What are you all so scared of?

[HEyHEY]

All of this mass attacking the press after today's conference. There's a lot of reporters covering a lot of issues and a lot has happened in the last few days. It's going to be a wonky shopping cart for a few weeks. However, you people getting mad at tough questions is sad.

I've been reading the posts here and am quite amazed you people don't realize how many opportunities the press gave them today. Every hard question is an opportunity and so is every stupid one.

Does Obama need to sign exec orders? No bible on the re-taking of the oath? You may think they're dumb questions, but I bet Obama's team LOVES that these questions were asked, because it gives them a chance to be crystal clear on them so that their political foes can't use them as ammunition down the road. Why? Cause that's already been dealt with.

Todd, for example, I think asked a damned good question about the executive orders being re-signed. How do we know that a year from now some lawyer working for the GOP doesn't take those orders to court based on them being signed under duress? This shit DOES happen. And dealing with it now is smart.

What is going to be happening for the next month is a lot of feeling around. America is going in a new direction and people will be getting used to it, and getting used to what issues will be pushed - things like that.

And, if you truly have faith in Obama, you'll want reporters to be as tough as possible on him during question period because he will come out of it looking good when he answers all questions to satisfaction.

Reporters aren't stupid. I know all of you here are super-geniuses who know better about everything, but trust me, they aren't. Especially reporters in the WH press corp.

[glowing]

1. It the difference in how they attack Dems and let Pugs off the hook.

Its the reason they went after the Clintons like they were hunting for witches.. Its not that they are asking, its the difference in how they approach Dems and Pugs.. and we are aware of that because of the corporate richies that own them.

[tekisui]

3. We Democrats request to be held to a hire standard.

The press never had such high expectations of the criminal RWers. Take pride in the new-found scrutiny.

[HEyHEY]

5. Exactly, plus the press knows it will get actual answers

[HEyHEY]

4. I don't think they let the pugs off

I think there was a time period in which they did some softball stuff, but in general I think the press corp did what it could. What you guys all forget is that no matter what was asked the Bush fucks would just be so obtuse you couldn't do much more than shake your head.

[tekisui]

2. I ain't afraid of no press.

I can lament the double standard that they hold with these two administrations. I can be upset that they were so toothless and timid towards chimpy.

But, I want the press to ask questions, and do their jobs. Obama and his people can handle it.

[JeffreyWilliamson]

6. It's not the questions, it's the narrative their creating.

It wasn't subtle today at all:

"Is President Obama putting all American's in harms way?"

That seemed to be a running theme. Heavily implied in the phrasing of their questions.

"If Osama bin Laden is captured, are you saying that you won't use every means available to get extremely valuable information about terror plans?"

If they were asking probing, hard questions it would be fine. Everyone knows that torture is wrong. It's a no-brainer. They tried to frame the executive order banning it as a dangerous thing that is against America's best interests.

Also on display was:

"Is President Obama a hypocrite?"

They asked if he'll cut his own pay since he froze everyone else's. They demonstrated that 1) they don't understand what a pay "freeze" means, and 2) they should know that the law sets his salary in the first place.

I was under the impression that most of these journalists have some kind of degree. I don't have a degree and I even know what "pay freeze" and "salary is set by law" means.

This doesn't mean that there were no important questions being asked. Your example of the possible need to resign the executive orders demonstrates this. He damn well should resign those orders just to make absolutely certain.

What was stupid about the whole scene were some of the questions like:

"Are we to understand that, by signing the executive order banning torture--am I understaning this right--is the President saying that he thinks torture is wrong?"

Well, duh...

[HEyHEY]

10. I would actually consider some of those to be softball questions

Such as the first one

"Is President Obama putting all American's in harms way?"

That's a yes or no. And basically gives Gibbs the chance to go on about how America is still safe...etc.

[Forkboy]

7. In light of what Russell Tice said yesterday about TIA, one has to wonder...

...whether people in the press weren't either being blackmailed, or at least had a fear of being blackmailed if they pushed too hard.

You wouldn't have to get very many of them, just a handful of notables. Fear will do the rest. Remember the scene in Good Night and Good Luck where they're debating whether to run the story about McCarthy, and they ask if any of them have anything to hide? Murrow (Straitharn) points out that McCarthy's tactics are already working.

“..because the terror is right here in this room.”

Same stuff still works today.

[HEyHEY]

9. I do agree with that, however

I also think the press appeared to be soft on Bush because his slimey bastards just simply didn't answer questions. I mean, you can't MAKE them answer. And I'm sure after awhile the press just kinda got soft out of frustration. Same thing is happening here now, we have an administration that boldly won't asnwer questions. We barely even think to call them anymore cause we know we'll just get BS... the flaw in their plan though, as what happened with G-dub, was that the press will get its soundbites elswhere... like the opposition.

[Forkboy]

11. I think that's probably a bigger factor than my point is.

I hope so anyways. :scared:

[Cash_thatswhatiwant]

8. I agree. nt