Teaser from yesterday's article:
After the obligatory first question from the Associated Press, Obama treated the overflowing White House briefing room to a surprise. "I know Nico Pitney is here from the Huffington Post," he announced.
Obama knew this because White House aides had called Pitney the day before to invite him, and they had escorted him into the room. They told him the president was likely to call on him, with the understanding that he would ask a question about Iran that had been submitted online by an Iranian. "I know that there may actually be questions from people in Iran who are communicating through the Internet," Obama went on. "Do you have a question?"
Pitney recognized his prompt. "That's right," he said, standing in the aisle and wearing a temporary White House press pass. "I wanted to use this opportunity to ask you a question directly from an Iranian."
Pitney asked his arranged question. Reporters looked at one another in amazement at the stagecraft they were witnessing. White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel grinned at the surprised TV correspondents in the first row.
The use of planted questioners is a no-no at presidential news conferences, because it sends a message to the world -- Iran included -- that the American press isn't as free as advertised. But yesterday wasn't so much a news conference as it was a taping of a new daytime drama, "The Obama Show." Missed yesterday's show? Don't worry: On Wednesday, ABC News will be broadcasting "Good Morning America" from the South Lawn (guest stars: the president and first lady), "World News Tonight" from the Blue Room, and a prime-time feature with Obama from the East Room...
But yesterday's daytime drama belonged primarily to Pitney, of the Huffington Post Web site.
During the eight years of the Bush administration, liberal outlets such as the Huffington Post often accused the White House of planting questioners in news conferences to ask preplanned questions. But here was Obama fielding a preplanned question asked by a planted questioner -- from the Huffington Post. "
Change?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/23/AR2009062303262.html
From another article:
"Responded a reporter, "Couldn't he have accomplished that without you guys escorting someone through here and planting him the room?"
Gibbs deflected.
But the reporters were far from done: "Is this going to become a regular feature of President Obama's news conference, that you all are going to bring people in here that you select to ask questions?"
"I don't have any – I won't make any apologies for that," Gibbs concluded.
To Kinsolving's question about questioners being planted, Gibbs deflected again, asking other reporters whether they knew they would be allowed a question.
Still another reporter chimed in, "He (Kinsolving) makes a good point…"
The exchange continued with Gibbs avoiding direct answers. Then he said, "I don't know how that perception comes out there, but I feel confident that if you feel that perception is out there, that you could deal with it."
After the obligatory first question from the Associated Press, Obama treated the overflowing White House briefing room to a surprise. "I know Nico Pitney is here from the Huffington Post," he announced.
Obama knew this because White House aides had called Pitney the day before to invite him, and they had escorted him into the room. They told him the president was likely to call on him, with the understanding that he would ask a question about Iran that had been submitted online by an Iranian. "I know that there may actually be questions from people in Iran who are communicating through the Internet," Obama went on. "Do you have a question?"
Pitney recognized his prompt. "That's right," he said, standing in the aisle and wearing a temporary White House press pass. "I wanted to use this opportunity to ask you a question directly from an Iranian."
Pitney asked his arranged question. Reporters looked at one another in amazement at the stagecraft they were witnessing. White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel grinned at the surprised TV correspondents in the first row.
The use of planted questioners is a no-no at presidential news conferences, because it sends a message to the world -- Iran included -- that the American press isn't as free as advertised. But yesterday wasn't so much a news conference as it was a taping of a new daytime drama, "The Obama Show." Missed yesterday's show? Don't worry: On Wednesday, ABC News will be broadcasting "Good Morning America" from the South Lawn (guest stars: the president and first lady), "World News Tonight" from the Blue Room, and a prime-time feature with Obama from the East Room...
But yesterday's daytime drama belonged primarily to Pitney, of the Huffington Post Web site.
During the eight years of the Bush administration, liberal outlets such as the Huffington Post often accused the White House of planting questioners in news conferences to ask preplanned questions. But here was Obama fielding a preplanned question asked by a planted questioner -- from the Huffington Post. "
Change?
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/23/AR2009062303262.html
From another article:
"Responded a reporter, "Couldn't he have accomplished that without you guys escorting someone through here and planting him the room?"
Gibbs deflected.
But the reporters were far from done: "Is this going to become a regular feature of President Obama's news conference, that you all are going to bring people in here that you select to ask questions?"
"I don't have any – I won't make any apologies for that," Gibbs concluded.
To Kinsolving's question about questioners being planted, Gibbs deflected again, asking other reporters whether they knew they would be allowed a question.
Still another reporter chimed in, "He (Kinsolving) makes a good point…"
The exchange continued with Gibbs avoiding direct answers. Then he said, "I don't know how that perception comes out there, but I feel confident that if you feel that perception is out there, that you could deal with it."
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