Video: Obama meets White House press corps, gets annoyed
posted at 9:15 pm on January 22, 2009 by Allahpundit
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“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?”
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A video is worth a thousand words. The sucking up speaks volumes about the msm.
Done That on January 23, 2009 at 6:23 AM
Reporters asking questions, how dare they. Anyway Obama was happy for the photo-op to show his “Accessibility” what did he expect to happen?
rob verdi on January 23, 2009 at 6:30 AM
Hey, B.O., if you can’t stand the heat, I suggest you stay out of the kitchen.
Anyone want to bet this first surprise visit will be the last?
pilamaye on January 23, 2009 at 6:31 AM
Did you hear the reporter who said “Mr. President, I just wanted to say that one more time, Mr. President.”
davod on January 23, 2009 at 6:32 AM
You do know that neither of them is a reporter, don’t you?
Reporters around Obama remind me of the teenage girls in the audience when the Beatles were on the Ed Sullivan show.
DrMagnolias on January 23, 2009 at 6:40 AM
Touchy Touchy. I have watched Bush take an UnGodly amount of crap from all sorts of people for 8 years with less of a show of irritation.
Terrye on January 23, 2009 at 6:49 AM
Obama: “WTF. This is a press conference. The last thing I want to do is answer a lot of questions!”
BuckeyeSam on January 23, 2009 at 7:09 AM
This is getting good already. I like watching little hussein get agitatated.
ErinF on January 23, 2009 at 7:15 AM
I was at a press conference with Bill Cosby, where he was annoyed that there were no black faces in the press. I’m sure the press corps will have a new look over the next year to suit the tastes of the new socialist administration and Brother Big.
Hening on January 23, 2009 at 7:43 AM
Breaking: This is what happens when you walk into a swarm of reporters: They ask you questions.
Next time bring a waffle, Barry.
patriette on January 23, 2009 at 7:48 AM
glass jaw. Will fold like a cheap suit under pressure. Will hide under the bed. It’s why he has that particular wifey.
JiangxiDad on January 23, 2009 at 7:58 AM
“I am very proud of him today. He got a
fist bumpterrorist fist jab from me.”Fixed that for Politico.
Tom_Shipley on January 23, 2009 at 8:08 AM
One group of suck-ups + one arrogant jerk.
apoole on January 23, 2009 at 8:11 AM
“Guys guys, I’m not here to answer questions, basically because I didn’t bring a teleprompter. I will be happy to answer questions at my first official press conference on February 30th.”
Bishop on January 23, 2009 at 8:12 AM
I’m doing my morning show torture session.
Watching CBS today, it’s Tiger Beat in the morning now.
It is actually worse than I imagined, and that is saying a lot.
reaganaut on January 23, 2009 at 8:15 AM
Three words come to mind: sycophant, obsequious, ingratiate (gotta love what’s become of our “free press”).
Send_Me on January 23, 2009 at 8:17 AM
Tiger Beat….hehehehehe! The good ol’ days.
I’m surprised the fine, non-partisan folks at CBS and others don’t orgasm live on the show while watching Ogabe footage.
Bishop on January 23, 2009 at 8:18 AM
Pretty close.
They were standing in front of a huge wall full of Obama posters, with a table of everything the first family likes.
They were carrying on like giddy school children, the host? said “Tell Barack I said hi” at the end.
This was after I found a show called the Daily Buzz by accident. I lasted through a few minutes of lame Dick Cheney is mean jokes and Sarah Palin is dumb jokes (from a ditzy African-American host).
Wonder how they respond to Obama jokes? Oh ya, no one dares make any.
reaganaut on January 23, 2009 at 8:24 AM
#1 his “cool” facade, masks a thin-skinned hothead.
marklmail on January 23, 2009 at 8:25 AM
Da Bamma thinks he’s gonna run a silent Presidency maybe?
heh good luck there.
johnnyU on January 23, 2009 at 8:30 AM
Charm, offensive.
Jim Treacher on January 23, 2009 at 8:31 AM
Watching some of these guys covering their idol is going to be entertaining.
That CBS guy is a piece of work.
drjohn on January 23, 2009 at 8:34 AM
His arrogance and immaturity are going to be his downfall.
sherry on January 23, 2009 at 8:43 AM
And I thought the show was over! Must be Intermission. I think I’ll get the JUMBO size popcorn this time.
