From Auntie Steph's Blog: from The Digital Hairshirt
Tase Him, Bro!
President Obama made a surprise visit to the White House press corps Thursday night, but got agitated when he was faced with a substantive question.
Pressed further by the Politico reporter about his Pentagon nominee, William J. Lynn III, Obama turned more serious, putting his hand on the reporter's shoulder and staring him in the eye."Alright, come on" he said, with obvious irritation in his voice. "We will be having a press conference at which time you can feel free to [ask] questions. Right now, I just wanted to say hello and introduce myself to you guys - that's all I was trying to do."
Hey, amateur - when POTUS walks into the White House press room, what possibly makes you think, you egotistical tool, that they are not going to ask questions? And if I were the reporter that you tried to "mad dog" I would have told you in no uncertain terms to get your hand off before it comes off involuntarily.
Absolutely not, what I am saying is that although it may have been a little rude for the Politco reporter to ask a question at an inconvienient time, reporters were invited to this event, and I don't see anything wrong with him trying to ask the question. Unlike the case of Sarah Palin being asked if her child was really her own, or if Obama was really a citizen or not, it was not an inappropriate question. And the President acted within his right to redirect the reporter to ask the question at the press conference, there is just no need to be snarky about it. The reporter was just doing his job, which is to question, not endorse, every decision at every opportunity, as the President is doing his. A shoulder embrace is a nice gesture, should not confuse the reporter's role here. The White House and The Fourth Estate can be civil, but are not friends. As far as auntie Steph's comment, I appreciated her sarcasm.
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