Why Reporters are Down on President Obama
[Guest post by DRJ]
Politico reporters Josh Gerstein and Patrick Gavin post an important story titled “Why reporters are down on President Obama.” It’s fascinating but I can’t figure out if it’s a story about how hard America’s media works to stay in President Obama’s good graces, or the public outing of a growing schism between the Obama Administration and the press:
“One of the enduring story lines of Barack Obama’s presidency, dating back to the earliest days of his candidacy, is that the press loves him.
“Most of you covered me. All of you voted for me,” Obama joked last year at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner.
But even then, only four months into his presidency, the joke fell flat. Now, a year later, with another correspondents’ dinner Saturday night likely to generate the familiar criticism of the press’s cozy relationship with power, the reality is even more at odds with the public perception.
Obama and the media actually have a surprisingly hostile relationship — as contentious on a day-to-day basis as any between press and president in the past decade, reporters who cover the White House say.”
Read the whole thing and then tell me what you think.
— DRJ
I’m sorry, but I couldn’t even get through the fourth page – this is nothing but lame excuses and deflection from the usual suspects in order to explain away their criminally negligent/laudatory coverage of anything and everything related to Obama. They carried his carcass over the finish line, then carried his water whenever he blew on his whistle. So now they’re finding out what a bunch of jerks this administation is composed of? Boo freaking hoo.
Dmac (21311c) — 4/28/2010 @ 3:24 pmI am with Dmac. Let’s take one example, as cited above by DRJ. According to Politico:
Oh really? Watch the video and decide for yourself if the joke “fell flat.” The line is delivered at the 1:50 mark. This is what everyone hates about the Obama-obsessed media — they can’t even acknowledge how in the tank they are for him so they try to re-write history to pretend that they are anything but infatuated like a tween schoolgirl with the Jonas Brothers.
JVW (08e86a) — 4/28/2010 @ 3:36 pmmaybe some of them are getting tired of the taste and perpetual sore throat?
naw, who am i trying to fool?
redc1c4 (fb8750) — 4/28/2010 @ 3:41 pmIt’s fascinating but I can’t figure out if it’s a story about how hard America’s media works to stay in President Obama’s good graces, or the public outing of a growing schism between the Obama Administration and the press:
I read it as a cry of dismay that the messianic Obama is even meaner to the press than the evil George Bush the Younger (The Ignorant).
Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (9ac78b) — 4/28/2010 @ 3:42 pmThey created him, they own him!
AD - RtR/OS! (ecaeda) — 4/28/2010 @ 3:43 pmPerhaps they need to ask Ray Donovan about how to get their reputations back?
It really is a sad spectacle.
It’s like the prom date spurned at the last minute and all she can think is she did something wrong and if she’s better and nicer, the beloved will return.
I did read the whole thing and that the story was even written tells you everything you need to know about today’s press.
The administration’s disdain for the press surpasses even Bush. The Bush administration considered the press a nuisance. To the Obama administration, the press doesn’t rise to the level of nuisance. It only comes under consideration as a subject of derision and contempt for amusement purposes. It really is a pathetic circus.
Ag80 (f67beb) — 4/28/2010 @ 4:23 pmIt’s like the prom date spurned at the last minute and all she can think is she did something wrong and if she’s better and nicer, the beloved will return.
Or, to be more blunt, if she lets him do all those things he wants to do but that she had thus far avoided in order to keep a shred of self-respect.
JVW (08e86a) — 4/28/2010 @ 4:50 pmObama’s disdain for the press was evident during the campaign. These people should not be surprised. Journalists were regularly exiled from Obama One for the content of their pieces and subjected to the same excoriation described in the Politico piece. They began working the refs well before Obama took office.
daleyrocks (1d0d98) — 4/28/2010 @ 4:53 pmYou’ll know if and when the press corpse turns on Obama when they start asking to see his birth certificate.
ropelight (a47510) — 4/28/2010 @ 5:05 pmDespite the Boo Hoo’s of the press, does anybody really think that come election 2012 that our darlings in the media will not do everything and anything to get their guy re-elected? The Times has special access because Obama knows that all of these media clowns will follow The Times lead and get the correct story out, the story that is favorable to Obama and liberal causes in general, despite any misgivings they may now have. Theyb will fall in line. You can count on it.
BT (74cbec) — 4/28/2010 @ 5:12 pmThere’s a phrase for what the media is for Obama: rectal ticks.
I read the whole thing earlier today. It’s awful. Gibbs treats them like cheap, desperate whores. However, since they act like cheap, desperate whores….
