President Obama's Press Conference

My two cents (0.00 / 0)

I thought the press was listless and aimless last night, which surprised me. The questions were mostly phrased in generic ways, in effect amounting to one phrase each: Israel/Palestine, stem cells, race, sacrifice...

There could have been revealing questions: EFCA and the House bill taxing TARP bonuses.

It's no coincidence that the comeback to Henry on the AIG bonuses and the answer on charitable deductions seemed like many to be his strongest moments; those were the questions that were hardest to evade. I'm not suggesting they should practice "gotcha" journalism, but there's a middle, kind of Tim Russert ground, where the questions force a new answer we haven't heard before. And lo and behold, on the charitable deductions, Obama answered directly.

So, grades:

Press corps: C-
Obama: B; he would have done better if he had more to work with.

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by: SarahLawrence Scott @ Wed Mar 25, 2009 at 13:49:43 PM UTC

Sometimes it's a stupid question (0.00 / 0)

One of the questions asked last night that made me see something a bit different was the one on why the New York Attorney General spoke out and took action on AIG before the Whitehouse did.

Well, it is the Attorney General (whether State or Federal) that should investigate any wrong doing, not the Whitehouse. Since their Headquarters are in New York, it's the New York Attorney General that should be out front on this one.

Maybe it's a case of over-exposure that caused the questions to be flat. After-all, there isn't a lot that this administration isn't talking about, so the questions are being limited by information already being put out in the public. We go from an administration that didn't tell the truth about anything (when they did let out information) and screened or gave the reports the questions they could ask, to an Administration where there is openness and they get straight answers. It's refreshing. (and yes, the difference between the a and A in the way I typed Administration was on purpose)

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by: MisterEd @ Wed Mar 25, 2009 at 15:09:25 PM UTC

you say a... (0.00 / 0)

Aww, we wanted to split hairs on somebody's capitalization. :)

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by: suzihussein22 @ Wed Mar 25, 2009 at 21:57:19 PM UTC

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