THE HUFFINGTON POST HITS THE BIG TIME.
In a sign that things are not changing, but rather have changed, Sam Stein of the Huffington Post was called on to ask a question at last night's press briefing. And then Barack Obama dodged it! Just like he would with a print reporter! This is good, though: Opening the media to new voices is important. And calling on outlets like the HuffingtonPost is part of what gives them the credibility to emerge as legitimate alternatives to less adaptive players.
It's also worth noting that Stein's question was relatively confrontational. "Today," he said, "Sen. Patrick Leahy announced that he wants to set up a truth and reconciliation committee to investigate the misdeeds of the Bush administration. He said that, before you turn the page, you have to read the page first. Do you agree with such a proposal? And are you willing to rule out right here and now any prosecution of Bush administration officials?" It was confrontational from the left rather than from the center, but confrontational nevertheless.
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COMMENTS (32)
It's a stark reminder just how radical and partisan Obama really is when Huffington is represented, but no major conservative blogs are to be found.
Posted by: El Viajero | February 10, 2009 12:02 PM
It's a stark reminder just how radical and partisan Obama really is when Huffington is represented, but no major conservative blogs are to be found.
I wonder if that has something to do with the fact that Huffington Post is an actual journalistic enterprise, while conservative bloggers are only slightly more intelligent and worthy of engagement than conservative blog trolls.
Seriously. I bet conservative blogger-types could get a lot more people, even Obama, to pay attention to them if they worked a little harder at not being useless fuckups with nothing whatsoever to contribute to the world.
Posted by: LittleMac | February 10, 2009 12:16 PM
Every time I hear about the HuffPo, it grates. I understand that news and editorials are different animals, but I just can't let go of the fact that HuffPo editorials read like WSJ ones where all the supply-siders have been replaced by anti-vaccinationists.
Posted by: Schwa | February 10, 2009 12:19 PM
It's a stark reminder just how radical and partisan Obama really is when Huffington is represented, but no major conservative blogs are to be found.
Dear Moronic Brownshirt Fuck,
Blow it out your ass.
Very truly yours...
Posted by: dave™© | February 10, 2009 12:26 PM
Maybe next time he'll call on a male escort posing as a reporter under an assumed name. Or maybe he'll invite only liberal talk show hosts to the oval office. Now THAT would be radical and partisan!
Posted by: rudeboy | February 10, 2009 12:28 PM
It's a stark reminder just how radical and partisan Obama really is when Huffington is represented, but no major conservative blogs are to be found.
This is hilarious in light of the ongoing trainwreck that is Pajamas Media.
Posted by: NBarnes | February 10, 2009 12:29 PM
Haha, V, you kill me. Try to name a conservative blog with the resources and reporting skills anywhere near that of HuffPo. No really, go for it, I could use another laugh!
Posted by: Chris O. | February 10, 2009 12:29 PM
"It's a stark reminder just how radical and partisan Obama really is when Huffington is represented, but no major conservative blogs are to be found."
That's because conservative blogs aren't even taken seriously by conservative politicians.
Posted by: Sock Puppet of the Great Satan | February 10, 2009 12:37 PM
"It's a stark reminder just how radical and partisan Obama really is when Huffington is represented, but no major conservative blogs are to be found."
Let's see. Huffington Post: ostensibly "liberal" blog filled with media semi-celebrities aspiring to reach the MSM pundit class; everyone else at White House press conferences: Beltway consensus media celebrities, with Mara Liason, Fox "liberal" and general rightwing hack, as a typical representative. You need a rightwing blogger why now?
Posted by: bobbo | February 10, 2009 12:50 PM
This is truly groundbreaking event! It is like time Lenin called on Izvestia reporter - Izvestia! - and reporter ask tough question about grain harvest in Zhopistan being 2% higher than forecasted!
Meanwhile, HuffPost played a role in BHO's win as their inaccurate stories hit Digg's frontpage (through some miraculous occurence not involving automated sockpuppets).
And, the idea that BHO would take a question from someone who'd actually ask him something he'd have trouble with would be funny, if it weren't so sad to see Ezra and friends failing to not the similarities to how things are done in other countries.
Posted by: 24AheadDotCom | February 10, 2009 12:50 PM
Bush had ample opportunity to invite conservative bloggers to his news conferences. I guess calling on one of those mutants was something even [i]he[/i] couldn't do with a straight face.
Posted by: Peter | February 10, 2009 12:54 PM
"It's a stark reminder just how radical and partisan Obama really is when Huffington is represented, but no major conservative blogs are to be found."
Evidently Jeff Gannon was unavailable and Joe the Plumber was too busy with his economic consulting gig to attend.