Vivian Louise (643333) — 4/28/2010 @ 5:28 pmBT – Absolutely. They still have not told the truth about his ACORN connections, the Annenberg Challenge or his ties with Ayers as starters. Once they stop covering for him, then I’ll be convinced they’ve turned. So far, nada.
daleyrocks (1d0d98) — 4/28/2010 @ 5:40 pmI agree with Brother Bradley’s post #4.
Let’s see if anyone in the lamestream media picks up on Obama’s unscripted comments, made today in Illinois. Talking about the “financial reform”, his comments included this little gem:
“Now, what we’re doing… I want to be clear… we’re not… we’re not trying to push financial reform because we begrudge success that’s fairly earned… I mean uh, I do think at a certain point, you’ve made enough money.”
That is outrageous.
GeneralMalaise (0a752b) — 4/28/2010 @ 5:53 pmIf anyone thinks they are going to bail on this guy they are insane. They already lie for him, just look at the differing coverage of the tea parties vs these immigration protests. One entirely peaceful yet referred to as angry, racist, and scary. The other, rioting and bricks throwing referred to as “mostly peaceful”.
Mr. Pink (bb8267) — 4/28/2010 @ 5:56 pmI mean imagine if there was a group that was staging alot of the tea parties that was called “The Race”. Imagine if instead of staging protest on freaking May Day they staged them on KKK’s birthday. That is what these illegal immigrant aholes are doing.
Mr. Pink (bb8267) — 4/28/2010 @ 6:01 pmIf they are so down on him why don’t they try some actual journalism? No, the down on him part still includes fellatio.
kansas (9b3da8) — 4/28/2010 @ 6:11 pmApparently the secret service called out a full riot gear swat team because there were some tea party activists in Quincy Il when the president was speaking. Gateway and a few other sites have the vid. The preposterousness of the swat team marching in formation–their leader chanting “left right left”– juxtaposed against the T-shirted, flag waving, smiling, grey haired ladies almost looks like it should be a SNL skit. Along with some of the anecdotes in Politico’s article, the press (especially the local press) has to be noticing some of this nutty stuff.
elissa (d688c8) — 4/28/2010 @ 6:26 pmNone is so blind as they who refuse to see.
AD - RtR/OS! (ecaeda) — 4/28/2010 @ 6:51 pmelissa, I wonder if they were geared up in Quincy because when he went to Georgia on Monday to speak at an ethanol plant, he was met by 1,000 protesters…
Again if and when journalists start challenging him on every little disgraceful lie he tells, then I might buy the Politico boys’ take on the matter. But not until then.
Dana (1e5ad4) — 4/28/2010 @ 7:00 pmMore like see no evil, hear no evil – and most of all speak (nor write) no evil.
Dmac (21311c) — 4/28/2010 @ 7:01 pmAre you kidding me? The press acts like an abused woman. “But HE loves me” Guess what Press…..you are still getting beat on like a drum.
spook (459a64) — 4/28/2010 @ 7:06 pmThe press is like the fat girl who lets her date have his way with her and who is surprised when his promise to respect her in the morning doesn’t seem to be real. We all know what the press is. Now we are arguing about price.
Mike K (2cf494) — 4/28/2010 @ 7:29 pmIt’s the hubris of the press: we got you elected, you owe us the leeway to be tough — to make it appear that we’re doing our jobs. But of course Bee Ho is so thin-skinned . . . the man that couldn’t contain himself from making oh-so-sly middle-finger gestures during the campaign simply will not abide any criticism by the fourth estate!
Icy Texan (d7204c) — 4/28/2010 @ 7:45 pm> Obama and the media actually have a surprisingly hostile relationship
Well, assuming Obama, like any hetero male, gets annoyed at someone trying to constantly shove their cranial cavity up his bum hole, then, yeah, I guess that could be sort of considered a hostile relationship…
IgotBupkis (79d71d) — 4/28/2010 @ 7:56 pm“Now, what we’re doing… I want to be clear… we’re not… we’re not trying to push financial reform because we begrudge success that’s fairly earned… I mean uh, I do think at a certain point, you’ve made enough money.”
I need to quit hitting this blog right before bed. It’s going to take at least an hour for me to relax after that quote.
How much is too much, Mr. President?
Good Lord.
em (017d3c) — 4/28/2010 @ 7:57 pm> The Bush administration considered the press a nuisance.
Yes, but to be fair and honest, for him, IT WAS.
