Obama Should CUT OFF CNN

[WeDidIt]

No access.

Give access and information to everybody else, including Faux Snooze, but put the message out to everybody in the administration, NOBODY talks to CNN.

They'll ask what's up, it's in their nature.

The response?

"We're watching CNN now so that we know whatg we're talking about when we next talk to CNN."

That'll end their wounded duck bullshit they're pulling right now because Ed Henry got PWN3D.

[monmouth]

And the President was a little "testy" according to them. Turned it off...n/t

[Cha]

42. The Video belies "the testy".an outright

fucking lie.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x288517

[HopeOverFear]

43. "testy" is code for "scary black man" n/m

[cali]

1. fucking ridiculous. Obama is a big boy. He can deal with annoying

and/or rude questions. And he damn well should.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. more meat on the bones, please.

[C_U_L8R]

3. CNN should learn not to ask stupid questions

they did and they got spanked... and its pathetic that they are whining about it.

[ejpoeta]

4. that's the crap bush pulled. let them ask their stupid questions.

obama obviously can handle them just fine. they can whine and piss and moan all they want, but people who saw the exchange will see it for what it was. if obama started cutting people off like you are suggesting, then people will think he can't handle the press.

[MrModerate]

5. I think he's put all of the media on notice:

Dimwit questions have consequences. Smarten up and do your homework (which includes coming up with non-dimwit questions).

[AndyA]

6. This whole thing just makes CNN look bad.

They look like what they are: propaganda for the right wing.

Stop watching CNN. Their ratings are already tanking. They cannot afford to keep losing viewers. Write to them and tell them you are not going to watch their network any longer, and if you happen to do business with one of their advertisers, let that advertiser know as well.

I'm sure they'd love to hear from all of us: http://www.cnn.com/feedback/forms/form5.html?103

I told them I wanted to know why they weren't "asking the tough questions" during the Bush Administration, and inquired if Ed Henry's question to President Obama last night was their idea of a "tough question." I told them if it was, they were out of touch with America's priorities.

I also commented that Anderson Cooper didn't do much to keep the Bush Administration honest, and this during 8 years of the most abusive Presidency in America's history.

If enough people write, CNN will get the message.

[Marrah_G]

7. Free Press means free press

It does not mean only the press who says and does things the current administration approves of.

[WeDidIt]

9. Free press does not mean anybody is compelled to talk to a free press

The press is free to ask whatever dumbassed question they like.

The president is free to ignore any media outlet he chooses.

Freedomo is a two way street.

[Marrah_G]

13. So you are fine with it if a republican President only allows RW press into press conferences?

[WeDidIt]

14. That was the past eight years

and the bastards went all rightwin nut on Obama.

Turnabout is fair play.

[Marrah_G]

19. And you were fine with it right? you never complained about it right?

Because otherwise you are being a hypocrite and wish to perpetuate a problem that the majority of us have had a major issue with.

[WeDidIt]

22. I complained for about the first year

After that, I accepted it as the new paradigm.

Turn about is fair play.

[Marrah_G]

23. People who think as you do frighten me.

You are no better in your thinking then the other side is.

You are all for an oppressive dictatorship as long as it's our guy in power....

Wrong and undemocratic.

[WeDidIt]

24. You either move with the times

or you die.

That's how it works in this world.

[Renew Deal]

32. People who think like you do frighten me too.

Not necessarily for this post. Just in general. I guess DU is a really scary place.

[PVnRT]

36. People who think the First Amendment is good frighten you?

DU is become scary, indeed.

[WeDidIt]

41. Please, quote for me

where it says in the first amendment you have to answer questions from anybody who asks them.

Where does it say that?

You must side with the Birthers, huh?

[onenote]

48. the first amendment doesn't require the government to answer questions from anyone

however, it does bar the government from deciding not to answer questions from a particular speaker because it doesn't like the content of that speaker's reporting. The government is required to be "content neutral" with regard to the press. The proposal in the OP was anything but content neutral.

[Hellataz]

37. True, they are FREE to ask dumb ass questions but should expect to get smart ass answers.

Ed's questions wasn't the whole problem, it was his rude tone and condescending attitude, he got what he had coming to him and now he righting "oh poor little me" commentaries and toting the GOP and his new buddies who gave him a pat on the back and told him he did a good job.

[Zen Democrat]

8. Obama's response was total perfection, and the take-away soundbite from this presser.

It was commanding, presidential, satisfying, and appropriately condescending. I saw the focus meter on CBS and he went up in the 80 percentile approval range with that answer.

I'm so sorry CNN was jarred by the experience; and so sorry that Ed Henry exposed himself to being slammed by the President -- but that's the way the cheap shot crumbles, Ed. You were free to ask, and you did, and now you're perceived as a jerk. So sorry.

[spartan61]

10. Thanks for the link to CNN. Here's what I wrote to them:

OMG, after watching the presser last night and then CNN this morning, I had to shut off CNN. Not only did Ed Henry ask a stupid question more than once, but CNN continues to whine about the President's answer to him. Hey, Ed, grow up!! Good-by CNN. MSNBC here I come!

