Listen for the reaction as Gibbs compares the reporter to his son:
The serious questions that must be asked:
Would he have treated the reporter this way if she were a man?
Would he have treated the reporter this way if she were white?
There is only one possible conclusion: Robert Gibbs is sexist and . . .
Racist
On a more serious note, he is a terrible press secretary. Probably the worst since Scott McClellan.
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Would he have treated the reporter this way if she worked for the Washington Post?
Official Internet Data Office (c4e07b) — 12/5/2009 @ 10:23 amHe makes McClellan look downright competent.
JD (42d1cb) — 12/5/2009 @ 10:25 amHis level of condescension always blows me away.
For someone who has to count on the media to spin information in his favor, he should be kissing a little more a$$.
Em (11cf60) — 12/5/2009 @ 10:33 amGibb’s takes condescension and arrogance to a whole new level. I think he’s an equal opportunity jerk,though, whether to men or women, black, white or brown.
What troubles me more about this, is that Ms. Ryan’s line of questioning seemed to be going in the wrong direction. Rather than using her few moments questioning whether Ms. Rogers invited herself (who cares?), why not press Gibbs instead toward the more important issue of whether or not it was the Social Secretary’s direct responsibility to station a person at the gate double-checking the guest lists if she herself wasn’t going to be doing it?
And I wouldn’t have objected had she walked up to the podium and smacked on the side of his head for good measure.
Dana (e9ba20) — 12/5/2009 @ 10:36 amGreetings:
You forgot the “Would he have treated the reporter this way if she were good-looking?” question.
My father used to like to say “accidents happen when two clowns show up at the same place at the same time”.
11B40 (f53e01) — 12/5/2009 @ 10:59 amArrogance, condescension, and not telling the truth? Perfect match for his boss.
Maybe the WH press corps should take a lesson from Iraq and start throwing shoes. (Obviously humor intended, in no way am I suggesting that anyone try to harm the President or his press secretary by hitting them with a thrown shoe.)*
(*Comment written in keeping with format encouraged by CIA, the Obama Administration, and contract attorneys.)
MD in Philly (227f9c) — 12/5/2009 @ 11:03 amwhy would Ear Leader have a competent press secretary? that would screw up the symmetry of his staffing, appointments, economic and foreign policies and his legislative agenda.
redc1c4 (fb8750) — 12/5/2009 @ 11:53 amDefinitely racist (sarcastic smirk)
Seriously, though, I worked with a man who would compare people to his children all the time. It really is condescending and absolutely immature. I don’t mind her being persistent or even borderline rude, Gibbs is the master at not answering questions and he does it with an arrogant flair, sound familiar?
TheAudacity (2fd5ad) — 12/5/2009 @ 12:13 pmCan’t be certain, but seen from a distance @ ~1:28, Gibbs might be gesturing with Obama’s favorite finger.
Old Coot (166f79) — 12/5/2009 @ 12:21 pmI think he’s a perfect representation of this entire administration. Smug, arrogant, incompetent, and in need of a good ass kicking.
Marty Farty (cb1d38) — 12/5/2009 @ 12:22 pmNo one is even close to being as bad as McClellan. I always figured he was the son of a good friend of President Bush
jimboster (fe0b27) — 12/5/2009 @ 1:07 pmBlack writers and reporters (not just the one grilling Gibbs) all across the country have been asking very pointed questions about Desiree’s less than stellar performance as Social Secretary. Many apparently feel quite strongly that she has committed multiple sins: she embarrassed the president on a worldwide stage at his first big state dinner; also put those attending that night in possible danger had the crashers been other than pushy reality show people–and that she has not been properly forthcoming or contrite.
Gibbsy obviously had a huge problem dealing with this situation, got flustered, and blew it as he is so wont to do. Desiree is close personal friends with both the Obamas and Valerie Jarett. Pretty much everyone on the planet can see Desiree was posing and partying that night instead of earning her salary. Many Americans are highly irritated that the Secret Service (which also has plenty to be embarrassed about) took the entire fall for the foul-up at the WH door, and the forceful reporter Ryan herself is black, and knowledgeable, and part of the white house pool. Even a good press secretary, which Robert Gibbs clearly is not, would have had a hard time circumnavigating around THAT set of circumstances.
elissa (90d488) — 12/5/2009 @ 1:08 pmActually, that’s de rigueur for Democrats.
EW1(SG) (edc268) — 12/5/2009 @ 1:11 pmNo, the all-time worst spokeshole was the guy in the JFK administration over at the Pentagon who, with a straight face, insisted that the Government had a right, nay – A Duty! – to lie to the press. He left to plant a garden with his family shortly after that – it was too much even for the WaPo.