PappaMac on January 23, 2009 at 8:54 AM
No it will be the country’s downfall
grapeknutz on January 23, 2009 at 8:54 AM
Good observation markmail.
Rewind to Hotair 5/21/2008
http://hotair.com/archives/2008/05/21/maybe-we-need-to-check-obamas-temper-ature/
“Soon, the two men were shouting at each other on the senate floor. They took their disagreement into a nearby room, and a witness said that Obama had to be physically restrained.”
diogenes on January 23, 2009 at 9:01 AM
He seems to be thanking them a lot leading up the “the qeustion”. What for? Getting him elected?
rollthedice on January 23, 2009 at 9:01 AM
They were carrying on like giddy school children, the host? said “Tell Barack I said hi” at the end.
“Barack”?
It’s Mr. President, you clown, have some respect for the office. Barack. Gawd I hate our media.
Bishop on January 23, 2009 at 9:05 AM
The media can do this only so long. After a few weeks of telling people how historic Obama is, the people will start tuning out. And the “reporters” themselves will eventually get bored. You can only write the same thing for so long. After the 17th “Today, President Obama did something historic…..” piece they’ll start actually looking for something combative.
angryed on January 23, 2009 at 9:08 AM
No it will be the country’s downfall
grapeknutz on January 23, 2009 at 8:54 AM
sherry on January 23, 2009 at 9:09 AM
Mr. President used the MSM to get elected. They thought that he would repay their going the tank by making his administration “transparent”. Nope. The MSM and the people who voted for him were played for suckers. Now the whole country will suffer, along with the rest of the country. Welcome to France!
kingsjester on January 23, 2009 at 9:12 AM
Now the whole country will suffer, along with the rest of the country.
Oops. The medication kicked in. What I was thinking out was the whole country will suffer, along with the rest of the world.
Sorry about that.
kingsjester on January 23, 2009 at 9:15 AM
I dont understand why Obama is annoyed at the press corps. After all, it was the media that carried the water and did the heavy lifting to get him elected. Kind of ungrateful, aint he?
abcurtis on January 23, 2009 at 9:17 AM
kingsjester on January 23, 2009 at 9:12 AM
There seems to be a quid pro quo occurring here between President Lecter and the Agent Starlings of the press.
Ogabe got used to the MSM completely leaving him alone, and the MSM thought that their fawning would allow them some latitude for questions. Both sides are now getting the surprise of their lives.
He can only run for so long, sooner or later he will have to answer.
Bishop on January 23, 2009 at 9:29 AM
Ah, we’re about to see Trilby tell Svengali to take a hike
clnurnberg on January 23, 2009 at 9:32 AM
Uh, except he’s already taken steps to make his administration more transparent than the last.
Tom_Shipley on January 23, 2009 at 9:33 AM
That makes sense. He associates with a bunch of hotheads like Wright and Ayers. You can’t be around people like that and not be sympathetic to the kind of poison they believe in. I imagine our cool customer President would be quite a lot of fun to watch when he thinks there are no cameras running. I bet he has a worse potty mouth than Nixon did.
austinnelly on January 23, 2009 at 9:35 AM
No questions, no questions. I can’t keep coming down here if you’re going to keep grilling me.”
Well…….. what is the damn press room for?!?!?! Cocktails?!?!
This man is absolutely useless!
I guess he had no teleprompter, so it was just not right.
This is absolutely amazing!
ToddonCapeCod on January 23, 2009 at 9:36 AM
Congress has a responsibility to immediately begin investigating whether or not watching the press drool all over Obama constitutes torture.
29Victor on January 23, 2009 at 9:46 AM
You almost got the answer right.
drunyan8315 on January 23, 2009 at 9:46 AM
Uh-huh. He’s been so transparent in his campaign.
It’s not like he has a history of releasing information about opponents for political gain.
Yep, this all about making his adminstration more transparent.
ROFLMAO, you people are killing me.
reaganaut on January 23, 2009 at 9:49 AM
Uh, except he’s already taken steps to make his administration more transparent than the last.
Tom_Shipley on January 23, 2009 at 9:33 AM
Pretty brave of him considering he himself has no record yet to scrutinize.
Now if only Mr. Transparency would release his college transcripts.
