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President Obama's Live Press Conference

By Jeralyn, Section Obama Administration
Posted on Wed Apr 29, 2009 at 07:42:09 PM EST
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President Obama is on TV talking about his first 100 days. I just tuned in. He's answering a question, off the cuff, going through a list of emotions from surprise to enchanted to humble.

It's refreshing to see him speak without a teleprompter.

Your reactions to the presser?

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    President Obama's Live Press Conference | 22 comments (22 topical)

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    What is the difference... (5.00 / 2) (#9)
    by PJ70 on Wed Apr 29, 2009 at 08:17:54 PM EST
    between using a teleprompter, or having a notebook with 24 pt. font place on the podium before hand?  Why is it so bad for Obama to utilize today's technology?  I think it's better to at least have it appear to have him looking at the audience instead of staring down at a notebook on the table.  Enough of the teleprompter already.  Kill a tree, make a notebook.

    The FOX Network (none / 0) (#1)
    by CoralGables on Wed Apr 29, 2009 at 07:43:58 PM EST
    In a statement, Fox said an on-screen graphic would alert viewers to coverage of the press conference on Fox News Channel and the Fox Business Network. The drama "Lie to Me" will air at 8 p.m.

    The FOX affiliate in South Florida is showing the press conference.

    Did they back down?

    My Fox Affiliate (none / 0) (#2)
    by indy in sc on Wed Apr 29, 2009 at 07:45:53 PM EST
    is showing Lie to Me.  Not a shocker given the SC market.  Maybe some affiliates were allowed to choose??

    Parent
    They may have just (none / 0) (#3)
    by CoralGables on Wed Apr 29, 2009 at 07:58:50 PM EST
    lit up their phone lines.

    They cutaway to a commercial at 8:58

    Parent

    I am in SW Florida (none / 0) (#7)
    by fly on Wed Apr 29, 2009 at 08:04:32 PM EST
    and our Fox affiliate did not run the presser..and to be honest, I didn't want to watch him again..so I kept FOX on waiting for American Idol..and the Show Lie to Me has very good acting and story line!!

    Parent
    I'm pretty sure there was a teleprompter... (none / 0) (#4)
    by Addison on Wed Apr 29, 2009 at 08:02:22 PM EST
    ...it was just center-mounted at the back of the room.

    For the answers to the questions? (none / 0) (#5)
    by Thanin on Wed Apr 29, 2009 at 08:04:29 PM EST


    Parent
    Some questions are planted (none / 0) (#21)
    by Cream City on Thu Apr 30, 2009 at 12:20:40 AM EST
    or "preplanned," as they say, so that the answers can be up on the teleprompter, yes.  He is reported to be taking a few "nonplanned" questions lately.

    Parent
    I only caught the q and a (none / 0) (#6)
    by Jeralyn on Wed Apr 29, 2009 at 08:04:32 PM EST
    I don't think he used a teleprompter for that.

    Parent
    Ah... (none / 0) (#10)
    by Addison on Wed Apr 29, 2009 at 08:19:26 PM EST
    ...I understand.

    Parent
    He's very effective (none / 0) (#8)
    by indy in sc on Wed Apr 29, 2009 at 08:09:20 PM EST
    at these pressers.  I didn't believe his answer on the state secrets question.  I don't even think he believed what he was saying on that (we didn't have enough time to file the response we would have liked???--I'm certain an extension would have been granted).  

    Aside from that, I think it went very well.

    I was very disappointed that Obama (none / 0) (#11)
    by Joelarama on Wed Apr 29, 2009 at 08:27:31 PM EST
    bought into the idea that torture does produce valuable information.

    It implies to me that the documents Cheney requested might have some substance to them.  

    I missed the presser (5.00 / 4) (#12)
    by andgarden on Wed Apr 29, 2009 at 08:47:10 PM EST
    But I am disappointed if Obama accepted the premise of such a question. Whether torture works is an utterly irrelevant red herring.

    Parent
    I'd watch it (5.00 / 1) (#14)
    by CoralGables on Wed Apr 29, 2009 at 09:20:48 PM EST
    before I accepted the premise that he said it.

    Parent
    You don't have to agree with me. (none / 0) (#15)
    by Joelarama on Wed Apr 29, 2009 at 09:21:36 PM EST
    See my comment above.

    I would love to be told I saw and heard it with my lying eyes and ears.

    Parent

    If we found out that there was (5.00 / 4) (#16)
    by Anne on Wed Apr 29, 2009 at 09:26:01 PM EST
    a school where teachers were using abusive verbal and physical techniques on their worst students, and justified their actions by claiming that it made the students learn better, and get better grades, would we accept that?  Would anyone find that a reasonable course of action?

    I don't think so.

    These people who keep wanting to rationalize torture on the basis of it's effectiveness are either cowards, too afraid to see it for what it is, or they are bullies who secretly envy those who got to commit these acts.  Does anyone really think Dick Cheney didn't want to be one of those interrogators?

    Parent

    he was against torture (5.00 / 2) (#17)
    by magster on Wed Apr 29, 2009 at 09:29:38 PM EST
    he said that while it might have yielded information, so would have other means that would have preserved our ideals without longterm threat from resentment by our enemies.  He then cited Churchill (as Fineman pointed out, Bush's hero) for refusing to torture German pilot detainees when London was getting bombed every night in 1940.

    So, I did not mind his saying torture got helpful information -- it may have.  The only thing I thought was missing from Obama was the danger of unhelpful information resulting from torture.  I don't know if Obama does not believe that, or if that important point hid in his brain when answering a complex question off the cuff.

    Parent

    Sounds like we agree (none / 0) (#20)
    by Joelarama on Wed Apr 29, 2009 at 09:58:53 PM EST
    substantially on what we heard, if not fully on whether it was the right thing to say.

    Parent
    You decide for yourself after (none / 0) (#13)
    by Joelarama on Wed Apr 29, 2009 at 09:20:41 PM EST
    you look at the transcripts or YouTubes, and I would like to know if you agree with my take-away.

    Obama said the issue is whether other techniques -- those consistent wit our values -- would work, and he at least implied "would work just as well as torture."

    That's what I heard.

    Parent

    That sounds like just enough to be a problem (none / 0) (#18)
    by andgarden on Wed Apr 29, 2009 at 09:41:41 PM EST
    But I just spent three hours writing about option contracts and promissory estoppel, so I'm not confident in my eyes right now.

    Parent
    The President (none / 0) (#22)
    by JThomas on Thu Apr 30, 2009 at 07:52:04 AM EST
    also said that he has reviewed the memos that Cheney referred to and all other materials related to interrogations and he has seen nothing that would make him second guess his decision to ban the use of those techniques.

    Bottom line, he made it clear he is firmly against any ''enhanced interrogation techniques'' and came right out and flatly said that waterboarding is torture.

    Parent

    Excellent press conference (none / 0) (#19)
    by koshembos on Wed Apr 29, 2009 at 09:55:45 PM EST
    Obama did very well; he has grown substantially in the last 100 days. He still has the problem of selling us down the river to the banks. In the conference, he pretended to do well on that account. Let's hope.

    President Obama's Live Press Conference | 22 comments (22 topical)

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