Besides Faux News was there, what more do you want / need?
Posted by: Aviate | February 10, 2009 1:08 PM
"Zhopistan"--I get it...
Posted by: Erich | February 10, 2009 1:08 PM
Saw the same thing with Rachel Maddow and Sen. Boxer, who was completely bamboozled by Rachel's questions, which one could describe equally well as "from the left" and "based in reality."
Posted by: Jim Pharo | February 10, 2009 1:24 PM
"Maybe next time he'll call on a male escort posing as a reporter under an assumed name."
Are we ever going to get the truth about this one. What was the deal - was the guy Ari's lover or what? No way he wasn't attached to someone in the White House - I want the truth! :)
Posted by: Anthony | February 10, 2009 2:04 PM
"It's a stark reminder just how radical and partisan Obama really is when Huffington is represented, but no major conservative blogs are to be found."
What are you talking about? He called on Major Garrett from FOX News, and that's the biggest conservative blog there is.
Posted by: Kiril | February 10, 2009 2:14 PM
What major conservative blogs?
Posted by: lambert strether | February 10, 2009 2:28 PM
Are there any conservative blogs run by non-birthers?
Posted by: Punditus Maximus | February 10, 2009 2:39 PM
Hilarious. I mean, after these past 8 years, you conservatives have got some nerve.
But you're not even close to being correct, either. Politico??? They're rabid right-wingers, even the "liberals" there. And they're at every one of these things!
Try again.
Posted by: onceler | February 10, 2009 3:04 PM
"What major conservative blogs?"
Exactly.
Posted by: Ergotism | February 10, 2009 3:12 PM
[i]It's a stark reminder just how radical and partisan Obama really is when Huffington is represented, but no major conservative blogs are to be found. Posted by: El Viajero | February 10, 2009 12:02 PM [/i]
Name one.
Posted by: Anonymous | February 10, 2009 3:41 PM
Maybe next time he'll call on a male escort posing as a reporter under an assumed name.
Surely there are plenty of former professional escorts, people operating under assumed names, and consumers of male escorts writing at the Huffington Post.
Posted by: kaybeel | February 10, 2009 4:22 PM
I guess in the absence of any evidence, you've got to go with something, kaybeel. Kudos for being able to make a comment. I still do wonder by a former prostitute operating under an assumed name ended up being a preferred questioner at WH press briefings and a regular feature on the white house visitor's log under Bush, though. Maybe the intrepid investigative mad skillz of the conservative blogosophere can figure that one out for us.
Posted by: Tyro | February 10, 2009 4:33 PM
OK, so liberal 'blogs win in the meat slab comparison.
Why not address the fact that Obama dodged one of the most important questions that could be asked of him?
See, the only way HuffPo or any other internet media types are going to be asked back is if they a) stop asking questions like that, or b) end up serving the needs of the Obama administration.
What'll it be, Ariana?
Posted by: Enoch Root | February 10, 2009 5:19 PM
"It's a stark reminder just how radical and partisan Obama really is when Huffington is represented, but no bags of dirt are to be found."
fixed that for ya!
Posted by: jim c | February 10, 2009 5:20 PM
dodging, smodging. it's fine and relevant to note the dodge, but keep some perspective. an intelligent, articulate man spent the vast bulk of a very long news conference NOT dodging questions or insulting reporters and giving thoughtful answers to hugely important questions. most reporters wouldn't have even bothered asking most of those questions of Bush.
Posted by: secularhuman | February 10, 2009 9:32 PM
'It's a stark reminder just how radical and partisan Obama really is when Huffington is represented, but no major conservative blogs are to be found.'
Such as Malkin? Such as LGF? Such as RedState?
When major conservative blogs prove themselves not o be simply a collection of nutcases, then you have the right to make that comment. Until then, STFU.
Posted by: BC | February 10, 2009 9:42 PM
It's a stark reminder just how radical and partisan Obama really is when Huffington is represented, but no major conservative blogs are to be found.
Oh no, she ditn't!
She did!
Posted by: Harry R. Sohl | February 10, 2009 10:14 PM
I still do wonder by a former prostitute operating under an assumed name ended up being a preferred questioner at WH press briefings and a regular feature on the white house visitor's log under Bush, though.
I don't think Guckert/Gannon was "under Bush", he said somewhere that he was a "topper"...HEH!
Posted by: Dean | February 11, 2009 7:48 AM
The HuffPo has become a mutant hybrid of a leftist Drudge and TMZ. They regularly attacked Kucinich during his prez run with false mocking headlines and too often simply lie with false headlines that lead to false stories far too many comments on their duplicity. There are some great writers there, but Arianna can't let go of sleaze like Bonnie Fuller.
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