Helen Thomas, Chip Reid Question White House Control of Media

Helen Thomas, Chip Reid Question White House Control of Media

By Mitchell Blatt (Bio | Archive)
July 1, 2009 - 19:47 ET

Is the press corps starting to tire of the Obama Administration?

At a press conference today, Helen Thomas and CBS’s Chip Reid got into it with Robert Gibbs over how the administration has been prepackaging media events.

First Reid asked why the questions for Wednesday’s town hall on healthcare were being preselected. After Gibbs tried to dodge that question a few times, Thomas became involved, saying, “We have never had that in the White House. I’m amazed that you people … call for openness and transparency.”

Thomas said that the administration was trying to control the media, and she pointed out how they coordinated questions with the Huffington Post at a press conference.

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Thomas is not the first journalist to question the White House’s coordination with the Huffington Post. The Washington Post’s Dana Milbank also took the White House to task for the coordination.

Wednesday’s press conference was also not the only media event that was in some way coordinated. Previous town halls have featured Obama campaign supporters and Democratic politicians lobbing softballs at Obama.

As Thomas noted, “[Obama’s] formal engagements are prepackaged.”

After Gibbs continued to dodge questions, Thomas said, “Of course you would, because you don’t have any answers.”

Before the exchange ended, Reid asked Gibbs to pass along this question to Obama: “Is he going to support a tax increase on the middle class?”

Afterwards, Thomas told CNS News that Obama's grip on the media is even greater than that of Richard Nixon.

Nixon didn’t try to do that. They couldn’t control [the media]. They didn’t try that. What the hell do they think we are, puppets? They’re supposed to stay out of our business. They are our public servants. We pay them. ... I’m not saying there has never been managed news before, but this is carried to fare-thee-well--for the town halls, for the press conferences. It’s blatant. They don’t give a damn if you know it or not. They ought to be hanging their heads in shame.

The full exchange between Thomas and Gibbs is below:

HELEN THOMAS: We have never had that in the White House. We have had some control [inaudible]. I’m amazed that you people who call for openness and transparency…

ROBERT GIBBS: You haven’t even heard the questions.

CHIP REID: It doesn’t matter. It’s the process. Even if there’s a tough question, it’s a question coming from somebody who was invited and who was screened or the question was screened.

GIBBS: Chip, Chip, lets have this discussion at the conclusion of the town hall meetings.

THOMAS: No, no, no, we’re having it now.

GIBBS: Well, I’d be happy to have it now.

THOMAS: It’s a pattern.

GIBBS: Which questions do you object to at the town hall meeting?

THOMAS: It’s a pattern.

GIBBS: What’s a pattern?

THOMAS: It’s a pattern of controlling the press.

GIBBS: How so? Is there any evidence going on that I’m currently controlling the press? Poorly, I might add.

THOMAS: Your formal engagements are prepackaged.

GIBBS: How so?

REID: Well, and controlling the public.

THOMAS: How so? By calling reporters the night before to tell them they’re going to be called on. That is shocking.

GIBBS: We’ve had this discussion ad nauseum, and uh…

THOMAS: Of course you would, because you don’t have any answers.

GIBBS: Uh, well, because I didn’t know you were going to ask a question, Helen.

THOMAS: Well you should have.

GIBBS: Have you emailed your question today?

THOMAS: I don’t have to email. I can tell you right now what I want to say.

GIBBS: I don’t doubt that at all, Helen.

REID: Actually, could you pass along a question from all of us to the president: Is he going to support a tax increase on the middle class?

—Mitchell Blatt is the editor of the foreign affairs blog Bombs and Dollars.

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Shocker

July 1, 2009 - 19:52 ET by well99

Must be a full moon.Juan Williams is filling in for BOR and doing a better job than BOR.

Jay

July 1, 2009 - 22:03 ET by John Stephenson

Here is the video of the slap down.

smells a rat

July 2, 2009 - 04:40 ET by Catherwood

Williams smells a rat in the BHO administration and is positioning himself away from it. He knows that BHO and his sycophants are on the wrong track with everything from foriegn policy to dealing with the press. Interestingly enough, Williams does not always espouse the liberal line, nor does he play the statists' game. I think this is what appeals to viewers like yourself.

