The administration that pledged “openness” has been characterized by the usual Leftist double standard of behavior. Obama has had a recent string of campaign promise annulments, which began with his first stimulus package. He failed to put the bill on-line, refused to take out so-called “earmarks”, spending provisions, usually pork barrel, refused to consult in a bi-partisan way about the package, which was written almost entirely by Nancy Pelosi’s staff.
Then last month he led a series of “secret meetings” with coal industry executives he has refused to release under the Freedom of Information Act. This is important to understand because when businesses support a cap and trade scheme, it is only when it involves massive taxpayer handouts. The Warner-Lieberman bill was not supported by utilities like Duke Energy, a a member of the Copenhagen Climate Council, because it did not contain massive wealth transfers like the European style cap and trade system, which has utterly failed.
Now, you have the Grand Dame of the White House Press Corps speaking in no uncertain terms that this White House is set on steamrolling the truth and walking over the media.
“Nixon didn’t try to do that,” Thomas said. “They couldn’t control (the media). They didn’t try.
“What the hell do they think we are, puppets?” Thomas said. “They’re supposed to stay out of our business. They are our public servants. We pay them.”
Thomas said she was especially concerned about the arrangement between the Obama Administration and a writer from the liberal Huffington Post Web site. The writer was invited by the White House to President Obama’s press conference last week on the understanding that he would ask Obama a question about Iran from among questions that had been sent to him by people in Iran.
“When you call the reporter the night before you know damn well what they are going to ask to control you,” Thomas said.
“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,” she said. “It’s blatant. They don’t give a damn if you know it or not. They ought to be hanging their heads in shame.”
During today’s briefing, Thomas interrupted a back-and-forth between Gibbs and Chip Reid, the White House correspondent for CBS News, when Reid was questioning Gibbs about who was going to decide what questions would be asked of President Obama in a townhall meeting that was scheduled to take place in Annandale, Va., today.
Gibbs then had an exchange involving Reid and Thomas that went as follows:
Gibbs: “… But, again, let’s–How about we do this? I promise we will interrupt the AP’s tradition of asking the first question. I will let you [Chip Reid] ask me a question tomorrow as to whether you thought the questions at the town hall meeting that the President conducted in Annandale—“
Chip Reid: “I’m perfectly happy to—”
Helen Thomas: “That’s not his point. The point is the control–”
Reid: “Exactly.”
Thomas: “We have never had that in the White House. And we have had some, but not– This White House.”
Leave a Reply