Boy, that's the truth. A totally unpredictable moment.
I can't help contemplate the difference between the decision-making abilities of the common man, such as ourselves, and those in power, in recognizing a potential blunder. I'm no politician, but if I were in that position, seeking assistance, I don't think I would have publicly let everyone know that I was in a quandary, and I certainly wouldn't let BJ-Bill closer than an LD private phone call. It shows a clear lack of situational foresight, given the personality involved.
Secondly, Gibbs totally abandoned his duties of controlling the presser. Inexcusable, really; if he were my press secretary, I'd be tempted to fire him before the weekend was out. But the situation is now hopelessly beyond repair; I don't know what I would advise. Appreciating the past record of incompetence of this executive office, anything may happen. Most likely, they'll simply bury it.
As Tom Wolfe would have said, "He screwed the pooch". Unfortunately, with the current media locked up tight, some pooches can't be screwed, no matter how hard we try.
Pass the popcorn.
Good points! It looks like Obama ‘acted stupidly’ (in calling the presser)—probably at BC’s behest, whether Obama was on to it or not. Like you, one of my first thoughts was that Gibbs should be fired. With extreme prejudice. ;)
Agreed about the MSM, too, but I think they’re going to be swimming upstream in their efforts to keep the lid on this one. A lot of people saw it live, and imho there’s too much comedy gold in it for the likes of SNL to leave it completely alone. I think it has legs. We shall see.
I agree with everyone who said this is Obama’s Dukakis-in-a-tank moment. Only maybe worse. He looked awful, as even the maniacs at DU acknowledged yesterday. BC got his last hurrah, and Obama implanted a disastrous image in the public psyche he will never be able to obliterate.