Blue on blue: Helen Thomas hammers Gibbs on Obama’s phony town hall

Hot Air ^ | June 30, 2009 | ALLAHPUNDIT

[RobinMasters]

Phony, that is, in the sense that the White House knows in advance the questions that’ll be asked, which makes the questioners de facto plants of the most transparent administration evah. I have no big problem with The One putting on a pageant — that’s standard presidential stagecraft in a television age — but I do have a problem with the NYT taking care to note the “orchestration” when Bush pulled this while neglecting to mention it this time.

It’s in keeping with the media’s narratives about Dubya and Obama, though, the former shifty and stupid and therefore dependent on softballs, the latter “open” and ingenious and no longer required to prove his ability to handle tough questions.

Also, and needless to say, while Thomas’s and Chip Reid’s effort is appreciated, O doesn’t need to shut out the press in order to “control” it. That’s what Rahm’s mad manipulation skillz are for, and what Rahm (and Axelrod) can’t control, old-fashioned liberal bias can be trusted to take care of. As lefty rag Vanity Fair admitted early last month:

[BossLady]

I love Helen in this bit - ‘I don’t have to email my question....I can ask it here...’ HAHAHAH!

[cblue55]

Well, I have no smarty pants comments about Helen today; she earned her paycheck. The WH press corp will never wake up to the fact that kissing Obama’s rear end is a smelly thing, but could it be they’ll tire of Mr. “I know nothing” Gibbs?

[dragonblustar]

Gibbs is the perfect “Useful Idiot”..................

Yes he is.

[CitizenM]

Obama and Gibbs will soon realize: It's not nice to try and fool Mother Thomas - or keep her or others in the Press Corps out of the mix. Obama, Gibbs and Rahm might have a modicum of success at first with their goal to control the Press...but it will wear thin and then they will have to watch out.

I keep repeating the saying, "The bigger they are, the harder they fall." Anyone who is so narcissistic as to want to control everything will soon fail. And Obama will fail very badly and very publicly , it is just a matter of time.

[jeffc]

OK, I just gotta’ ask: what happened to Helen Thomas? She actually questioned the veracity of the White House screening and pre-selecting questions that zero will answer in his faux “town hall meeting”. Moment of lucidity, or does she think Bush is still the prez?

[trtdenver]

Are light bulbs turning on? Dare to dream.

[Red Badger]

That’s exactly why he’s so “useful”...............

[Red Badger]

HT does NOT suffer fools gladly....................of either party........

[This Just In]

I wouldn’t give Ms. Thomas too much credit. The only reason she’s playing offense in this game is because the romance is over, the press is feeling used, and Helen Thomas isn’t getting what she wants.

Welcome to the club, Helen.

[Irish Eyes]

Hopefully this will give the others in the Press the er, er, spine to start asking questions about this administration.

[Constitutions Grandchild]

Okay, who is she and what has she done with Helen Thomas? Call the FBI. If it is Helen Thomas, call an ambulance, the poor woman has suffered a stroke. Without proper medical attention, she could suffer irrevocable brain damage. Two choices: Helen Thomas has been kidnapped and is being held for ransom or she has had a stroke, an aneurysm burst or a brain tumor.

[hoosier hick]

The questions have to be pre-selected. Otherwise the teleprompter won’t have the answers...

hh

[hoosier hick]

Don’t forget: he is also very convincing when he looks confused, babbles incoherently, and mumbles. The guy is talented (or MAYBE he really is that way...)

hh

[devane617]

I heard her and the CBS guy today on Rush. This has to be the oddest story of the day. Can it be that helen Thomas actually goes after Obama? Just wow...

[Red Badger]

I doubt very seriously that he’s acting. He enjoys his perks of the job and will not deviate from the scripted message one iota. The press be damned. They asked for “change”.................

[erkyl]

The only reason she’s playing offense in this game is because the romance is over, the press is feeling used, and Helen Thomas isn’t getting what she wants.

Well, good. I think Helen Thomas is a died-in-the-wool liberal, but I think she is first and foremost a journalist, and the good ones are very protective of their constitutional protection. This tide could turn if they keep playing this ridiculous game.

Also, didn't anyone else find it funny that Gibbs never 'admitted' to understanding the problem? He kept telling them to wait until you hear the questions to decide if they're fair. Chip and HT both tried to point out that wasn't the point--that it was the orchestration of it that made it wrong. He fumbles around, fumbles around, and never really gets it. What a tool.

[Huskrrrr]

Wow. Wonder if Thomas will still have “house slave” status at the next TOTUS press conference?

[dandiegirl]

He also had that high pitched mocking laugh and no one in the room was laughing with him. He never answered one question. He just kept talking over them like well trained libs do.

[ScreamingFist]

Helen Thomas and Chip Reid nailed the White House mouthpiece to the wall, for over 3 minutes. I sat in awe. Perhaps America isn’t done yet......

[ichabod1]

That’s awesome.