You didn’t seriously buy into all this horse hockey about the Daily Caller‘s Neil Munro having violated some sacred rule about interrupting or, as the press would call it, “heckling” the President? Of course you didn’t. But what may come as news to some is that for the White House press corps, interrupting and heckling the President is A-OK… provided, of course, it’s not President Obama.
Here’s three videos that offer perspective on how the Reagan-Obama double-standard works.
The first is the now oh-so horrifying Obama/Munro episode, seen here. The second, here, is from ABC News, with Diane Sawyer showing the same clip but something more…Obama, done speaking, walks away, with the lonely voice of (presumably) Mr. Munro asking another question, which Obama ignores. The rest of the press corps? Silent as church mice over the extraordinarily controversial immigration policy the President had just announced.
Video three?
That would be President Ronald Reagan making remarks in the White House press room, found here. The subject is another controversial topic: the Iran-Contra issue. Note that Reagan is (a) interrupted while still speaking, just as was Obama, and (b) Reagan was shouted at — not simply “heckled” but literally shrieked at — by a whole chorus of White House correspondents as he tries to leave the room. The respectful silence granted Obama as he departs in the midst of controversy, with the exception of a lone voice? OK for Obama — but not for Reagan. When it came to dealing with Reagan in this situation, respect for both President and the presidency went right out the window.
The treatment of the two presidents is starkly different.
Will you see this video in the mainstream media?
What do you think?
More. Tomorrow.