It's Official: "It's Shocking. Really Shocking."

Cerise

Cerise

Well-Known Member
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“Nixon didn’t try to do that. They couldn’t control (the media). They didn’t try.

“What the hell do they think we are, puppets? They’re supposed to stay out of our business. They are our public servants. We pay them.”

“When you call the reporter the night before you know damn well what they are going to ask to control you.”

“I’m not saying there has never been managed news before, but this is carried to fare-thee-well--for the town halls, for the press conferences. It’s blatant. They don’t give a damn if you know it or not. They ought to be hanging their heads in shame.”
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The media worked to destroy GWB to get 0bamashama in the WH. Now, as the koolaid wears off, they slowly come to realize the error of their ways.

Gibbs: “… But, again, let’s–How about we do this? I promise we will interrupt the AP’s tradition of asking the first question. I will let you [Chip Reid] ask me a question tomorrow as to whether you thought the questions at the town hall meeting that the President conducted in Annandale—“

Chip Reid: “I’m perfectly happy to—”

Helen Thomas: “That’s not his point. The point is the control–”

Reid: “Exactly.”

Thomas: “We have never had that in the White House. And we have had some, but not– This White House.”

Gibbs: “Yes, I was going to say, I’ll let you amend her question.”

Thomas: “I’m amazed. I’m amazed at you people who call for openness and transparency and—”

Gibbs: “Helen, you haven’t even heard the questions.”

Reid: “It doesn’t matter. It’s the process.”

Thomas: “You have left open—”

Reid: “Even if there’s a tough question, it’s a question coming from somebody who was invited or was screened, or the question was screened.”

Thomas: “It’s shocking. It’s really shocking.”

Gibbs: “Chip, let’s have this discussion at the conclusion of the town hall meeting. How about that?”

Reid: “Okay.”

Gibbs: “I think—“

Thomas: “No, no, no, we’re having it now–”

Gibbs: “Well, I’d be happy to have it now.”

Thomas: “It’s a pattern.”

Gibbs: “Which question did you object to at the town hall meeting, Helen?”

Thomas: “It’s a pattern. It isn’t the question—”

Gibbs: “What’s a pattern?”

Thomas: “It’s a pattern of controlling the press.”

Gibbs: “How so? Is there any evidence currently going on that I’m controlling the press–poorly, I might add.”

Thomas: “Your formal engagements are pre-packaged.”

Gibbs: “How so?”

Reid: “Well, and controlling the public—”

Thomas: “How so? By calling reporters the night before to tell them they’re going to be called on. That is shocking.”

Gibbs: “We had this discussion ad nauseam and—”

Thomas: “Of course you would, because you don’t have any answers.”

Gibbs: “Well, because I didn’t know you were going to ask a question, Helen.
Go ahead.”

Thomas: “Well, you should have.”

Reporter: Thank you for your support.

Gibbs: “That’s good. Have you e-mailed your question today?”

Thomas: “I don’t have to e-mail it. I can tell you right now what I want to ask.”

Gibbs: “I don’t doubt that at all, Helen. I don’t doubt that at all.”
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Bravo Helen! :worship: You go girl!
 
Cerise said:
But what do you think of Helen's complaint?
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Its politically motivated garbage, and I've no doubt that every administration in that last 20+ years was pretty much doing the same thing. Do you ever have any actual facts or just bizarre politically motivated made up propaganda stories?
 
GW: ok, who's next? Hey, how 'bout you, the one from CBS...our inside plant as it were hehe
 
randomJACKASS said:
Its politically motivated garbage, and I've no doubt that every administration in that last 20+ years was pretty much doing the same thing. Do you ever have any actual facts or just bizarre politically motivated made up propaganda stories?
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Silly librul.
Propaganda?

:rolleyes:

You wish the video from cspan doesn't reflect the actual facts.

Helen Thomas reveals that 0bamaco calls reporters the night before press conferences to let them know they will be called on. They prearrange the questions and the questioners to make him look good. This White House is so afraid that 0dumbo will screw up without his teleprompter that everything is staged! Talk about an empty suit!
 
randomJACKASS said:
Its politically motivated garbage, and I've no doubt that every administration in that last 20+ years was pretty much doing the same thing. Do you ever have any actual facts or just bizarre politically motivated made up propaganda stories?
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Helen Thomas is likely the most left wing Liberal in the White House press corp. Hell, she has to look left to see what right looks like.

For her to question a left wing administration on its tactics is really saying something; but those who have not followed her through the years and years she has been the Grand Dame of the White House press corp would be oblivious of that fact.
 
Aw, c'mon guys. You can do better than that.

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My money's on the one that's rocket propelled.
 
Jim,
They appear to be high bypass turbo fans
the infra-red heat seeking air to air missiles are a definite plus.
 
