Posted on 05/13/2009 11:39:34 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
Gibbs seizes reporter's phone @ 2:28 pm by Eric Zimmermann
At his daily press briefing today, press secretary Robert Gibbs got fed up when a reporter's cell phone rang repeatedly, eventually deciding to simply seize the device.
When the phone first rang, Gibbs snapped at the reporter to turn the volume down.
"Put it on vibrate," he said. "We've been through this before."
A few minutes later, the phone rang again, and this time Gibbs decided to take action. He strode off the podium and demanded the reporter hand the phone over.
"Give me the phone," he demanded, as the room erupted in laughter. He then tossed the phone to an aide outside the briefing room and walked back to the podium. "Don't worry, someone caught it."
After things calmed down, a different reporter's phone rang, drawing more laughs from the briefing room. This time, the scribe decided to take act pre-emptively and leave the room to take his call.
“Mr. Jones, I paid for this microphone, ah, I mean phone”
If the press corps had any sense of humor at all, they would have started to ring themselves up.
That’s what the JO’s in the back of the ready room would have done.
I couldn’t imagine Tony Snow having to do the school-marm bit, either. Gibbs is so amateur-hour, it’s scary.
One version: "Ha. Ha. Ha. That Bob Gibbs is such a card."
Second version: "Robert Gibbs, White House Press Secretary, overreacts and siezes reporter's property."
Anyone care to guess which version the press will use in reporting this incident?
For extra credit, does anyone care to guess how the press wold have reported this same incident if it happened during a Republican administration??
I watched this entire episode and my reaction was different. I found the disrespect shown toward Gibbs appalling. First- they weren’t discussing the new puppy or Obama going out for burgers. This was a damn serious press briefing about whether or not these photos should be released.
The White House press corps is disgusting.
Even Major Garrett sat there with a surprised look on his face.
First time I’ve seen Gibbs do something I applauded.
Plante, from CBS answered his phone in the middle of Gibbs talking- then got up and walked out of the briefing.
Unreal.
What goes around comes around.
The O administration shows no respect and they get no respect.
Shame, isn’t it?
people are retards.
No truer words have ever been written.
Apparently some of the geniuses in the WH press corps haven’t learned even a modicum of courtesy, consideration or common sense. Anyone who works for a living long enough to attend even one meeting knows enough to turn off the ringer on his phone during a meeting. Have any of these morons gotten to where they are by acting professionally, or did they all get there by kissing ass and parroting the PC line?
I believe that the media does not like or respect the Obama administration. They see what we see and they know it's all a big joke. But they've put all their chips on Obama, so they can't back down -- they will continue to support, support, support.
But, yeah, you can see that they no longer respect.
That place looked like recess at at a preschool.
The subject matters of today are deadly serious, yet all of these clowns make it look like 45 minutes into a happy hour at the local yuppie bar.
Which doesn't surprise me even a *little* bit.
Sadly I find myself siding with Gibbs on this one.
I guess I'm surprised by the reaction here so far. If I were Gibbs I might have had the thing destroyed. People who think the World is their phone booth need to be put in their place.
ML/NJ
Gibbs is a POS.
That being said, even a POS can get something right.
I am sick of cell phone rudeness.
They are a valuable and useful tool, but the user ought to show some courtesy to those around him.
I know- they don’t deserve any respect- however- I’m a believer in showing respect to our national institutions.
I don’t really care WHO is in the White House- the damn press corps can turn their cell phones to vibrate during live briefings.
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