When your approach is somewhat indistinguishable from stripping the PotUS naked, wrapping him in bacon and pork chops and then put him in a room with starving, rabid pit bulls and dobermans, I think “being a nuisance” is putting it rather mildly…
IgotBupkis (79d71d) — 4/28/2010 @ 8:01 pmThe press is still bitching because he ditched them for that “soccer game” and doesn’t let them into all the photo op sessions with foreign dignitaries.
Bunch of farking whiners. Cry me a river.
daleyrocks (1d0d98) — 4/28/2010 @ 8:02 pmThis is merely a family arguing in public. Write about real news exposing facts which might put Obama’s actual performance as president? Nah.
Ira (28a423) — 4/28/2010 @ 8:05 pmThe press tough on Obama? Are you crazy?
All I see is a lot of air brushing going on with the media treatment of this phony.
Every issue that comes up I think what would the media do if Bush did it?
Arizona Bob (e8af2b) — 4/28/2010 @ 8:14 pmHow come this is on the web? Where are the page 2 or 3 newspaper stories? You couldn’t tell this from the evening news. Their stories sound more like the E! network worship blurbs than the ones of Huntley, Brinkley or even Peter Jennings.
Bill M (6c80ab) — 4/28/2010 @ 8:14 pm“…I mean uh, I do think at a certain point, you’ve…” spent our nation so deep into bankruptcy our children’s children will die of old age before they pay off your debts.
ropelight (a47510) — 4/28/2010 @ 8:17 pmGM:
That is an interesting comment you caught:
“Now, what we’re doing… I want to be clear… we’re not… we’re not trying to push financial reform because we begrudge success that’s fairly earned… I mean uh, I do think at a certain point, you’ve made enough money.”
So, I looked up his 2010 tax form and he made around $5.5 million. I swear there is nothing wrong with that. He’s worked hard, sold a couple of books, he earned it. His family paid a lot of taxes, in excess of a million.
President Bush’s return in 2008 showed an income of $719,274. Laura brought in a few extra bucks through a book. They paid more than $200,000 in taxes. Of course, Bush is rich beyond words, what with all that blood oil and everything.
My question is, what is the “certain point?” Maybe it’s $5.5 million, maybe it’s $700,000.
But, I do find it funny when multimillionaires lecture me on how much money is too much money to make. I really would like an answer: How much is too much? Specifically. What is the number?
Ag80 (f67beb) — 4/28/2010 @ 8:39 pmMike K… re:post #22… are you or have you ever been a “chubby-chaser”?
And yes, Ag80, I thought that comment was rather telling. One can really start to see what Obama is all about when he strays from the teleprompter.
GeneralMalaise (ffa3b9) — 4/28/2010 @ 8:46 pmOne has to wonder if he includes his very wealthy Hollywood buds who were so helpful in getting him elected and financially support his pet causes as also having made enough money? Does he think they should stop this madness? Of course he’s not referring to the individual – yet – but it does make one wonder when that judgment will be coming down the pipeline.
Dana (1e5ad4) — 4/28/2010 @ 8:55 pmFor President “Goddamn America” to be so dismissive of the press, even though I’m sure he’s fully aware of the strong ideological-partisan bond that exists between him and the MSM, illustrates just how ultra-liberal and, most tellingly, dishonest, disingeous and arrogant he truly is.
Mark (411533) — 4/28/2010 @ 8:59 pmObama and the media actually have a surprisingly hostile relationship — as contentious on a day-to-day basis as any between press and president in the past decade, reporters who cover for the White House say.”
I swear when I first read the quote I saw the “for” included.
John McCrarey (4961d7) — 4/28/2010 @ 9:18 pmSome reporters justify their puff pieces on Obama on the grounds that they are writing tell-all books — with the cooperation of the White House — that will appear years later, when Obama no longer cares.
What I have learned after discussions over the last several days with several journalists who either have regular access to the White House or are part of the White House press corps is that there is a growing sense that access is traded for positive stories — or perhaps worse, an agreement that things learned will not be reported in the near term.
Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (9eb641) — 4/28/2010 @ 9:30 pmThe White House is working hard to secure deals that yield fluffy, feel good commentary about the Obama White House. One American White House reporter used colorful terms to describe the arrangement. The reporter said, “They want ‘blow jobs’ first [in the press sense]. Then you have to be on good behavior for a bit or be willing to deal, and then you get access.”
