A.P.: Obama "Nervously" Meets with National Security Leaders

So Barack Obama met with a range of foreign policy experts in Virgina today, convening a "working group" that included longtime Obama confidantes like Susan Rice, Clintonites like Amb. Richard Holbrooke and Madeline Albright, seasoned Democratic policy figures such as former Senators Sam Nunn and Gary Hart, and several military leaders.

After the meeting, Obama responded to a reporter's question by explaining that he asked his staff to arrange the gathering about "about two weeks ago." The goal, he said, was to ensure that his team was not "so focused on the economy" that he stopped "keeping pace" with challenges pertaining to Afghanistan, Al Qaeda and Iraq. That announcement did not prevent A.P. journalist Jennifer Loven, however, from casting the entire meeting as a hurried, "nervous" response to Sen. Joe Biden's controversial statement that a President Obama would be quickly tested on the world stage.

Cue the narrative -- and note the brazen absence of any facts or quotes supporting Loven's storyline, even though it contradicts Obama's own statement about how long the meeting had been in the works:

Democrat Barack Obama convened a panel of foreign policy and military luminaries Wednesday ... an attempt to inoculate himself against the renewed charge that he is too untested for the White House.

[Republicans have criticized Biden's statement] that Obama would face a "generated crisis" within six months of becoming president because adversaries across the world would want to test his mettle.... the Obama campaign showed enough nervousness about the power of the topic to alter the race that it scheduled the meeting at a grand, historic Richmond hotel, and made sure Biden himself participated by phone from Colorado (emphasis added).

That sounds pretty off.

If the meeting was planned weeks ago, then it was not designed as an attempt to address future charges against Biden. Obama said it was planned weeks ago, of course, but even if the A.P. thinks he's lying, reporters know it'd be quite hard to get all those luminaries in person on short notice. "It'd be pretty hard to gather this group in two days," Obama added in response to a question after the meeting. "They have pretty busy schedules." Then again, if a fancy hotel is evidence of "nervousness," maybe anything goes.

Anyway, another reporter asked Obama directly about Biden's remark, which is even more interesting than scheduling. Obama took the opportunity to respond:

Look, as I said before, you know, I think that Joe sometimes engages in rhetorical flourishes -- but I think that his core point was that the next administration is going to be tested regardless of who it is, because of the fact that we have -- the next administration is going to be inheriting a whole host of really big problems, and so the president is going to be tested, and the question is, will the next president meet that test by moving America in a new direction, by sending a clear signal to the rest of the world that we are no longer about bluster and unilateralism and ideology, but we're about creating partnerships around the world to solve practical problems. That's going to be the best way to meet that test, and I have confidence that we will be able to do so.

Good answer. But who knows, maybe that sounded nervous, too.

--
Ari Melber is covering the Obama campaign for The Washington Independent, blogging from the road here and Twittering here.

Comments

[kanobi11]

The AP is losing it's credibility - I must confess. It has been hijack most recently by the right and have lost it's sense of objectivity... Pathetic -

[mediamarv]

The thing that annoys me most about the AP is that they make it very difficult to find the email addresses of their reporters, like this Jennifer, so we can offer our advice and admiration for such sterling reporting.

[IForgotMyName]

McCain always points out that he has been tested and he is right:

1) Days after the attacks on 9/11, Sen. McCain said that the US should attack Iran, Syria and Iraq

2) Katrina: When Katrina hit New Orleans, John McCain was eating his birthday cake with George the President

3) Financial crisis: John McCain suspended his campaign to go to Washington to solve the crisis (after cancelling on Letterman, going on Katie Couric, a meeting with fundraiser Lady de Rothschild and a speech on Clinton's initiative)

Yeah, John McCain's history of handling a crisis really gives me confidence...

[Badbone]

1) So did most Democrats. Who did Obama want to invade?

2) McCain is supposed to change his birth date? What was Obama doing during Katrina?

3) McCain voted the same as Obama. Or, put another way, Obama voted same as McCain.

[BuzzingAlong]

There have been a lot of dumb post on this site, but I have to say that this is one of the most conspicuously unintelligent comment of them all.

[happyt]

They wont say that Biden said, the mans back is made of steel.(very strong) When he was talking about being tested. I noticed how they wont comment on the rest on the sentence. What McCain meant for BAD it has turned out to be a mixed blessing for Obama so a lot of people can see his
strength once again!!!

[Territc]

People, This is the AP! The AP for God's Sake. The AP! What more can we expect but that!

[R.W. Sanders - Huffpost Blogger]

in england there was a tradition of printing on one side of a newspaper page only the facts, on the other opinion. wouldn't it be great if that principal was applied to all reporting?

[LisaLisa1234]

That would be wonderful. The line has been crossed and blurred and double-crossed so many times, even well-read people can confuse the two.

It's ridiculous!

[ohioan73]

Why did people ever leave England in the first place? Oh, right...persecution. LOL!

Seriously, everything the English do seems so pragmatic, smart and simple. Its embarrassing to us in America. Especially the check-box voting in longhand and a non-partisan board does the count. I learned that from a HuffPost reader. HOW COME EVERYTHING WE DO IS SO CONVOLUTED? We're like the 200 year old kids who wont listen to the elders.

God save the Queen.

[Passenger57]

Because,as far as voting goes, we'd never vote for the maniacs , and if everything were simple and transparent,they couldn't cheat.

[ElBruce]

"The AP nervously reported today that...."

[SaltySaltillo]

This is nothing new. Anyone who has gone to college and taken a few courses in English, philosophy, history or any other discipline that requires careful textual analysis no doubt loathes journalists and their baseless manipulation of the perceptions of the careless and unwary reader.

[moda31]

the AP hasn't been concerned about the facts for a long time, they create whatever narrative they want.

[DQKennard]

Beyond the facts of the meeting being arranged weeks ago, isn't this the "working group" that Obama first convened in June? That's hardly a nervous rushed response to McCain/Palin's attacks on Biden's supposed gaffe. The fact that he has such a deep foreign policy advisory team available, and part of his decision and leadership process, and has had these in place for some time, could (should?) be a major talking point.

Also: a response can be "Is John McCain actually naive enough about the world that he thinks the US wouldn't face tests if he were President?" If anything, our enemies would likely try to goad him into doing something impulsively hot-headed.

McCain's team: lobbyists for foreign and corporate interests.
Obama's team: military and diplomatic leaders from across the ideological spectrum.
McCain: maverick = go it alone, regardless of consequences.
Obama: thoughtful, decisive leader of a competent team.

Similar contrasts can be made in pretty much all policy areas.

[scandinavian]

talkin' about leadership. i'm so delighted to know that gary hart is in his team! feels good. go'bama!

[Pdubya]

Powell said we would be faced with an international crisis soon in his administration...January 21st or 22nd.

Biden said "generated" crisis.

Where is the rhetoric?

[Passenger57]

It wouldn't be the first "generated crisis" we've had....

[freebeer]

Good work Ari.
The fact that Biden, Powell and Albright all made comments about an early test as though it were some sort of certainty was disturbing to many people.
With doubts and concerns concerning false flag operations in Iran (covered by Sy Hersh), the lingering mistrust of of 50% (Zogby poll) of Americans over the 911 crimes, people are worried.

But the mass media who serve corporate interests, do not permit this murder of almost 3000 Americans to be discussed on their airwaves, sites or comment boards. Unless it is an article or post which seeks to discredit those who are inclined to challenge the Bush view.

I guess when even one AP reporter tries to gingerly play around in the margins of false flags, she must be put down.