President Obama: CALL ON HELEN FIRST!

[LSparkle]

She'll ask a tough question but you can handle it.
It will be a classy move and an indication that he
RESPECTS the press corps and especially honors the
service of its senior member.

[Booster]

1. And he would earn the respect of not only Helen, but all of

the reporters in that room.

[truebrit71]

2. Absolutely...that would be very cool...

..

[dipsydoodle]

3. Maybe she'd be kind enough to ask about this

Obama Administration Maintains Bush Position on 'Extraordinary Rendition' Lawsuit
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3730525

[Barack_America]

4. IMO, the quality of her questions has slipped.

And she does not attend the press conference every day.

These might be factors in the WH's decision not to call on her first.

[LSparkle]

5. She had surgery several months ago and has been recuperating ...

I'm glad she's back in time for this event. And
I'm not concerned about the quality of her questions ...
Who's grading? She's a tough questioner -- Bush
rarely called on her because she challenged him and
his worldview -- so perhaps the Obama WH may view
her as potentially "hostile" but if he really believes
in bipartisanship and "disagreeing without being dis-
agreeable" then he owes it to the Grande Dame of the
WH Press Corps to at least let her pose a question.

[Barack_America]

6. Every press conference I've seen where she attended...

She was allowed to ask a question, just not the first question.

I know that she has been ill.

[LSparkle]

7. But getting the first question is important ... she is the senior member

of the WH press corps. Every president up until
Dumbya always called on her first during pressers ...
Yes, I know this is a "meritocracy" but there are
times when tradition should count, and when Bush
disrespected her and refused to call on her first,
I thought it was a slam against anyone who dared
to challenge him -- especially an older WOMAN who
would not just go quietly away, but continued to
show up day after day to try and speak truth to
power.

[blaze]

8. Yes, please!

What do you think Helen's question might be?

It would be a very respectful thing, to give her the first question.

[LSparkle]

9. Based on her prior interest in the issue, probably Middle East ...

which is (sadly, still) a timely subject. Considering
that most of the questions will probably be focused
on the economy, it'd be nice to call on her first and
get at least ONE QUESTION about foreign affairs!

[Spazito]

10. Helen herself once explained why she no longer gets the first question...

and it is because she is no longer represents a wire service.

Gibbs does call on her and treats her and her questions with the utmost respect, it is very refreshing and, to me, quite moving given how she was treated by the bush cabal.

[jefferson_dem]

11. AP reporter gets first question.

Fine by me.

[vssmith]

12. Did Jeff Gannon get to ask any questions??

:sarcasm:

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

13. Helen has earned the right. She'll always be #1 in the nation's heart.