Gibbs Compares Black Female WH Reporter To His Child (re Desiree Rogers)

YouTube ^ | 12-4-09

[STARWISE]

They really got into it .. and April held her ground and gave it right back (see transcript below)

VIDEO

[STARWISE]

April Ryan

April Ryan a White House correspondent for the American Urban Radio Networks, was compared to a child behaving badly by Robert Gibbs. Gibbs is a press secretary.

Ryan was questioning Gibbs regarding Desiree Rogers, who is a White House social secretary, and it seems Gibbs was a little annoyed by Ryan.

The transcript for this briefing still does not appear on the White House’s website.

The interview went as follows:

APRIL RYAN: Was there a concern in this White House that she came out being, some might have called her the ‘belle of the ball,’ overshadowing the first lady at the…

ROBERT GIBBS: I don’t who some are. I’ve never heard that. Again…

RYAN: Well, it’s been bantered around Washington, and it’s been in Democratic circles as well as Republican circles, high-ranking people.

GIBBS: April, I, I, that’s not a station I live in in life.

RYAN: Just answer the question, please.

GIBBS: Are you done speaking so I can?

RYAN: Oh yes, I’m done.

GIBBS: I’ve not heard any of that criticism. I’ve not read any of that criticism. The president, the first lady, and the entire White House staff are grateful for the job that she does. And thinks she has done a terrific and wonderful job pulling off a lot of big and important events here at the White House.

RYAN: Did she invite herself to the state dinner or was she a guest? Did the president invite her or did she put her… No, that’s a real question. Do not fan it off. I’m serious.

GIBBS: I, I, Jonathan-

RYAN: No, no, no. Did she invite herself or did the president ask her? Her name was on that list, and social secretaries are the ones who put the names on the list.

GIBBS: Right. Was she at the dinner? April, April, calm down. Just take a deep breath for one second. Now see? This happens with my son. He does the same thing.

(Here there is an Audible reaction from other reporters as, Ryan mouths, “I’m older than your son.”)

RYAN: Don’t play with me. I’m being serious. Do not blow it off.

GIBBS: I’m not… And I’m giving you a serious answer. Was she at the dinner? Yes. She’s the social secretary.

RYAN: Social secretaries are not guests of the dinner.

GIBBS: She had the primary responsibility for running the dinner. I’m going to get back to weightier topics like 98,000 men and women in Afghanistan.

[STARWISE]

~~PING!

[brwnsuga]

....liberals show their paternalistic stripes in many ways. You noticed ole girl said “don’t play with me”. That’s what Democrats really think of black people anyway. Why, why, why do my people keep throwing their votes away on those a$$bags.

[Bahbah]

Gibbs has been rude to and dismissive of her from the outset. I was glad to see her push back.

I agree with April on just about nothing, but she is a diligent reporter and does her homework. She deserves to be treated with respect.

Gibbster comes off as positively racist.

[Cicero]

[Gator113]

The Mouth doesn’t want to give a truthful answer to the question and instead he insults and ridicules the lady.

Such a class act, Obama’s administration.

[muawiyah]

The key to understanding here is that Gibbs treated her like a child and the other white people stood aside from defending her, and some laughed.

I think we got this one down right.

As so many black slaves learned back in the day there's no difference between the owners and the supervisors.

[donna]

What’s unique is that Gibbs used his superior attitude against a black woman.

[MNDude]

not sure if her color matters

[Bullish]

Gibbs is such a pile of crap. A perfect representative for this White House.

[Awestruck]

I’ve seen the exchange and she is clearly in the wrong. She is your typical pushy female liberal “journalist”, asking a stupid, rumor-based question about something so petty it doesn’t even rate. He was way nicer to her than she deserved. She was acting like a spoiled brat, behaving as if the Gibbs should kowtow to the press, as they all do, and frankly, I’m tired of THAT. Don’t damn him just because he’s Obama staff.. kneejerk reactions dont’ cut it here.

[Syncro]

GIBBS: She had the primary responsibility for running the dinner.

That's the money quote.

Her usual job (or so I heard) is to be at security check points (or one at least) to allow or deny access to those that don't seem to have the proper papers.

She is the one that the SS took the bullet for.

She was too busy modeling her mummy dress to do her job.

[SE Mom]

I didn’t see this exchange- but am interested in his attitude. Was it racist or just typical condescension towards anyone who questions The One?

I ask because of my own reaction toward Obama on the race level. I think of him as a man with dark skin- not an African American. Odd, isn’t it?

[bigbob]

Gibbs always takes this attitude with people when he doesn’t like the question. Reporters have empathy for each other regardless of political stripe and they don’t like this. There will be payback, eventually.

[brwnsuga]

That Gibbs is a piece of work. She was much more respectful to him than I would have been had he called me a child. I would’ve gotten totally Ghettolicious on him.

[UCANSEE2]

The key to understanding here is that Gibbs treated her like a child and the other white people stood aside from defending her, and some laughed.

I heard no laughing. I heard a lot of negative 'uhhhhs'. Sounded like they were defending her by their reaction.

[Califreak]

He doesn’t seem particularly racist to me.

Of course, I’ve always pegged him as just another garden variety a-hole.

[muawiyah]

Reporters use that hissing sound to suppress overt laughter. Remember, we are not dealing with normal people here.

[UCANSEE2]

What’s unique is that Gibbs used his superior attitude against a black woman.

Honestly, I don't think Gibbs cared or noticed. In his view, everyone is just a sheeple that he is directed to lie to and placate.