The Smitten Press

[101A]

http://newsbusters.org/blogs/warner-todd-huston/2009/01/12/sun-times-journalists-shut-out-obama


Sun-Times: Journalists Being Shut Out by Obama

By Warner Todd Huston (Bio (http://newsbusters.org/bios/warner-todd-huston.html) | Archive (http://newsbusters.org/blogs/warner-todd-huston))
January 12, 2009 - 21:43 ET

According to Sun-Times columnist and long-time Chicago journalist, Carol Marin, journalists at Barack Obama news conferences have come to realize that Obama has pre-picked those journalists (http://www.suntimes.com/news/marin/1360142,CST-EDT-carol04.article) whom he will allow to ask him questions at the conference and many of them now "don't even bother raising" their hands to be called upon.
One wonders why journalists are allowing this corralling of the press? Would they have allowed George W. Bush to pre-pick journalists like that? Would they meekly sit by and allow themselves to be systematically ignored, their freedom to ask questions silenced by any Republican? Would journalists so eagerly vie with one another for the favor of Bush like they are Obama's?


For her part, it seems that Carol Marin is starting to wonder at the "bizarro world" that is being invented by the pliant and smitten Obama loving press corps.

As ferociously as we march like villagers with torches against Blagojevich, we have been, in the true spirit of the Bizarro universe, the polar opposite with the president-elect. Deferential, eager to please, prepared to keep a careful distance.
The Obama news conferences tell that story, making one yearn for the return of the always-irritating Sam Donaldson to awaken the slumbering press to the notion that decorum isn't all it's cracked up to be.
The press corps, most of us, don't even bother raising our hands any more to ask questions because Obama always has before him a list of correspondents who've been advised they will be called upon that day.
Will the rest of the press retake their manhood and again become the tough guys they have always claimed to be or are they going to stay so smitten by Obama and their love for The One that they will allow themselves to continue being forced into a subservient role?
One has a sinking suspicion that the press is allowing itself to become Obama's lapdog extraordinaire.

[ChumpDumper]

Would they have allowed George W. Bush to pre-pick journalists like that?Bush planted fake journalists in his news conferences.

[DarkReign]

Bush planted fake journalists in his news conferences.

I think this issue goes beyond "He hit me first" mentality.

[DarrinS]

And then I jizzed in my pants.

http://nymag.com/images/2/daily/intel/08/01/11_chrisolberman_lg.jpg

[Winehole23]

Bush planted fake journalists in his news conferences.Not content with that, his DoD bought newspaper columnists (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/10/22/AR2006102200356.html) too.

[ChumpDumper]

I think this issue goes beyond "He hit me first" mentality.It concerns what the press allowed. Seeing as they became flag waving jingos during the invasion of Iraq, the independence or objectivity of the press is simply a thing of the past.

[DarkReign]

It concerns what the press allowed. Seeing as they became flag waving jingos during the invasion of Iraq, the independence or objectivity of the press is simply a thing of the past.


Meh, fair point indeed. Although I dont think that assumption (no matter how accurate) is reason enough to completely ignore the inherent responsibility of the press.

99.9% of the "reporters" may be nothing more than political hacks with agendas written for them, there is the small possibility that a Walter Cronkite may exist some time in Obama's presidency and have a question for him at one of his press conferences.

[doobs]

It concerns what the press allowed. Seeing as they became flag waving jingos during the invasion of Iraq, the independence or objectivity of the press is simply a thing of the past.

The weakness of the press is distressing for our nation. We should bail them out, ASAP.

[ChumpDumper]

I still don't see the author's point as valid. What happens at any press conference? The president chooses reporters to ask him questions. Bush didn't take a question from Helen Thomas for three years. It's obvious why he didn't, but he "got away" with it just as the author claims Obama is getting away with his choices.

[DarrinS]

I still don't see the author's point as valid. What happens at any press conference? The president chooses reporters to ask him questions. Bush didn't take a question from Helen Thomas for three years. It's obvious why he didn't, but he "got away" with it just as the author claims Obama is getting away with his choices.


They all want to blow him, so I don't know why he wants to exclude anyone.

[clambake]

They all want to blow him, so I don't know why he wants to exclude anyone.

nah, there's too many things more important than to address indignant innuendo.

[ratm1221]

Who has seen this list? I just read this article and the article referenced and all I see are two journalist making claims with no supporting information as to how they know this. If this is true I'd like to know. If there is a list, how do they know how the list was chosen? As much as I hate reporters and their ability to blow things way out of proportion and sensationalize, I agree that it's not right for someone to cherry pick the press they get.