How do you feel President Obama performed in his news conference last night?

[Gaspar]

It was a very cautious news conference. 

The AP reports "WASHINGTON (AP) - What kind of politician brings a teleprompter to a news conference? A careful one. "

[cannon_fodder]

I almost ran to my computer last night and posted about what a wonderful job he did.  I was going to give him serious credit having the wherewithal to stand up and defend his policies to questions - even if they were pre-screened.  He took tough questions and gave good answers outside his normal oratory style.  Even if I didn't agree with the position, he would have gotten respect for taking the questions head on.

In particular, he admitted he started off with a cushy review largely because of race.  But since has been judged, as he should be, on the merits of his administration.  He admitted to being very wealthy (top 3% specifically).  I did not see him ignore or perry any questions.  His speaking style was broken but very coherent.

While telling this to a coworker this morning I learned that his style was broken (uncharacteristic pauses and "umms") because he was waiting for the lines to scroll on a TV in the back of the room.  A TV the cameras were careful not to show.  On follow up questions he paused so an aide could type answers into it for him.

Then I read this morning that the State Department and the Treasury Department allow less contact than under Bush.  That the access to the White House is hyper structure around prepared statements and talking points.   It's the illusion of being open to the public (read: the press).  Bush got lambasted for shutting the press out, the solution - pretend to let them in.  But not really.

So I'm happy he is having more contact with the American people.  I like that he made the "Special Olympics" gaff on the Tonight Show - it shows that he was winging it.  I am willing to accept a few screw ups in exchange for honest interaction.  I'm glad that he is willing to lay out his plans to the press.

But I'm very disappointed that it was a staged event.  More so that it was a staged event portrayed as a real press conference.   If you are going to read answers off of your teleprompters, be honest about it.

[Gaspar]

That is unfortunate. 

Ann Compton with ABC was notified a day ahead of time that she would called on, so her mock surprise, as well as President Obama's comment to her "are you surprised I called on you"  were all for the camera's benefit.

Why couldn't he have just talked to us?

The more I think about it, the more disappointed I am.

[cannon_fodder]

Ann Compton with ABC was notified a day ahead of time that she would called on, so her mock surprise, as well as President Obama's comment to her "are you surprised I called on you"  were all for the camera's benefit.

Why couldn't he have just talked to us?

The more I think about it, the more disappointed I am.

Really?  She sold it well (as did he).  Given the nature of the question (she asked about race) I thought maybe at least that was honest.  Apparently the act was more in depth than I thought. 

The more I learn, the more pissed off I am.  I wish I could change my vote from average to something lower now.  If it was staged in that detail, then it wasn't impressive at all in the manner I was looking for.

I keep being more and more disappointed.  If I knew it was a staged event from the start I'd just be ho-hum about it.  But I was excited because I thought he did a really good thing and now feel like I have been let down. 

[RecycleMichael]

Obama was on TV again?

Who does he think he is, Ryan Secrist?

[Cats Cats Cats]

That is unfortunate. 

Ann Compton with ABC was notified a day ahead of time that she would called on, so her mock surprise, as well as President Obama's comment to her "are you surprised I called on you"  were all for the camera's benefit.

Why couldn't he have just talked to us?

The more I think about it, the more disappointed I am.

Are you upset that you kept asking questions last night and Obama never answered them?

[Gaspar]

Are you upset that you kept asking questions last night and Obama never answered them?

I had my hand up. 

"pick me." "pick me."

[Cats Cats Cats]

+1 Karma for using LOL Cats

[Conan71]

I um, well, yeah, it was um, a uh, really uh, great news uh conference.

He might even be more deft and evasive than President Bush and that's a hard act to top. 

I'm scared.

[guido911]

I had my hand up. 

"pick me." "pick me."

You were not on the list, so, in my best soup nazi voice, "no question for you!"

[Cats Cats Cats]

"The biggest problem we have in the future is medicare and medicaid"

Wow.. I never heard Bush say that!

[waterboy]

Sometimes you smart guys are so dense it hurts.

First, never, ever, go into a meeting of any kind without knowing what questions will be asked and how you intend to answer them. That's just basic organization stuff. Winging it is amateurish and reeking of ego. You wing it when you're not prepared and have to. So he had a teleprompter to stay on message and help with clear, concise answers. Duh. Do you think he was there to do battle with his ultra critics as so well represented on this forum? No. This was not a debate. He was talking to his constituents and trying to calm fears, describe problems/solutions and show leadership to a populace who isn't very politically or business savvy. Yes it was staged. That's no surprise. Its surprising that you haven't noticed that all press conferences are staged.

Second, he was making an inside joke to Compton. Everyone in the room knew the joke. The fact that I didn't know that the time (seemed curious to me) didn't take away from the substance of the questions or their answers.

You must look at what the purpose of the press conference was (or any press conference for that matter).  Instead you chose to critique the format and the speaker for partisan reasons. There is a pattern I have seen here where actions are taken out of context or purely fraudulent in nature, that are then backed up with suspect sources, that are then revealed as inaccurate or at best spun in a blender for effect. The instigators are never taken to task for it. It diminishes your credibility.

[guido911]

Instead you chose to critique defend the format and the speaker for partisan reasons.

FIFY

[rwarn17588]

I honestly don't get the constant harping of Obama using a teleprompter.

To my eye, using a teleprompter is called "using good tools at your disposal." It's called "being well-prepared." It's no damned different than carrying prepared notes with you.

I remember a few weeks ago when Sean Hannity on his radio show was trying to stir up a controversy about the teleprompter to former Huckabee campaign manager Ed Rollins. Rollins replied (and I'm recalling this from memory): "I don't see a problem. I wish George W. Bush had used a teleprompter a lot more than he did."

Hannity changed the subject really fast.

[cannon_fodder]

Waterboy, I have no partisan reasons for my comments.

And not all press conferences are staged.  The initial statement is always scripted, but generally the Q & A is open.  Any decent speaker will have a stock answer to all anticipated questions and non-anticipated questions will get a vague response, but staging a Q & A is generally poor taste.  May as well just read a statement or seed questions.