Robert Gibbs right to free speech didn't end when he was hired by the WH

[Political Tiger]

The man is still allowed to have his own personal opinions and is still allowed to express them. That might be an inconvenient truth but it is a fact, and his personal opinions may not be popular with some people but you can't please all the people all the time.

The fact that there are people so eager to use Gibb's personal opinion as a weapon against the President is very telling in my view.

[eleny]

1. What is Gibbs' job but to speak for the administration?

[DJ13]

2. And the people criticising him are also expressing a free speech right

[Political Tiger]

3. But what's ironic is they are criticizing him for

expressing his "free speech right!"

[CakeGrrl]

7. Exactly! n/t

[NoNothing]

12. No they aren't

They're criticizing the ideas contained in the speech.

It's the difference between "this book is horrible, nobody should read it" and "this book should be banned."

[Political Tiger]

16. So that's why they are demanding he be fired? n/t

[NoNothing]

20. Because his statements reflect poorly on his judgment

In other words, what he said casts doubt on his competence.

[Bluenorthwest]

24. I've had no doubt he is in the wrong job for some time

He's a bad fit. He's got an alright mind, but he needs to be in a place where bing Gibbs is the gig, for he is ego on parade, and he's not good at standing in for another. If it helps you, in my opinion that job is almost impossible to do well, one of the hardest in the world. Few can really handle it.

[Political Tiger]

30. That's YOUR opinion!

I personally don't believe speaking the truth "casts doubt on his competence."

[Zenlitened]

33. No, it's because he's making the boss look bad.

A spokesperson is supposed to make the boss look good. Gibbs has shown time and again that he lacks the necessary skills for the job. Pres. Obama would serve himself well by choosing someone else.

[Exilednight]

36. Here's the difference ..............

IF Gibbs was not speaking on behalf of an administration, and collecting a paycheck through my hard earned tax dollars, that would be free speech. IF Gibbs stood on a corner, or said "this is my personal opinion and in no way represents this administration", that is free speech. IF Gibbs wanted to hold a press conference on a street corner, or in this case an interview off White House premises, and not in his West Wing office, that again my tax dollars support, that would be free speech. The interview that Gibbs gave was not free - I. along with 300 million other Americans, PAID FOR IT.

What Gibbs said was on behalf of an administration I supported through the primaries and general election. What Gibbs said is on the record from his official position as White House mouthpiece.

So, as far as Gibbs "professional left" statement goes, Gibbs can shut the hell up. And here's the irony, Gibbs is being paid for his political job, I'm not.

[villager]

4. Nor thankfully did anyone else's -- when we hired this White House.

n/t

[dflprincess]

5. In theory you're correct

but the fact is, Gibbs functions as the president's spokesperson and it's very difficult to believe he would spout off like this if without Obama's (or at least Rahm's) okay.

Be honest, if Ari Fleischer, while still press secretary, made any outrageous comments and then claimed they were strictly his opinion, would you have believed him?

[Political Tiger]

10. I don't know if he had Obama's (or Rahm's) approval or not.

I have no information that tells me he did or he didn't, and since I like to base my opinion on facts, I prefer not to speculate.

[cherokeeprogressive]

43. Can you grok the term "White House Press Secretary"?

Was there a disclaimer in The Hill interview that said Gibbs was speaking as a Private Citizen and NOT the White House Press Secretary?

[Milo_Bloom]

6. He is free to speak

and we are free to react accordingly.

We are also free to NOT donate, work for or even vote for the people he represents.

[Kurovski]

8. -1 for inaccuracy

[Political Tiger]

11. What's this supposed "inaccuracy?" n/t

[katandmoon]

9. Spin, spin, spin.

[Donnachaidh]

13. please hand out airsick bags when the spin factor goes above 10

This is some SERIOUS spin. Too bad it doesn't work. :rofl:

[alsame]

14. ROFL. He's the WH Press Secretary. It's not the same thing as

expressing an opinion on DU.

