Since President Obama never had to answer to the press as candidate Obama, yesterday's explosion in the WH press room was more than interesting and should bring smiles to us conservatives. Here was the newly minted U.S. president taking what he thought was a lovely stroll into the lion's den and finally something happened: the press actually asked Obama a real question:
As the Politico documents:
Asked how he could reconcile a strict ban on lobbyists in his administration with a Deputy Defense Secretary nominee who lobbied for Raytheon, Obama interrupted with a knowing smile on his face.
"Ahh, see," he said, "I came down here to visit. See this is what happens. I can't end up visiting with you guys and shaking hands if I'm going to get grilled every time I come down here."
Pressed further by the Politico reporter about his Pentagon nominee, William J. Lynn III, Obama turned more serious, putting his hand on the reporter's shoulder and staring him in the eye.
"Alright, come on" he said, with obvious irritation in his voice. "We will be having a press conference at which time you can feel free to [ask] questions. Right now, I just wanted to say hello and introduce myself to you guys - that's all I was trying to do."
At that moment the president surely awoke to the fact that he was president and no, President Bush was no longer around to get his teeth kicked in. Despite the media's love affair with the Democrats and for this president, in particular, many in the media still want a story and will expect real answers from the nation's president.
Let's hope that real questions for this president continue.
As the Politico documents:
Asked how he could reconcile a strict ban on lobbyists in his administration with a Deputy Defense Secretary nominee who lobbied for Raytheon, Obama interrupted with a knowing smile on his face.
"Ahh, see," he said, "I came down here to visit. See this is what happens. I can't end up visiting with you guys and shaking hands if I'm going to get grilled every time I come down here."
Pressed further by the Politico reporter about his Pentagon nominee, William J. Lynn III, Obama turned more serious, putting his hand on the reporter's shoulder and staring him in the eye.
"Alright, come on" he said, with obvious irritation in his voice. "We will be having a press conference at which time you can feel free to [ask] questions. Right now, I just wanted to say hello and introduce myself to you guys - that's all I was trying to do."
At that moment the president surely awoke to the fact that he was president and no, President Bush was no longer around to get his teeth kicked in. Despite the media's love affair with the Democrats and for this president, in particular, many in the media still want a story and will expect real answers from the nation's president.
Let's hope that real questions for this president continue.