’ll take care of things the old fashion (Clintonian) way.
HopenChange is alive and well, woot!
Geministorm on January 23, 2009 at 3:55 PM
Oh, come on. Let Obama’s flunkies cover his ass for him. When a President says “no questions” to a bunch of reporters, it means “Look, fellas…I don’t have my teleprompter, OK?.”
ddrintn on January 23, 2009 at 8:28 PM
Obama did answer all sorts of questions during his “visit” to the press room…he only got agitated when he was faced with a substantive question. As they say in Court, he opened the door.
coldwarrior on January 23, 2009 at 8:55 PM
I agree. Watch the whole video for context. This seems harmless to me. Obama was trying to greet the press in an informal way. It was not a press conference by any means but someone attempted to trigger a policy discussion in a context that was totally inappropriate for it and Obama called him on it. This was meant to be a fast, informal meet and greet. Criticism will be deserved if Obama and the press continue to have these off policy, off record “friendly” encounters. (“I can’t end up visiting you guys..” wtf? ) But this one gets a pass from me, given the fact that he just entered the White House and will be spending a lot of time with these people, as all presidents do. Meet and greet.
However, I too am more frustrated with the bias in the press reporting itself than I am with Obama. This election year the MSM seemed more left leaning than I remember in any previous presidential election. So the question should be – How can we achieve neutrality of position in the press coverage?
Exactly. Now it could be regarded as a friendly way to make Obama feel good about his accomplishments, first black president, and he just arrived. And so I could forgive it – this time. But it’s not the sort of thing that should be happening. The press should not be trying to appeal to Obama’s ego any more than they would appeal to that of President Bush. They shouldn’t be appealing to anyone’s Ego at all. They’re the Press. Let others pat him on the back.
At any given moment, the president, any president, left or right, has the power to do some ridiculously insane things. We need an objective press. And I’m not convinced that we have one.
tartan on January 23, 2009 at 9:32 PM
+1
tartan on January 23, 2009 at 9:40 PM
And I am convinced that we do not. We are going to have to return to the time in our history when publications were up front about the political group they support. It is better than this sham of neutrality that clearly exists only in the eyes of a biased press.
Cindy Munford on January 23, 2009 at 9:42 PM
We need an objective press, and I’m convinced there hasn’t been on in a long, long time…if ever. The MSM (with some notable exceptions here and there) are going to be anti-conservative, pro-liberal. Those are just the ground rules we have to deal with and take for granted. The only difference this time around is that it’s just so blatant.
ddrintn on January 23, 2009 at 10:21 PM
See, this is what happens.
You hang around a group of reporters long enough, sooner or later one of them is going to ask you a question.
Obama’s reaction clearly demonstrates he’s here to just feel the love and all, not address any questions the reporters might ask.
manofaiki on January 24, 2009 at 6:00 AM
The First Commandment: I am Ye Messiah and Thou Shalt Not Ask Me Questions!!!!
Three ‘Don’t Question the Messiah’ facts:
His preferred way to communicate is with a prepared text and teleprompter unless he can quote from his speech from 2001. This comfort with a prompter goes mostly to the fact that he gets lost. Tough question relate to the last two issues here.
He has been handed everything for so long (grandma, prep school teachers who wanted him to pass, affirmative action) that he has NO patience and will show a temper eventually. He will then permanently demonize the irritant and asking him questions has been shown to be very irritating.
He doesn’t know what he is doing and really isn’t half as bright as his teachers, the media and his followers have convinced him that he is, and he will live and die with his briefings. Ask him something outside of the info he just read and he is in trouble and he knows it.
IlikedAUH2O on January 24, 2009 at 8:05 AM
You see, Donny, what happens, when you f**k a stranger in the a**?!
PD Quig on January 24, 2009 at 10:44 AM
Wazzzat?
unclesmrgol on January 24, 2009 at 6:18 PM
Obama gives prepared speeches, reporters ask gotcha questions. They have nothing to talk about really. This romance is doomed.
RalphyBoy on January 24, 2009 at 6:20 PM
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