Comedy gold: Tapper humiliates White House spokesman over transparency
posted at 4:39 pm on February 5, 2009 by Allahpundit
NRO’s been dumping on Gibbs for days, wondering when Obama’s going to have mercy on him and pull the plug. Watch this and I trust you’ll agree: Hopefully never.
Tapper’s after him for information about incoming Obama appointees, specifically financial disclosure forms and waivers from the new lobbyist rules. And no wonder: There seems to be a front-page story buried in every one. Exit question: Didn’t he learn from the campaign that subjects that make The One uncomfortable are necessarily “distractions”?
Blowback
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I was once a juror in a murder trial. After we handed down a guilty verdict we met with the lawyers from both sides in the deliberation room for a question and answer session.
The defense lawyer, whose client had shot another man three times in the back, used a “self defense” defense. He asked us what we thought he could have done differently for his client.
I told him he should choose innocent clients. He was speechless.
Kinda like Gibbs.
pugwriter on February 5, 2009 at 5:07 PM
gibbs – a tool you can believe in
gatorboy on February 5, 2009 at 5:08 PM
Odds of this making it on Hannity tonight? 100%
jp on February 5, 2009 at 4:50 PM
Hannity has already played it on his radio show.
Tuning Spork on February 5, 2009 at 5:09 PM
OK, we’ve got February 20 and March 15…anyone think Gibbs will make it to April Fool’s Day?
Christien on February 5, 2009 at 5:09 PM
Yeah, I’m almost expecting an announcement telling us that Bill Clinton has been chosen co-president. I think Iowahawk treated that satirically; it might become reality. LOL
ddrintn on February 5, 2009 at 5:09 PM
Is it possible to become a lame duck in the first 100 days? Yes we can!
Obama has a lot riding on this outrageous pork bill that he and the Democrats have crafted without any GOP input. He’s put his personal political capital on the line with that lame WP editorial and his “fireside chat” next Monday. If the filthy bastard, with Democrat control of Congress can’t 1) fool enough Americans that this bill is good stewardship, 2) Get this bill passed in a bipartisan way, and 3) get results…… he’s toast.
highhopes on February 5, 2009 at 5:09 PM
I want to see a mashup of this with the audio from that guy chewing out the Iraqi police.
Jim Treacher on February 5, 2009 at 5:09 PM
Mr. Gibbs still believes that the new administration has some skill and ethics. When he wakes up, we will have Dee Dee and the Clintons. But will he wake up before the bus makes his stop? I can hear it coming and The One is standing behind him…
IlikedAUH2O on February 5, 2009 at 5:10 PM
Gibbs- not all tools are useful.
highhopes on February 5, 2009 at 5:10 PM
Smoochies to Jake.
Buckeye Babe on February 5, 2009 at 5:11 PM
He’s somewhat locked to the bill now , if goes down he’s with it. Mistake..
the_nile on February 5, 2009 at 5:11 PM
predictable, safe to say Hannity absolutey hates Gibbs. goes back to campaign when Gibbs did something nasty and low to Hannity
jp on February 5, 2009 at 5:11 PM
Gibbs Notes:
Answer questions from
FoxNews,ABCNews, CNN, MSNBCCaper29 on February 5, 2009 at 5:11 PM
Dayum!
Tapper (a fist-fight/boxing slang) has the correct last name.
baldilocks on February 5, 2009 at 5:11 PM
Up until very recently, this administration has believed that they had the media in the bag. It’s only recently that some of them have turned into piranhas.
And, oh, how sweet it is!
misslizzi on February 5, 2009 at 5:11 PM
Mr. Gibbs still believes that HE has some skill and ethics. He doesn’t and the former is critical to his job and the latter is a hinderence.
highhopes on February 5, 2009 at 5:12 PM
McCain would hopefully have picked Megyn Kelly as his press secretary…ah, what might have been. Maybe we can have Megyn as press secretary in 4 years.
Jim62sch on February 5, 2009 at 5:12 PM
When are these idiots gonna stop hiring these Mealy McMushmouths and get Mr Stick Figure on the job?
http://wuzzadem.typepad.com/wuz/2005/11/mcclellen_out_m.html
Tuning Spork on February 5, 2009 at 5:13 PM
How does this help my kids?
