I know why the press and Washington insiders hate Obama's Presidential townhalls

[wndycty]

It's because people come and raise issues that don't match the agenda that the press and Washington's insiders feel the president should be focusing on.

One question about nutrition, one question about people with disabilities and now a question about the cost of living in California. Wow. . .the agenda of the people is getting aired.

[FrenchieCat]

1. You are correct.......

Everyone had their pitchforks taken away prior to being allowed into the Town Hall......NOT! :rofl:

[wndycty]

4. It is always a good day when I hear from one of favorite DUers!

Hi Frenchie!

[FrenchieCat]

17. Hello!

:hi:

[wndycty]

18. ;)

;)

[Catshrink]

2. And the questions aren't prescreened and the President doesn't need a script.

I am continually awed by how knowledgable he is on every subject. * would just give a flip answer that made a great sound bite but said absofuckinglutely nothing.

This President has substance.

[BrklynLiberal]

3. ..and there are no MSM to filter the message or quote out of context.

[Cha]

5. Ain't it great and Obama Team knows this.

I have a feeling Obama is going to be the Town Hall Prez.

[blogslut]

6. Good point

The corporate press isn't fond of the authentic voice of the people. They would much rather that the people take their cues from the media.

[firedupdem]

7. A LOT of people hate him for this. They cannot stand to see him

engage with the public. They hate it!

[treestar]

8. Amen. They are so used to be in control of the spin and the message

It proves they don't want to inform us. They want power over us.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

9. Did I miss something? Hadn't heard any backlash about that.

(Question is asked in all honesty)

Though I don't like Obama's populist tendencies, I really like the town halls. Politicians, including Presidents, should make it a habit of hearing from the people they serve.

That said, they should base their decisions on sound judgment and not the roar of the mob. My only consistent criticism of Obama is that it often feels like he does a little too much of the latter, but that's just my own $.02.

[stillcool]

14. perhaps you should watch one or two..

listen to the questions people ask, and the answers he gives. Or..you can watch the news and hear selective excerpts taken out of context, and make your assumptions according to their take on things.

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

15. I saw some clips of the town halls - Just hadn't heard any extended pundit reaction to it.

As I said, I'm not trying to be argumentative at all - I'm honestly asking "what's going on?"

[FrenchieCat]

20. Barack Obama is doing the Town Halls to sell his budget straight to the people.....

and they had been scheduled BEFORE the pitchfork Mob was formed via the media megaphones!

That's what I want from my President, but it these townhalls were not scheduled to answer
any mob outrage.....it just worked out that way.

Corporate media and the GOP just had bad timing.

[stillcool]

23. Unfortunately, if people rely on the media..

they will only know what the media wants them to know. Even the clips are selected, and cut up for a reason..managing perception. The town-halls allow people to ask questions of the President, and allow the rest of us to gain some insight into how he plans on implementing his policies, and why he believes those policies, will benefit the American people. Taking the power away from the media, also allows him to get out in front of the up-coming budget bill fight, which the media are going to have a field day with.

[politicasista]

10. He should do these more often

Cause the MSM has eggs on the faces every single time. :rofl:

[OneGrassRoot]

11. Excellent point, and why they don't cover these events. n/t

[PretzelWarrior]

12. when Obama's feeling down and needs to rev the Presidential mojo

he heads out to talk to the people of this nation. Bush tried to "catapult the propaganda". Obama tries to pole vault over the propaganda and talk straight to the many Americans who wonder what the heck Beltway insiders are all about.

I love it. They have no answer for him and his connection to the many of us. Suck on THAT, Gingrich, Rush, Turtle, et al.

[ejpoeta]

13. they are also trying to say that obama is losing popularity

and yet he is greeted very well by every place he goes. and people are so happy he is the president. that goes against the storyline the msm is trying to pass on.

[Deep13]

16. Yeah, it cuts them out of the discussion loop.

BTW: PRESIDENT Obama, hell yeah! hell yeah! hell yeah!

[southernyankeebelle]

19. THAT IS WHY IS DOES THESE TOWNHALL MEETINGS BECAUSE

REALLY UNDERSTANDS THE ISSUES THAT EVERYDAY PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING. THE PUNDIT CROWD AND THE INSIDE THE BELTWAY MEDIA STILL TO GET IT. WE ARE WILLING TO GIVE OBAMA A CHANCE. ALL THEY ARE DOING IS PLAYING GAMES TO KEEP THEIR JOBS.

[FrenchieCat]

21. Shout it out! I agree!

[ErinBerin84]

22. my local news is so annoying

They ran with the Republican talking point that Obama is doing everything to avoid the economy today. They showed a clip of him with the voiceover "HE WAS ALL OVER ESPN TODAY" and "He escaped to California...and Republicans are irritated". without covering any of the town hall. And then they showed freaking Mike Pence and the voiceover said "But Republicans smell a scandal!"

[Thrill]

24. Where are you at?

[ErinBerin84]

26. upstate NY

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

25. Hey who's that old guy with the fake beard and hat asking Obama why he

chickened out of doing town halls during the campaign? And why does he keep calling him "my friend"?

[Rockholm]

27. You're right. The MS wants to control the message and the agenda.

It totally keeps the MSM off balance.

[Raine]

28. Yup, they hate that he listens and answers

to the American people, real ordinary normal people.

[intaglio]

29. He is trying to burst the "bubble"

that surrounds Presidents. He does not want to become isolated and only hearing Washington insiders so he does Town hall meetings, goes to basketball games with minimum security and reads at least 10 letters from the Whitehouse mail without a briefing sheet being prepared for him.