Obama Changes Press Conference Protocol, Rattles Reporters

Politico:

When President-elect Barack Obama meets the press Wednesday morning for his third news conference in as many days, it's anyone's guess which reporters he'll call on.

Literally.

Before Tuesday's press conference, incoming Press Secretary Robert Gibbs assigned numbers to CBS, NBC and ABC, then he had an aide select a number from one to three. And that's how NBC correspondent Savannah Guthrie came to kick off the Q&A with the president-elect.

Fair? Arbitrary? Haphazard? Perhaps. But the press corps has another word for it: Confusing.

A "transition period hybrid," is how spokesperson Jen Psaki described the method behind the apparent selection madness, which was all the more baffling since traditional White House protocol - based on strict rules and hierarchy -- was followed during Obama's first post-election presser on Nov. 7.

"We've tried to keep as many people happy as possible," Gibbs said. "I have no doubt there are many who have attended one, two or all three [Obama press conferences] who find this system not much to their liking."

"Our thing has been to try as much as we could to spread it around," Gibbs added.

Read the whole story: Politico

Comments

[fzriely]

At first, i asked myself, "Who cares? Why are they bothering to write about this?" Then I asked myself, "Why am I bothering to read this?" Now I'm logging off.

PS Get a real job.

[ladyrefined2000]

yeah, you wouldnt mind their whining if they were actually doing a job as journalists for the american people.................

but........LOLLOLLOLLOL...........what am i thinking???????????????????????????

[jsarets]

Why am I not surprised that Politico is writing process stories whining about how reporters get called upon at press conferences? It's like a gossip site for news media wannabes who haven't quite gotten over the emotional trauma of being turned away from the cool kids table in middle school.

[NoSandwiches]

He should only allow legitimate news agencies to ask questions, so it makes sense that Fox is shut out.

[Ted LPD]

Yeah! Foxnews out of the picture :)

[SoD1]

such rotating changes are essential for the study of the psyche, the trying-out the “Beyond The Reasonable Limit” of a people and which method is the most effective.
But the "rotation principle" could become socio-economically relevant too.
Ignoring FoxNoise is a wonderful start to indirectly make fox lose Ads, “Seth McFarlane”, Audience
and end up with bankruptcy, Its not like they would be missed.

[readmewell22]

I love it! Keep it up, keep them on their toes, change, change change! It works for me!

[Bitsko]

Perhaps if the reporters did their jobs and not just go by their corporate master's playbook, they would get some more respect.

[hopefull2008]

Oooh the outrage ! ... he is changing things, doing things differently ... why ? everything worked fine before, didn't it ?

[partyofone]

The major protocol change PE Obama is making in press conferences is having them.

[neesy08]

This is a non story. The press should be glad they have a job.

[mervr1]

He's shaking things up. These reporters who think they're so special because they work for the big news organizations should think again because Obama in his administration is trying to give everyone a chance.

I guess they all missed the story on how he was going to CHANGE everything.

Maybe they need to read more.

[Alvin4NY]

Well, it's the first step in correcting the most important problem this country faces, THE CONTROLLED MEDIA. We should not have a "media elite" - it's their job to freaking inform, all of the facts, and leave their vanity and ego at the door. Let them go back to getting their stories the old fashioned way, dig, do the research, and don't try to use the same freaking soundbite over and over again. The best way to gather information is to shut up and listen. Too many of these reporters think it's their job to protect or coddle the people they are covering now, in order to ensure they get called on-by the President-and have that access. End it.

[AmbivalentGuy]

Too many don't know how to listen.
I've seen these things where ques #11
was exactly the same as #6.

They waste time (W liked that).

I'd like to see an on-line reporter called on
before FOX.

[Colmore]

Where was all this outrage when Jeff Gannon was treated like a legitimate journalist in the Press Room? None of them seemed too put out when he was called on to ask (lowball) questions. How many of them were called on to ask questions in the current admin.? Questions that were not submitted first, so he could be coached on the answers.

[AmbivalentGuy]

Well if you think W's Chicago style softball games
(the style where the ball is double sized so that you
can put a keg on second base) were press conferences,
then, of course, major league hardball rules are going to
confuse you at an Obama conference.

Bush got to field fungos,
Obama's having to make fielder's choices.

BTW - this is my 1st baseball analogy - EVER.
Please, avoid comparisons to G Will,
that's just rude.

[MsCanadian]

Gotta love Obama! Rattle the press. They seem like a bunch of kids, squabbling over who gets the first question. Obama's system sounds fair to me. It's about time the press grows up.

[brynn6]

If reporters are doing their job, they are supposed to be rattled.

[mercyrocks]

Finally, a president with a s e t.

[Passenger57]

Obama should get a wheel with all the reporters' names on it. That's the fairest way. I can hear them now : "Me,me,me,me,meeeeeeEEDAMN!"
But if Helen Thomas comes back, she will always get the first two or three questions.