MikeHu on February 5, 2009 at 5:13 PM
Jon Stewart made fun of Gibbs last night’s show.
terryannonline on February 5, 2009 at 5:13 PM
I’m old enough to remember February 1977.
Deja Vu.
Vashta.Nerada on February 5, 2009 at 5:13 PM
That or the Bale clip.
“What don’t you f***ing understand??”
“THINK for one f***ing second!!”
MadisonConservative on February 5, 2009 at 5:13 PM
Tapper comes across as a serious, professional adult.
Gibbs, not so much.
INC on February 5, 2009 at 5:14 PM
BAAAAM!
CynicalOptimist on February 5, 2009 at 5:15 PM
Jake didn’t almost drop an F’bomb… he did drop it… that was not going to be “fairly”
Hard to be a press secretary when everything you say is a lie… the one advantage Tony Snow had… He believed a good portion of what he was delivering… and he understood it better than most of the people in the administration…
phreshone on February 5, 2009 at 5:15 PM
Helen is either wondering why the movie hasn’t started yet or why the Hell President Regan won’t come out and address these questions himself…
BigWyo on February 5, 2009 at 5:15 PM
You all are unfamiliar with the
Wicked Witch of the EastHelen Thomas? Where have you been the last hundred years?baldilocks on February 5, 2009 at 5:16 PM
I think Robert Gibbs needs a Snuggie…
Claypigeon on February 5, 2009 at 5:16 PM
Not true. Any talk show host would want Gibbs to stay on the job for years. It’s great audio for slow news days! Besides, every talk radio program I’ve heard are absolutely critical of the way Gibbs is doing his job. If that’s hatred then Gibbs is universally hated.
highhopes on February 5, 2009 at 5:16 PM
What he really wanted to say…[added in brackets]
Glenn Jericho on February 5, 2009 at 5:17 PM
Come on, you really mean Atomic wedgies, right?
juanito on February 5, 2009 at 5:18 PM
I’m STILL howling over this…. great visual!
tru2tx on February 5, 2009 at 5:18 PM
This is the perfect illustration of the unmitigated gall of B. Hussein Oslime-a.
Gibbs and Oslime-a got away with this kind of BS when the MSM were willing participants in carrying Oslime-a’s water during the campaign. They arrogantly assumed the MSM would continue to provide cover after the election and would get away with simply reading their Marxist talking points from a check list while the world sits amazed at “The One’s” brilliance.
csdeven on February 5, 2009 at 5:18 PM
I loved the Obama temper tantrum when he showed up in the press room and somebody had the audacity to ask a question. We are getting very close to the anti-Sally Fields moment: You hate us, you really hate us!
highhopes on February 5, 2009 at 5:18 PM
Tapper’s a quite a guy to sit next to Helen Thomas, drooling on his elbow and sending out those eye-darts.
Way to go, Jake!!!
Cody1991 on February 5, 2009 at 5:19 PM
Wow. I’ve worked in PR for more than 20 years and as a PR professional…wow. It is , indicative, however, of an emerging and underlying truth to all of these stories…arrogance. Despite his “accessibility” and “I screwed up” false humility…Obama is at the core arrogant. It is his blind spot and will be his downfall.
AmericanUnderground on February 5, 2009 at 5:19 PM
Are you kidding me with this school yard behavior.
“more pertinent question” than transparency and how the American people feel about this 1 trillion dollar rip-off.
2 weeks in and they can’t handle any tough questions.
Looks like the Obama administration needs to call George Bush
to find a backbone and a set of balls.
Baxter Greene on February 5, 2009 at 5:20 PM
Gibbs makes McClellen look competant, and Obama is going to make George Bush look like a damn genius.
Biden has always looked like an idiot.
anniekc on February 5, 2009 at 5:21 PM
Of COURSE Democrats don’t want to be questioned on anything, their attitude is; “Just shut up and roll over and we’ll put any criminal we want into office.” It’s just too bad Republicans didn’t have the guts to block criminals like Geitner and Holder.
Does anyone remember 2001, when Democrats blocked the Bush administration’s appointees, the last on being confirmed in JULY of 2001? These blocks of Bush’s appointees were over POLITICS, not criminal activity.