Call your cable or satellite company and demand that they remove CNN, MSNBC, and MTV from your entertainment package. Stop subsidizing the liberal left.

I am a bit skeptical. Might

July 2, 2009 - 10:56 ET by Ick

I am a bit skeptical. Might be a scripted event to set up for ONE open-ended question at the next town hall from one of these two.

Then they deal with that one question.... giving them the evidence they need to prove NOTHING is scripted posturing. We shall see.

Gasp - clutching my chest -

July 1, 2009 - 20:09 ET by Radical1979

Gasp - clutching my chest - I think I may be having a heart attack. The press wants to do their job?! How long can this last?

I am sure the MSNBC comedy

July 2, 2009 - 00:24 ET by kg

I am sure the MSNBC comedy lineup were right on top of this topic and gave it wall to wall coverage.

"DumbAssity of Dope"

LOL...

July 2, 2009 - 08:01 ET by Georgia Girl

my sentiments exactly!

Controlling the press is nothing new...

July 1, 2009 - 20:10 ET by Saint Zero

I'm just stunned it took those guys up there this long to make a story of it. I'm flattened that Helen Tomas came back from the grave to chip in to Reid's grilling.

I just hope they are really waking up

July 1, 2009 - 20:15 ET by general company

But I am still making contingency plans

My Gov. thinks I am dangerous, so be careful

"Television is a freak show" Bernie Goldberg

Helen Thomas back from the grave

July 2, 2009 - 16:55 ET by Kat Outta the Bag

She'll keep coming back until someone drives a wooden stake through her heart.

That Old Hag is a belly

July 2, 2009 - 23:56 ET by NL207

That Old Hag is a belly laugh.

I remember all the crap she gave Scott McClellan and more in particular, Tony Snow. Then there was all the anti-Bush drivel she wrote.

I've got $20 says she voted for that flap-eared jackass in the White House. Now she suddenly discovers that Obama is a manipulative creep! I can't wait until she realizes Obaam is an anti-semite and a tyrant to boot! Maybe Thomas will even write an anti Obama hit piece. We can hope. I hope Helen Thomas is ashamed of herself. She opught to be. She is as responsible as anyone for this misfit, Obama becoming President.

Where's Rod Serling

July 1, 2009 - 20:16 ET by Tom in NC

Since I'm in the Twilight Zone. Is the MSM finally weaning themselves off of the Obama kool-aid.

Maybe there is hope after all. It take more than this episode to convince me, but it's a good start.

Nope

July 1, 2009 - 20:19 ET by well99

There was a mix up and these two didnt get theirs.It will be rectified.

Pessimistic...

July 1, 2009 - 20:20 ET by BKeyser

I'm sure Gibby went to his handlers after the daily press conference wanting to know how to adress this in the future. My guess? He was told to simply ignor it and move on. He might have to "jokingly agree" with their assessment, but he'll effectively pay it no mind and the press corps will drop it.

here's to hoping its not just a single day anomaly

July 1, 2009 - 20:21 ET by katainkent

like sunspots or... multiple planet alignments.

Are some in the MSM finally...

July 1, 2009 - 20:45 ET by PrairieSky

asking some tough questions and holding Obama's feet to the fire??? We'll see, but Gibby's grilling by Helen Thomas and Chip Reid was so very delicious to behold!!! I still can't quite believe that Helen Thomas (not to mention Chip Reid) was actually the one to be this tenacious with Gibbs, and I hope she keeps it up. I still doubt that it will continue, but we'll see.

"The problem is not that people are taxed too little...the problem is that government spends too much." ~President Ronald Reagan

Got to give credit where credit is due......

July 1, 2009 - 20:56 ET by Barker

Good job, Chip. Good job, Helen.

Let's don't get carried away

July 1, 2009 - 21:04 ET by Franksam

Let's don't get carried away quite yet. We're still talking about Helen Thomas.

You're right, Franksam

July 1, 2009 - 21:30 ET by Barker

Helen Thomas may just be jockeying for position in the Lincoln Bedroom, or something.

Helen Thomas may just be

July 2, 2009 - 07:42 ET by Tom1969ca

Helen Thomas may just be jockeying for position in the Lincoln Bedroom, or something.

