Blitz: Live-Blogging the President's Press Conference

What a stupid question. Americans are sacrificing all over. How out of touch can one be?

Chuck Todd continues to disappoint.  Why hasn't O-man asked Americans to sacrfice?  A gotcha question?  He's been soliciting questions from the public.  Maybe he should have chosen one of theirs.  And then he pushes the same dumb question (in my opinion) in the follow-up.  They just don't get it.

We can add to the items you mentioned the online town hall that Obama is doing on Thursday about the economy.

They cannot understand a 3-part answer. Sheesh.

BO has to teach them what a budget is and what are structural problems and structural changes. These folks are really really slow in their comprehension.

Tapper asked if Obama would sign a budget that doesn't reflect his priorities.  Presidents don't sign budgets.

I like to take the time to know what I'm talking about. Bam.

Why didn't you speak out sooner about AIG bonus?   Because I like to know what I'm talking about. 

Another mastercard commerical? Priceless!!!!

It's amazing how blatant some of these reporters are with their (or their corporation's) agenda with their questions.

Border plants to be killed to reveal smugglers

The U.S. Border Patrol plans to poison the plant life along a 1.1-mile stretch of the Rio Grande riverbank as soon as Wednesday to get rid of the hiding places used by smugglers, robbers and illegal immigrants.

If successful, the $2.1 million pilot project could later be duplicated along as many as 130 miles of river in the patrol’s Laredo Sector, as well as other parts of the U.S.-Mexico border.

Although Border Patrol and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials say the chemical is safe for animals, detractors say the experiment is reminiscent of the Vietnam War-era Agent Orange chemical program and raises questions about long-term effects.

The commitment to "more, if that doesn't work,"  means more.

Democrat for US Senate (Wisconsin 2012)

Did Ed Henry really mention Obama's daughters.  I think that was when he got pissed.  I bet that will be the smackdown that people are talking about tomorrow.

"It took us 4 days because I like to know what I'm talking about before I speak"

Well Damn

This Music and Science Lover is proud to be a part of this ride.  

Something I've noticed tonight:  the Prez is calling on a variety of folks for questions.  Just noticing the seating (thanks Al and 538).

*Lee "Scratch" Perry

I had to double take when Obama asked for Ann Compton (especially when she was so surprised to be called), thinking somehow our own Anne Crumpton had snuck in there! Too funny. Crumpton would have killed it had it been her chance, I'm sure, unlike the flustered ABC correspondent.

I disagree with you Al about her question.  I perceived her question as asking about his 'treatment' as the first and there has already been some random talk about this in the black blogosphere and I suspect that as the economy improves there will be more discussion.  Obama's response is what I expected.  Issues of race won't distract him either. 

Good that he reminded the press corps that it's only been two months since he took office.

Cheryl - Thanks for your comment. The same matter has come up today and Sunday in our comments section. I'd love to read those blog posts you refer to if you could please share the links.

yes. And, knowing what I'm talking about before I make a pronouncement.

Thanks Al for this safe and encouraging place.

CNN don't like Obama putting there reporter on blast.   CNN's meme, Obama looks tired...Obama angry...

Whatevah CNN?

what did Ann Compton expect Obama to say? "Yes, I feel that I am treated differently because I'm black (or of mixed heritage)?" That's just opening a whole can of worms he doesn't need. It's one of those lame questions that Al bemoaned a few posts back.

Incidentally, I need a video of Obama saying, "I like to know what I'm talking about" on loop. The way some of the press reacted, you'd think they had never encountered the concept of thinking before you speak.

Sorry Al I really don't remember specifically where I''ve come across it.  I tend to rely on JJP and their links.  Actually, I suspect alot of this type of chatter is being kept 'within the community', under the radar.  It's sorta like a 'you know what the real deal is' kind of mentality - the perception that he's the first and will be held to a higher standard and will have to be twice as good just to be considered ok.  I think among some (most?)African Americans it's just an unspoken truth -like the sun rises in the east everyday. 

Can you incorporate this technology into your site, Al? I'd like to see how the word Ass Hattery floats to the foreground in your posts about the Poutrage club.

Ed Henry mentioned the President's daughters and that wasn't cool, even though it wasn't about his daughters, he shouldn't have brought them into the dialogue.  The President's response was pitch perfect.  It was a shut up, without saying it. 

Like 8 questions of derpa derpa deficits derp derp, some other mostly useless ones, and the only guy who captures the public mood is Ebony. Nice job, M$M!!!  Also, Garrett: Sarkozy and Merkel are neither center-left nor socialist. In their own local ways, they're extreme rightists.

Nice summary, Al!

Is at it again. Look at this article analyzing today's presser.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/huff-wires/20090324/obama-analysis/

It was amazing that Obama did not preface his answer with the obligatory compliment to Israel.

Ed Henry reminded me of a blowfish.  They really cannot deal with a smart president.  I am sick of all of them!

Ann Compton (ABC) might also have been surprised, because Jake Tapper (ABC) had already gotten a question. She seemed to be taken aback at first, then regained some composure and then asked her question. 

This was a great press confrence that set the table for his budget and tied it to the need for broader and sustainable economic recovery. The best question of the night was on the tent cities which I really thought was the only answer that came up short; but frankly we don't have a systemic approach to the growing homeless and their needs and good for Mr. Chappelle from Ebony Magazine to bring that issue to the light. Chuck Todd was an idiot: why is it the villiage discounts the real suffering of people? Tonight highlighted how insulated the MSM is from the plight of real people who are suffering, have lost their 401ks, have lost their jobs, have to deal with being homeless, have no health care for their kids and themselves and are on the edge. Five million job losses, record unemployment that doesn't even count the structural unemployment.

