DISQUS

FunMe · 9 months ago

Your "proof" that you were there.
How do we know you didn't photo shop your photo into CNN's video?

Just kidding!
CONGRATS

Indigo · 9 months ago

Maybe the question about A-Rod was not important to the villagers, but it's important to sports fans everywhere and it gave the President a chance to talk about something less technical than the economic stimulus plans.

existenz · 9 months ago

Why do sports fans care what the President thinks about an isolated steroids case? Should they have asked about Barry Bonds as well? It just seems way off topic and irrelevant.

Jim Olson · 9 months ago

Unfortunately, it's not an isolated case. MLB is rife with steroid use. The Commissioner needs to either step up and hand out a few no-questions-asked lifetime suspensions and rescind any records, or step out of the way and let someone do the job who will. Since MLB has a monopoly, it becomes the President's business to pay attention. I'd love to see Obama haul the Commissioner into his office and tear a strip off him about this.

Indigo · 9 months ago

If you don't know, sit down in front of the TV and watch a game!  It all happens in the America where Americans live for real.  Enjoy!

tofubo · 9 months ago

glad helen and ariana were considered

OT

http://www.globalpolicy.org/security/issues/ira...

gizmo · 9 months ago

Somebody needs to start archiving video footage of moments when Obama makes mainstream press people look like the clueless assholes that they are. I have a feeling we're going to see a lot of that in the coming years, and I intend to enjoy every minute of it.

elizabethcostello · 9 months ago

Congratulations, Joe! I was hoping President Obama would call on you, but it was GREAT that you were invited, and that he called on the HuffingtonPost reporter! And on Helen Thomas, the doyenne of the White House Press Corps; she was one of the few who didn't lose her marbles when President Dumbunnya seized power back with SCOTUS help back in 2000. I was glad that Obama remained as civil as possible while criticizing the GOP because as the town hall in Indiana (Indiana!) today showed, he's keeping the people--us, the majority of the USA--on his side by showing that he's reasonable, but wants to solve the nation's problems. I wish you could have asked your question, but also, when it does happen, can you not frame it in such a way that it'll mean you probably won't be called on ever again? I mean, as Elaine Bennace said on Seinfeld of one of the nuts she encountered, the Congressional Republicans are, except for 2-3, "deranged," and all sane people realize this, but even still, perhaps couch it in politer terms.

HereinDC · 9 months ago

Thanks Joe!
Was a good question...( even though the end of your question really sort of sounds like a question Jeff Gannon Guckert kind of asked back in the day.)
Yes, Jeffylube did ask that kind of question.

:)

John Aravosis · 9 months ago

Google the exactly language Joe used in his question - it IS what Gannon said, verbatim :-)

PJ · 9 months ago

Too funny!

existenz · 9 months ago

Although your proposed question is a delight for those of us on the left who love taking a jab at the GOP, it's probably never a good idea to ask a question for which you know what the answer will be. Obama would simply say that no party has a monopoly on good ideas and he wants to listen to all sides, blah blah blah.

I think a question about why Geithner is refusing to do what every major economist recommends and nationalize the banks would be a great question. Or, a question about why his DOJ is implementing the "state secrets privilege" in terror cases, despite campaign promises to the contrary. Or a question about "Don't Ask, Don't Tell".

Too many questions were boring process questions. I'd love to hear more policy questions.

Lolis · 9 months ago

I agree. Some questions Obama cannot give an honest answer to because it wouldn't help anything. I wish the press would ask questions that someone who just lost their job would ask.

John Aravosis · 9 months ago

He had a DADT question

cowboyneok · 9 months ago

Oh, I would've LOVED to have heard a DADT question!

Margo Rippon · 9 months ago

Did Helen Thomas get her position back tonigt? Did she get the first queston? I was working and could not see the press conference.

Lolis · 9 months ago

she didn't get the first, but she got the most because she kept yelling out more and more while obama was speaking.

existenz · 9 months ago

Her question was eighth or ninth I believe. And she asked some pretty dumb questions, such as whether there are any terrorists in Pakistan or any nuclear devices in the Middle East.

Jim Olson · 9 months ago

She was sitting in the front row, however. And Obama was polite and even gushed just a little about how honored he was that it was his first question from Helen.

