The morning after the media's "enchanted" evening with President Obama's 100-day press conference, Media Research Center Director of Research Rich Noyes appeared on the April 30 "America's Newsroom" to do a post-mortem of the media's fawning over the nation's 44th president. [audio excerpt here]
The segment began with a discussion of New York Times reporter Jeff Zeleny's fawning question about what enchanted Obama the most in his first 100 days.:
MEGYN KELLY, Fox News anchor: So, you know, it's prime real estate when you get to ask one of these questions as a reporter at these White House press conferences. He doesn't call on all the reporters. Every question counts, and the White House press corps sort of relies on one another to get to the heart of the matter so that all the most important things are asked. Does this qualify? How enchanted he was in his first 100 days?!
RICH NOYES, Media Research Center: I'm not sure if it really does. You're right. I cannot imagine the press asking George W. Bush what enchanted him the most about his time in the White House. I believe their mantra kept asking him to define all his mistakes and apologize for them, was sort of the routine question they'd bring up to him.
Story Continues Below Ad ↓NOYES: I think there's a reason why [White House Press Secretary] Robert Gibbs the other day gave the press corps an "A" for their performance. From the White House's perspective, there's nothing to complain about here.This is celebrity coverage. That's the same kind of question you'd ask Princess Di if she was coming to the United States. What enchants you the most about this or something like that.
NOYES: So, I think this was a poor use of a press conference question. I think there were some good questions asked in that press conference as well, but I would say nothing that you'd call a hardball or a tough question. [They were all] basically news-gathering questions, and then you had these softballs that just sort of puffed the president up and made him giggle and laugh and look good.
An MRC study on the media's bias in the first 100 days of the Obama presidency is forthcoming. For some preliminary findings, click here.
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BIDEN GAFFES
April 30, 2009 - 08:52 ET by billbBiden, in view of the "Flu Crisis", people should avoid public transportation! Does this include AMTRAK?
AMTRAK
April 30, 2009 - 12:15 ET by unitaryexecutivePeople already go out of their way to avoid AMTRAK.
We have so many people who can't see a fat man standing beside a thin one without coming to the conclusion that the fat man got that way by taking advantage of the thin one.
-Ronald Reagan
Noyes got it right
April 30, 2009 - 08:53 ET by ConservativeMissourianZeleny took up time with a question that received an answer of six or seven minutes. Noyes made it clear that this question was not something that should have been asked by someone who is there asking questions on behalf of the American people. As Miller said on O'Reilly last night, Miss America got harder questions that O'bama did last night.
I specifically
April 30, 2009 - 13:55 ET by klchadwickincluded comments regarding this question in my new post, as I really got a good laugh at it.
http://politicaldessert.wordpress.com
also, some of the commentary and analysis following the "press conference" was hilarious! on my blog, there is a link to my youtube channel which contains some video downloads of the commentary. ;0)
I just want a video that
April 30, 2009 - 11:13 ET by HockeyKidI just want a video that strings together all the "uhs" from last night's presser, just to see how much time he took up trying to figure out how to speak English.
"Beauty is only skin deep, but liberal's to the bone." - me
They have the questions for his next presser
April 30, 2009 - 11:37 ET by well99Are your shoes to tight?
Do you have late snacks at the WH.
How do you think your new dog is enjoying the WH?
Would you like a cup of coffee?
Can I polish your shoes?
I would also ask...
April 30, 2009 - 11:52 ET by StarAZAre you feeling OK? He looked kinda crappy and was burping. Oh, no--not the pig deal!
StarAZ
April 30, 2009 - 13:29 ET by well99Well uh uh uh uh it uh uh uh might uh uh uh be uh uh uh uh so.
Some Enchanted Evening
April 30, 2009 - 11:47 ET by slickwillie2001During these stories on the Bamster's Press Conference, Fox News is playing 'Some Enchanted Evening' by Perry Como in the background.