Can’t help but smile watching this one. Who could blame them? Respect is a two-way street and Bush only went his own way.
Connect:
Video Shows Reporters Dissing Bush, Respecting Obama
Poetic Justice
Pundits say that Trump’s $5,000 midterm bribe was an overreach,
And they agree that if lies were a crime, he’d be impeached.
Despite all the dividend promises he’s made,
The fact is, not one has ever been paid,
So even before the midterms, he already owes us $8,000* each.
*$5000 stimulus checks via “DOGE dividend”; $2000 stimulus checks via a “tariff dividend”; $1000-plus checks via “savings” from expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies
The context of the two videos should be taken into account (as much as I enjoy the idea of the media treating Bush as the outcast).
The video of Bush is from a briefing he was scheduled to give.
The video of Obama is from a Press Secretary briefing where he showed up unannounced to discuss the retirement of Justice Souter.
It is understandable that the press would jump out of their seats in surprise and an attempt to get the first question out to Obama in this situation.
The question should be it the WH Press Corps has ever stood up for Obama when he was scheduled to appear at a regular briefing?
Unfortunately, this video is as skewed as the video shown on conservative websites of Obama being met solemnly by a military assembly and Bush being met with wild cheers and praise. Obama arrived as scheduled and was not a surprise to the soldiers, who stood in silence and respect for the Commander and Chief. Bush arrived at his assembly unannounced on Thanksgiving Day and surprised the troops – and it was understandable that they would break out in loud cheers.
We on the left need to keep vigilant about misleading media such as this video. We need to lead this country with our heads held high.
Thanks John for your very well-stated objection to this video. I don’t know why the White House reporters stand for Obama — maybe he requires it. I can’t find a policy stated anywhere. But it does appear that they do, for whatever reason. Here’s his last presser:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGMcJBAomUo
They stand when the president enters for formal news conferences like those at nighttime in the East Room, but not in the briefing room, mainly because it would block the camera angles for the photojournalists in the back rows.
Btw, Sec. Clinton made a surprise appearance in the briefing room today to update the WH press corps on the trilateral talks with Afghanistan and Pakistan. Not sure if they stood when she entered the room.
Touche, Trish :)
Perhaps standard decorum (standing vs. remaining seated) is different for each arena?
Examples:
If the president is speaking, as planned, in the White House Press Briefing Room then no one typically stands. (The laid-back arena.)
If the President is giving a planned press conference in the East Room then all stand. (The Formal arena.)
I could understand the dichotomy between the two. The Press Room is rather informal with daily briefings made in a small, cramped space. The East Room is grand and formal, with a long, formal walk for the President to the podium.
The only way to know for sure is to find video of a planned Bush and Obama press conference in the Press Room as well as Conferences for each in the East Room.
If videos clearly show the press remains seated for Bush in both and stand for Obama then we have correlation.
Although, the argument could also be made that they simply stopped rising for Bush because of “star fatigue”. By his second term, no one was excited by Bush’s “star power” anymore and so they sat. But Obama’s star power is so fresh and strong at the beginning of his first term that everyone jumps to their feet when he enters the room.
To test this one, we will need to see when the press stopped standing for Bush and if/when they stop standing for Obama.
Can anyone dig out any more videos of Obama and Bush press conferences in the East Room and the Press Room? Any that you find, whether they jive with the argument the video above makes or not, would be good to count.
It would be very nice to find one of a surprise press room visit by Bush, especially if it was early in his first term.
Well diggity.
Jon threw that one up there while I was typing my previous note. Well done.
Seems to make sense, seeing as the notoriously cramped confines of the Press Briefing Room were built over the last remnants of the White House swimming pool. Small space.
Thanks Jon, but I swear it’s the same room in both clips in the original video. Maybe John is right (this Jon/John stuff is confusing) and it depends on the planning.
Then again, I think it might just be as it appears — that the WH press corps members were over Bush. I posted on that shortly after people really began regarding him as a lame duck.
http://www.pensitoreview.com/2008/09/05/raddatz-press-is-paying-so-little-attention-to-bush-hes-happy-to-see-us/
The briefing room was completely overhauled and redecorated recently and the briefings were moved to the Old Executive Building (I think) during the renovation. That might explain the difference in appearance: could have been the briefing room pre-renovation or could be the space that was used temporarily.
There’s no doubt there was a mutual lack of admiration between the White House press corps and Bush, especially after he made them the laughingstock of the world during the runup to the invasion of Iraq.