Battered Media Syndrome: the endgame?


(Via @jeffemanuel) It really has been a while since the last press conference, hasn’t it?

Will Barack Obama go an entire year without holding a formal news conference? He’s getting close: The president’s last full-scale session with the press was on July 22, 2009, which was 307 days ago.

[snip]

In its defense, the White House says Obama answers a lot of questions from reporters, just not in the traditional news-conference setting. In fact, the president does a lot of one-on-one interviews, frequently with sympathetic reporters. But even in terms of brief question-and-answer sessions with the White House press corps, he has still done fewer than Bush or Clinton.

Byron York goes on to document all the ways that the President strives to match the Right’s public disdain for the mainstream media; rather than rehash that, I’d like to make what may be a rather startling prediction. I predict that, some time shortly after the end of this fiscal quarter, a frustrated reporter still smarting from the totally unfair chewing-out by his or her editor is going to do the journalistic (and metaphorical) equivalent of rushing the podium and smacking Robert Gibbs right in the chops.  And when that happens, the White House press room is going to then rapidly look like the time I was trapped in a crowd of twelve year olds at the Great Adventure theme park, right after New Kids on the Block canceled their concert there*.

Yes.  That ugly.

Moe Lane*I (and one of my older sisters) was escorting my younger sister to said concert, of course.  I’ve never seen a crowd get ugly so fast, although admittedly we were experiencing it at high speed, away from the incipient riot (in classic ‘Sis, you grab one arm: I’ll grab the other; and let’s get the tween out of here’ fashion).  The worst bit was when they started teaming up to get the garbage cans airborne…

Crossposted to Moe Lane.


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You're dreaming.

cwilson (Diary) Tuesday, May 25th at 8:52AM EDT (link)

Other than Chip Reid, Jake Tapper, and (possibly) Major Garrett, the White House Press Corps are a supine bunch of lapdogs, eager to shout “Thank you, sir, may I have another!” to stay in the fraternity. (And see how much success Chip and Jake have had…)

These individuals won’t get angry enough until they, individually, lose their job because their parent organization goes out of business — at which point, they won’t actually BE in the press corps anymore. Hence, not present to express their anger at the mushroom treatment they’ve been happily accepting for the last three years (I include Teh Won’s campaign).

If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom — go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! –Samuel Adams

Sadly I agree nt

earlgrey (Diary) Tuesday, May 25th at 9:55AM EDT (link)

After all that has happened since 2009 started it seems the press just sits back and take it. They act like a dog that s been beaten, but still tries to serve his master.

 
 

Is the press FINALLY starting to turn a bit?

bk (Diary) Tuesday, May 25th at 8:53AM EDT (link)

If it bleeds it leads, and it’s kind of hard for the MSM to spend all their time bashing BP and Republicans when Barack “Don’t Blame Me!” Obama and his minions are all looking like the morons that they are.

As to the WH press, it’s bad enough that Obama has time for NBA game interviews but no press conferences, but they also have to put up with that mental midget Robert Gibbs condescending attitude and remarks every day. I don’t know how they can stand it, even if they are Obama fans.

Second THAT bk

Warrior (Diary) Tuesday, May 25th at 9:19AM EDT (link)

I couldn’t suffer that sweaty pool boy gibbs for five seconds…the WH press corpse must be a bunch of pantywaist girlie men to put up with that insipid drubbing day after day…

“Racial criteria are irrational, irrelevant, [and] odious to our way of life.” — Thurgood Marshall for the NAACP Legal Defense Fund in the 1950 Supreme Court case of McLaurin v. Oklahoma

 
 

The White House Press Corps

indyjohn Tuesday, May 25th at 9:20AM EDT (link)

is like a pack of dogs. Not arm-breaking Rottweilers or Dobermans mind you, but snarling, cowardly, ankle-biting Schnauzers, the majority of whom lack the courage to attack their prey individually and directly. But if one brave dog shows a little initiative and make a lunge, then the pack instinct takes over and all the rest lose their natural sense of caution and go charging in with teeth bared. And even Schnauzers can do a lot of damage, if enough are seized by the primal attack frenzy.

But what is liberty without wisdom, and without virtue? It is the greatest of all possible evils; for it is folly, vice, and madness, without tuition or restraint.
Edmund Burke

 

A simple compromise is in order: Obama agrees

throwback59 Tuesday, May 25th at 9:24AM EDT (link)

to a press conference if the press agrees to let him use his teleprompter (not just for the opening remarks).
Gabbs or Rahmbo would be off stage feeding real time answers through the ‘prompter.
Simple. Case closed.

 

Maybe Helen Thomas

mark1957 Tuesday, May 25th at 9:27AM EDT (link)

Will throw a shoe at Gibbs. Will the White House Press Corp bake a cake for the one year anniversary of Obama’s last press conference ? July 17 is not that far off.

