Carney: Obama would give more speeches if networks would let him

CNN ^ | September 10, 2014 | Peter Hamby, CNN National Political Reporter

[2ndDivisionVet]

(VIDEO-AT-LINK)

Former White House Press Secretary Jay Carney -- a longtime journalist before he joined the Obama administration in its infancy -- is back in the media game as a political analyst for CNN.

We caught up with Carney on Wednesday, in the hours before President Obama addresses the nation to outline his plan for dismantling ISIS, the brutal terrorist group that's roiling Iraq and Syria.

A former White House insider, Carney had insight into how the President and his team are preparing for such a major address.

But he also riffed on the state of the news media, the "not ideal" state of the White House press briefing, Hillary Clinton's potential campaign and how Twitter has accelerated the political news cycle.

CNN: So pull back the curtain a little bit, if you can, before tonight's speech. What is happening today? Who is in the room with the president, and what is he doing in there?

Carney: When speeches are important like this one, the president is the primary writer of the speech. He will get a draft, a very good one, from his team. From Ben Rhodes and Cody Keenan. But he will spend a good amount of time making sure it's really what he wants to say. I am sure as we get closer to speech time he will be fine-tuning it, working with his team. And he is keenly aware of the unique opportunity to give a speech to the nation. They don't come that often. There aren't that many occasions, outside of a State of the Union address, where a president in this media age has an audience as big as he'll have tonight.....

[JennysCool]

Actually, it was WAY earlier than that!

[tet68]

I’m sure if the democrats had their wish we
would be subjected to Obama “speeches” 3 and 4
hours long on the state of potato production targets,
and the extinction of the white kulak as a source
of oppression.

Funny, I didn’t find his most recent effort all
that noteworthy.

[PghBaldy]

"And he is keenly aware of the unique opportunity to give a speech to the nation. They don't come that often"

He must be kidding. Obama is the most over-exposed President, ever.

[Mark17]

Yet I manage to smell the distinct odor of horse manure every time these clowns pop on my tv.

Well if they pop on yours, you are better off than me, because they poop on mine.

[NonValueAdded]

WT Actual F?

[jimfree]

Absolutely He would give a prime-time speech every week if the networks would give him the time. And he would add very little of substance to the political discussion.

[Joe Boucher]

So very tired of this narcissist a=hole.

[edpc]

If his speeches could beat the ratings of TV Land reruns, maybe they’d accommodate him.

[556x45]

Think for a moment....please...if you feel this way dont you think many many more people will? Remember back to Barrys first term when he over exposed himself? The dislike index started ramping way up. If Barry cant keep his big trap shut the MSM will do it for him by giving no podium. I think Barry should give LOTS more public speeches. The more the better. Every time he talks people see the real him not the imagine the MSM wants us to see. Remember the Joe the Plumber episode? Oh ya...lets let Barry talk and talk. He’ll do himself in in short order if allowed to. He’s just that foolish and arrogant....

[Resolute Conservative]

If true, which I doubt, I thank the networks.

[Windflier]

Imagine if the Press treated Obama thee same way they treated Bush.

If we had even a halfway honest, objective press, Obama would have been tossed out of the White House on his ear in 2012.

They've been propping up his worthless hide since the day he was first inaugurated.