# obama conference **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 10, 2009, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-conference/485154 "2009-02-10T01:08:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-conference/485154/41 "2009-02-10T15:57:49Z")
I wonder if at least some of the folks who consider last night’s exercise to be a waste of time/money are of an age that they forget that press conferences were not always the rarity they were during the most recent past administration. I remember when I was young, I used to get pissed when a presidential speech or press conference pre-empted my shows. But then there was a time during my young adulthood when presidents such as Reagan and Clinton actually made some attempt to communicate to the public. Then there were the dark past 8 years, when I could not bring myself to watch/listen to that smirking chimp. If only on a symbolic level, I think press conferences are an impressive representation of our society, useful both domestically and internationally. Perhaps not the most important tool an administration can use to communicate, but certainly one that should not be ignored. I thought last night’s press conference was yet one more indication that this administration desires to be more open and forthright than its predecessor - which I tend to think a good thing. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-conference/485154/42 "2009-02-10T16:18:07Z")
Was this press conference over by 9? If not, does anyone know if _24_ was joined in progress or pushed back? I’m just wondering which end of my recording got hosed. ---
**Author:** ![Risha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5fc32e/32.png) [@Risha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Risha)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-conference/485154/43 "2009-02-10T17:29:47Z")
It finished at about 9:01 or :02. I don’t watch 24, but on the other stations it looks like they skipped the 8:00 and 8:30 shows and went straight to the 9:00s from the beginning. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-conference/485154/44 "2009-02-10T17:32:50Z")
> [@Queen\_Tonya](#): > > I’m just so thrilled to have a President that can use words like bellicose. 🙂 Right! I recorded it on the DVR, just so I could back it up and replay every time he pronounced “nuclear” correctly. I’d hit rewind and whisper, “Talk dirty to me, Barry!” and hit play. Nuclear. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh. The joys of a literate president. Makes me a squishy inside. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-conference/485154/45 "2009-02-10T17:40:23Z")
I was just watching and something popped out at me… …our new President is black!!! Who knew??? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-conference/485154/46 "2009-02-10T17:42:39Z")
> [@Risha](#): > > It finished at about 9:01 or :02. I don’t watch 24, but on the other stations it looks like they skipped the 8:00 and 8:30 shows and went straight to the 9:00s from the beginning. Crap. Probably means I missed a cliffhanger. Oh well, one of the benefits of the way I do it is, I won’t stew for a week wondering what I missed. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-conference/485154/47 "2009-02-10T18:51:27Z")
> [@Dogzilla](#): > > I’d hit rewind and whisper, “Talk dirty to me, Barry!” 😃 Then you’ll _love_ [these mp3 files](http://www.aprilwinchell.com/wp-content/cache/supercache/www.aprilwinchell.com/2009/02/05/barack-obama-is-tired-of-your-motherfucking-shit//index.html)! [Sure you can have my number, baby](http://www.aprilwinchell.com/media/audio/OBAMA_NUMBER.mp3). 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-conference/485154/48 "2009-02-10T19:11:01Z")
> [@Beadalin](#): > > I, for one, was fucking a chimpanzee last night so I missed the conference. Thanks for the link, Shayna – I’m watching it now. Which is why I fuck chimpanzees _doggy style_, so I can watch whatever I want. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f07891/32.png) [@Little\_Plastic\_Ninja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Plastic_Ninja)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-conference/485154/49 "2009-02-10T19:29:17Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > Then you’ll _love_ [these mp3 files](http://www.aprilwinchell.com/wp-content/cache/supercache/www.aprilwinchell.com/2009/02/05/barack-obama-is-tired-of-your-motherfucking-shit//index.html)! > > [Sure you can have my number, baby](http://www.aprilwinchell.com/media/audio/OBAMA_NUMBER.mp3). 😃 … Think I’ve found a new ringtone. ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-conference/485154/50 "2009-02-10T19:43:01Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > I’d wondered that too since he appeared to look down at a list. If it’s like it always was before, the president has a seating chart. That’s so he doesn’t have to go, “You. Yeah, you there with the yellow pants. No, not the bell bottoms. The other guy.” ---