Bishop on January 23, 2009 at 9:57 AM
More transparent? Like his no lobbyist in my administration (Excapt for super-duper, extra-special exceptions?)prattle?
clnurnberg on January 23, 2009 at 9:57 AM
Apparently Mr. Obama has been treated like he is the coolest guy in the room his entire life. Everything must be done in his time and by his rules. It will be interesting to see what wins, competing for the story or idol worship. These people have reverted to their high school years.
Cindy Munford on January 23, 2009 at 10:01 AM
He just wanted to “say hello and introduce myself to you guys”? That’s rich.
For those who think that Obama is actually making his government more transparent by repealing executive privilege, consider this:
If you set a clear box on a table, it can be called transparent.
If Obama doesn’t ever put anything in the box, we still don’t have a transparent government. But he can dump everyone else’s dirty laundry (as he sees or spins it) in there for the world to inspect.
This will probably be a White House runs “off-the-books” whenever possible. That is not good transparency, that’s just deciding not to leave records of your dirty business.
bryanmyrick on January 23, 2009 at 10:02 AM
They forgot rule #1 of the new administration: Thou shalt not asketh questions of the nature which maketh the Messiah squirm like a school girl with sand in her panties.
Alden Pyle on January 23, 2009 at 10:10 AM
The media loves Obama, but they love themselves more. At some point one of the pack is going to write a scathing column about the new boy president and get tons of notoriety and attention for it. The only question is timing. It’s too soon now for such a column, but it’s coming. And then things will get interesting …
PackerBronco on January 23, 2009 at 10:11 AM
Good for President Obama. He makes the rules and he let press corp know it.
Wade on January 23, 2009 at 10:20 AM
I thought we’d elected an empty suit, but it looks like Ike Turner might be hiding in there.
saint kansas on January 23, 2009 at 10:25 AM
Or Hillary. No Tony Snow in this group.
diogenes on January 23, 2009 at 10:32 AM
Really? No questions allowed? Pssst, this is the United States.
Cindy Munford on January 23, 2009 at 10:37 AM
Two nono’s… never talk to him when eating his waffles. 2. Never ask him a question unless you have expressed permission.
Can you say control freak?
LadinPlaid on January 23, 2009 at 10:38 AM
The press is only an ornament to Obama. The press has been so liberal they mistake OBAMA for a righty. Up to now he looked on the press as his personal media outlet. He will find out how they are if he slaps them again. He’ll learn how mean spirited they can be. Wait until Helen Thomas gets hold of him. Just becasue he chooses which questions to answer and which to ignore doesn’t mean he can slap them around like this. The people have a right to know the answers to these questions. He is only our President, not our king.
kanda on January 23, 2009 at 10:39 AM
How many days till Obama has a full mental breakdown from being President.
Coronagold on January 23, 2009 at 10:40 AM
It’s called “power touching” and it’s done by a superior to a subordinate. It’s like trying to calm down a unruly child.
It is condescending while being authoritative.
Obama’s been doing this all along… you just catching onto this? Just like “sweetie” to the female reporter and other little snide remarks, Obama’s been playing them dumb-ass reporters like a fiddle…
Don’t worry, someone will have a talk with that reporter and he’ll never do it again. Time for “reconditioning”…
stefystef on January 23, 2009 at 10:42 AM
If Helen Thomas or any of those reporters get outta line, they are outta there! Helen’s been banded for so long, she won’t say anything to challenge Obama. She wants back in and will fall in line to do so.
stefystef on January 23, 2009 at 10:43 AM
Without the elements of fear and failure, Obama has nothing. His success depends solely on keeping the masses psychologically traumatized.
rplat on January 23, 2009 at 10:45 AM
Oh my lord… our new president is such a wuss!!
BoomJunkie on January 23, 2009 at 10:51 AM
I keep looking at that screencap, and that look on Obama’s face looks like if no one else were around, he would beat the hell out of that guy for daring to question him.
MadisonConservative on January 23, 2009 at 10:53 AM
Look at you guys go! Grasping at straws…
He was just visiting the press corp to say hello and he stuck to that agenda. Get that through your heads. There will be plenty of time to ask him questions after a brief period of orientation.
