Gibbs Delivers White House Press Briefing on Etiquette

"Turn your cell phone off!" Yeah, yeah, we've heard that before. It's up there with "get your elbows of the table" and "wipe your mouth". I've taught this more times than I can count, and while everyone knows it, it doesn't do any good if people don't actually think -- or worse, choose -- to do it.

At a White House briefing yesterday, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs was speaking to members of the press when a cell phone rang. He handled it perfectly, asking the owner, John Gizzi of Human Events magazine, to put it on vibrate. His tone used humor to stem Gizzi's rudeness -- especially as it was the third time he'd asked it to be shut off. I know some corporate cultures are lax in their attitudes toward cell phones and BlackBerries, but this is, um, the White House. And televised. Show a little respect!

Figuring the third time was the charm, Gibbs returned to his briefing, only to have the phone ring a fourth time. Not only was Gizzi thoughtlessly rude to have left it on so many times, he was actively rude to ignore the request to switch it off.

Gibbs then did what so many of us have dreamed of in restaurants, movie theaters, and crowded airports: He confiscated the phone and tossed it down an adjacent hallway (claiming someone caught it), and then literally shut the door on the while thing. It made my day watching how well he handled it.

But it gets better. Another phone goes off, and instead of ignoring it, the phone's owner, CBS reporter Bill Plante, actually takes the call! He blew it twice: He should have had the phone on vibrate -- especially after Gibbs made his nationally televised point -- and if he was going to take the call, he should have left the room first and then answered. Perhaps it was a play to get some face time and attention for CBS? If so, I can only say that in this case, not all press is good press.

The White House press corps clearly needs an etiquette briefing: Keep phones on silent or vibrate when in a meeting, or better yet, turn them off. That's what voice mail, annoying as it is, is for. If you simply must take a call, step outside first and then answer.

I can already hear the follow up: Why? Attention is a sign of respect. When you've chosen to commit your time to someone, whether it's in business or your personal life, you owe them your attention -- you owe them your respect.

Comments

[kapalabhati]

Gibbs' reaction was hilarious. He was cracking himself up all the way from the podium and back. That Bill Plante had the $tone$ to take a call during that same briefing session really would have pissed me off. Can't the CIA scramble his signal or something? I mean this is the White House; I'm sure there are ways....

[StringOfLights]

When I saw this the first time I was really appalled... I was at a funeral a couple years ago and someone's phone went off. It's really disgusting how people think their conversation is more important than the dozens of people around them.

Another big thing is texting. I'm sorry, but when I pay $8 to see a movie, I want to see the movie, not bright white screens keep popping up all over the theater. Multiply that by a full house and people have wasted hundreds of dollars because one selfish person won't turn his phone off. If it's so important, get up and leave to carry on the text-a-thon.

[Momcatusa]

Every time someone's phone rings during a White House press conference, they should be barred from the next one, but be allowed to attend the one after that. If they persist, they should be banned forever, and their editors told they can send another reporter to these conferences, but that the offender is banned fro the White House for life. There is no requirement that they be allowed to attend; it is a privilege. Their editors will be quick to send replace them if they cannot attend these conferences, and the loss of face might actually remind these social morons that it's a good idea to at least feign manners and do as you are asked when in the public arena. No reporter outranks anyone in the White House, no matter how big his ego gets.

[LaFilleEnRose]

It's everywhere. A few years ago when the stylist at my hair salon would take her cell phone calls while doing my hair, and chat in my ear in long conversations, sometimes calling a pal over and the two of them flanking having these long discussions with whoever was on the phone, I finally said: Enough! I said sternly and clearly she was to keep personal calls to before and after she did my hair. Surprisingly, she accepted it and never did it again. I think no one had ever mentioned it before. Hooray for Gibbs is all I can say. I hope this gets more coverage. Some thoughtless people will never care but those who just never thought about it might pay attention.

[jukesgrrl]

Cell phone culture everywhere is unbelievably rude, but this behavior by the press is purposely disrespectful. If they hate Gibbs -- and their jobs -- so much, they should quit. It's obvious to everyone who watches these press conferences that most of them can't even take the time to phrase a question intelligently. Yet they repeat it over and over when they don't like the answer they're given. I'm especially shocked by Bill Plante. I would have thought that given his age, he would have a few manners. I agree with BuzzingAlong's comment that these louses should just lose their access.

Hooray for Gibbs.

[BuzzingAlong]

Most of the members of the WH press corpse, especially those from the networks and the so-call main print media don't turn the phones off because they want to show disrespect to the current administration.

Why? Because the guy in the WH is black and because their choice, grumpy old John McCain is not in the WH. They are merely taking cues from their network honchos and talking heads who have given them the go ahead for their conduct. They should lose their their access

Does anyone believe that phones would have been left on during press briefings during the last administration?

[Crissy Patters]

But this is an ongoing problem even with the last administrations during the infrequent briefings held.