RitornaVincitor · 9 months ago

I think she asked if Obama knew of any countries in the middle east that have nuclear weapons. I kept hoping Obama would answer, "Israel".

She wanted to continue her questioning, but he cut her off, like everyone else. He came across as in command.

caphillprof · 9 months ago

Her question about nuclear weapons was calculated to find out the extent the Obama administration will prevaricate on facts in the Middle East. Israel's nuclear arsenal is the elephant in the room. Helen's as crafty as ever.

RitornaVincitor · 9 months ago

Yes she is. She's a treasure. And I was so glad to see Obama call upon her. What was it? Seven years before Bush called on her?

aquarius2 · 9 months ago

Thanks for sharing your experience. I often wonder what it is like at those press meeting.
I totally agree with you about Chuck Todd"s question. I mean really, he is the NBC political analyst. You should see what he says to Brian Williams after the meeting, truly stupid. I have never liked Todd, he showed too much of a conservative side during the campaigns. He is another one like David Gregory, both have been elevated beyond their abilities.

HereinDC · 9 months ago

LAME....that really was a LAME question from Chuck Todd.

Obama now knows not to call on him anymore.

Martha · 9 months ago

I totally agree with you.

HereinDC · 9 months ago

Didn't Obama answer the 2 Fox reporters questions with the "previous 8 years" jabs?
I think he did.
You could tell the 2 FOX people with their questions....and notice how Obama DIDN'T mention the name where they worked?

President Obama is one smart man....he knows how to work the crowd.

His long anwers at the beginning was to let people know that this President is here to give answers and not make jokes.

vkobaya · 9 months ago

this President is here to give answers and not make jokes.

Don't you mean be a joke. The Republicans have to assassinate Obama quickly. Every moment in office proves more and more that the Bush presidency was a joke, an obscenity, a failure, total incompetence, idiosyncrasy, stupidity in action, betrayed the nation, handed the victory to bin Laden, unmitigated, unmeasured crime wave, as close to hell on earth as possible, a two-bit, tin dictatorship ... oh yeah, a fraud.

Realistically, doesn't take Obama to prove that Bush was a bad, bad, bad joke. Bush did it himself when he claimed he didn't need to listen to his father, Bush Sr., because he listened to his Heavenly Father. If he were a real Christian, he should have known prophecy ended with the old Testament and to be a prophet, he would have to be a Muslim.

benb · 9 months ago

It's good to hear that Obama's really as smart as he appears in the clips from the Newshour. There's no guarantee that the Stimulus plan will work as expected but at least I know that Obama is 1) not following political ideology 2) not trying to manipulate me with fear, and 3) not telling me that he asked God for guidance (I don't mind if he does but I'd rather hear him say that he's relying on the best brains in the country).

1jarrod · 9 months ago

Why are all these politicians relying on plans that have proven to work in the past KEY WORDS (WORKED IN THE PAST) is the words worked in the past an oxymoron if they proved to work why are we having to go back POINT IS IT DIDN”T WORK or we would not be in this situation………THOMAS EDISON tried 2000 different ways to ge light bulb to work with new ideas every time he failed……..Don’t you think we try something new

caphillprof · 9 months ago

malarkey. The financial system put in place by the New Deal worked for 60 years before it was gutted by Republican true believers. The point is that they fixed something that WAS NOT BROKE. It worked damned well and will work again until the Republican mind takes root among the ignorant masses..

An_American_Karol · 9 months ago

I just love Helen Thomas' sweet old face. I could just kiss her. What a patriot that woman has been for fifty years. She is a real American treasure. Bless her cantankerous heart.

mjohnso27 · 9 months ago

So right! I love that old lady. She is such a smart whipper snapper! And it was so good to see her back in the front row where she belongs.

Joneses · 9 months ago

WOW the corporate media had to comprehend and absorb what Obama was saying. Guess it was to difficult for them b/c now they are saying his answers were to long. After 8 years, I guess their brains went numb AND where the hell are those talking point memos.

leo · 9 months ago

" How are you going to work with people who seem to have divorced themselves from reality?"

What a loss to humanity that you didn't get to ask this. But do not despair! There'll be plenty of opportunities when it'll be just as appropriate to ask in days to come (unfortunately).