NOTE; Leon Panetta was squirming like a fish when in testimony today, he claimed that Bush administration C.I.A. policies were illegal and it was pointed out that Panetta was Chief of Staff under Clinton and had NO problem conducting the SAME policy BEFORE Bush took office….. In other words, IT’S LEGAL WHEN A DEMOCRAT DOES IT, but illegal when a Republican does exactly the same.
nelsonknows on February 5, 2009 at 5:22 PM
I heard the Washington Generals were hoping to land him for a forward position before their next game against the Harlem Globetrotters.
BuckeyeSam on February 5, 2009 at 5:22 PM
The second question was even better than the first and Gibbs shrugged him off. Talk about an ass-hat. Gibbs takes the cake.
How long before Gibb’s adopts the popular line from Achmed the Dead Terrorist: Silence! I keel you!
cannonball on February 5, 2009 at 5:22 PM
My favorite part: …”the disclosure forms that, somehow, they’re not able to e-mail or put on the web.” Dripping with sarcasm.
baldilocks on February 5, 2009 at 5:22 PM
Just many of the Big ASS “TOOLS” we will see from The One over hopefully a very fast 4 years.
kara26 on February 5, 2009 at 5:23 PM
Does Tapper always sit next to Helen?
Another question, there was some discontent because the WH wasn’t putting up transcripts of press briefings on the web. Are they doing this yet?
INC on February 5, 2009 at 5:25 PM
There’s only one solution to this mess for Barry. Fire Gibbs and make MO Press Secretary!
Cody1991 on February 5, 2009 at 5:26 PM
BTW – on the off chance that anyone here is starting to feel sorry for poor Mr Gibbs – who for a while there was trying to sweet-talk the corps with stories about reading stories to his kid – he was one of the main purveyors of the “dishonorable liar” meme against McCain-Palin during the campaign. He’s a snarling partisan trying to play Mr Nice Guy. He may decide he needs to spend even more time with his little boy sometime very soon, but I still think he’s more likely to be stuck there until the whole Obama team has gotten over a major hump or two. I mean, as bad as he is, it’s not like he’s doing worse than the O-man himself!
CK MacLeod on February 5, 2009 at 5:27 PM
Saw that as it happened and was shrieking in glee. (Awkward, since I was at work at the time.) He’d put the screws to Gibbs yesterday, too, so this was doubly delightfull.
Jake is da BOMB.
tree hugging sister on February 5, 2009 at 5:27 PM
That was hilarious, terryann! He ripped into Obama pretty thoroughly, too.
The worm may be turning, heh heh.
califcon on February 5, 2009 at 5:28 PM
“Gibb us this day our daily Obama…”
(1459 days to go…)
coldwarrior on February 5, 2009 at 5:28 PM
It’s always different men. They rotate when they get sick of Helen rubbing their legs and leaving them the key to her crypt.
Chuck Schick on February 5, 2009 at 5:28 PM
Higher-quality version of this exchange here.
Jim Treacher on February 5, 2009 at 5:29 PM
No mas, no mas…. Gibbs was heard to be muttering as he left the press
rippingbriefing.Hog Wild on February 5, 2009 at 5:29 PM
I don’t feel sorry for Gibbs at all. If he’s that close to Obama, he in full collusion with a man whose policies and ideas will do irreparable harm to our country.
INC on February 5, 2009 at 5:31 PM
I tend to think the same thing. This is the first political job Obama has held where he can’t duck accountability by voting present or running for higher office. His arrogance hasn’t been an obstacle until now but it is in this job because he doesn’t understand how to lead.
highhopes on February 5, 2009 at 5:32 PM
Eeewwww. Sorry I asked.
I imagine Tapper would smack her down good.
INC on February 5, 2009 at 5:32 PM
That because Equador is about the only place where this guy will be employable as a PR flack.
highhopes on February 5, 2009 at 5:33 PM
Saw this live.
I had a Matthews moment with a tingle up my leg.
The hounds are getting restless with these arrogant A-Holes in the Obama camp. And with The One himself.
Too little, too late.
roninacreage on February 5, 2009 at 5:35 PM
Exactly. As I’ve watched Gibbs stutter through this week’s press conferences, I couldn’t help but wonder how much harder his job is due only to who his boss is.
LastRick on February 5, 2009 at 5:36 PM
Gibbs appears to be stupider than Obama.