You guys sure know how to wrench a lot of bullsh*t from a pretty inconsequential event!
ashain on January 23, 2009 at 10:54 AM
Hey, Obama. What’s it like killing 7 Pakis on your first day?
faraway on January 23, 2009 at 11:05 AM
Meh. President Obama was just being cordial, and the smart-ass decided to pop a serious question at him.
Yeah, he has the right to ask the President whatever he wants. I have the right to judge him a jerk. Everybody else was just being friendly.
LimeyGeek on January 23, 2009 at 11:10 AM
Really? I read “who is this assclown?” into that look….
LimeyGeek on January 23, 2009 at 11:11 AM
Thank you for the link. I missed that when it first was here. That’s pretty much what I suspected. A volcano ready to erupt if things don’t go his way.
INC on January 23, 2009 at 11:21 AM
Indeed. I think we can all learn from the sober and deliberate way liberals treated Bush. Who can forget those long, thoughtful dissertations from the magisterial scholars of the lefty blogs, or the calm and respectful press conferences, where reporters politely waited for permission before beginning to ask hard questions?
It’s going to take a lot of effort to maintain “transparency” through a blizzard of trillions of taxpayer dollars. A guy who wants to seize control of such a huge segment of the economy had better be ready for tough questions 24/7/365. That’s all the “bailout” and “stimulus” money is, when you get down to it: a transfer of control, from the private sector and its millions of producers and consumers, to a handful of politicians, who are (with a few exceptions) almost completely subservient to one man. If Barack Obama wants to take control of that much economic power, he’d better be ready to become Customer Service, Accounts Payable, and tech support, too.
We desperately need an adversarial press corps, not a gang of fawning sycophants. An administration that wants to usurp the power of companies that process billions of transactions a day cannot conduct itself like a stately royal monarchy, full of pomp and circumstance. Given the likely outcome of his economic strategy, maybe we can best commemorate Obama by putting his face on the million-dollar bill.
Doctor Zero on January 23, 2009 at 11:22 AM
Quick, someone fetch my teleprompter!
Maybe unscripted Q&A is above his paygrade? Oh, wait…ain’t nuthin’ above his paygrade anymore.
Wyznowski on January 23, 2009 at 11:22 AM
That’s a good, cogent summary. I was thinking myself that the shoulder business was condescending.
INC on January 23, 2009 at 11:23 AM
Welcome to the MSM cattle chute. Mooooooo …
argos on January 23, 2009 at 11:25 AM
That would be fine if Mr. Obama didn’t make all the rules as to who what when and where questions can be asked. When will this reporter have the chance to ask the question? He gets paid to ask questions. Plus this is a valid question, along with hiring a tax cheat to run the IRS. To come out and say no lobbyist then nominate one, and I am not sure Tom Dashel doesn’t qualify as one also. But heck no, let’s be really really polite.
Cindy Munford on January 23, 2009 at 11:26 AM
If you invite me to your housewarming party, I am not going to ask about your vaginal yeast problem.
There will be plenty of opportunity to grill him. He’s only just moved into office. There’s a lot for him to get into.
Heck, I’m no fan of President Obama, but I’m not going to resort to childish sniping.
LimeyGeek on January 23, 2009 at 11:30 AM
I know you are not a fan, but Mr. Obama wasn’t in “his” house. If the reporter had been invited to the private quarters I would agree but that’s not only the people’s house but the reporters’ room. Interesting analogy though. I came in on a segment of Bill O’Reilly’s show on Wednesday and a gentleman form Politico was on. It may have even been the same guy but he was saying that the MSM is so broke that they aren’t going to have money for investigative reporting. I would say that the economic downturn is going to play to Mr. Obama’s advantage in many ways.
Cindy Munford on January 23, 2009 at 11:36 AM
Major Garrett looked like he was jockeying to be next to do Princess Obama.
Schadenfreude on January 23, 2009 at 11:37 AM
That’s right, rplat. So right… fear factor, Obama-style.
stefystef on January 23, 2009 at 11:37 AM
It’s the little actions that matter.
Obama is putting people in their place and setting the behavior that he will find acceptable.
Obama may act like he’s accessible, but he is not.
stefystef on January 23, 2009 at 11:39 AM
Hubris………
Seven Percent Solution on January 23, 2009 at 11:49 AM
No records. The Chicago Way. Corruption at its worst.
