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An arrogant Obama loses his cool and stares down reporter who called him out...

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by bigtexxx, Jan 23, 2009.

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  1. bigtexxx

    bigtexxx Member

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    ...for appointing a former lobbyist to his administration. Obama did not have an answer for the reporter's question, so instead became irritated and "stared him down". Obama should have answered the question, but it would have made him look like he wasn't keeping his word if he did answer...

    http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0109/17831.html

    Obama flashes irritation in press room
    By JONATHAN MARTIN & CARRIE BUDOFF BROWN | 1/22/09 6:43 PM EST Updated: 1/23/09 6:18 AM EST

    President Obama made a surprise visit to the White House press corps Thursday night, but got agitated when he was faced with a substantive question.

    Asked how he could reconcile a strict ban on lobbyists in his administration with a Deputy Defense Secretary nominee who lobbied for Raytheon, Obama interrupted with a knowing smile on his face.

    "Ahh, see," he said, "I came down here to visit. See this is what happens. I can't end up visiting with you guys and shaking hands if I'm going to get grilled every time I come down here."

    Pressed further by the Politico reporter about his Pentagon nominee, William J. Lynn III, Obama turned more serious, putting his hand on the reporter's shoulder and staring him in the eye.

    "Alright, come on" he said, with obvious irritation in his voice. "We will be having a press conference at which time you can feel free to [ask] questions. Right now, I just wanted to say hello and introduce myself to you guys - that's all I was trying to do."

    The president was quickly saved by a cameraman in the room who called out: “I’d like to say it one more time: ‘Mr. President.’ ”

    Obama spent about 10 minutes total, winding his way through a crush of reporters and photographers between the upper and lower floors of the journalists' workspace and asking questions about who worked where and how the booths and desks were assigned.

    See Also
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    Reporters had little warning about the impromptu visit by the new president, and those who were in the downstairs portion of the press quarters only came to the briefing room after an unexpected and cryptic announcement on the internal intercom that they do so.

    "This is worse than the Middle East," he joked, alluding to the territorial claims staked on the cramped corridor. "Who's sitting where and all that stuff."

    He revealed that he had already gotten in two work outs since being sworn in Tuesday.

    "Turns out I have a little gym up there," he said with a smile.

    Obama said he had watched press secretary Robert Gibbs debut briefing "in anticipation of some flop sweat. ... I just want to thank you for not completely ripping up Gibbs," Obama said.

    "I am very proud of him today. He got a fist bump from me."
     
    #1 bigtexxx, Jan 23, 2009
  2. Northside Storm

    Northside Storm Member

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    No answer?

    perfectly reasonable

    are you even reading the crap you're trotting out?
     
    #2 Northside Storm, Jan 23, 2009
  3. mc mark

    mc mark Member

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    That's Mr. President to you fool!

    :p
     
    #3 mc mark, Jan 23, 2009
  4. aussiejack

    aussiejack Member

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    you have a serious attitude problem bigtexxx :eek:
     
    #4 aussiejack, Jan 23, 2009
  5. DonnyMost

    DonnyMost Member

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    I love the titles of Texxx's threads.

    It's pretty much a narrative that usually has almost nothing to do with the actual story.

    Delete post ban user imo.

    Keep quality standards high in the D&D.
     
    #5 DonnyMost, Jan 23, 2009
  6. ROXTXIA

    ROXTXIA Member

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    Seems like the reporters were supposed to be aware that it was just an impromptu "hello" but some enterprising scumbag wanted to get in his digs and look like a hero to the people who want Obama to fail? Which is stupid, because if he does, we all fail---just like we've been failing for the last eight years.

    But I digress. As I said, we get 4-8 years of this stuff from bigtexx and basso. Can't wait for T_J to show up again so we can have some really mindblowing non-substantive discussions.
     
    #6 ROXTXIA, Jan 23, 2009
  7. bigtexxx

    bigtexxx Member

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    Yes and Obama not only did not have an answer for the reporter, but he also had to resort to staring him down and making an excuse that he would talk about it later. The truth stung Obama
     
    #7 bigtexxx, Jan 23, 2009
  8. pgabriel

    pgabriel Educated Negro

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    we all know how bush was so open to the press
     
    #8 pgabriel, Jan 23, 2009
  9. twhy77

    twhy77 Member

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    So your saying he's like Bush?
     
    #9 twhy77, Jan 23, 2009
  10. pgabriel

    pgabriel Educated Negro

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    how do you come to that conclusion given that he's actually talking to the press. it wasn't a press conference.
     
    #10 pgabriel, Jan 23, 2009
  11. bigtexxx

    bigtexxx Member

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    Do I? It seems like Obama should live up to his word about working with lobbyists
     
    #11 bigtexxx, Jan 23, 2009
  12. twhy77

    twhy77 Member

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    So you're arguing for a President who will go down and not take important questions from the press, just talk to them about how many times he's worked out? Awesome new era. Take off the Obama goggles mate.
     
    #12 twhy77, Jan 23, 2009
  13. rocketsjudoka

    rocketsjudoka Member

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    The guy is a Whitehouse reporter and its the reporter's job to ask questions of the President. From the story it isn't clear that no questions were meant to be asked and this was a just a hello.

    One thing I haven't seen discussed in this thread though is if this question is a valid question. If there is a seeming contradiction in Obama's policy regarding appointing lobbyists I think that is something that should be known.
     
    #13 rocketsjudoka, Jan 23, 2009
  14. Rocket River

    Rocket River Member

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    I guess he should have simply told the dude to 'GO F**K YOURSELF!'


    Rocket River
     
    #14 Rocket River, Jan 23, 2009
  15. pgabriel

    pgabriel Educated Negro

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    it was a surprise visit to meet the press. yes it is the reporters job to ask questions, but presidents don't give impromtu press conferences.
     
    #15 pgabriel, Jan 23, 2009
  16. twhy77

    twhy77 Member

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    Then he's like Bush? I don't have any problem w/ him not answering the question. Let's just stop pretending this is a new era of openness. There is such a thing as discretion.
     
    #16 twhy77, Jan 23, 2009
  17. pgabriel

    pgabriel Educated Negro

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    lets stop pretending its anything after 3 days :rolleyes:
     
    #17 pgabriel, Jan 23, 2009
  18. bigtexxx

    bigtexxx Member

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    I think Obama's response to the reporter tells you all you need to know. Smells like a contradiction to me. Don't expect much of a response from the Obama drones in here
     
    #18 bigtexxx, Jan 23, 2009
  19. FranchiseBlade

    FranchiseBlade Member
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    IT's not pretend. Here are concrete examples.

    And there's more specifically on openness.

    http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2009/01/president-oba-3.html

    In addition he's held press conferences even before taking office at a rate far greater than the previous administration.

    I think we shouldn't pretend that because he didn't answer one reporter's question that was asked at the wrong time, it means all of his other actions towards openness are meaningless.
     
    #19 FranchiseBlade, Jan 23, 2009
  20. durvasa

    durvasa Member

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    From this brief exchange, that is what it sounds like. Let's see what the story is after the "official" press conference. Then we can judge.

    My guess is the Obama team will make some subtle semantic distinction to try to absolve themselves, and Obama didn't want to get sucked into a debate on that at this time.
     
    #20 durvasa, Jan 23, 2009
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