PE Obama: "I haven't made those appointments yet."

[sohndrsmith]

For anyone who's been concerned that Obama is going to allow media or any other outside pressure make his decisions for him...

Note: transcribed by me, and I am not a pro, but made a great effort to record the text as accurately as possible. Please feel free to check my work at around 11:09 in the link provided.

Reporter: And finally, you're talking about changing Washington, your campaign was that.
Paul Volcker has been around a long time, Tom Da-

President-Elect Barack Obama: Paul, Paul, I think that's an insult there...

(laughter)

Reporter: He's very highly respected, I want to add, very highly - very wise man -
But, but -Sir - you talked about John McCain was gonna come to Washington, if he won,
and it would just move people into different chairs. We got Tom Daschle, Hillary Clinton...

PE Barack Obama: Wait wait wait - hold on - hold on - w-w-wait -

Reporter: Bob Gates, we hear -

PE Barack Obama: You "hear" that. First of all, that's not the topic were not talking about my cabinet
because I haven't made those appointments yet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsPFYaw9MtA

[polichick]

1. Cool, calm and KICK ASS! :)

[sohndrsmith]

4. agreed. : ) I'm not making a judgment call on the names being

circulated, but I think it is significant that this came directly from Obama himself, basically clarifying that the choice is his and he hasn't made it yet. To me, that means the names being floated by the media, however confidently they are doing so, that these things are done deals - are not at all finalized and won't be until Obama tells us who he's chosen.

I don't believe for a minute that he'd be intimidated by going against (or in alignment with) media speculation, he's going to make the most reasoned decision in his view.

That's my sense, anyway, and I think his statement is telling and I'm surprised the media didn't (or hasn't yet) snapped it up yet, unless it's because it would dampen the drama... Oh... ya... right. : )

[polichick]

6. Reminds me of how he picked his veep...

...speculation and media be damned ~ he did it his way.

[sohndrsmith]

9. exactly. So we have a precedent that backs him up. But that doesn't

mean that he will (or won't) select Clinton for SoS. I do have an opinion on that, but I've decided to take myself out of the fray on the subject. Obama just made the whole issue less volatile (for me, anyway).

[Dis Pater]

27. I could be wrong, but every name floated in the media

so far has been right.

[Sebass1271]

2. who was that asshole reporter?

i am going to write to him right now!!

[sohndrsmith]

5. Obama didn't call him by name, and I didn't catch a name on the

video, so I don't know... I'm sorry. I didn't recognize him either....

[tekisui]

8. Limpballs was saying that his sources said it was ed henry.

but, he was doubtful.

[sohndrsmith]

10. Checked an image search against the video - looks like Ed Henry.

I'm not familiar with him.

[RockaFowler]

12. Ed Henry from CNN

I recognized him from his whining

[Sebass1271]

14. he clearly voted for Mcloser

what whiner..

[sohndrsmith]

20. actually, I'm thankful that Obama gets to field questions from all

factions, all perspectives, including adversarial ones. It's great to see how he handles questions, it's even better to see how he handles less than "friendly" ones. I'm not sure the questions from Henry were adversarial, but the last one (the text of which I posted originally) was definitely meant to challenge. Obama is just fine. We can trust this guy...

[Kalyke]

21. Asshole?

He didn't seem like he was being an asshole. He was trying to get Obama to comment on cabinet speculation AND pointing out that most of these people aren't "new."

[Sebass1271]

3. he should put those reporters to rest by saying. ok

i am going to hire people from the streets randomly selected.. and it seems you did not benefited of the prosperity when President Clinton was in office

[sohndrsmith]

7. I think he just put the whole argument to rest by saying,

"You'll know who I choose when I tell you who it is. Period."

Says leadership to me.

[Sebass1271]

13. did he say that? in those words? wow!!

i want to see that!!..

who said Obama was a wimp? Was it the rethugs at freepville? :rofl:

[sohndrsmith]

18. oops.

I should have indicated I was paraphrasing. I thought it was inferred by my original post. I goofed - shouldn't have used quotes incorrectly.

Thanks for calling me out in a classy way. : )

[Alter Ego]

11. Wow, a President who can make a dick reporter look like a dick

rather than a reporter making the President look like a dick.

[Ozma]

16. After 8 years, so refreshing to see this.

I hope the Ed Henry's of the media world lose their jobs for asking piss poor questions.

[uponit7771]

15. K & R

[xenussister]

17. Obama said "STFU, I got this" in the most polite way possible

I loved it!

[sohndrsmith]

19. yes! : ) I immediately thought of the photo with that caption! n/t

[Cosmic Charlie]

22. Well blow me down! You mean Hillary ain't SOS?

Her folks would have you believe different.

[sohndrsmith]

23. don't think a definite decision has been made yet. n/t

[davidpdx]

28. Lots of people jumped the gun and said she'd be VP

and they were wrong. If he picks her, I'll support the decision. People should wait to jump to conclusions until it's offical.

[girl gone mad]

24. I'm glad the reporters are asking him that question.

Where's the change?

[bleever]

25. Barack's right: he's got game.

This is going to work out.

[saltpoint]

26. Good catch. It may be that these early pressers will be a strong signal

to the media that they will have to send their best people into the fray with this new president.

Obama seems to me to be raising the stakes of presidential press conferences. The media are used to Dubya's whining, self-congratulatory slapdash.

Obama brings the fire.