Press Secretary Gibbs in a testy exchange with reporter during briefing.

[BennyD]

Run time: 01:45 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rKhbzJ8YeU   Posted on YouTube: December 03, 2009 By YouTube Member: Views on YouTube: 0   Posted on DU: December 04, 2009 By DU Member: BennyD Views on DU: 3819

 
The following excerpt is from Yahoo News Link to full story

"The testy exchange was sparked by Ryan's insistent questioning of White House social secretary Desiree Rogers' role at the recent state dinner, which has been in the headlines because of the fallout from Tareq and Michaele Salahi's "party crashing."

Ryan claimed that there have been whispers around Washington insinuating that Rogers had overstepped the traditional role of her title at the event to become the "belle of the ball," thus "overshadowing the first lady." Frustrated by Ryan's tabloid-y line of questioning, Gibbs instructed her to "calm down" and to take a deep breath," adding "I do this with my son and that's what happens."

As the press corps cringed, murmured and chuckled at Gibbs' chastising, Ryan shot back: "Don't play with me."

[tekisui]

1. What the hell is the big deal with the social secretary

being there?

[kenny blankenship]

2. There's somebody who should never be let in the White House again.

[BeyondGeography]

3. Yap, yap, yap

I don't blame him for smacking her down.

[Bonobo]

4. April is the one that sounded abusive and unprofessional.

And her questions are tabloid level bullshit.

[Poll_Blind]

5. I'm not going to bother with a response: Every one of the responses above nailed it. n/t

PB

[Sanity Claws]

6. That reporter should be ashamed herself

We have two wars, 10% unemployment, a conference in Copenhagen, etc. and the only thing she wants to talk about is whether the social secretary was invited to a dinner?

Who does she work for? National Enquirer?

[bikesein]

7. He Could Have Dealt With Her More Tactfully

I don't believe her questioning is important, but comparing her to presumably a child was not a good idea.

[raystorm7]

9. Well, if she had acted like an adult maybe =/ ... Call em out for what they are

[Writer]

11. To be honest, she was being extremely hostile although he was trying to answer her question.

She was trying to "tell" him a question.

[Ysabela]

8. That reporter is the very definition of 'house slave'.

[Minimus]

13. huh?

[timeforpeace]

23. Apparently it's OK to say racist things here since no one here is racist.

[TheDebbieDee]

27. Please explain. What's racist about the term house slave?

[TheDebbieDee]

25. I agree......I remember one press conference '04 when * was in

office and she was slobberin' all over the * admin's knob about how black home ownership in this country was at it's highest, thanks to the actions/policies of the "compassionate conservatives".

I was like, "Dang, * has bought himself a female "Armstrong Williams!"

She and other house "people" sicken me.

[harkadog]

31. Your comments are reprehensible.

What would you say if she was white?

[timeforpeace]

33. See, racists don't exist on DU so the racist comments don't exist either.

[TheDebbieDee]

39. I she were white, then I would say

she was being a typical repuke shill.........

As far as my comments being reprehensible to you, I find it reprehensible that any African-American allowed themselves to be paid and used to put a facade of multiculturalism on the * admin.

[Fedja]

26. Thanks

I just threw up in my mouth a little.

[Writer]

10. Very, very poor behavior on the part of the reporter.

She lost her temper and handled herself poorly. She wasn't calm, although Gibbs had answered her question calmly. Her copping an attitude and trying to take the moral high ground after exhibiting that sort of behavior says that she shouldn't be given another day pass into the press room.

[Minimus]

12. Why does the video headline have to say "black female reporter"?

Why not just "reporter"?

[chill_wind]

16. Good point! n/t

[tomm2thumbs]

14. act like a child - get treated like a child... no surprise there

what surprised me was the 'gasp' of the supposed-press corps. Maybe this is the first time they have been held accountable for their whiny bratty behavior, but I sure hope it isn't the last.

April - don't worry, NO ONE wants to 'play with you'. Now go find another sandbox.

[ecstatic]

15. Gibbs was definitely skating on thin ice at that moment

He went too far when he compared her to his son. I like Gibbs but I'm glad April Ryan put him in his place.

[carpe diem]

17. if she wants to be treated like an adult

she should act like one...

[ecstatic]

19. I don't like her approach and find most of her questions annoying BUT

Gibbs was in the wrong for losing control like that.

[Triana]

21. SHE lost control. I thought Gibbs handled the little spoilt brat quite well. n/t

[Triana]

20. Exactly. The little dirtbag should have put her rattle down and stopped banging it on ...

...her high chair - then Daddy Gibbs would not have had to scold her.

[humbled_opinion]

22. Thank You

I was waiting for someone on this thread to actually critic the poor performance of Robert Gibbs.

What is so defensive about a question, the bottom line is that Desiree Rogers did not provide the staff, as has been provided for eons now by the social secretary, to handle these particular events. Burying ones head in the sand is not the answer. Will they at least acknowledge that in the future the social secretary will provide staff to handle such incidents and concerns?

but as I see is typical with this administration the do not step up take their medicine appologize and tell us what they will do to not allow it to happen again and move on.... no they dig in and become defensive and I thought only Repuke administrations behanved that way... My Bad....

For Robert Gibbs to be so glib with the press is unbecoming his position as the voice of the President and then to compare her to his child? She was right to feel insulted, because she was.

I am surprised he didn't tell her to know her place sit down and move to the back of the room you know where her kind belongs....

Idiots.

[TheDebbieDee]

28. I am surprised he didn't tell her to know her place sit down and

move to the back of the room you know where her kind belongs....

Please. Are you serious? April Ryan is a first class neocon tool, she's another Condi Rice. Gibbs should never have called on her to ask a question in the first place.

[carpe diem]

29. utter b.s.

nt

[liquid diamond]

35. She did no such thing.

Gibbs made her look like the fool she is.

[Triana]

18. Well that was an assinine, tabloid-level question that she had NO BUSINESS wasting anyone's

time with.

THUS IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE LAME$TREAM MEDIA today. Too much focus on bullshit and tabloid TRASH. Many folks now call ALL the "news" media MEDIALOIDs because of their usurping of REAL news in favor of tabloid garbage - and presenting the tabloid garbage as "NEWS" - while IMPORTANT, serious issues that the public NEEDS to be informed about and discussing - falls by the wayside and is NEVER reported on. And what the MEDIALOIDS DO bother to report on is LIES, and REDICULOUS SPECULATION AND SENSATIONALISM - and mere gossip - NOT NEWS.

THAT reporter WOMAN is a VULTURE - a PARASITE. She needs to go to work for the Ntl Enquirer if THAT is where her priorities lie. Dirtbag.

[ShanePolitics]

24. Gibbs is on point

There's no reason to put up with someone like that. Why have a tabloid writer in the White House? Especially one who thinks they're above the White House Press Secretary.

Shane

[suzanner]

30. It is dismaying that reporters feel entitled to be so petty.

The older I get, the smarter I look. No matter where I go these days... and I'm not boasting; I'm telling you that's it's scary how small-minded people are today. Honestly frightening.

[Grassy Knoll]

32. How to handle a shitty question....

Perfect for that badgering reporter , HA

[liquid diamond]

34. What a bitch.

I don't recall ever hearing such immature behavior at a White House press conference.

[humbled_opinion]

36. HE certainly Was....n/t

[liquid diamond]

38. I meant HER, but you knew that.....

;)

[dhpgetsit]

37. What an absurd line of questioning.

And she was badgering him about it.