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The Spectacle Blog
President Obama’s approach to the press: love ‘em and leave ‘em. Except he never did much loving, and now that the newlywed phase has petered out, the press is questioning its own infatuation with the Oval Office dweller. That’s typified by Obama’s joke at a White House correspondence dinner last year that “most of you covered me” and “all of you voted for me.”
The press corps was not amused. And the antagonism has only grown over time, as explained in an expansive Politico story on the Obama administration’s ill treatment of the media.
It has all the trappings of a dysfunctional marriage. The press wants to communicate with Obama via direct questions, but he’s aloof. The press wants behind-the-scenes access, but Obama is too busy feeding exclusives and scoops to his mistress, The Gray Lady, and he doesn’t even try to hide the affair.
He gives the quiet treatment to The Wall Street Journal and scolds Fox News — and in so doing telegraphs a message to other journalists: criticize me, and we’ll freeze you out. Or worse.
If Obama is guilty of press beating, then White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs is the enabler. He makes the president look like a paragon of humility in comparison. He excels at covering for the big guy’s indiscretions. And he’s aggressive about it, too.
The White House might not comply with reporters’ information requests, but it’s punctual in lambasting any negative press, as Politico reports:
Among White House reporters, tales abound of an offhand criticism or passing claim low in an unremarkable story setting off an avalanche of hostile e-mail and voice-mail messages.
‘It’s not unusual to have shouting matches or the e-mail equivalent of that. It’s very, very aggressive behavior, taking issue with a thing you’ve written, an individual word, all sorts of things,’ said one White House reporter.
Obama’s handling of the media is in line with the arrogant bravado that characterizes the rest of his presidency. Even though most journalists are in his back pocket, as evidenced by their bootlicking coverage during the campaign, Obama can’t abide even a smidgen of criticism. His White House staff has absorbed the same mentality.
Read the entire Politico piece. It’s worth your time.
View all comments (27) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by David N. Bass
http://spectator.org/blog/2010/04/28/obamas-dysfunctional-marriage
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rod| 4.28.10 @ 2:58PM
That "dysfunctional marriage" metaphor is more apt than you write. The very idea of leaving him terrifies them more than the abuse itself does.
Becky| 4.28.10 @ 3:29PM
I wouldn't mind if it became more dysfunctional leading to a divorce. Then we'd get some good stuff.
Nobama| 4.28.10 @ 4:47PM
There was never a marriage, the immoral press are just Obama's whores.
Pingback| 4.28.10 @ 4:12PM
From the Dept of ‘Now why am I not suprised?’ – Press is now turning on Obama | Polit links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
Joy| 4.28.10 @ 4:33PM
I'm afraid Rod is right. Abused or not, the press has no where else to go because of their ideology. However, every once in a while the abused does leave the marriage. If that happens, maybe, just maybe we'll finally get Obama's background brought out into the open - now that he's been in office for 15 months. For people who are supposed to be so enlightened, the press sure can be dense.
abuse| 4.28.10 @ 4:35PM
INPEACH OBAMA THE COMMUNIST ,GOD OPEN YOUR EYES.///For us there are only two possiblities: either we remain american or we come under the thumb of the communist OBAMA. This latter must not occur; even if we are small, we are a force. A well-organized group can conquer a strong enemy. If you stick close together and keep bringing in new people, we will be victorious over the communist obama.======obama people have no idea of the extent to which they have to be gulled in order to be led."
"The size of the lie is a definite factor in causing it to be believed, for the vast masses of the nation are in the depths of their hearts more easily deceived than they are consciously and intentionally bad. The primitive simplicity of their minds renders them a more easy prey to a big lie than a small one, for they themselves often tell little lies but would be ashamed to tell a big one."
"All propaganda must be so popular and on such an intellectual level, that even the most stupid of those towards whom it is directed will understand it. Therefore, the intellectual level of the propaganda must be lower the larger the number of people who are to be influenced by it."
"Through clever and constant application of propaganda, people can be made to see paradise as hell, and also the other way around, to consider the most wretched sort of life as paradise."pelosi don't see much future for the Americans ... it's a decayed country. And they have their racial problem, and the problem of ^%@##$@& ...obama feelings against Americanism are feelings of hatred and deep repugnance ... everything about the behaviour of American society reveals that it's half /"[-^%, and the other half ^%#@!. How can one expect a State like that to hold TOGTHER.They include the angry left wing bloggers who spread vicious lies and half-truths about their political adversaries... Those lies are then repeated by the duplicitous left wing media outlets who “discuss” the nonsense on air as if it has merit… The media's justification is apparently “because it's out there”, THE COMMANDER
higgins1990| 4.29.10 @ 5:44AM
Not really a marriage, per se, more like the many wives of a cult leader.
FrankO| 4.29.10 @ 5:45AM
I'm not sure what would be worse: my children growing up to be politicians or journalists. Either way, I'd consider myself having failed as a parent.
tj| 4.29.10 @ 6:23AM
Off Topic!!! http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,591683,00.html
Congress Votes on Statehood for Puerto Rico today...this will change our country as we know it. WAKE UP PEOPLE!!!!!
Pingback| 4.29.10 @ 6:30AM
Twitter Trackbacks for The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : Obama's Dysfunctional M links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:
The Architect| 4.29.10 @ 8:13AM
Dysfuntional Marriage? I don't know, I've always thought of the press as more of Obama's Live in Lover!
E.| 4.29.10 @ 9:53AM
The Press has, until now, been quite happy to be Obama's Whore. This is what happens to whores -- they get their a$$es put in the street, when they're no longer useful. So, poor babies, get a grip and go be real journalists, why don't you? Start writing the truth about your old lover, The Socialist Thug! Grow a pair, for heaven's sake!
Jobe| 4.29.10 @ 10:19AM
How likely do you folks think it is that the left liberal press will become so angry with a left liberal president that it will begin reporting honestly on his intentions and machinations? Let us get real. They have bought him and to admit that he is what he is would be to castigate and defame themselves for their wholesale dishonesty in how they covered his campaign and election. If this is a "marriage", then it is an Islamic one which allows no divorce. I recall the old Buddy Holly standard, "That'll Be the Day" and the line, "and if we ever part then I'll leave you". Any split between obama and the prostituted press will be a split authored by obama.
Rachel Madcow Disease| 4.29.10 @ 2:57PM
The liberal press will eat itself. They'll cry wolf and no one will come running anymore. They have lost all credibility, they are no longer an unofficial keeper of checks and balances. I realize a lot of people really hated Bush, or at least were disillusioned with him, but now that Keithie and Chrissy and Butch Maddow no longer have him to kick around, they've turned on the American people! And they wonder why nobody's watching.
shallow throat| 5.1.10 @ 8:13AM
So much we don't know about our man-boy The President. Much more to be revealed in the future. Where he was born. Who paid for college. His grades. Who bought and paid for him. If he cheated is just a warm-up to the scandals to follow. If we knew now what will be revealed in the future he would never have even run for the presidency.