Obama is taking unscrpited questions from the press corps, soooo (health care, vote)

[Who?Me?!]

Originally Posted by sanrene

Unscripted?

He is picking names from a predetermined list.

How is that unscripted?



Not just the initial question that is important, but the follow-up to his answr is even more important, which of course the media did not do, so he was allowed to ramble on and on without really saying much other than - pass it now or were doomed!

Was the media not allowed follow-ups?

Ya, but he had his jacket on!!!

[McMolly]

Originally Posted by Hero

Bush could never do what Obama did today.

You're right. This type of communication was never Bush's strong suit. However, he always allowed follow-up questions which Obama did not do.

Also, Obama never actually answered the questions effectively. Instead he launched into mini-speeches and campaign rhetoric.

Clearly effective for some, but you can always fool some of the people some of the time.

Originally Posted by justNancy

.................

However, I do agree he could have answered some of the questions a little more directly.

That's exactly the point.

[TuborgP]

Howard Kurtz - Obama's Prime Time Talkathon - washingtonpost.com
In a prime-time debut for the new Oval Office occupant and a press corps often accused of being too enamored of him, President Obama faced journalistic skepticism from the opening question.

Howard Kurtz - Obama's Prime Time Talkathon - washingtonpost.com
A look at the morning papers, starting with the Los Angeles Times:

[sanrene]

A predetermined list of journalist is not the same thing as a predetermined list of questions.

Can you point me to an example of a president taking predetermined questions?

Doesn't happen.

[CharlottePirateFan]

He may not have known the questions but he knew they would be "friendlies".

He called the first guys name..was looking for him to his right (camera's left) and the reporter ended up being right in the middle.

[skoro]

Originally Posted by sanrene

Unscripted?

He is picking names from a predetermined list.

How is that unscripted?

You're obviously confusing a presidential press conference with daily briefings by the administration's press secretary.

Not just the initial question that is important, but the follow-up to his answr is even more important, which of course the media did not do, so he was allowed to ramble on and on without really saying much other than - pass it now or were doomed!

Was the media not allowed follow-ups?

If they weren't, don't you suppose they'd be whining?

[skoro]

Originally Posted by CharlottePirateFan

He may not have known the questions but he knew they would be "friendlies".

What network does Major Garrett work for?

[seamusnh]

Does the president usually have a list of people that he goes down, calling out reporter's names in order? I thought the reporters all usually raise their hands and the president calls on someone..... Obama knew the order in which the reporters would ask the questions. Did he know the questions as well?

[sanrene]

You're obviously confusing a presidential press conference with daily briefings by the administration's press secretary.

No, I'm not.

[Icy Tea]

It looked scripted and I'm sure he had some heads up on what questions they were going to ask. He also took easy questions and took his time answering them which cut down on the number of questions he was asked. But believe what you want.