Didn't she start covering the White House when Lincoln actually occupied the Lincoln Bedroom...? ;-)

=====
Daily Sarah Palin fact:

Sarah Palin does not believe in evolution. There is merely a list of animals she has not yet hunted.

Holy cow, Barker!

July 2, 2009 - 14:07 ET by goldenthroat

That's a scary thought!

"Inferior people should not be employed!" - Firesign Theatre

My bet is that the Admin

July 1, 2009 - 21:13 ET by G. May

My bet is that the Admin was trying to appear to give more say to "the little guys" in the media to help out his carefully orchestrated image of being populist and in doing so offended the old guard. BHO probably understands the changing of the guard and wants to build a much larger internet base and this is his way of doing it.

(The miscalculation here is that his "base" on the internet is simply the more vocal and shrill, not necessarily the majority.)

I feel confident that Team O will rectify this "problem" quickly and begin to bring back the old guard into the fold by returning to a little more traditional spread of questions. The orchestration of the media will continue, it will just be with the old stalwarts leading the chorus.

pre-selected questions

July 1, 2009 - 21:13 ET by LEWIS IN COLORADO

What everyone seems to be missing is that if the questions are not pre-selected you can not have TOTUS prepared answers.

Who thinks some people are

July 1, 2009 - 21:33 ET by ParalegalGoddess

Who thinks some people are going to lose their credentials in the morning???

Keep Your Fingers Crossed!!!

July 1, 2009 - 21:50 ET by flyingmonkey

I think it's over folks. The MSM is realizing that Obama is using them as useful idiots and they are finally rebelling. The country is going down the tubes fast, including the news media, both print and broadcast. Obama is doing nothing for them and they are now feeling the heat for covering for him thanks to sites such as Newsbusters. I think a major showdown is imminent. We will know the day after the Fourth of July with the coverage of the Tea Parties. If there's major coverage, Obama's toast.

And Obama's closet may finally be opened.

Dorothy's worst nighmare~(or "flyingmonkey")

July 1, 2009 - 22:02 ET by Georgia Girl

I sense momentum as well. I feel the tide is also starting to turn against Obama with the American people. I feel disgusted with the media because if they had dug into who he really IS during the campaign, I don't think he ever would have been voted in ... but I'm much more hopeful that we will not be stuck with him two terms.

I suppose this is all well

July 1, 2009 - 21:57 ET by ConservativeRex

I suppose this is all well and good, but it's about nine months too late.

The Obamaiacs will steamroll ol' Helen Thomas and erase her name as if it never existed. It's gone too far to stop now. When he sided with Hugito over that other fella in Honduras, it's game over.

Be prepared to see the 22nd amendment go by the boards pretty damn quick now. Who's to stop him?

We The People!!!

July 1, 2009 - 22:08 ET by flyingmonkey

The last line of my post is my biggest hope ConservativeRex.

Conservative Rex~

July 1, 2009 - 22:46 ET by Georgia Girl

Americans. Maybe the military, if he goes too far. And maybe kids like my son will stand up later ... I just went to his room to check on him (typical Mom thing at night). He was supposed to be asleep by now ... he was reading in bed, with a flashlight. But he was reading his Bible, telling me: "I feel like I should be reading the Bible more often."

There's still some light left in this world.^_^ [And how do you say anything to a child who is sneaking reading his Bible when he should be sleeping? Seriously, what a parenting dilemma.]

how do you say anything to a child

July 2, 2009 - 13:19 ET by Rukus

"how do you say anything to a child who is sneaking reading his Bible"

Don't say anything, sit on the side of the bed and read it with him, I'm sure he'd be proud as can be. : )

Gary

I want my country back!

Best Comment of the Day, Gary...

July 2, 2009 - 17:42 ET by Georgia Girl

ConservativeRex

July 1, 2009 - 23:18 ET by Sven

When he sided with Hugito over that other fella in Honduras, it's game over.

Be prepared to see the 22nd amendment go by the boards pretty damn quick now. Who's to stop him?

CR, Isn't it revealing the distain that Obama feels for protestors who want freedom and justice?

I not only think he loaths the protestors in Iran and Honduras, I think like any good Marxist, he fears them!

