Journalistic malpractice
Professional journalists consider themselves professionals, although they are not licensed and can’t be charged with malpractice. Too bad, because malpractice was on display during President Obama’s 100th day press conference.
The president has just succeeded in enacting the largest budget and budget deficit in American history, one which will require us to print additional money for decades to come. Yet there was not one question about it, nor his outrageous stimulus package, during the press conference. The gross domestic product (GDP) shrank by 6.1% in first quarter figures released several hours before the press conference, but none of the professional journalists asked the president about it.
President Obama again claimed in his scripted remarks – and was unchallenged in his assertion – that he has “saved or created” 150 thousand jobs. I guess he believes that every American who has not been laid off has had their job preserved by himself.
Clearly the president is dedicated to preserving the jobs of every union auto worker. He has dumped billions of taxpayers’ dollars into the failing auto companies, and addressed a question about Chrysler thusly: “Let me speak to Chrysler first because the clock is ticking on Chrysler coming up with a plan.” Really? Does anyone believe he went into the press conference not knowing his administration was going to force Chrysler into bankrupty the following morning?
With the president available to convince us he is not out to destroy the economic fabric of this country through overspending, a reporter for the New York Times came forth with another hard-hitting question: “During these first 100 days, what has surprised you the most about this office, enchanted you the most about serving this in office… ”
I doubt that President Bush ever considered a prime time press conference “some enchanged evening.” But, feeling the love in the room, President Obama just might.
UPDATE, 4/30/09: How do other journalists view their performance at the press conference? Consider this line from a columnist at the Washington Post:
The questions put to Barack Obama at his news conference last night covered nearly every topic but the Craigslist Killer, and if that had come up, Obama probably would have answered it in stride.
