Wow. Barack Obama is smart. Okay, not like I didn't know it, but to watch him in action, answering questions in a smart, sophisticated manner was impressive.
Overall, the press conference was pretty cool. I can't pretend it wasn't. I got to the White House around 6:45 pm and had to wait in line to clear security. After I got in, I had to head to the lower press office, which is right off the Brady Press Briefing Room. I worked with Jim Brady for eight years and that will always be one of the greatest experiences of my life. I love the guy and had the great fortune of being in that room when it was named for him back in February of 2000.
After I got my seat assignment, I went up to the main building and into the East Room. It was packed. All the media types were there. Valerie Jarrett and Bill Burton were standing behind me.
Obama came to the podium at 8:00 pm on the dot. The guy knows his stuff. He gave real answers to the 12 or so questions that were asked. I was surprised by a couple of the lame questions. I used to think Chuck Todd was brilliant, but not as a White House reporter. And, the Washington Post reporter wasted his question on A-Rod. I did think Obama took several opportunities to note that Republicans are responsible for the current mess. That's important, especially when those very Republicans are fighting Obama's efforts to save the economy.
It was great when Sam Stein from Huffington Post got to ask a question. I figured there was a chance when Sam got seated in the front row. Just shows the Obama team understands that the media has changed. And, I'm sure it irritated some of the traditional media types.
After the event, it was funny (in an annoying way) to hear some prominent reporters cranking about Obama filibustering by taking too long, in their view, to answer each question. Yes, they actually used that word - filibuster - because the president gave long thoughtful answers. Now, I find it very interesting that reporters would say that Obama was filibustering by answering questions with real answers when they won't say that the Republican Senators are filibustering the stimulus package, when that's actually what Republican Senators are doing. I talked to one WH reporter after who was mocking those who called Obama's answers filibusters. He noted that Bush never gave answers like that - i.e., intelligent ones.
And, I got to talk to Helen Thomas:
I didn't get to ask a question, but if I did, I assure you all it would have been more substantive and relevant than what Chuck Todd or the Wash. Post reporter asked. Here's one that John and I came up with, it was one of the five questions I had ready:
Last week, thirty-six of the forty-one Republican Senators voted for an amendment that would strip all spending from the economic stimulus package, and instead rely only on tax cuts in their version of the stimulus. How are you going to work with people who seem to have divorced themselves from reality?We tend to take the issues seriously. It's not just a game for us. Anyway, I'm glad I got to go and think it's good for the progressive blogs to be present at the White House.
Actual proof I was there, courtesy of CNN (I'm in the blue jacket and blue shirt, to Ed Henry's right):
