“What Took You So Long?” Obama’s Waffling on Iranian Support & His BBQ with Murderous Mullahs (video)
Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on June 24, 2009
Sell it, Barack, sell it…
Obama’s Weenie Diplomacy: Major Garrett of FOX Asks “What Took You So Long?” and The Fourth of July BBQ with Iranian Mullahs
Washington Post: Stay Tuned for More of ‘The Obama Show’
By Dana Milbank
In his first daytime news conference yesterday, President Obama preempted “All My Children,” “Days of Our Lives” and “The Young and the Restless.” But the soap viewers shouldn’t have been disappointed: The president had arranged some prepackaged entertainment for them.
After the obligatory first question from the Associated Press, Obama treated the overflowing White House briefing room to a surprise. “I know Nico Pitney is here from the Huffington Post,” he announced.
Obama knew this because White House aides had called Pitney the day before to invite him, and they had escorted him into the room. They told him the president was likely to call on him, with the understanding that he would ask a question about Iran that had been submitted online by an Iranian. “I know that there may actually be questions from people in Iran who are communicating through the Internet,” Obama went on. “Do you have a question?”
Pitney recognized his prompt. “That’s right,” he said, standing in the aisle and wearing a temporary White House press pass. “I wanted to use this opportunity to ask you a question directly from an Iranian.”
Pitney asked his arranged question. Reporters looked at one another in amazement at the stagecraft they were witnessing. White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel grinned at the surprised TV correspondents in the first row.
The use of planted questioners is a no-no at presidential news conferences, because it sends a message to the world — Iran included — that the American press isn’t as free as advertised. But yesterday wasn’t so much a news conference as it was a taping of a new daytime drama, “The Obama Show.” Missed yesterday’s show? Don’t worry: On Wednesday, ABC News will be broadcasting “Good Morning America” from the South Lawn (guest stars: the president and first lady), “World News Tonight” from the Blue Room, and a prime-time feature with Obama from the East Room.
[...]
This is Barack Obama, and these are the Days of Our Lives.
As if to compensate for the prepackaged Huffington Post question, Obama went quickly to Fox News for a predictably hostile question from Major Garrett. “In your opening remarks, sir, you said about Iran that you were appalled and outraged,” Garrett said. “What took you so long?
“I don’t think that’s accurate,” Obama volleyed testily, calling his toughening statements on Iran “entirely consistent.”
[...]
But yesterday’s daytime drama belonged primarily to Pitney, of the Huffington Post Web site. During the eight years of the Bush administration, liberal outlets such as the Huffington Post often accused the White House of planting questioners in news conferences to ask preplanned questions. But here was Obama fielding a preplanned question asked by a planted questioner — from the Huffington Post.
Pitney said the White House, though not aware of the question’s wording, asked him to come up with a question about Iran proposed by an Iranian. And, as it turned out, he was not the only prearranged questioner at yesterday’s show. Later, Obama passed over the usual suspects to call on Macarena Vidal of the Spanish-language EFE news agency. The White House called Vidal in advance to see whether she was coming and arranged for her to sit in a seat usually assigned to a financial trade publication. She asked about Chile and Colombia.
A couple of more questions and Obama called it a day. “Mr. President!” yelled Mike Allen of Politico. “May I ask about Afghanistan? No questions about Iraq or Afghanistan?”
Sorry: Those weren’t prearranged.
Related reading:
Hot Air: Weenie diplomacy now out? and Good news: State Dep’t refuses to condemn Iranian crackdown; Update: 2 to 3 million at rally
Ann Coulter: OBAMA TO IRAN: LET THEM EAT ICE CREAM
Hot Air Green Room: Obama Admits to Being on the Wrong Side of History on Iraq
American Pundit: Report: Obama Reconsidering July 4th Invitation to Iranian Diplomats
Frugal Café Blog Zone: Whew… Glad Obama’s Fourth of July BBQ Is Still on with Those Iranian Diplomats
Power Line: Please, pretty please come our party and Hot dog diplomacy still on with Iran
John P. Hanlon, Big Hollywood: Interview: ‘Soraya M.’ Star Shohreh Aghdashloo
Gateway Pundit: Ouch! John McCain Not Sure Who Obama’s Siding With In Iran and Would the US Invite Hitler or Saddam to the 4th of July?