It’s good to know somebody is.
notagool on February 5, 2009 at 5:37 PM
Gibbs is culpable. It’s not as if he would be under delusions that Obama was an honorable kind of guy who tried to keep his promises. He fully knew he would have to defend the indefensible. He just thought he’d get a pass from the press!
He mistakenly assumed that all of the press would be in O’s pocket. Not all of them ever were to begin with, and some will jump ship.
INC on February 5, 2009 at 5:40 PM
“Chuck……….”
Gibbs runs to MSNBC’s Chuck Todd for a guaranteed softball.
BTW, Scarborough ripped Todd a new one this morning on his show. Actually laughed out loud at him while Todd was reporting from in front of the White House.
fogw on February 5, 2009 at 5:42 PM
Nope. He would have never let a mere reporter fluster him … Baghdad Bob would have simply yelled the approved Pravda over his questions.
Actually, I think Bob is working for a gulf state TV station right now, and might actually be available to take his position over.
Kristopher on February 5, 2009 at 5:43 PM
Fair enough, I didn’t say he’s clean. I’m just saying part of the trouble of anyone who would be in Gibbs’ position is who the boss is. You can’t shoot only the messenger here — the message blows.
LastRick on February 5, 2009 at 5:44 PM
So, to paraphrase Freud, sometimes a tool is just a tool?
Seriously though, it’s time for the Administration to pull out their big damage control guns.
Yes, time for another feature on Malia and Sasha.
malclave on February 5, 2009 at 5:44 PM
Except this messenger helped put his boss there.
Jim Treacher on February 5, 2009 at 5:45 PM
On the bright side, Gibbs is one of the few Obama appointments that does pay his taxes…at least we think he pays his taxes.
PappaMac on February 5, 2009 at 5:45 PM
Dude is starting to sound like Muhammed Saeed al-Sahaf aka ‘Baghdad Bob’
ElectricPhase on February 5, 2009 at 5:46 PM
Seriously, Dude?
theboss on February 5, 2009 at 5:47 PM
Gibbs is doing nothing more than following in the footsteps of the MSM. They don’t report it, it didn’t happen. Gibbs ignores a question…….it was never asked. Simple.
GarandFan on February 5, 2009 at 5:47 PM
You’re right, I had to google this. Well, screw him then, he deserves this. And pardon this Libertarian for not knowing who Obama’s campaign communications director was.
LastRick on February 5, 2009 at 5:48 PM
Obama is envious of Bush that he has copying every bit of Bush’s style, from “I won” to passing bills in rush, to having an extraordinarily inept press secretary. The transformation is complete. What do they say about what Nietzsche said?
promachus on February 5, 2009 at 5:49 PM
Where for art thou, Scott McClellan?
thedudesblog on February 5, 2009 at 5:50 PM
Somewhere in Heaven, a man named Snow is having a good, hearty belly-laugh….
Somewhere in the US, Dana Perino is getting a Blackberry call from the 0ne….and gets a strange, perverse pleasure from hitting “IGNORE” for the 10th time.
dmh0667 on February 5, 2009 at 5:50 PM
I spent two whole months in California. That should give me some surfer cred. LOL
ElectricPhase on February 5, 2009 at 5:51 PM
Has a U.S. President ever just QUIT before? I’m sure The One is starting to have second thoughts right about now. Who knew every appointment would be scrutinized? Who knew the country wouldn’t applaud His every expenditure? This gig isn’t as much fun as He imagined.
Is a forfeit for “health reasons” so hard to imagine?
Maura O on February 5, 2009 at 5:52 PM
Keith Olbermann: Why can’t he sit behind a desk in New York and spout the party line like a REAL REPORTER?!?!?
Dr. Manhattan on February 5, 2009 at 5:53 PM
Reminded me of the time on The West Wing when CJ said the president was “relieved” to be focusing on the bombing of Haiti or something.
Anwyn on February 5, 2009 at 5:53 PM
They are ALL going to end up in the Potomac River if these flame-outs continue another two weeks.
But Sully isn’t at the controls.
Yoop on February 5, 2009 at 5:53 PM
I was wondering the same thing. I can’t imagine this guy holding up for full 4 years. He’s already aged so much in 2 weeks.
misslizzi on February 5, 2009 at 5:56 PM
W is laughing his ass off in Dallas!
custer on February 5, 2009 at 5:58 PM
Totally. This Gibbs guy has no business being there… and I love it. You have to wonder, though, why someone as calculating as Obama (and his puppet masters) would ever put him in this position.