You mean like this?
http://www.ghostofaflea.com/archives/011266.html
RickZ on January 23, 2009 at 11:49 AM
What a rookie mistake.
He’s really demonstrating how unready he is for this office. Every act of the President has significance.
It’s somewhat natural, I suppose, over the course of 2 years to come to view the media collectively as your friend, believing only some of the folks at Fox News were not part of your team.
At least he had the good sense not to answer the questions and demonstrate so early in his term just how much he needs the teleprompter.
EconomicNeocon on January 23, 2009 at 11:52 AM
Pssst…and the President said no questions at this time. Maybe you would be so kind as to post the part of your Constitution stating the press has the right to badger the President. He told them no questions today as he was there to say hello. You seem as dense as the reporters who kept up with the questions.
When a woman is being assaulted by a man and says NO..No means No….. Pssst, this is the United States.
Wade on January 23, 2009 at 11:52 AM
Hey, he could have said that in a joking way. It’s the irritation and the condescension that is telling.
Besides, as has been mentioned, he was in their territory.
INC on January 23, 2009 at 11:54 AM
Time and place. He just may have more to do than be accessible all the time. Time will tell, not 3 days into the office.
He is the President and has the right to set the agenda, not the press.
Wade on January 23, 2009 at 11:56 AM
Good Lord, comparing the ability to ignore the question and a rape. What the heck is it with you guys and your analogies? Very mature. First Amendment is the part of the Constitution I am going with, just like it would be the president’s choice not to answer.
Cindy Munford on January 23, 2009 at 11:59 AM
No, they are in his territory as given by the people of the USA, and I took hi remarks to the point and right on target. These adults were told in the beginnning, ans till asked question. Sounds like dealing with children. This is not Letterman.
Wade on January 23, 2009 at 12:00 PM
Can we please just let the man eat his waffle!?!?!?
TheUnrepentantGeek on January 23, 2009 at 12:01 PM
True, but the press also have a right to question him on his agenda. I mean, geez, it was only one semi-tough question about a lobbyist working in his admnistration, and he folded like an empty suit.
RickZ on January 23, 2009 at 12:02 PM
This is a man who ran on the premise that Bush was never accommodating, that Bush took too many vacations, he never answered the tough questions.
If you are with a bunch of reporters, you think it is okay to allow them to only ask the questions you want them to ask?
Seeing as you think the Presidents has the right to set the agenda, then he will only answer the questions he wants, and on the subject he wants, and in the time he wants…other words, we work for him, he doesn’t work for us.
Wise up Wade, the leaders are there to answer the questions…even the hard ones.
Isn’t he the one that answered the tough question with “I will talk to you later sweetie”, and didn’t his people go after Joe the Plumber for his question…guess they weren’t on “his agenda”.
right2bright on January 23, 2009 at 12:03 PM
OK-Why can’t I ever FF ahead on these things?! What am I doing wrong?
Badger40 on January 23, 2009 at 12:05 PM
The next Republican President should fire everyone at the State Department and rehire through the phone book. That would ensure more political diversity.
Speedwagon82 on January 23, 2009 at 12:08 PM
Again, a lack of graciousness and irritation is telling. Thin-skinned.
He’s never been in enough (or any!) tough campaign situations to learn how to laugh things off and turn them with a joke if he felt it wasn’t the right time. He just expects people to act the way he wants them to act. He doesn’t have enough miles of experience of dealing with real questions, let alone tough or hostile ones.
INC on January 23, 2009 at 12:09 PM
He did not defer and any specific questions he deferred all. If he wants to set agenda (meaning Q&A) that is up to him. Not the press and certainly not you. He has the same right as did President Bush.
According to who, You? The Press? You need to wise up and read the Constitution. It is about time we had someone stand up to the press and let them know where the bear shit in the buckwheat.
That is his choice. You don’t like it then vote him out or change the law, after all it has been 3 whole days and he has nothing to do but please you.
Wade on January 23, 2009 at 12:14 PM
Let’s be clear about this, are you just talking about this one incident or are you saying that Mr. Obama never has to answer questions?
Cindy Munford on January 23, 2009 at 12:19 PM
If you were saying this about Bush, I’d be picking my jaw up off the floor. Libbies have a real mental disconnect, a serious Brain Synapse Dysfunction.
RickZ on January 23, 2009 at 12:20 PM
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