Obama abolishes the press conference
It’s May, and the president has stood for only a single such news conference this year, a March 6 event in the briefing room. He’s had only three since last June, counting a November press conference in Hawaii that was supposed to be devoted to the just-held Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit but which veered off into other issues.
Nor does Obama generally allow questioning during brief appearances at the White House, such as when he makes statements with foreign leaders. Previous presidents, including George W. Bush, routinely took a couple of questions on the topic of the day at such gatherings…
Instead, the White House does its best to control access to Obama, presenting him to local and sometimes national reporters in “one-on-one” settings.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Heavens, why would they need to do that?
rogerb on May 5, 2012 at 8:53 AM
Most transparent and accountable administration evah!
Hope and change, baby. How do you like him now, suckers?
AZCoyote on May 5, 2012 at 8:58 AM
Obama doesn’t answer questions. He gives brief talks, punctuated with straw men arguments, generalizations, and lots of pauses, “uhs”, “ahs”, and “I”s, and other nonsense.
Paul-Cincy on May 5, 2012 at 9:00 AM
Unstated, but implicit here: Obama does not have the intellectual skills needed to handle the questions.
Dextrous on May 5, 2012 at 9:03 AM
.
Oh now, c’mon! He also berates reporters for asking followup questions too quickly, berates interviewers for asking “meaningless” questions, chastises journalists (term used in the most forgiving meaning possible) for asking questions that are too difficult or too partisan or too anti-Øbama. So, really!
.
Get your facts straight before you pop off like that again.
.
.
.
.
.
.
/s (in case anyone needed that…)
ExpressoBold on May 5, 2012 at 9:06 AM
(TOTUS unavailable for comment at press-time.)
Knott Buyinit on May 5, 2012 at 9:27 AM
What we should have is our own version of Prime Minister’s Questions.
(But do you really think any of our rulers, from either party, would submit to it?)
Tzetzes on May 5, 2012 at 9:29 AM
This is why any Presidential debates are going to be so critical to this race.
Obama will have to answer to his failures.
albill on May 5, 2012 at 9:47 AM
I wish. But it’s unlikely with only accredited leftist moderators allowed.
I still think that with Romney showing a knack for fast response to Regime lies that our Enperor will deem even those kind of debates too risky and he will refuse to do any.
wildcat72 on May 5, 2012 at 10:02 AM
You forgot the whistling whenever a word ends with s.
itsnotaboutme on May 5, 2012 at 10:03 AM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9uJDfNjywB8
itsnotaboutme on May 5, 2012 at 10:05 AM
..my sssssincere and heartfelt thankssssssssss for the link to that video. It’s marveloussssssss! Made my day ~~ and thissssss isssss before breakfassssst even!
The War Planner on May 5, 2012 at 10:49 AM
This is a great theme for Romney to pursue – every time he gives a presser he should say that this is the nth one since Obama, the President, has given one. He should also start publicly speculating on whether Obama will ever debate him one-on-one, no notes allowed, and on what lame excuses Obama will use to avoid it!
Obama’s lack of extemporaneous speaking ability is a serious flaw that the media has helped him keep a secret, and it seems as though Republicans have agreed to go along with the Game.
Franklin Roosevelt’s inability to stand due to polio was politely covered up by all sides, but Obama’s disability is not in his legs and not due to diseaawe. It is atrophy between his ears, and due to lack of ever having to be exercised.
drunyan8315 on May 5, 2012 at 10:52 AM
Fewest press conferences, even fewer question asked of him…..but the MOST fundraisers ever by a sitting President.
Sounds about right for Democrats. Transparency, my a$$.
goflyers on May 5, 2012 at 11:00 AM
Got to keep that glamor going. Can’t risk breaking the spell.
Count to 10 on May 5, 2012 at 11:46 AM
Well he did have a one one one press conference with Brian Williams in the Situation Room. Oh wait that was not press conference that was just a standard butt kissing event.
tjexcite on May 5, 2012 at 11:48 AM
Also unstated: He knows the lapdog media will never call him on it, so why bother? Also, at a real press conference those icky people from Fox News will be there.
rockmom on May 5, 2012 at 12:04 PM
Hey, why put Obama out there? You know, and run the risk that someone might ask, you know, a question.
If he does pressers, then he puts the Flying Monkey Media on the spot. After a while, people would notice that the “questions” were all softballs.
novaculus on May 5, 2012 at 12:50 PM