Scott McClellan: White House Press Briefing Is Obsolete

Asked by TNR to offer some advice to White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, former Press Secretary Scott McClellan makes the provocative suggestion that the whole briefing ritual is passe:

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[sasson]

I wish that we would adopt Great Britain's ask the prime minister model. It is always the best thing on C-Span.

[MontereyDean]

" ... the provocative suggestion that the whole briefing ritual is passe." LOL. "Provocative suggestion"? Really? Not to anyone who's watched one of those mind-numbing sessions.

[WmC]

Right. We need more Jeff Gannons to spice up the procedure and to ask hardball questions (end snark.)

[bazokbros]

The press pool in the WH is somewhat outdated, but journalists need to be honest with themselves if their goal is to extract information from the WH Press Secty or trap him in a "gotcha" moment to make a tittilating news story. What's the point of adding more people into the mix when asked a difficult question that person (s) will say "I can't talk about that" or "I'm not at liberty to discuss that."

[PanFx]

Jeez, I wonder if Scott and the administration he belonged to made the White House press briefings obsolete..­. hmmm...

Because prior to their entry, this was one of the few areas people could get actual, honest news about the White House. It was during the Bush tenure that the press briefing became farcical.

Here's some news, Scotty: this administration is going to make the position relevant and honest again. I know, I know... your little mind probably can't conceive of such an abomination, but there it is.

[senorlou]

He was trained for manipulation and lying because, in his mind, "Everybody does it."

[gcallaghan]

From the article:

"Meanwhile, the Q&A sessions that exist now are useless as a source of actual information. Reporters ask questions that they know perfectly well won’t be answered, and then the press secretary does his best to dodge him."

Scottie speaks out in a desperate attempt to halt comparisons between his press conferences and Gibbs': ones' solely intended to spread misinformation or propaganda and those meant to intelligently address the concerns of the people.

Even years after kicking the koolaid, Scottie still hasn't found his way back into the reality-based world. Maybe that's an impossible feat for Bushbots and they truly belong in some separate dimension apart from us.

[jnratliff]

republicans don't live in reality based world!
criminals live in a world where everyone is out to get you! Why?
Because if you spend all your time trying to steal from others you will naturally think that someone is trying to steal from you.
There was some poor fool republican on here the other day that compaired living here in America to living in Iraq. Saying that the freedom we enjoy here is what they have in Iraq today.
He was ignorant enough or just a big enough liar that he tried to say it was as dangerous living here as it is in Iraq.
How much of a fool can these people be? I cannot imagine that any person could be so stupid as to compaire one of our large cities to bagdad? God how did you make such ignorant fools in your image?

[shirleyfeeney]

I agree, the daily briefings on MSNBC are a bit much...how­ever, there is a huge difference between the two administrations and their spokespeople--one isn't lying his pants off. Truth has NEVER been obsolete, but BS is "out".

[yorkie]

HE HAS SOME POINTS HERE,,,,I THINK THE TELEVISED DAILY IS NOT ALWAYS NEEDED...T­OO MUCH CHATTER WITH LITTLE REAL NEWS,,,,WE DO NEED MONTHLY PRESS CONFERENCES WITH THE PRESIDENT HOWEVER..L­IKE IN BRITAIN,,,,IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MADE LAW TO HOLD SOME ACCOUNTABILITY AND PRESS NEEDS TO TAKE ANY WHITE HOUSE TEAM ON,,ESP THE BUSH ONE......G­ET TO FACTS AND POLICIES OVER PERSONALITIES AND CELEBRITY OF IT ALL.....

[DFutureIsNow]

Scott must have been getting "not so nice" email from his republican friends is he becoming a loyal Bushie... again

[CharlesJ]

No it is SCOT that became obsolete. Press conferences are a good thing, the press just needs to get use to asking questions to someone that is not stretching the truth to cover up for their boss that is messing up. Sorry SCOT but someone has to tell how it is. The press corps will learn, and things will get better.

[Tyrione]

White == White House (WH)
Press Corp == White House Press Corp.

[Tyrione]

I'm not a big fan of Gibbs and I didn't vote for Obama, but give me a break. Gibbs has actual information and gives credibility back to the position. The last 4 puppets at the podium were boring as dog s*** to try and discern any credible information from them.

Both the White and it's Press Corp is restoring confidence to this nation.

However, they need to take 25% of that stimulus package for unemployment insurance and move it to National Infrastructure projects.

Give those unemployed a shot at working and fixing the nation, instead of taking a check while hoping the economy improves.

[magibrotherhood]

sounds like a comment from the Moscow school of Journalism

[democracy7]

I find this ironic in that Mclellan and Bush ensured that there was and is a weakened White house
press. If a reporter asked a tough question, they were hushed and quietly disinvited from ever participating in the press release. It needs reformed but still has validity.

[rasit]

May it was under Bush. Robert Gibbs seems to make these briefings informative and, at times light hearted...­.I have to disagree with McClellan.­...

[orangepetal]

I like Gibbs and I'm quite sick of McClellan.

[DFutureIsNow]

True, Gibbs is doing the Job he was supposed to do... dunno like... Tell The Truth To The American People!!