Mark W. Martin

 

Don't kid yourself, the scum are restless.

johnt Tuesday, May 25th at 9:41AM EDT (link)

You must realize, these poorly educated, poorly read, one track minds regard themselves as Titans of Enlightenment. The point may be near, or is here now, where their twisted self regard out weighs their loyalty to and love for The O’s plans to destroy America,
Ultimately there is nobody, nobody, more important than themselves, more worthy of deference.
This is what happens when you live in a cocoon of blighted ignorance & insensate stupidity.

“a man’s admiration for absolute government is proportinate to the contempt he feels for those around him”. Tocqueville

 

Agree with moe, indyjohn, johnt

charlesmartel Tuesday, May 25th at 9:49AM EDT (link)

As far up the proverbial rectum of the administration as the press corps is, they are still reporters (barely). They can detect a change in the prevailing wind as well as the next person, and the last thing they want is to be caught holding the potato when the music stops. How’s that for mixing my metaphors?

But at some point, these idiots have to realize that remaining in the good graces of the WH is pointless if they still don’t get any access. What’s the point of kissing ass and carrying water when you don’t get a presser for a year, and the WH spokesman treats you like a small, mildly retarded child?

I can only hope they figure this out sooner rather than later.

Still reporters? No, and never have been.

cwilson (Diary) Tuesday, May 25th at 12:18PM EDT (link)

These people have been stenographers for left-leaning expansive government since the ink dried on their Columbia Journolism School diplomas. William Randolph Hearst was a piker compared to today’s “press” corps — he only started the Spanish American war. They’re trying to “remake” the entire country — starting with getting their boy into office. And they’ll do what it takes to keep him there.

Unless we stop him, and them, in November.

If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animated contest of freedom — go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you, and may posterity forget that you were our countrymen! –Samuel Adams

 
 

Could it be

wolfster38 (Diary) Tuesday, May 25th at 10:00AM EDT (link)

that the MSM might be worried that they could be implicated in treason?

trea·son
–noun
1.the offense of acting to overthrow one’s government or to harm or kill its sovereign.
2.a violation of allegiance to one’s sovereign or to one’s state.
3.the betrayal of a trust or confidence; breach of faith; treachery.

“A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.”
The Declaration of Independence

Follow wolfster38 on Twitter

 

Yet....

philbo Tuesday, May 25th at 10:08AM EDT (link)

We are bombarded with constant Obama messaging every time we turn on the TV, radio or watch an NBA playoff game, or Super Bowl or just about anything else. How about facing some questions instead of messaging AT us all the time. We are suffering from Obama fatigue and yet our finger-pointer-in-chief hasn’t held a press conference in almost a full year?

Pasadena Phil

 

Oh, this is fantastic, but also indicative

laura_lee Tuesday, May 25th at 10:33AM EDT (link)

of the need for collusion that this administration needs to do it’s work. Cockroaches like them don’t like the light, do they? Not even the light

But now their jealous sycophants aren’t getting their scoop. It’s all brat-pack reporters and Insider Edition for them. I’m surprised that Ricki Lake isn’t involved in this somehow. If they were as smart as they think they are, they’d throw their panting fans a bone or two every now and then. But they’re not.

It’ll be fun to watch while the reporters figure out they’ve been duped, and then get angry. Really fun.

 

I don't want a presser; can't stand the sound of the man's voice.

Achance (Diary) Tuesday, May 25th at 10:44AM EDT (link)

I turn the TV off any time he comes on. Why have a presser when everything coming from the man’s mouth is lies and dissembling. He can’t really put two words side by side without his teleprompter anyway; he’s just a mumbling stumbling rambling sorry-assed affirmative action college instructor, yes, instructor, not professor. I still can’t believe that my Country has sunk so low that a majority of its voters could actually cast a vote for such an obvious POS.

In Vino Veritas

Amen, brother. When driving, I cannot punch the "off" button fast enough

janis (Diary) Tuesday, May 25th at 10:49AM EDT (link)

on the radio when the news comes on and they feature that man’s voice. My little granddaughter reflexively says, “YUCK” every time the TV is on and he shows up.

She much prefers the face and voice of Sarah Palin, Art. Calls her “that pretty lady who makes me smile.” I told her that I had a friend in Alaska who felt the exact same way. :-)

(You can’t hit me, I’m hiding under my computer desk.)

For all her faults, Sarah is still the standard bearer of joy

civil truth (Diary) Tuesday, May 25th at 11:24AM EDT (link)

http://www.redstate.com/civil_truth/2008/09/27/with-sarah-palin-its-all-about-joy-messag/

And that more than anything else is what feeds the fury of the left. They can’t stand anyone who feels good about America or the American people – that interferes with their efforts at offering America as a blood sacrifice to atone for their sins (themselves excepted, of course).

The greatest evil…is conceived and ordered (moved, seconded, carried, and minuted) in clean, carpeted, warmed, and well-lighted offices, by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voice. Hence, naturally enough, my symbol for Hell is something like the bureaucracy of a police state or the offices of a thoroughly nasty business concern. -C.S. Lewis

 

Why hasn't he had a press conference in the last 308 days?

ColdWarrior (Diary) Tuesday, May 25th at 11:28AM EDT (link)

For the answer, all one has to do is watch the last one.

Has to read his opening remarks off a teleprompter.

