Posted on 02/10/2009 9:32:36 PM PST by Free ThinkerNY
ABC's tenacious reporter is already proving to be the new star of the White House press pack.
Last night’s prime-time presidential address may have been like prom to the White House press corps, but every high-schooler knows that reputations are made in the schoolyard. And for the freshman class of 44, the first skirmish happened last Thursday in the White House briefing room between presidential Press Secretary Robert Gibbs and ABC’s Jake Tapper.
Tapper, the network’s ambitious, telegenic Senior White House Correspondent, has made a name for himself as a tough questioner, but last Thursday, Tapper’s tenacity didn’t just get the story—it became the story, in a sudden, testy exchange with Gibbs that was instantly snapped up by blogs, posted on YouTube and rebroadcast for good measure on Fox News’ Hannity.
Tapper had asked Gibbs about getting copies of ethics disclosure forms for Cabinet nominees—a reasonable question, asked with a bit of a jab: “Based on listening to the president’s rhetoric, I’m sure this is something he would want to do.” Retorted Gibbs: “Well, knowing of your crystal clarity on his opinion, I’ll certainly check.” Oh, snap! And it was on:
Tapper: He doesn't believe in transparency?
Gibbs: Did you have another more-pertinent question?
Tapper: I think that's fairly pertinent to your Cabinet nominees and whether not they pay their taxes and whether not they have speaking fees with all sorts of industries you are supposed to regulate, I think that’s fairly pertinent, you don’t?
Ouch.
(Excerpt) Read more at thedailybeast.com ...
Sounds like a line of questioning Tim Russert would have went in to. Good to see there is at least one reporter with the ‘drive by’ media that isn’t afraid to do their job.
Looks like Jake is “Tapping” into some good stories.
Gibbs is worst that McClellan and Joe whatshisname for Clinton. Oh Lockhart. Should have been Lockjaw.
Hey Helen Thomas. Wanna ask a real question? Oh, sorry, you’re still dead, like Franco. Never mind!
I’m a Jake Tapper fan. Unabashedly so.
I have no idea of this reporter’s politics, but even liberal reporters value getting ahead more than their politics. If he senses a story, he will go for it.
I hope this guy leads the way and shows the other reporters that being nothing but spinmeisters for Obama won’t earn the president’s respect, he will just laugh at them for being so easily duped.
That is really saying something. McClellan could have have been the worst spokesman in the history of the spoken word. No one is happier to see Gibbs come along more than McClellan.
In a word, yes. Never underestimate's Barry's hubris. This guy drips with conceit, arrogance and pomposity. Tapper had better watch himself. I get the feeling if you cross the Messiah, your place in the press room seating chart could be the least of your worries.
He also has a name out of a 1940s teenage novel.
his question at BO’s newsconference was just another softball, as was Major Garrett’s , whose news organization (FOX) was not id’ed by BO.
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