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SOME PRESS CORPS.
I managed to miss it, but the transcript suggests that there wasn't a single question about the massive plan to risk a trillion dollars in taxpayer money to save the banking system. But The Washington Times managed to ask about stem cells. WTF, press?
COMMENTS (9)
I saw JMM address this also. Makes me wonder why....and the only thing I can come up with is the pervasive celebrity culture that is on cable news.
It is no longer just OK to report the news, the reporters have to make the news also. How can you set yourself apart from the other reporters? Ask questions that will become news in themselves, and you are more likely to do that if you choose questions that other reporters dont/wont ask.
Obama calls on them and they come up with some inane question. But you know what people will talk about that inane question. The latest banking plan? Pshaw, that is old hat....and of course....someone else will ask that question in this presser i'm sure...
But it never comes because everyone wants to ask thier "hey look at me" question. I have a feeling that all primetime Obama pressers will become like this, there is always the daily press briefing to ask the substantiave ones right?
Posted by: anonymoose | March 25, 2009 1:44 AM
It may also have to do with the fact that, if they wanted to be like the Pres and actually understand what they were talking about first, it would take a while. ;-)
More seriously though, most of the questions were incredibly lame, and I thought that the POTUS did his usual amazing job of giving info despite the question.
My only worry was when he was talking about the importance of persistence, it's a bit scarily like MY's Green Lantern Theory of Geopolitics.
Posted by: Jim | March 25, 2009 7:16 AM
The Wonk-in-Chief dropped a "bend the curve" reference in his press conference. I know that had to have a stimulative effect on policy bloggers.
Posted by: joejoejoe | March 25, 2009 7:48 AM
on the bright side, there were no further inquiries about labradoodles and hypo~allergenic pets.
someone did manage to ask obama a burning question about ruminations on the effects of race, during his first sixty days.
william bennett thought that obama had to dance on hot coals last night, but i thought he was more like a faqir, who effortlessly walked across the fire, or sleeps serenely on a bed of nails.
obama once again, handily managed to outshine all of his interrogators.
Posted by: jacqueline | March 25, 2009 8:11 AM
It will be fun watching Ed Henry get spanked for a day or two.
Posted by: par4 | March 25, 2009 8:36 AM
Maybe everybody thought someone else was going to ask it. "Nobody goes there any more; it's too crowded."
Posted by: DonBoy | March 25, 2009 9:45 AM
Probably because our press is too stupid to understand it (and he didn't take any questions from the NYT or Wash Post, you know, people who actually write about and possibly understand this stuff).
Also, I don't think their GOP talking points came with any questions for that.
Posted by: Bulworth | March 25, 2009 9:53 AM
It amy be analogous to your subsequent discussion of blog comments. Questions at press conferences don't necessarily have anything to do with the impornace of issues. Also, it may be that reporters are getting adequate answers to their questions about things like the bank bailout from places like the Treasury. The choice of questions at a press conference may result from an inability or unwillingness of the WH press staff to get answers to them from the president.
Posted by: Bruce Bartlett | March 25, 2009 10:28 AM
Why are you even surprised? Just examine the calibre of the Press Corps, they make a .177 air pistol look lethal.
Posted by: firefall | March 25, 2009 11:09 AM