AD - RtR/OS! (14c527) — 12/5/2009 @ 1:15 pmGibb’s treatment of Major Garrett regarding his questioning of the purloined public’s personal e – mails by the WH still takes the cake for jerkiness.
Dmac (a964d5) — 12/5/2009 @ 1:19 pmIt is hard to get excited about the topic being raised. Clearly the reporter is an idiot. All things considered, Gibbs gave her what she deserved and probably would have been the same if it was a white male from Fox. Maybe not.
Alta Bob (e8af2b) — 12/5/2009 @ 1:20 pm#12 — Comment by elissa — 12/5/2009 @ 1:08 pm
Pretty much everyone on the planet can see Desiree was posing and partying that night instead of earning her salary.
This is also perfect description of President Obama’s actions to date.
Pons Asinorum (b0bc5f) — 12/5/2009 @ 1:22 pmI agree with Alta Bob. And to add, I have no problem with Gibbs treating reporters like dirt. They are dirt the way they have totally been bending over for Obama.
nk (df76d4) — 12/5/2009 @ 1:41 pm#15 dmac
m (d622ae) — 12/5/2009 @ 2:18 pmJake Tapper on White House transparency ranks right up there with Major Garrett on White House emails.
Ya know when you act like a spoiled, entitled child you should not be surprised to be treated as such.
Ask question, await answer, follow up, await answer, take notes. Always remember to STFU when others are speaking! Got it kid?
Good effective communications continues to be a two way street where both parties need to work at it, the more formal the situation, the more work may be required.
TC (0b9ca4) — 12/5/2009 @ 2:19 pm“Ya know when [Robert Gibbs] act[s] like a spoiled, entitled child[,] [he] should not be surprised to be treated as such.”
m (d622ae) — 12/5/2009 @ 2:27 pm#11, jimboster, Bingo, you got it right. Scott McClellen is the well connected son of Barr McClellen who was a member of the Dallas, Texas, law firm that handled LBJ’s legal business. The following is from Wikipedia:
“Born in Austin, Texas, McClellan is the youngest son of Carole Keeton Strayhorn, former Texas State Comptroller and former 2006 independent Texas gubernatorial candidate, and attorney Barr McClellan. McClellan’s brother Mark headed the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and was formerly Commissioner for the Food and Drug Administration. McClellan is the grandson of the late W. Page Keeton, longtime Dean of the University of Texas School of Law and renowned expert in tort law.”
Scott’s father, Barr McClellen, wrote the book: “Blood, Money, and Power, How LBJ killed JFK.” Barr also revealed how and why LBJ had his sister Josefa Johnson murdered.
It’s all rather complex and certainly old hat these days. But to anyone interested in the JFK assassination, it’s required reading, it’s not the whole story by any stretch of the imagination, but it is an important part of the greatest unsolved mystery of all time.
ropelight (78a778) — 12/5/2009 @ 3:22 pmI would imagine that Gibbs will soon “decide” he needs to spend more time with that young son of his and will “resign” his position. I am sure it will happen by election day 2010.
JVW (0fe413) — 12/5/2009 @ 3:40 pmThe only possible conclusion is that Gibbs is an ass
SteveG (97b6b9) — 12/5/2009 @ 3:44 pmBased on performance in office, Gibbs is significantly WORSE than McClellan. McClellan only outdistances Gibbs if we consider (as we should) his craven performance after leaving, but as to that, we don’t yet have a standard of comparison for Gibbs. (Yet. But we probably will, soon enough.)
Beldar (8179a0) — 12/5/2009 @ 4:36 pmGibbs will soon be voted out of the buffoons union.
Mike Myers (3c9845) — 12/5/2009 @ 6:33 pmPlease. The Obama Administration is like 80% Chicago…
You think Gibbs would live long enough to even pitch a book, let alone write one?
Scott Jacobs (d027b8) — 12/5/2009 @ 6:35 pmI don’t have a problem with the reporter being treated like dirt–reporters are typically just as condescending and arrogant as any politician, but have less education and overall intelligence.
My favorite Gibbs moment was earlier this year:
Gibbs: (speaking about an issue which I can’t remember right now) “I don’t know, you’d have to ask the White House about that.”
Reporter: “Um, that’s you.”
LOL
Another Chris (470967) — 12/5/2009 @ 7:27 pmRobert Gibbs, as Press Secretary to President Obama, is every bit as wise and capable as his principal. Were he more so, it would raise the question as to whether he should have been the Democratic nominee rather than the fractional-term Senator who is now President.
Glenn Howard (56ddd6) — 12/6/2009 @ 4:22 am