Gibbs defends reporters

[sabra]

Source: CNN

<snip>

The altercation escalated, and when security refused to let the reporters through, Gibbs threatened to pull the president from his meeting.

Indian security attempted to lower the previously agreed upon number of reporters allowed into a photo op of the meeting between President Obama and Prime Minister Singh from eight members of the press to five.

Security ignored requests by other officials and the reporters until Gibbs stepped in and said "loudly and persistently" he would pull the president unless the group of reporters, dubbed the "White House Eight," were allowed to go into the meeting.

"At one point, Gibbs literally had his foot lodged in the closing front door, asking if the Indian security officials pushing hard to shut it were going to break his foot," the pool reporter said.

Although the argument continued, the group was eventually allowed to enter the room and photograph the leaders.

Read more: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2010/11/08/gibbs-defends-reporters/#more-134355

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[derby378]

1. Now if only he fought so hard to protect Shirley Sherrod... (n/t)

[No Elephants]

2. Huh?

"Gibbs threatened to pull the president from his meeting."

Seems like overstepping. Gibbs is not the boss of Obama.

[luvspeas]

4. I appreciate the spirit...

But I'm not happy with his use of words. It does sound arrogant. What was he thinking? Although he is a trusted advisor, I doubt he was going to bust into the middle of the President's meeting and tell him he needed to leave because 3 reporters were not allowed to come in. I think he just wanted to be firm and be taken seriously, but it came off very differently.

[TheWraith]

13. Actually, I read that as he was threatening to have Obama tell them to follow the agreement.

I.e. he was suggesting he'd get the President, tell him what was going on, and the POTUS would make the call.

[Dappleganger]

5. At that moment he was the gatekeeper.

The man even put his foot in the door so they couldn't shut them out. I say he did a good thing, shows he has a spine when he wants it.

[Doctor_J]

11. Duh. This was likely at behest of the prez

"No reporters, no president"

[Doctor_J]

12. Remember when entire cities had to be locked down for Smirk

because everyone hated his guts so much?

[bluestateguy]

3. Perhaps they could reciprocate with a few days of favorable news coverage

nt

[sally cat]

6. Might need to calm down when in another country looking for good relations.

[Javaman]

7. Any of those reporters from the "professional left"? nt

[cbgb2112]

8. There's a spine...

...now use it when needed here at home first, not on a diplomatic mission overseas! Their house, their rules!

[HughMoran]

9. He's a lot tougher behind the scenes, it seems

:D

[Heywood J]

10. Careful, Gibbs.

Having Indian security break your foot might mean getting it fixed in an Indian hospital and do you really want to chance https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/NDM-1#Origin_and_spread">NDM-1?

[underpants]

14. Why?

the corporate press has been killing Obama from day one

I do understand that he has to have a relationship with the press but is there really anything we were going to find out from them that Drudge and Rush won't lead with, Fox News will pick up, and the rest of the the corporate media will pick up?

[Safetykitten]

15. They were carrying his lunch.