Pantomime

A cub reporter in Arizona recently spilled the beans … relating a off-the-record comment from that common streetwalker and White House Press Secretary, Jay Carney, that his daily press briefing is virtually rehearsed … questions being submitted ahead of time and answers returned in writing for the reporters convenience … see: Weekly Standard Story.  After a salvo of arm-waving denials, this poor reporter was given a variety of tasty condiments in order to eat her words … which she promptly did.

Now Sharyl Attkisson, that courageous veteran CBS reporter, who just resigned for being continuously squelched by her network, has verified at least parts of this original revelation … see: Breitbart Story.  Reporters do, from time to time, engage in this kind of pantomime with Jay Carney … making them little more than stenographers (Rush Limbaugh’s term) for the administration’s message.

This all goes to show how closely this and other administrations understandably try to manage the news.  However, what seems to be different today is how milk-toasty the media reporters now appear to be.  Think back to George Bush’s press briefings … was David Gregory reluctant to go after a story hammer and tongs?  Much as I dislike David Gregory’s politics, he was then a good reporter … and was doing his job. Now, reporters who attempt equivalent vigor are either denied access to the White House or are squelched by their bosses … witness Ms. Attkisson.

Perhaps the American public would realize what a farce these daily White House press briefings were if Jay Carney was in white-face and pretended to be blocked by an imaginary piece of glass?