The YouTube Prez Goes Off Script

Barack Obama is already sick and tired of the press. This is partly a little hubris showing. After all, he is improbably the president. Having maneuvered around and sucked up to the press for two years, he thinks he ought to have earned himself a little distance.

In fact, they are crowding him even more. One of the things that must have struck him when he showed up for work on his first day is how much under foot reporters in the White House are. The West Wing is a small warren of offices, with ratty carpet, where the Oval Office is cheek by jowl with the communications staff, the briefing room ("It's smaller than I thought," the president noted on his first visit), and the cubicles provided for what is romantically called the "working press."

It's all a little too close for comfort.

Doing a little walk through among the reporters ("I just wanted to say hello and introduce myself...") in an effort to smooth the feathers that got ruffled because the press wasn't allowed to witness the second swearing in, the new president was immediately confronted by... a question. That ruffled his feathers. If he was going to be grilled, he wouldn't be coming back, he testily said.

Continue reading at newser.com

Comments

[WorldGriot]

The press was not elected to lead a damn thing and far too often, get in the way of leadership. The press has a role, but it is a role not unlike the Presidency. it is in a script where each plays his part and there must be rules else there is not civility. Woolf wants the press to have carte Blanche freedom to be negative and adversarial. and we want that as a public that depends on truth. but when a president tries to be open and accessible and the press breaks with decorum, then it is the press that shuts down communication, We must admit that governing in a pluralistic society is fraught with political dangers that can only be overcome by rules. One such rule is no Off the cuff remarks. But if the press asks a question that Obama does not answer, then cameras role and the headline the next day will be "Prez stymied over sharp questioning". If this is going to be a civil society, the press has to play by the rules too.

[TLaw]

I think the press and the "nobama" people wanted him to appear as if he was irate! He looked calm, cool and collected to the "normal" viewer.

[pgurlatl]

Obama is always cool and collected. If that is what they call testy they must have forgotton about the past 8 years with Bush and Cheney.

[apoyo]

"suck up to the press"?

Seems like it was the other way around.

[ESerafina42]

I see his point. At least in the briefing room, that's what the press secretary is for.

[ErinBerin84]

he didn't sound testy or ruffled to me . It may be legit to say that he shouldn't expect that the press wouldn't ask him questions at the meet and greet, but I don't think he look irritated or anything (though of course, Politico thought it was worthy of one of their typically hysterical and pearl clutching editorials).