Another Gannon in the press room?

[cynatnite]

When he's decided he's had enough of the question of the day, Scott McClellan needs to look no further than the second row of the press briefing room. At the end of the row most days sits a mysterious foil known to everyone in the room as Goyal. He can always be counted on to ask something off-topic--generally something about India or Kashmir.

It changes the subject, albeit momentarily, and that's all it takes to suck the wind from the sails of the the mainstream press. This week, McClellan has been repeatedly using Goyal (Full moniker: Raghubir Goyal of the India Globe) to get out of the tough questioning he's facing on the Rove leak investigation. After nearly ten minutes today of grilling by various TV networks and other top news organizations, he turned to Goyal:

McCLELLAN: It doesn't change what I just said. Go ahead, Goyal.

GOYAL: Scott, two questions. One, this morning at the National Press Club, John from the Heritage Foundation was speaking. This is -- my question is in connection with the Prime Minister of India's visit on Monday, next Monday. He said that the U.S. should change its policy as far as India, China and U.S. is concerned because China is getting away.....

Blah, blah, blah. As he blathers on, the moment passes. It takes some time to wind the conversation back to the topic of the day, and more often than not the questioning never reaches the intensity it once had.

http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlDC/sort_of_serious_stuff/mcclellans_momentum_killers_23568.asp

[merwin]

1. Probably a legit reporter. However, he most likely IS a plant.

[Goldmund]

2. Um...

The dude works for India Globe. Of course he's gonna ask questions about India.

Now, of course, Scotty may not be calling on him because he's eager to get his message out to India.

But it ain't Goyal's fault.

[madrchsod]

3. there is another guy ..the press conference

that started scotty on the road to melt down, there was a guy he went to that gave him a "gannon relief"....that`s sounds dirty..