So, let me get this straight - a reporter asks the President a question. He answers it.

[EffieBlack]

The media decides to focus almost exclusively on that one answer rather than the other 10 or so very extensive answers he gave directly related to the subject of the press conference.

And they accuse HIM of "stepping on his message" because the press coverage is obsessively devoted to that one answer?

Excuse me? HE's responsible for the media's editorial decisions?

Wow.

[wndycty]

1. Yeah, this just shows how fucked up the media is

:kick:

[HughMoran]

2. The media is shooting themselves, healthcare reform and the nation, and they're blaming Obama

...because they can't control their own moronic behavior?

[endarkenment]

3. He should have called press conference on Gates

and hoped somebody would ask him about healthcare.

Fuckedmedia. Same old shit. Best gummint money can buy.

[redqueen]

4. Yep. That's the state of the M$M today.

Shocking, isn't it?

[global1]

5. Gotcha!!!!!!........nt

[Cali_Democrat]

6. The same mediawhores that were cheerleading the Iraq war.

They really have no credibility.

[unblock]

7. they're stuck in the politics as usually, manipulate-me media paradigm

presidents are "supposed" to "stay on message" and duck questions that might push their main message of the front page.
the media wants to have their work spoon-fed to them, they want the president to give them a statement, then duck answers so it's ridiculously obvious what the president wants the ONE story of the day to be, then the media runs with it and no one can say the they got the story wrong.

when the president answers a whole bunch of questions with actual answers, my, how confusing that is! what's the lead story? do we really have to study each question and answer and see if "news" was made? do we run one story? seven stories, perhaps, depending on how many of the answers are newsworthy? and which story is the lead story? oh, my head hurts just thinking about those poor editors having to ... um, edit!

[sandyj999]

8. Media suffers from tunnel vision. Only putting their focus on what they choose.

This is nothing new.

[rocktivity]

9. Not only that, they're willing to ANNOUNCE that they're going to as much

Right after the presser last night, Tweety and Howard Fineman since Obama said "nothing new" about health care, his Gates answer would be "the bigger story!"

Keep in mind that the media will lose advertising revenues if the public option is successful

:headbang:
rocktivity

[Spazito]

38. Oh, geez, excellent point re the media losing advertising...

revenue! I hadn't thought of that aspect of it.

[frazzled]

10. The point is: they never would have asked that question of a different president

In your wildest imagination, can you picture them having asked the question about Gates to: GW Bush, John McCain, or even Hillary Clinton? Interesting as the story is, out of the universe of possible questions in a turbulent nation and world, they would not have asked the question about the Gates case to any other president.

They asked him about it because his skin is dark. And then they get their panties all in a twist because he answered.

[NatBurner]

12. right?

[SemiCharmedQuark]

28. its as though they need to ask him a race question at least

Once every press conference.

[Lorax7844]

33. exactly, yet I'm now a racist for pointing it out

arg :argh:

[HopeOverFear]

39. thank you

[cleveramerican]

11. This is the big league now

he's smart enough to have known this would be the result.
He changed the story.

He went "off message", which he usually is too aware to do.

[wndycty]

13. Bullshit, in the BIG LEAGUES the media should not act like MINOR LEAGUERS when it comes. . .

. . .to covering race.

[MADem]

18. The media just can't help it. They love to do this shit.

The marginalize, they invent, and they twist.

It's easier, I guess, than doing that old-style thing called "reporting."

Go for the cheap reaction, no matter what!

[cleveramerican]

21. so you think Obama is stunned by the reaction this morning?

I doubt it.
I'd bet he wishes he never went there
if for no other reason than it changed the headline

[wndycty]

25. So you are a mind reader?

Here are the facts. Barack Obama is President of the United States. He called the actions of the Cambridge Police department in the handling of this issue, "stupid."

The spotlight is shining HARD on the Cambridge Police Department, whether they like it or not there will a greater sensitivity on the part of the Cambridge PD as it relates to how they handle situations like this.

[cleveramerican]

27. The president was wrong

He himself said he didn't know all the facts.
Once he does he'll be walking that"stupid" statement back.
or worse he'll have a spokesman do it

not a mind reader, but not born yesterday either.

[EffieBlack]

31. He said he didn't know all of the facts, so he could not say that race was an issue in this matter

but based on what he DID know, he believed the police behaved stupidly.

I agree with him. So do, I suspect, many, many, many people - unless one thinks it's smart police work to arrest, handcuff and haul away a 58-year-old man for not being a gracious host in his own house.

[AspenRose]

15. You're still here?

[cleveramerican]

19. yeah!

not going anywhere

your still here too,I see.
Good for you

[EffieBlack]

30. What do you think the better alternative would have been?

For him to just not answer the question? Or to give only a half answer? Or to just change the subject?

[HopeOverFear]

40. notice how "cleveramerican" hasn't answered this question

Right. :eyes:

[Uncle Joe]

14. The corporate media doesn't represent the American People, they represent corporations. n/t

[City Lights]

16. Which is why I all but ignore the corporate media.

For the most part they contribute nothing positive to the discussion.

They're overpaid entertainers.

:thumbsdown:

[truedelphi]

34. My feelings exactly.

Our TV is used to play DVD's, and to watch Rachel Maddow and House.

If I suspect something of historical imprtance is happening I watch TV news. (I find out from blogs what is happening, and turn on TV if I want some info.)

But I cannot handle political commentary or the "Skew" that the M$M puts on things.

[mzmolly]

17. Welcome to mass tabloid

journalism.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

20. On the brighter side- This is a non-issue and the corporate media is all over it

Every minute devoted to THIS is a minute NOT devoted to attacking health care reform, giving Repukes a platform to attack health care reform, or trying to convince us that Obama's Presidency is *imperiled* over the issue. Just something to consider. :shrug:

[Beetwasher]

22. BINGO!

It also sends the RW base into a frothing rage because of the racial overtones. They will be distracted by this instead of focusing on their ground game to stop health care reform. Our base is not so easily distracted.

My post on this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8545215&mesg_id=8545215

[ErinBerin84]

23. I know, right?

For all we know, knowing the press...if Obama gave some generic answer, the media question would have been "Is President Obama betraying the African American community????" Plus, GMA used some creative editing today and of course, edited out the part where Obama says that he doesn't know enough to say that it was race related. How conveeeeenient.

[EffieBlack]

32. Exactly! "President Obama sidesteps questions of race . . ."

And imagine how they would have used the fact that Skip Gates is his friend to attack him for "ducking" the issue.

[pansypoo53219]

24. BECAUSE the gnews like EASY.

that confusin health care stuff is TOO HARD. it means WERK!

O said cops were stupid. (cue beevis + butthead)

[AngryAmish]

26. The media needs to be taught a lesson

[Birthmark]

29. Media: "Stop us before we miss the point again."

[malletgirl02]

35. What would happen if he didn't answer it

Think about what would happen if he didn't answer the question. Instead he told the report that "this is a health care press conference and only will take related questions". If he did that it would he all over the news that he dodged a question.

[MadMaddie]

36. If he would have side stepped the question then the media would

have claimed that he avoided answering the questions. The media is poison.

The media never did that to * did they?

[MadMaddie]

37. What we need is a Ted Turner type to create a new

news organization. Someone that has the guts to actually put news on 24/7. No bullshit....I think it would sell....we all hunger for it, it's just not available.