GayPatriot: More ways to support IRAN!
Track-A-’Crat: Fearless At Home, Snivelling Abroad
Telegraph.co.uk: The Iranian election: Barack Obama’s cowardly silence
Legal Insurrection: Neda Never Strapped On A Bomb
Public Secrets: They Catch On
DaTechguy’s Blog: Never again…until the next time
John P. Hanlon, Big Hollywood: Shohreh Aghdashloo: A Voice for the Voiceless
Michelle Malkin: Reports: Fresh blood on the streets of Tehran and They killed Neda, but not her voice and Obama hand-holds Huffington Post blogger, snaps at dissident reporters and Obama-come-lately on Iran; O’s obligatory press conference
Amused Cynic: “The Smile”….or “The Mask”? You decide….
Jim Blazsik: Her Name Was Neda: A Generational Chance for Freedom by U.S. Representative Thaddeus G. McCotter
The Carbon Fibber: I thought only candidates for School Board put shills in the audience.
A1A South: While Iranian Thug Government Kills Defenseless Students, Obama Invites Them to BBQ
Sister Toldjah: So the Iranian people didn’t desire for “reform” until Obama, right?
Hot Air: Khamenei says no compromise
Moe Lane, RedState: Hot dogs in public, credit-taking in private: the White House’s search for an Iranian domestic strategy.
Jihad Watch: The nerve of this guy: “Obama advisers are crediting his Cairo speech for inspiring the protesters” in Iran
Greg Gutfeld, Big Hollywood: Daily Gut: The Bystander in Chief
Commentary Magazine: Barbecue Diplomacy
Scared Monkeys: Biden was Right, They would Fail … Hot Dog Diplomacy: Barack Obama Still Inviting Iranian Diplomats to July 4 Celebrations at White House as Iranian Protesters are Killed in the Streets
The Jabberin’ Wookie: But Will They Serve Kosher Hot Dogs?
The Powers That Be: Obama a Symbol of Hope in Iran?
Politico: Obama calls on HuffPost for Iran question UPDATE (question rigging) and What Obama didn’t mention
National Review Online: Silence Is Not Neutrality
Mark Levin Fan: Obama on Iran ‘A sad day when we have a sad American President like this’
Beltway Snark: The Iran Protests ARE Our Fault! Holy crap, the mullahs were right! and Iran Still Invited To 4th Of July Party
The Cypress Times: OBAMA’S BBQ DIPLOMACY IS A LOT OF BULL
Jules Crittenden: History Lesson
Gateway Pundit: Noted Iranian Activist Kianoosh Sanjari: “The People of Iran Will Not Forgive Obama For Siding With the Regime” (Audio-Video) and Obama Tells Killer Iranian Regime “The World Is Watching”… Then Gets Ice Cream and Iranian Hero & Leading Activist Ahmad Batebi On Obama: “His Lack of Response Will Not Be Regarded Kindly” (Audio-Video)
An Angeleno’s View of the World: President Obama On Iran Just Like Jimmy Carter
Dianej: How does Mahmoud Ahmadinejad face the world?
Wall Street Journal: ‘The Stoning of Soraya M.’ Looks at the Treatment of Women in Iran
Andrew Breitbart, Big Hollywood: Tweet This Movie: #TheStoningofSorayaM
The Plum Line: Report: Hillary And Biden Want Obama To Talk Tougher On Iran
Free Republic: Internal Discord Over Obama’s Iran Response? (Biden/Hillary Team Up & Throw Obama Under the Bus)
USA Today: Obama’s reticence on Iran stirs stew of opinion
Today, MSNBC: McCain: Obama needs to get tougher on Iran
FOX Politics: McCain Faults Obama for Cautious Response to Disputed Outcome of Iran’s Election
Michelle Malkin: Iran showdown: “Supreme Leader” tries to quell rebellion; US Congress does what Obama won’t
CNN: Who was Neda? Slain woman unlikely martyr
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