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| WH: "We answered that yesterday" |
| 2010-01-07 |
| On Tuesday, White House press secretary Robert Gibbs declined to answer questions about the president's campaign commitment to hold health-care negotiations on C-Span. Gibbs said he had not seen a letter from C-Span's Brian Lamb to congressional leaders requesting the coverage and thus could not comment on it. On Wednesday, Gibbs was asked again about the C-Span commitment. The story had gotten pretty big in the intervening time, and presumably Gibbs had had a chance to familiarize himself with it. So reporters tried for a second day to get him to comment on the president's commitment to holding televised health-care talks. Gibbs' answer? "We covered this yesterday." Here's part of the Wednesday silliness: QUESTION: During the campaign the President on numerous occasions said words to the effect of -- quoting one -- "all of this will be done on C-SPAN in front of the public." Do you agree that the President is breaking an explicit campaign promise? GIBBS: Chip, we covered this yesterday and I would refer you to yesterday's transcript. QUESTION: But today is today and -- GIBBS: And the answer that I would give today is similar to the one -- QUESTION: But there was an intervening meeting in which it's been reported that the President pressed the leaders in Congress to take the fast-track approach, to skip the conference committee. Did he do that? GIBBS: The President wants to get a bill to his desk as quickly as possible. QUESTION: In spite of the fact that he promised to do this on C-Span? GIBBS: I would refer you to what we talked about in this room yesterday. QUESTION: But the President in this meeting yesterday -- GIBBS: And I addressed that -- QUESTION: -- pressed for something that's in direct violation of a promise he made during the campaign. GIBBS: And I addressed that yesterday. Got that, you plebes? "We answered that yesterday... and gave it a B+!" |
| Posted by:Free Radical |
| #12 Hellfish, 2010 comes first. I have become more and more concerned that the 3rd box may have to be opened yet. The Tea Party philosophy of a more libertaraian, fiscally conservative, populist bent is the last hope. Yes I do know that there are contradictions within the elements of that list but those will get worked out. Basically it means get the gov't AND the pols. oligarch friends, be they from Wall St., Academia or the Labor bosses, out of our wallets and lives. |
| Posted by: AlanC 2010-01-07 16:15 |
| #11 That being said, there is the idea that doing it his way at least Gibbs gets to keep his job. :-) |
| Posted by: gorb 2010-01-07 13:25 |
| #10 Here's my theory on WH press conferences, FWIW. First, tell them that the whole thing will be exactly 30 minutes long or whatever, and stick to it. After that, answer whatever questions come in the order they are presented. If the talking heads want to talk about Tiger Woods the whole time, let them. Answer away. If the talking heads want to ask the same question 15 different ways, let them. Answer away. Never play games, just answer the questions. Yes, no, don't know, no comment, an explanation, or whatever is most appropriate. Don't take anything personally. After a while, the talking heads will figure it out and use their time wisely. In this case it was a good question I think, because Obama is about as easy to pin down as a water-weenie. It would have been far less time-consuming and just about as informative to have just said "Yes" in this case, rather than to have said "Yes" using this more round-about approach. |
| Posted by: gorb 2010-01-07 13:23 |
| #9 Alan, The soap box is mostly missing due to the MSM. Acorn and illegals are working on taking the ballot box in 2012. That only leaves one box left... |
| Posted by: Hellfish 2010-01-07 12:39 |
| #8 Mostly it's the liberal elite who don't have to pay their taxes, I believe. |
| Posted by: gorb 2010-01-07 11:26 |
| #7 CF, I thought the elite DIDN'T pay taxes, at least not until caught when appointed to office. |
| Posted by: Glenmore 2010-01-07 10:32 |
| #6 CF, you are not part of the elite. Only they can say that. |
| Posted by: Rambler in Virginia 2010-01-07 09:59 |
| #5 I wonder how far "I paid taxes last year." will get me. |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2010-01-07 09:47 |
| #4 Soap box, ballot box, cartridge box. |
| Posted by: AlanC 2010-01-07 08:16 |
| #3 Gibbs is no more than a lackey for this administration. He can use some lessons in etiquette. Every time I see him at work, he reminds me of the "Piss Boy" from Mel Brooks 'History of the World, Part II'. |
| Posted by: Tom- Pa 2010-01-07 07:39 |
| #2 A pox on turd Gibbs and the boot licking press corps who permit him to get away with this type of behavior. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2010-01-07 05:12 |
| #1 Daley machine Pol - SPIT!!! |
| Posted by: 3dc 2010-01-07 00:48 |