Since when is a town hall forum made up of a hand picked audience and prescreen questions from your supporters? Oh, that's right. It's change!!
 
Bush prescreened questions constantly at speaking events. THat must have driven you crazy huh?
 
Two wrongs (assuming spike is correct in his statement) do, after all, make a right.
 
I'm not sure why you would think that. However, I would imagine if someone thinks it's a big problem it wouldn't matter who did it. So it must have really driven them crazy when Bush did it.
 
spike said:
Bush prescreened questions constantly at speaking events. THat must have driven you crazy huh?
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Not all speaking events are the same. I'm sure he did do that at some events. However, a town hall event implies that it is open to anyone and questions are adhoc. Got any examples of Bush screening the audience and chosing the questions at a town hall event?
 
So you're saying you only object to pre-screened questions if it's a town hall meeting? That's a strange quantifier.

ANNANDALE, Va. — When President Bush picks up a microphone, bounds onto a stage and engages his cheering audience in a rambling discussion of topics from Iraq to the economy, it comes off as relaxed, informal and largely spontaneous.

Bush thanks Susie Ensign who asked a question during the 'Ask President Bush' campaign rally on Monday.
By Pablo Martinez Monsivais, AP

"I feel like a talk show host," Bush often says as he roams the platform in the center of the arena.

But these "Ask President Bush" campaign forums, the eighth of which was held at Northern Virginia Community College here Monday, leave little to chance.

The national Bush campaign staff works through a local Republican office to assemble an audience of 1,000 to 2,500 people, depending on the site. The party offers registered party volunteers two tickets — and says more are available if volunteers want to bring open-minded friends.

Depending on the message Bush wants to put across, the local office also lines up some carefully chosen locals to take the stage with him and explain how Bush's policies are helping them afford college, buy a home, save money on health insurance or expand a business. They are given "talking points" ahead of time.

The people chosen to tell their stories sometimes have to be prodded to hit the right notes. The president takes it all in good humor.

On Monday, he turned to Sharon Rainey and coached her to begin. "Sharon started her own business. True or false?" Bush asked. "True," she answered.

"I'm not even a lawyer, and here I am leading the witness," Bush said, chuckling. Rainey then told how Bush's tax breaks allowed her to expand her business.
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http://www.usatoday.com/news/politicselections/nation/2004-08-09-ask-bush_x.htm
 
That's not a rally. It's a scripted event that's portrayed as unscripted.

But you only object if it's a town hall right?

Coleman that people requesting tickets were actually quizzed about their views of the president and his plans for Social Security.

"Welcome to the brave new world of over-the-top media manipulation. No critical questions, no spontaneity, nothing left to chance."
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http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A24938-2005Apr4.html
 
Uhhh, the media themselves are the ones objecting to the manipulation.

With her statement "What the hell do they think we are, puppets?" Helen points out that the press is starting to wake up and pay attention. You could say 0blahma's chickens are coming home to roost.

Frodo said:
However, a town hall event implies that it is open to anyone and questions are adhoc.
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I believe that was one of the points that Thomas/Reid slapped Gibbsy upside the head with. :brow:

"It feels like the concept of a town hall, I think, is to have an open public forum. And this sounds like a very tightly controlled audience and list of questions. Why do it that way?" asked Reid.

"I’m not saying there has never been managed news before, but this is carried to fare-thee-well--for the town halls, for the press conferences," Thomas said. "It’s blatant. They don’t give a damn if you know it or not. They ought to be hanging their heads in shame."
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The Wa-po is a useful site, isn't it?


In the stage-managed event, questions for Obama came from a live audience selected by the White House and the college, and from Internet questions chosen by the administration's new-media team. Of the seven questions the president answered, four were selected by his staff from videos submitted to the White House Web site or from those responding to a request for "tweets."

The president called randomly on three audience members. All turned out to be members of groups with close ties to his administration: the Service Employees International Union, Health Care for America Now, and Organizing for America, which is a part of the Democratic National Committee. White House officials said that was a coincidence.
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Just How Fake Can These 'Townhall' Meetings Get?

The problem is that there should be some kind of standards when it comes to a townhall meeting. By labeling it as such, Americans get the impression that this is a meeting of average Joes (and Janes) -- people from all walks of life and all parts of the political spectrum -- who can throw out questions to the president. Well... not quite...

As we have seen in many Obama events already, the purpose is strictly to get his message out and NOT hear from the American people, even though that is the stage upon which his sales pitch is being delivered. The White House picks the questions ahead of time, and the audience is generally made up of Obama supporters. Does this sound like a townhall meeting to you?
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Cerise you must have been crazy pissed when Bush pre-screened questions and manipulated the media right? If this shit has you up in arms then the Bush era total manipulation really must have upset you right?
 
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