I think he fears this same thing happening in the States...just sayin'

Don't forget...to repeal an

July 2, 2009 - 08:15 ET by motherbelt

Don't forget...to repeal an amendment, it has to pass the House and the Senate AND be ratified by 2/3 of the states.

And everyone in the US is not as infatuated with the Obamessiah as the media are.

I didn't think it was physically possible, but this both sucks and blows. -Bart Simpson

Motherbelt~

July 2, 2009 - 10:31 ET by Georgia Girl

Exactly. My hubby reminded me of that. You know though, isn't is just so sad that this is a president where people have to be concerned about that kind of thing at all? Because honestly, if he could do it, it's not that hard to picture it being tried. Scary.

GG - Never forget

July 2, 2009 - 10:43 ET by Blonde

Jimmuh (lusted in his heart) Cahtah was elected primarily because he was not-Nixon.

I believe it's going to be exactly the same thing for Obama...he was elected because he was not-Bush. And I believe Obama is going to go exactly the same way as Carter, a one term President, for exactly the same reason....incompetence.

Do you remember "malaise". Well, we are going to get Maliase II, in spades, with the Obama administration and the spending mad congresscritters. The economy is going to continue to tank, no matter how the media swoons, Americans will wise up to the fact that Obama broke it, he owns it....and he doesn't have a clue how to fix it.

Couple that with an abysmal and idiotic foreign policy, where we appease dictators (Iran again....go figure) and denounce those whom we should support....we are once again presenting our jugular vein to the world. I sincerely hope I am wrong, but I believe we're going to lose a city before Obama grows a spine.

Scary indeed, but I don't think we need to worry about Obama for more than two terms, in fact, I am seeing signs he's going to be another one-term wonder, and the worst president in American history.

I hope he fails, too.

Blonde~

July 2, 2009 - 11:01 ET by Georgia Girl

All excellent points. You know, it's a good thing that Obama doesn't have a better sense of self-control because he really could have played this out in such a way that the veil would still be covering many eyes for a lot longer ... but he's made such a hard, sharp left with such wacky policies that it's becoming transparent now. When he first took office, I was alarmed that he was going to PR himself so much that it would take a long time for people to start getting it, but he's not as smart as some think. Thank God!

One of my brothers didn't care for Mitt Romney at all, mainly personality wise. He was always picking at him. The other day, he told me: "Man, we have to get Romney in there next to stabilize the economy!" I guess it doesn't bother him anymore that his hair is always perfect. LOL.

You have any favorites for 2012?

Yikes!

July 2, 2009 - 17:45 ET by Georgia Girl

Yes, I'm replying to myself...but as followup, just when I start feeling a little hopeful, I see something like this, from Dick Morris. Informative but chilling:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dboo8kLHvfM

Eyes wide open!

What the hell do they think we are, puppets?

July 1, 2009 - 22:12 ET by svh83

You are puppets, you jackasses!

"I think you'd better call John, 'cause it don't look they're here to deliver...the mail". -NY

I don't believe it for a minute.

July 1, 2009 - 22:32 ET by tpmintx

This is the "packaged presidency"

Chip and Helen were pre-selected to have this staged fight with Bobby. This was 100% scripted. This is not the MSM getting their back up, it is the MSM media ACTING like they are becoming a bit oppositional, so that the idiots watching the tube will stop wondering about why they are being fed the SOS every day. Then they can pass along an additional load of CARP with the faint feeling that it has somehow been vetted by an independent media.

Some animals are more equal than others. You just have to learn it, accept it, and you will be fine.

Cold Water

July 2, 2009 - 11:53 ET by 1611LilacLady

Brrr . . . just when I had a sliver of patriotic hope . .

**head hung** I hope you are wrong but why do I think you aren't?

Isaiah 5:20a Woe unto them who call evil good, and good evil. . . KJV

All I know is that Gibbs is

July 1, 2009 - 23:06 ET by Mazzi

All I know is that Gibbs is a typical arrogant lib. He thinks he is sharp and fast, able to dodge, weave, parry, distract and distort, but he has the grace of a dancing hippo when he mocks legitimate questions.

I bet a buck he walked out of that room thinking "whew - I rocked that". But these media vultures just spotted some chinks in the armor. I don't think this is the end - I think it is just the beginning...