LizH · 9 months ago

Hi Joe,
I kept hoping and saying aloud, "Call Joe Sudbay", throughout the conference. When they chose the Huffington Post commentator, I cheered. This was on behalf of my 13 year old son that recognizes that the politcal process involves all citizens and has consequences of every citizen's daily life.
Hang tough and keep up the good work. We all so appreciate your dedication and efforts on every citizen's behalf. We look forward to participating with your great cause

Most Sincerely,
Liz H

erykah · 9 months ago

Congrats on getting in at the press conference. i thought it was a slam dunk. You are right about Chuck Todd. He was much sharper during the election than he is now. Also, the A-Rod question was a waste. I was surprised that Obama actually took the time to respond to it. I liked how he talked about the lesson he learned from the repubs this week. Yeah, he is a smart cookie. Americans are going to have to play catch up. We will not be able to relay on simple soundbites while Obama is in charge. That's change I can believe in.

Malcolm · 9 months ago

So nice that you take issues seriously. I guess those issues don't include torture, extraordinary rendition, and the use of the so-called state secrets privilege to defend torture and extraordinary rendition. I guess also that torture and extraordinary rendition of innocent people just can't measure up to the extraordinary importance of being invited to a White House press conference. I'm so glad you had a nice time, while those W rended and tortured get denied a hearing by O. Now that's change we can believe in.

cay · 9 months ago

It means so much to me that you were there. I hope the dialogue continues between the WH and Americablog. Thanks for all you do!

KISSman · 9 months ago

It's very cool that you were there, Joe. It's good that the administration finds blogs like these important media sources (Now if they would only listen to us more...). The fact that Obama took a question from The Huffington Post was great even if only for the fact that it'll irriate the heck out of conservatives.

Older_Wiser · 9 months ago

"Smart and sophisticated?" You mean, the person who said "Nobody is above the law" but continues hiding the rotting corpse of the Constitution behind his public words?

I'm not buying the "state secrets" argument about torture and extraordinary rendition, any kind of rendition, I'm not buying what's not being said about this economy, either; what's behind the curtain of this economy, and the protection of failure being defended with taxpayers' money and grandstanding about CEO pay which will just continue unabated while people do without jobs, while children suffer, and the standard of living deteriorates for the many.

Chris From Maine · 9 months ago

It was refreshing to see a President actually think before speaking.

And yeah it was awesome that u were there and to hear "sam stein, huffington post" come from a President at a press conference was very surreal.. only "Joe Sudbay from AMERICAblog" would have been cooler.

cowboyneok · 9 months ago

I agree, and I used to find it infuriating to see how transparent Bu$h was to try to rehash some sound bite he had been fed by Karl Rove to side step a question he didn't know how to answer.

cowboyneok · 9 months ago

I noticed a huge shift in the way the press handled Obama versus Dubya. With Dubya, it was mostly toss him softballs and giggle at his awkward sophomoric humor. With Obama, the media actually has to think... In fact, I think most of them were in a state of shock. As in, "Oh.my.God! We have a real President in front of us!"

RitornaVincitor · 9 months ago

Wasn't it great?! And when asked multi-part questions, he answered all parts... coherently... in English... in compound sentences!

We recognized Joe in a closeup shot on CBS News.

cowboyneok · 9 months ago

YES! and he didn't call the reporters "stupid pet names" as a defense mechanism like Bush did when he would get in the weeds.

phillydem · 9 months ago

Chuck Todd's question gave Obama the chance to knock down a recent and favorite GOP talking point about who exactly caused the financial meltdown. Recall during the election, the Republicans consistently said the sub-prime mortgage crisis was caused by people (read: poor and minorities) buying houses who couldn't afford them. Todd's question allowed Obama to explain the financial sector was the true culprit because of they were gambling with other people's money.

Todd's question also let Obama tell the country that consumer spending alone is unsustainable as an economic philosophy on which to build permanent prosperity.

I think those were two important points that otherwise would not have come out.

JackDallasQueer · 9 months ago

OMFG an adult and sharp mind in the White House. "The Lost Decade" just about sums up perfectly. Maybe there really finally is some hope now.

