Will Media Bash Obama For Trying To Enter Oval Office Via Window?

January 28th, 2009 3:42 PM

On Tuesday, President Barack Obama attempted to enter the Oval Office via a panel of windows he mistook for a door.

Will media ridicule him for this innocent mistake much as they did George W. Bush when he tried exiting a meeting with reporters in Beijing back in November 2005?

Before we examine the former president's treatment, the Daily News reported Wednesday (h/t NBer Prester John):

It looks like President Obama hasn't gotten acquainted to his White House surroundings. On the way back to the Oval Office Tuesday, the President approached a paned window, instead of the actual door -- located a few feet to his right. [...]

Obama, who was returning from meeting with Congressional leaders, may have been distracted by Republicans' icy reception to his $825 billion stimulus package, which is poised to pass on Wednesday even without a groundswell of Republican support.

As the News pointed out, "there was little note taken of Obama's rookie mistake."

By contrast, when Bush tried leaving a press conference through locked doors in a building he had no familiarity with back on November 20, 2005, the press had a field day using the story and picture as evidence of his stupidity.

In fact, a Google search of "Bush tries opening locked doors" yielded over 1 million results. 

At the time, many used this incident as a metaphor for Bush not having an exit plan from Iraq. One such was ABC's "Good Morning America" as NewsBusters reported November 21:

This morning’s Good Morning America found symbolism in President Bush’s encounter with a locked door when attempting to leave a press conference. In the opening tease at 7:00 AM, Charlie Gibson said, "No way out. President Bush tries the wrong door on his trip to Asia and has fun for the cameras. But the big question now: Does he have an exit strategy for Iraq?"

Think Obama-loving media members will use his faux pas as a metaphor for anything negative currently happening in America or anywhere in the world?

Yes, that's rhetorical.