And a couple of the questions actually were adversarial and he had trouble lying.

Here it is:

It will be harder and harder for his handlers to to limit the amount of time for questions. They tried two things and have stretched those to the max. First, he reads a long speech from his teleprompter to burn up time. Then, for each question, he tries to drag out the answer as long as possible to limit the number of questions that actually get asked. Questions that essentially require a simple yes or no are dragged out by Opansy. And when he gets a softball question, he drags those answers out as long as possible, too.

The number one thing to keep in mind is that the Minion Media are also our enemy. They are part of the left. That is the reason the White House Press Corps members are not demanding a real, live, honest press conference — the editors they work for don’t want one any more than Opansy and his handlers do.

Truly pathetic, all of them.

For Liberty,
ColdWarrior, PC (that’s “precinct committeeman,” not “political child!”)
Conservatives, UNITE! CHANGE the Republican Party and save the world by UNITING INSIDE the Party as precinct committeemen. NOW!

In 2012, will YOU become a “voting member” of the Republican Party in your precinct?

Where it all started. Twitter @kaltkrieger
Learn how to GOTV at The Concord Project and at Procinct and Unified Patriots.

 
 

You bring up a good point, Achance

Jack_Savage (Diary) Tuesday, May 25th at 10:58AM EDT (link)

When do we start holding the asshats who voted for this moron responsible for this? You know – the ones who still have their “Obama ’08″ stickers proudly on their cars? It is almost like they are college football fans with the same “Go Team!” mentality, just a lot more stupid.

Maybe they are the heirs of the people who saw the Jews rounded up and smoke rise from the crematoriums for years, then tried to claim they didn’t know what the hell was going on.

It really may be over. I hope not, but it may be.

Got flipped off by one the other day. Mangy looking

Achance (Diary) Tuesday, May 25th at 11:06AM EDT (link)

POS in a clapped out Suburu with his Obama 08 and “War is Not the Answer” stickers. I was driving my beat up old Ranger with all the appropriate redneck accoutrement: “3″ sticker, “Don’t Tread On Me” flag, One Big Assed Mistake America sticker, a Blue Star flag, and an NRA sticker. Guess he didn’t like me. I whipped in front of him as we approached a red light and reached back and patted my Mossberg in the gun rack. He decided to turn right.

In Vino Veritas

I can see the Ranger now

Jack_Savage (Diary) Tuesday, May 25th at 11:31AM EDT (link)

I can also imagine the blood running from the punks face when he realized that they hadn’t outlawed guns on racks.

I prefer the old fashined way of let them run into a Heavy duty bumper at high speed

Richard Mullins (Diary) Tuesday, May 25th at 11:49AM EDT (link)

I wish I had one for my Truck like the one my dad had on his ’92 Chevy(haven’t had that for a long time). I could take care of a lot of nutcases that way. I’ve seen quite a few idiots that still have Obama ’08 and Obama/Biden stickers. There are a few secede stickers and whatnot as well. A more conservative area around here but too close to Houston as to get their trash.

Richard Phillip Mullins BlogThe Squash Satire SiteNews on Happy Jet Airlines
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Rpmullins Twitter

Joe Biden is like a Decrepit Park owner with a Meth lab that happens to not only be a dealer but a user.

Let’s Bankrupt the Democratic paty. Make spend all the money to defend thier candidates.

All the Priuses, Suburus, and Volvos wear them proudly

Achance (Diary) Tuesday, May 25th at 12:00PM EDT (link)

here. Back before Comrade Obama was elected practically every house on a couple of the snobbier streets downtown had those blue “War Is Not the Answer” signs. I’d like to build a wall and put in a checkpoint for travel between the Mendenhall Valley and Downtown Juneau.

In Vino Veritas

 
 
 
 
 

Well put, Art.

Loren Heal (Diary) Tuesday, May 25th at 11:08AM EDT (link)

From the first time I heard him, right after the Iraq war started, his voice has been fingernails on chalkboard to me. But greasier, and with more liar.


Join the Concord Project, and follow @lheal, if you dare.

 
 

And what exactly happened on July 22, 2009?

Loren Heal (Diary) Tuesday, May 25th at 11:11AM EDT (link)

Someone acted stupidly:

Hardly a mystery why they put him on a leash.


Join the Concord Project, and follow @lheal, if you dare.

 

Hardly worth the effort and the airtime...

wannabeanncoulter Tuesday, May 25th at 11:45AM EDT (link)

Regardless who is president, formal presidential press conferences are hardly worth the effort and the airtime. The only value is symbolic: the president is on television, the press pretends to ask meaningful questions, and the president pretends to answer them.

And it’s pointless to hound a WH press secretary. The guy is basically there to announce the WH cafeteria menu choices for the week. Do reporters really think a press secretary is going to suddenly melt down and admit the truth about everything?!

Only novices and those nearing retirement should be assigned to the WH press corps. Everyone else should get out there and cultivate solid sources.

I do think anyone named B. Hussein Obama should avoid using “hijack” and “religion” in the same sentence. — Ann Coulter