Oh, btw, I caught a bit of yesterday’s presser, in which a number of reporters (shockingly) asked him what mistake Obama was copping to, when he said he made a mistake with Daschle (especially given that he’d thrown his full support behind him a day earlier). Gibbs is so dumb, and such a horrible spinner he was just left stammering, but refused to specify the “mistake” that Obama had made. It was arguably even funnier than this clip.
RightWinged on February 5, 2009 at 5:59 PM
I
Loved
It
(It’s now on my facebook profile… I’m also considering becoming a fan of “Jake Tapper”)
Micheal on February 5, 2009 at 6:00 PM
What is Obama going to do when something important really hits the fan. Say something like a US Reconnaisance plane is forced down in China, or a Hurricane of supposedly Biblical proportions hit the US, or a major US City is hit by terrorists?
PappaMac on February 5, 2009 at 6:01 PM
Maybe Tapper is the only male journalist who has the stomach or guts to sit next to her.
Steve Z on February 5, 2009 at 6:01 PM
Big deal. Obama just didn’t think he needed to bother using a talented spokement, because he assumed the media would continue the tongue bath they gave him in the campaign. As soon as Obama gets someone in there who allows the media to merely look tough, while still telling them nothing, they’ll back off and shovel Obama’s manure at the American people for the next 4 years.
There’s not a person in that room that doesn’t love him some Obama bigtime… it’s just that Gibbs’ performance is so embarrassing they can’t even pretend they are satisfied with the answers! C’mon Obama, you have to give them something to work with if you want the professional-quality media watchdog pomposity only the elite media can deliver!
drunyan8315 on February 5, 2009 at 6:03 PM
“Has a U.S. President ever just QUIT before?
Umm, yeah. Richard Milhous Nixon
Webrider on February 5, 2009 at 6:03 PM
A “Wag the Dog” moment….
tru2tx on February 5, 2009 at 6:03 PM
What is Obama going to do when something important really hits the fan. Say something like a US Reconnaisance plane is forced down in China, or a Hurricane of supposedly Biblical proportions hit the US, or a major US City is hit by terrorists?
PappaMac on February 5, 2009 at 6:01 PM
Call Hillary?
Cody1991 on February 5, 2009 at 6:07 PM
The only thing he knows how to do, blame Bush… and his base will be doing the same thing. No problem.
drunyan8315 on February 5, 2009 at 6:07 PM
For the reconnaissance plane, he’ll tell China that we’re velly velly VELLY solly with chellies on top, and they can have $100 billion in free T-bills to finance the stimulus. For the hurricane, he’ll blame Global Warming which George W Bush didn’t stop. For a terrorist attack, Jeremiah Wright will say that George W Bush’s chickens have come home to roost.
And Joe Biden will tell us to gird our loins.
Steve Z on February 5, 2009 at 6:08 PM
Gibbs will be having coffee with Daschle in a few days…
right2bright on February 5, 2009 at 6:08 PM
I had a phone call just after I saw your comment so this reply is delayed. However, I see that Treacher replied and you googled.
INC on February 5, 2009 at 6:10 PM
I was thinking more along the lines of wearing brown suits to hide the stains ;)
PappaMac on February 5, 2009 at 6:11 PM
Tapper has guts. He appears self-confident enough to brush Helen off.
INC on February 5, 2009 at 6:11 PM
Here’s how I see the Gibbs/Obama relationship. The master moves the puppet, the puppet ignores the real questions. He didn’t even answer the second question because it was to haaaaard.
Click here for my opinion in image form. and feel free to distribute to your hearts content.
cannonball on February 5, 2009 at 6:12 PM
Tapper is the guy who commented about “some of us reporters aren’t on our knees and are trying to do a good job”, on the Charlie Rose show the other night. That’s not an exact quote, but certainly the jist of what he said. My opinion of Mr. Tapper is improving dramatically, day by day.
Webrider on February 5, 2009 at 6:14 PM
No wonder Obama had to do six televison interviews, youtube videos, editorials in Washington Post, to be followed by one hour speeches to sell the prokulus.
promachus on February 5, 2009 at 6:15 PM
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