Obama Throws Tantrum in Press Room

[Bono]

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 2:39 PM EST
   
President Barack 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.

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."

[JohnnyLongtorso]

That doesn't sound like a "tantrum". Obama likes everything to be smooth and in control, so he got annoyed when things started getting chaotic. Big deal.

Now if he starts acting like that when he has actual press conferences, that's a problem.

[Wall St. Wiz]

Why does he always have to lecture?  Just say this is a social visit and I'm not taking questions, and leave it at that.

Any reporter is going to ask the president a question if given the opportunity, no need to be a jerk about it. 

[tik 🪀✨]

You should hold yourself to a higher standard than this, Bono. You are so eager to begin Obama's defamation that you post something that sets the bar so low that no one will take any of your criticism seriously. This is a completely non-substantive story about a non-substantive event - an irony, given the little content it has. It nears the lows Bush's rabid detractor's would present.

Seriously, read the "story." This was not a press conference, it was little more than a meet and greet.. Obama wasn't there for any other reason. Instead the writer has narrated with melodramatic words and phrases to make it seem important or interesting. It's the complete opposite. The question itself was a good one - but not warranted at the time. Wait until Obama's administration actually gives an answer and then you may have a story.

[minionofmidas]

Although the question itself was... while not a good one (except in the sense of "a good question should avoid an answer at all costs"), certainly a valid one; the tantrum was thrown by the journo in the article.

[Purple State]

I think it was rude of the reporter to ask a question and continue to do so when Obama made it clear he wasn't going to answer. This wasn't a press conference, Obama didn't have answers to the daily round of questions at his fingertips. He just wanted to say hi. This is the equivalent of me introducing myself to my new neighbors and they just start popping questions about the neighborhood gossip. You're there as a courtesy, nothing else.

[Lief 🗽]

I think I should probably set Bono to ignore one of these days.

[Keystone Phil]

This is the equivalent of me introducing myself to my new neighbors and they just start popping questions about the neighborhood gossip. You're there as a courtesy, nothing else.

The difference is that you aren't the President of the United States walking into a room of reporters. 

[Marokai Backbeat]

You should hold yourself to a higher standard than this, Bono. You are so eager to begin Obama's defamation that you post something that sets the bar so low that no one will take any of your criticism seriously. This is a completely non-substantive story about a non-substantive event - an irony, given the little content it has. It nears the lows Bush's rabid detractor's would present.

Seriously, read the "story." This was not a press conference, it was little more than a meet and greet.. Obama wasn't there for any other reason. Instead the writer has narrated with melodramatic words and phrases to make it seem important or interesting. It's the complete opposite. The question itself was a good one - but not warranted at the time. Wait until Obama's administration actually gives an answer and then you may have a story.

[Matt Damon™]

You should hold yourself to a higher standard than this, Bono. You are so eager to begin Obama's defamation that you post something that sets the bar so low that no one will take any of your criticism seriously. This is a completely non-substantive story about a non-substantive event - an irony, given the little content it has. It nears the lows Bush's rabid detractor's would present.

Seriously, read the "story." This was not a press conference, it was little more than a meet and greet.. Obama wasn't there for any other reason. Instead the writer has narrated with melodramatic words and phrases to make it seem important or interesting. It's the complete opposite. The question itself was a good one - but not warranted at the time. Wait until Obama's administration actually gives an answer and then you may have a story.

[Scam of God]

Is this surprising? Politico is the New Media arm of the GOP, and Martin is their hack-star.

[ChrisFromNJ]

Is this surprising? Politico is the New Media arm of the GOP, and Martin is their hack-star.

 ^

This.

[Bacon King]

When I first saw this article I was wondering how long it would be until someone posted it on the Atlas with excessively anti-Obama overtones. My guess was that it was gonna be that C-WA guy that made the fuss about Serrano's yearly amendment last week.

Though the question the reporter had was a relevant one, I'd agree, he was seriously asking at the wrong time and should have taken a hint the first time Obama said it was strictly a social visit. I don't see how Obama was in the wrong here anywhere near the the extent that the article seems to suggest.

If you're legitimately making a big deal about this, Bono, then let me just say I'm sad to see such a good poster drink the "OMGS OBAMA SUXS" kool-aid.

[Lunar]

Is this surprising? Politico is the New Media arm of the GOP, and Martin is their hack-star.

 ^

This.

You mean the news organization that broke the news of the Palin $200k-on-clothes scandal, that irreparably harmed the RNC with its donors?

Or is this a different Politico?

[ChrisFromNJ]

Is this surprising? Politico is the New Media arm of the GOP, and Martin is their hack-star.

 ^

This.

You mean the news organization that broke the news of the Palin $200k-on-clothes scandal, that irreparably harmed the RNC with its donors?

This is like saying Fox News isn't in bed with the Republican Party because they broke the Bush DUI story in 2000.

These news organizations want to beat their competitors to a scoop. It still doesn't erase their record.

[Queen Mum Inks.LWC]

Give Obama some slack.

Sometimes the media needs to be told to shut up.

[Lunar]

Is this surprising? Politico is the New Media arm of the GOP, and Martin is their hack-star.

 ^

This.

You mean the news organization that broke the news of the Palin $200k-on-clothes scandal, that irreparably harmed the RNC with its donors?

This is like saying Fox News isn't in bed with the Republican Party because they broke the Bush DUI story in 2000.

These news organizations want to beat their competitors to a scoop. It still doesn't erase their record.

Well, let's just say that this isn't my impression when I've been in contact with their reporters.

Their editorial border leans on the sensationalist side of things, which of course, leans against the party in power.  But their reporters have always been reasonable to me.

[bgwah]

[Eraserhead]

Jesus wept after reading this piece.

[Torie]

Tantrum: It is a rather perfervid description isn't it?

[Purple State]

Is this surprising? Politico is the New Media arm of the GOP, and Martin is their hack-star.

 ^

This.

You mean the news organization that broke the news of the Palin $200k-on-clothes scandal, that irreparably harmed the RNC with its donors?

This is like saying Fox News isn't in bed with the Republican Party because they broke the Bush DUI story in 2000.

These news organizations want to beat their competitors to a scoop. It still doesn't erase their record.

Well, let's just say that this isn't my impression when I've been in contact with their reporters.

Their editorial border leans on the sensationalist side of things, which of course, leans against the party in power.  But their reporters have always been reasonable to me.

Bear in mind that the Republican intellectuals did not like Palin. It would be no surprise to see the media arm smacking her around at all.

[JSojourner]

You should hold yourself to a higher standard than this, Bono. You are so eager to begin Obama's defamation that you post something that sets the bar so low that no one will take any of your criticism seriously. This is a completely non-substantive story about a non-substantive event - an irony, given the little content it has. It nears the lows Bush's rabid detractor's would present.

Seriously, read the "story." This was not a press conference, it was little more than a meet and greet.. Obama wasn't there for any other reason. Instead the writer has narrated with melodramatic words and phrases to make it seem important or interesting. It's the complete opposite. The question itself was a good one - but not warranted at the time. Wait until Obama's administration actually gives an answer and then you may have a story.

Or, to summarize...

EPIC FAIL