HeartlandLiberal · 9 months ago

This is the first press conference I have watched in eight years. The reason should be obvious. Watching G.W. Bush was simply too painful, embarrassing, frightening, disgusting to endure. The man was an idiot, who needed to sit on Dick Cheney's lap and be coached if he ever really had to respond to questions. (Remember that incident?) Now we have a president who has more than just two brain cells to rub together, the man is brilliant, well-informed, focused. I did not see him reading of index cards or misreading notes. That's because he actually is competent and informed.

Now if that will just get translated into action.

And most of all, at what point will the Obama and the Democratic party call the GOP the skunks of history they are?

Theresa · 9 months ago

What's also impressive is that he didn't stay locked in the Oval Office cramming for the presser. He was on the road attending a Town Hall meeting that had no screening, etc.

It's a pleasure to have a president we can be proud of once again.

larry · 9 months ago

Chuck Todd is incredibly bad as MSNBC WH reporter. Why they put him in the position and why he wanted it is a mystery. I suppose to pay him for his decent efforts during the campaign and his ambition. Well the peter principal is not working out for Chuck and he will get booted soon I predict..

Milli · 9 months ago

I don't know, I kinda miss Dubya. I think that he should be brought back to open for Obama and warm the crowd up before these things.

And the guy who wasted his question on A-Rod......... what an idiot. Obama gave a respectful answer though when this guy really deserved to be laughed at.

nicho · 9 months ago

Probably just a force of habit. The question on A-Fraud is what was considered a "tough question" during the last eight years.

And, now Obama knows why Bush kept Helen Thomas in the back row all that time. From the look on his face as he ran away from her, I'm thinking Obama wished she had stayed there. She is one tough old broad and knows how to ask a tough question. Go Helen!

David Castillo · 9 months ago

I had to watch it late last night after work and I was SHOCKED when the Post's reporter asked about A-Rod! So ridiculous.

Jane B · 9 months ago

Congradulations Joe!

You are well deserving.

Asphyxia 8 · 9 months ago

MOST PRESSING QUESTION: Is Ed Henry as cute in person as he looks on TV? :)

JoeSudbay · 9 months ago

No.

kayj · 9 months ago

Thank you so much! I agree with cowboyneok - the complainers in the press corp are those that realize they now have to ask intelligent questions - or their own idiocy will be showing.

TB · 9 months ago

First and foremost, thank you for the Bill Burton picture, because he is totally adorable and I have had a crush on him since he smacked down that Fox talking head during the campaign.
However, I was very disappointed in this post. You complain about the press corps complaining about their jobs, YAWN. We all do that. And t from each and every one of them, there was an informative, substantive story/segment minutes/hours after the press conference. You gave us a "What I did over my summer vacation," essay.
I understand the feeling of betrayal we have from the Washington press corps, but in reality were you able to do any better? Unfortunately not. If the argument is that bloggers should be equal or better than the established press last night was a chance to prove it and you did not.
Sorry to rain on the parade of self-congratulatory posts. I too am thrilled we have a change in the White House. I too worked my butt off for the past seven years to help make this happen. It's time to work toward change ans stop standing on the soap box and screaming "We were right, we won and look at us now."
I too would like to see better journalism and think the White House press corps dropped the ball many, many times over the past 12 years. Still, you've proven there is no alternative.

Johnnie Random · 9 months ago

I really hope that you get to ask a question at a future press conference, and if you do, I really hope you don't ask questions anything remotely like the ham-fisted question you had prepared (or I hope that I am missing the joke). Its like you cribbed from Jeff Gannon and just changed the names. That question will embarrass the left, add nothing to the discourse, and insure that you will (and perhaps no other progressive blogger) will ever get to ask a question again. Its the intellectual equivillent of Colbert's "George Bush: great president, or greatest president" question - except he is kidding. As great as it is that our guy occupies the White House, I cringe at the idea of any press cheerleading. We don't need it, and it makes the A-Rod question look brilliant in comparison.

Lynne · 9 months ago

Nice job Joe! Your report on the media idiots was actually more interesting than the press conference itself. LOL

AgentX · 9 months ago

Wow, you're entering comb-over terroritory, dude.

How much hair fell out in the last 8 years thanks to McBush.