“… I do find it funny when multimillionaires lecture me on how much money is too much money to make…”
Comment by Ag80 — 4/28/2010 @ 8:39 pm
Sort of like Warren Buffet telling Californian’s that they don’t pay enough property-tax.
“…All I see is a lot of air brushing going on with the media treatment of this phony…”
Comment by Arizona Bob — 4/28/2010 @ 8:14 pm
There’s been more air-brushing in the career of BHO than in the almost 60-years of Playboy.
AD - RtR/OS! (ecaeda) — 4/28/2010 @ 10:23 pmThe press whores will give Gibbs or Axelrod a blowjob in order to give Obama a blowjob.
LaFong (b14826) — 4/28/2010 @ 10:35 pmAh, a nice lesson on appeasement for the media…
Since you acted like such sycophants for Obama during the campaign, when you should have been asking a few more questions and properly vetting The One’s dubious and opaque history, it’s hard to try and demand your dignity now.
Obama knows he owns you, so he treats you with contempt. Since he no longer respects nor fears the press, Barack now even hectors reporters to “not waste their question”, and tells them when they’ve “got enough pictures”, and even to “get back on the bus”- ouch.
Maybe next time you’ll do your Constitutionally-implied duty that came with the right of a free-press, and investigate both candidates properly… and maybe, someone will again respect you…. because we don’t anymore, either.
Reaganite Republican (6836b1) — 4/28/2010 @ 10:48 pmSome reporters justify their puff pieces on Obama on the grounds that they are writing tell-all books — with the cooperation of the White House — that will appear years later, when Obama no longer cares.
Brother Bradley, in a way that makes sense for the current crop of media navel-gazers. They probably realize that newspapers, CNN shows, appearances on MSDNC, and the rest of their regular job ventures are dying off. Their only hope for future income is these tell-all books. I do wonder if the media isn’t holding on long enough to get Obama reelected in 2012, at which point they will open the floodgates and start dishing on all the secrets they have thus far kept under wraps. By 2014 you will start to see stories and books along the lines of “Obama: What Went Wrong” and “Broken Promises: How Obama Betrayed the Progressive Movement.”
JVW (08e86a) — 4/29/2010 @ 12:23 amComment by Arizona Bob — 4/28/2010 @ 8:14 pm
Bush did do “it”. 🙂 The media happens to be right on this one.
Intelliology (00d844) — 4/29/2010 @ 2:44 amThe media are still lapdogs to President Obama’s Progressive Movement (aka socialism). The media started fumbling the ball many years ago. Now the ball is loosely embraced by the internet. The question is – will the media old guard fight to get the ball back by returning to real journalism or just retire from the game?
Corwin (ea9428) — 4/29/2010 @ 5:10 am> How much is too much? Specifically. What is the number?
I have it on good authority it’s “42”.
IgotBupkis (79d71d) — 4/29/2010 @ 5:30 amGood to see that all Idiotology has in its arsenal is BUUUUUUUUUUSSSSSSSSHHHHHH.
It is a lie lie lie to call him a collectivist, a socialist, or a redistributionist. Lies, every one of them. They got all freaked about about a plumber because Barcky accidentally slipped an let his inner redistributionist out, and here he did it again.
JD (c1a2b8) — 4/29/2010 @ 7:34 amJVW,
Brother Bradley, in a way that makes sense for the current crop of media navel-gazers. They probably realize that newspapers, CNN shows, appearances on MSDNC, and the rest of their regular job ventures are dying off. Their only hope for future income is these tell-all books.
Yes, but …
Brother Bradley J. Fikes, C.O.R. (9eb641) — 4/29/2010 @ 7:43 am… the MNGs are far from passive victims looking for a way out. They’re actively killing their jobs with their puff pieces. The question is, will their employers figure this out before it’s too late?
You know that they will not figure that out, Brother Bradley. I would call them nitwits, but that would be insulting to actual wits of nit.
JD (c1a2b8) — 4/29/2010 @ 7:44 amEven if the newspapers die off, as they seem to be doing, where will those reporters get jobs in the future ? A decade of love notes to Obama isn’t a resume likely to impress someone who can afford to pay them when the Democrats have killed the economy.
Mike K (2cf494) — 4/29/2010 @ 8:11 am“where will those reporters get jobs in the future?”
I’m sure the growing Federal Government will have plenty of openings.
Corwin (ea9428) — 4/29/2010 @ 8:22 amCompetitive journalists from every point of the compass have always whined about wanting more access to whatever they were covering. It’s never enough.
DCSCA (9d1bb3) — 4/29/2010 @ 1:05 pm