"I would rather be historically accurate than politically correct" ~ My husband's T-Shirt

WOW

July 1, 2009 - 23:42 ET by Mrltavern

Helen isn't dead after all!

Just another staged event itself?

July 1, 2009 - 23:49 ET by DJEddle

I would not be surprised if this was a staged event itself. What better way is there to dispel the notion that the media is in the bag for the administration than by having a very public argument about allegations of controlling the media?

Just saying...I wouldn't be too quick to conclude that they're starting to turn on the Messiah. They worked so hard to get him elected - even if he is ineligible.

Rational Liberty: Where Reason and Government Collide - The best website ever!

the worm has turned

July 2, 2009 - 04:47 ET by Catherwood

I think we may have seen in that exchange a little revenge for the way the BHO sycophants are treating the msm. The msm helped elect BHO, have promoted his every whim, and have defended BHO when HE floundered in his own sea of teleprompted policy lies. The press is embarrassed and angry. Embarrassed because BHO is not the leader he was cracked up to be and angry because BHO is playing them like a beat-up fiddle. Probably, it is the arrogance with which BHO plays the game that really angers the msm, i.e. hey, you can't be more arrogant than WE are.

Call your cable or satellite company and demand that they remove CNN, MSNBC, and MTV from your entertainment package. Stop subsidizing the liberal left.

Sur-freaking-prise HELEN you moron

July 2, 2009 - 08:06 ET by AJB

Helen, are you just figuring out you've been played like a cheap fiddle by Comrade Glorious Supreme Leader for Life Obama and his cronies? Open and transparent? Hell, he wouldn't even show is real birth certificate. You lapdogs in the media gladly wagged your tails and told lie after lie and you're just figuring it out now? The State Run Media, supported by the likes of you, deserve what you get.

Speaking of which... did anyone see the full page ad in the bid'ness section of the NYTimes yesterday? It showed the wimp, the simp and the carpet-licking chimp touting that pMSNBC beat CNN in the ratings?

Worstest

July 2, 2009 - 08:23 ET by DontFeedTheTrolls

So which one, Reid or Thomas, will be Olbermans Worst Person tonight?

Write Congress and Senate and tell them what YOU think!

Keep the ILLEGALS out, join NumbersUSA to send free faxes to your reps.

duh

July 2, 2009 - 09:00 ET by AJB

It's George Bush!

Can someone please check

July 2, 2009 - 09:49 ET by Tom Paine

Can someone please check the temperature of Hell as I find myself in agreement with Helen Thomas...

Me too!

July 2, 2009 - 11:49 ET by 1611LilacLady

If anyone ever said I'd like something Thomas said, I'd slap them up the side of the head. LOL

Isaiah 5:20a Woe unto them who call evil good, and good evil. . . KJV

AHHH

July 2, 2009 - 09:55 ET by VinncyG

Do you smell it AHHH do you hear it?, change is in the air, goosesteps and red flags will be a blowing. Our pockets are getting smaller by the day AHHHHH great to be a liberal in liberal times, AHHHHH.

Thank God for democratic policies, we are saved, everyone equal, everyone has the same things, no incentive to succeed, Why oh why have we waited so long for Utopia to come to America. Silly us. Liberalism at work, AHHHH. Anyone have a barf bag handy?.

finally?

July 2, 2009 - 10:14 ET by rowdygirl

Is someone finally growing a backbone? wow... didn't think that was going to happen.
Why haven't one of these so-caled professional journalists called him on this before? He's been evasive and
smarmy all along, and all they've done is laugh and play along. He's sarcastic, disrespectful and
snotty. I guess when he was directing this at Bush, Cheney and Palin, it was ok.

Gibbs proves their point!

July 2, 2009 - 11:54 ET by 1611LilacLady

He admits he didn't have answers to Thomas because he 'didn't know' she was going to ask a question.

Isaiah 5:20a Woe unto them who call evil good, and good evil. . . KJV

jessieH

July 2, 2009 - 11:52 ET by jessieH

jessieH Once is a fluke. Twice is a turning point. I really hope it keeps up. The MSM has been treating US like mushrooms. Now, maybe they will see the true colors of mr. obama. WE have seen it for the last 7 months. I have a question for mr. obama, myself. I don't think he will understand it. I know he won't answer it.