The MSM is out of touch. They don't recognize that these are desperate times and we don't care about the top 1% losing a tax deduction. (How clueless was that dude from Politico?)

Honestly: it's garbage like that which makes me tear my hair out and bemoan the sad and pitiful existence of the fourth estate. Chris Matthews was right: beyond the dude from Ebony, the chick from Univision, and the guy from AFP the questions were from zombie reporters. Not one soul asked about the bank plan! And you know they all focused on the Ed Henry smackdown, just as they focused on the punch-drunk comment in the 60 minutes interview, and the special olympics comment on Leno. But the beauty of it is; so many people watched in real time that the President is effectivly going over their heads and shaping his own message and pushing his goals. Which is why the MSM concern-trolls about him "over-exposing" himself, lol. That just means they haven't had the opportunity to define him as they worked to mis-define his recovery package. But this adminstration learned that lesson.

Really: we need real media critiscm. Not that bs from the plugged in non-offensive Kurtz at WashPo and CNN. Because part of the reason I don't buy a paper anymore; I go to blogs for authentic analysis and go to international papers for real hard news. Something that is apparently lost to teh zombie press corp.

This budget fight is just getting started; but it's been a great rollout to date. Especially given the corporate media interests fighting against this president.

Jake Tapper, "Chip" Reid, and Ed Henry.  Three snide peas in a blowdried pod of disrespect.  They get questions at every presser, and they are uniform in their snotty and combative tone.  Henry even referenced the other two as if Obama hadn't properly answered their questions.

I think a few pressers where they're left on ice and other outlets are called on all around them would make it clear that they're on notice.

Just a laugh at loud moment but nothing significant.  It was right at the end when Obama referred to having inherited a lot of knotty problems.  I heard naughty. Works either way, eh?

The questions I heard on the radio of what would you ask the president were better than the ones the professionals came up with. 

Funny how after our primer from Al I paid total attention to who was sitting where and who got called on (although I know that discussion was geared towards Gibbs).

I see "MSM" and "mainstream media" being used above, and I'd like to point out that there's nothing mainstream about them.  For years they were propping up the Iraq Invasion, and at the same time ignoring/belittling those of us who opposed the mass murder of innocent children through our tax dollars.  They were doing this while public opinion polls showed overwhelming opposition to the continued Occupation of Iraq.  FOR YEARS.

The Conglomerate Media, or BigMedia, are doing it again now with the AIG bonus "outrage-arama."  As has been covered a lot here, we know that this is outside of mainstream opinion.

"MSM" was constructed specifically to marginalize viewpoints outside of the BigMoney-approved storylines.  If Bob Scheepherd, or Todd, Chuck, or other BigMedia shill doesn't give credence to a particular opinion, it's deemed "not serious" and out of the "mainstream."  Nevermind, in the case of the Iraq Occupation, that 70% of public wanted out FOR YEARS.  Much more often than not, BigMedia mavens openly mocked what 70% of the mainstream public wanted.

It would be nice not to spread the myth that Conglomerate-owned Media represents "mainstream" opinion.

Fornier's title - Analysis: Teleprompter telegraphs Obama caution - pretty much tells you all you need to know.  What a scidzoid article.  Yet another example of an out-of-touch press.  Is he trying to imply O-man's strengths - cool, calm, caution - are in fact weaknesses?  And his reply to Ed illustrated his outrage?  I just laugh at these types of 'analyses' cause they are so over-the-top, so extreme with its use of adjectives that I suspect that Fornier will just continue to lose credibility with normal folks.

Our Prez did a fine job tonight although I agree with Rhoda that his weakest response was about the homeless children.  But unlike others, I don't expect President Obama to be perfect.

Hi Tara!!

I miss ya!

Our Prez was "on it" at the Presser!  It is so obvious that people just can't deal with how smart he is. It's been so-o--o-oo-o long since there was intelligence in the W.H.!

I am amazed that he doesn't just give a long sigh of exasperation,  and say: "OK, let me explain this to you one more time...I'll talk to you like you were a five-year-old..."

They just don't get it! He's just amazing...perfect--no; but amazing!

Re: having a cheerful Prez during tough times...look Repubs, times are hard enough without a constant pall of gloom day in and day out...I like that my Prez smiles and laughs and jokes around sometimes--because he knows what he's talking about!  He doesn't just dance on the White House steps like GWB did waiting for McCain or give back rubs to other heads of state.

Re: thinking and finding things out before speaking--what a smack-down!--I remember when Benazir (sp) Bhutto was assassinated, all of the then-candidates fell all over themselves trying to get in front of the cameras to show off their "foreign policy cred". Then-Senator Obama just gave an audio-only condolence, then two days later went on TV with an interview that showed that he was the one who had the real cred and understanding of the situation. And now who is the President?!?!?!

waterprise2 AKA Pam

Liberal with a Capital L!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/low/americas/7962649.stm

amk

Gotta say, the smackdown of Ed Henry was awesome.  But @Allan Bauer - I didn't see anything wrong with Tapper's question or tone.  It was a straightforward yes/no question, Obama didn't really answer, so he asked it again.

Someone should have asked why the administration is continuing the withhold temporary protected status from Haitian immigrants.

For me it's simple, in terms of distinguishing which bloggers I pay attention to in life.

The kind I don't pay attention to project this paradigm:

"All political thinking for years past has been vitiated in the same way. People can foresee the future only when it coincides with their own wishes, and the most grossly obvious facts can be ignored when they are unwelcome." — George Orwell

The kind that get me to tune it, operate with this reality in mind:

"I for one believe that if you give people a thorough understanding of what confronts them and the basic causes that produce it, they'll create their own program, and when the people create a program, you get action." — Malcolm X