Comments on: Surreal Press Conference Analysis Moment

By: CStanley

CStanley — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:29:52 +0000

What was stupid about it? Obama was the one who decided to go public with the faux outrage, to try to get ahead of the public outcry (which was inevitable after this got out in the media) and direct it at AIG execs instead of his own administration. He owns the fallout from that decision.

By: Jim_Satterfield

Jim_Satterfield — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:13:50 +0000

Tough questions, DaGoat? A stupid question is more like it. Stupid questions should result in the questioner being “put in their place”.

By: CStanley

CStanley — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 15:11:45 +0000

What is surreal is the degree to which different people can hear the same thing but hear two different things.

I didn't see a smackdown of Henry, I saw Obama acting petulant. It was one of the rare times he showed emotion during the entire presser, and predictably it was because the question implied something negative about himself.

I also beg to differ with your assertion that Obama didn't pay the bonuses. When the government agreed to the bailout without condition of renegotiating these contracts, the government became the payor of these bonuses. And when Obama's Treasury made sure that the previous contracts were exempted from new regulations, they truly insured the contracts. AIG made the agreements to pay the contracts previously, but they would not have been able to have done so if they weren't given the govt funds.

By: DaGoat

DaGoat — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 12:54:24 +0000

Heavens, we wouldn't want the press asking Obama tough questions. Good thing Henry was put in his place.

By: grattt

grattt — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 10:26:36 +0000

When was Bill Bennett on Anderson Cooper's show last night? Do you mean a different show or do you mean Alex Castellanos? Alex did try to push blame onto the Obama administration for the bonuses. The panel was huge, Alex was the only Republican on it and Cooper didn't ask him many questions so I don't think the show was being right biased.

By: CitizenKang

CitizenKang — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 10:08:43 +0000

Let us hope the President's response to Ed Henry served as a warning to reporters asking inane “gotcha” questions.

Let us hope they learn this lesson, not that they shouldn't ask tough questions, but that only thoughtful questions will earn thoughtful answers.

By: skylights

skylights — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 06:56:57 +0000

Agreed! As good and informative as the rest of the press conference was, that terse answer to Ed Henry was the only part where I applauded.

By: D. E.Rodriguez

D. E.Rodriguez — Wed, 25 Mar 2009 03:56:59 +0000

Good comments, Elrod.

When the opposition can not find holes in what the President says, “that” is exactly what they have to resort to.
Dorian