[elocs]

11. I believe Obama should cut off people giving him bad advice.

Anyone disagree?

[Avalux]

12. And take away the opportunity to put them in their place?

Freedom of the press and all that; Obama doesn't care who asks the questions and what the content - he can handle them. He's not afraid like Bush.

[Adelante]

15. No no no

He can handle himself. Don't turn him into a victim.

[sufrommich]

16. No thanks, I'm happy we have a president capable

of acting in a mature manner for a change. Throwing snits and preaching to the choir was Bush's gig.

[Beacool]

17. Oh, please....................

Over that silly question deny access to the largest TV news organization in the world?

A sense of proportion would help.

:eyes:

[WeDidIt]

18. Not over the question

over the bullshit way they're spinning it.

[Beacool]

51. I didn't hear any of the spinning.

I haven't been watching much TV.

:o

[SKKY]

20. No, I'm OK with having freedom of the press...

...especially when we have a President who isn't afraid to shoot one over the brow of an idiot reported when the need arises.

[WeDidIt]

21. So freedom of the press means politicians must grant access

to everybody?

Nope, doesn't say that in my constitution.

[onenote]

26. no, but it means the government doesn't single out an element of the press for retaliation

because they don't like the content of their speech.

Of course, you could cite to the case of the repub governor of Maryland who cut off a particular outlet because he didn't like the way they were reporting things. Of course, you'd be citing to the actions of an asshole.

[WeDidIt]

27. That was the paradigm for eight years

You change with the times or you die.

[onenote]

29. funny. that repub ended up being replaced with a Democrat

the repub in the WH also ended up being replaced with a Democrat.

Seems like your change with the times or you die argument has sprung some leaks.

BTW -- how far would you take the argument? Should we advocate "free speech" zones for repubs?
Should we support the use of torture? After all, if we're going to imitate the assholes who ran things for the last 8 years, why not go all the way?

[SKKY]

30. Yea, what he said.

[NYC Liberal]

45. So if I have a blog and I apply for a Press Pass to cover one of these press conferences

and I get turned down...is the government singling me out for retaliation?

Freedom of the press means that the press can report what and how they choose without legal sanctions from the government. It doesn't entitle them to access, to participate in press conferences, to ask questions at those press conferences.

[onenote]

47. if the reason you are turned down is retaliation for what you've written, it raises an issue

the government cannot favor one speaker over another because of the content of their speech. that is the very essence of the first amendment. So, no, you don't have a constitutional right to get called on at a press conference. But if you were barred from participating in the news conference on grounds that were not content neutral, there would be a serious first amendment issue.

[MoonRiver]

25. That would be an extremely BAD idea.

Obama would look like he's running in fear from CNN, which is hardly the case. He's not a chicken shit two bit cowboy bully like *. He can hold his own against the likes of Ed Henry any day.

[ellenfl]

28. ya mean act like dubya? yeah, that would be a good move. eom

[SPedigrees]

31. I shut off CNN after they began their pathetic whine.

Last time they whined about something trivial that Obama did, CNN was off my telly for a month. I'll go back to getting my news online for awhile now and watching the nightly news on BBC.

I agree Obama should continue to take questions from a wide variety of media representatives (including non msm) but he needn't humor CNN *every* time, just as he takes questions from Fox only occasionally and sometimes not at all.

[WeDidIt]

33. He cut off the NYT, Washington Times, and USA Today last night

and nobody is complaining about that one here.

The big media are complaining, but nobody here thinks it was a bad thing.

But suggest cutting off CNN and I'm castigated.

Go figure.

[SPedigrees]

34. NYT, Washington Times, and USA Today are not cut off.

President Obama simply did not field questions from them at this particular press conference.

[leftynyc]

35. From what I remember

The Washington Times was called on last night. It was the Washington Post that got ignored.

[WeDidIt]

40. Okay, then what I suggest isn't cutting off CNN

It's just not fielding any questions from them.

See how easy that was?

[SemiCharmedQuark]

38. He didn't cut them off for good. He jus took questions from other outlets.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

39. If he "cut them off" it would give them power. They could say the president is afraid of them.

But when they ask ridiculous questions and he answers them well, it helps him drive his agenda.

[Hekate]

44. Oh heck no. This was so much better. Everyone with access to YouTube saw Ed get pwned big-time.

Everyone who watched the whole thing in real time saw it. It was beyond funny, and too many people actually SAW it happen. Our President, the Big O, cool as can be -- never once rose to the bait, never showed the kind of petty annoyance so typical of the blivet -- just very coolly smacked this clown aside.

Works for me.

Hekate

[bklyncowgirl]

46. Why? Obama seems fully capable of handling thier talking heads.

In fact, he handed Ed Henry's head to him on national television.

That's the kind of crap the Bush people pulled.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

49. no. this would be a horrible precedent, you cant shut out a media source cos you dont like their

perspective

a lot of you want to turn president obama into president bush, with the same sort of arrogance and disrespect for media.

[Thrill]

50. CNN has become unwatchable to several older people that I know

Who use to watch it religiously

[totodeinhere]

52. It's unwatchable to many younger people like me as well. n/t