[Political Tiger]

15. Was he standing behind the podium in the briefing room

when he talked to The Hill?

[alsame]

17. Doesn't matter where he said it. But nice try. nt

[Political Tiger]

19. He's not allowed to express his personal opinion ever? Anywhere? At all?

I hope he gets paid well because that's an awful lot to ask of a person.

[alsame]

21. ROFL. Did you even read the article? It was an INTERVIEW in his

WEST WING office to THE HILL.

You're trying to make it sound like he said this to his wife in their backyard.

[Political Tiger]

25. So if he gave the interview in his living room you'd be okay with that?

n/t

[alsame]

26. Again, nice try. It was an official statement to the press. End of story. nt

[Political Tiger]

28. Interesting. Now it's gone from "interview" to "official statement."

How convenient!

[Bluenorthwest]

23. He gets $172,200

Is that a lot to you? It is to me.

[Bluenorthwest]

18. Nor did mine.

Nor did the fact that we are all accountable for what we say. Gibb's job, and the only reason he would ever be interviewed, is that he is the President's spokesperson. As such, it is his responsibility to be extremely clear in advance when he is speaking his own mind, and not performing his role as the voice box of the President. He is not good at his job, I have said many times, because his ego is not suited to submission to another's needs, which is what a press sec has to do. This shows exactly what I mean.
How did Robbie help the President with these communications? That is really the main question, in terms of his professional worth.

[Zenlitened]

32. Yep.

How did Robbie help the President with these communications? That is really the main question, in terms of his professional worth.

And THAT'S why he needs to go, IMO: Because he's not helping. He's making a bad situation worse.

[seattleblue]

22. You are 100% wrong.

As Presidential press secretary Gibbs knows every word he utters is considered the views of the White House. He knows that even if you don't. Presidential press spokespeople have no free speech and they know it.

[Political Tiger]

27. No, I didn't know "Presidential press spokespeople have no free speech."

I didn't realize they had to give up their rights under the Constitution just to to be the White House Press Secretary.

[seattleblue]

31. No one gives up their rights under the Constitution.

I am unaware of any law Congress has passed restricting what Gibbs can say. But Gibbs is aware anything he says in public will be taken as the views of the White House. You don't get to be press secretary without knowing and agreeing to that.

[ljm2002]

29. You're not really that, er, naive are you?

He was being interviewed by a political publication. As Obama's Press Secretary, anything he says in such an interview will be taken as an expression of this administration.

So sure, he has free speech. Was he prevented from saying what he said? Was The Hill prevented from publishing it? No? So, no violation of his free speech freedom.

By the same token the rest of us are free to comment on what he said.

[LostinVA]

39. No, he isn't that naive

[Arkana]

34. True, but let's at least concede that he probably should have kept his mouth shut.

[depakid]

35. All employees are entitled to free speech

but that doesn't mean exercising it is wise- or won't result in the loss of employment.

[frylock]

37. winner

[frylock]

38. keep fucking that chicken

[dsc]

40. with all due respect this is a looney tunes argument

Gibbs job is to speak for the Administration and the speech he gave in this case was on our dime. It would be one thing if Gibbs, on his own time, and away from the WH, said what he said. But he said it while on the job. This would be tantamont to be saying 2 + 2 = 5 in my classroom and complaining that people called for me to be fired. If Obama really doesn't believe what Gibbs said, then an apology or discipline should be forthcoming. If it isn't, then Obama should be presumed to be OK with what Gibbs said on his dime.

[Jennicut]

41. Free speech yes. Political ineptitude perhaps not.

[Sherman A1]

42. You are correct and

My right to my opinions about what Mr. Gibbs said did not end at that point either.

He made a decision to air his opinions and I will make a decision in November of 2012 as to my opinion on the performance of his boss.

[Warren Stupidity]

44. what a completely irrelevant argument.

Hey look there is another windmill over there! And here comes a strawman, go at it!