**Author:** ![Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a183cd/32.png) [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prelude_to_Fascination)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-conference/485154/51 "2009-02-10T19:52:00Z")
I couldn’t listen to w speak an entire sentence. Obama is good. Very good. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-conference/485154/52 "2009-02-10T20:13:38Z")
> [@Prelude\_to\_Fascination](#): > > I couldn’t listen to w speak an entire sentence. > > Obama is good. Very good. I was not aware that the previous president ever spoke an entire complete sentence. Wow, you learn something new every day! 😃 It is nice that the current president can speak not just in complete sentences, but in complete paragraphs. I only wish it wasn’t a shock to me that a president could do this. ---
**Author:** ![Dogzilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@Dogzilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogzilla)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-conference/485154/53 "2009-02-10T20:35:41Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > Then you’ll _love_ [these mp3 files](http://www.aprilwinchell.com/wp-content/cache/supercache/www.aprilwinchell.com/2009/02/05/barack-obama-is-tired-of-your-motherfucking-shit//index.html)! > > [Sure you can have my number, baby](http://www.aprilwinchell.com/media/audio/OBAMA_NUMBER.mp3). 😃 Thank you for my new ringtone. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-conference/485154/54 "2009-02-10T21:18:26Z")
> [@Liberal](#): > > If it’s like it always was before, the president has a seating chart. That’s so he doesn’t have to go, “You. Yeah, you there with the yellow pants. No, not the bell bottoms. The other guy.” I don’t think it was a seating chart; the president would read off a name and affiliation, then look around, saying something like, “Charlie, okay, where are you, Charlie?” spot the rising reporter and acknowledge him/her. It looked to me as if President Obama (with Gibbs?) had gone over the list of reporters likely to be present beforehand and settled on an order of questioners. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2009, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-conference/485154/55 "2009-02-10T21:48:14Z")
> [@Kozmik](#): > > Soledad O’Brien on CNN after the news conference posed the idea that the President is speaking to the powers that be not the American people per se; Obama is telling the members of Congress, the bankers and the business leaders what Americans would like to tell them. He is speaking _for_ the American people. That sounds about right, he is giving all the players fair notice that they either shape up or get on board, or he is gonna use the people stick. Declan ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-conference/485154/56 "2009-02-11T01:33:05Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > I don’t think it was a seating chart; the president would read off a name and affiliation, then look around, saying something like, “Charlie, okay, where are you, Charlie?” spot the rising reporter and acknowledge him/her. There is a seating chart, and a definite seating order, but the President hasn’t had the opportunity to memorize it yet. He’s been a little _busy_. I’m sure he knew all the national reporters covering his campaign, but they are a different bunch than the ones who are the official Whitehouse reporters. By his 3rd news conference, he’ll have all these folks memorized. ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-conference/485154/57 "2009-02-11T04:04:29Z")
Did he: 1. Tell a blind reporter to take off his sunglasses? 2. Plant a gay prostitute in the media to lob softball questions at him? If not, I think he might be off to a good start. ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-conference/485154/58 "2009-02-11T05:46:19Z")
> [@EddyTeddyFreddy](#): > > I don’t think it was a seating chart; the president would read off a name and affiliation, then look around, saying something like, “Charlie, okay, where are you, Charlie?” spot the rising reporter and acknowledge him/her. > > It looked to me as if President Obama (with Gibbs?) had gone over the list of reporters likely to be present beforehand and settled on an order of questioners. Former Bush press secretary Ari Fleischer told O’Reilly that Obama probably has a predetermined list. Most likely picked out by Gibbs. Watch it [here](http://thinkprogress.org/2009/02/10/fleischer-obama-media/). If you think about it, it makes no sense to pick them out at random during a live telecast. Also newsworthy is that he called on a reporter from the Huffington Post. Apparently this is the first time that a reporter from an internet site got called to ask a question. Not counting, of course, the time Bush called on a gay prostitute. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-conference/485154/59 "2009-02-11T05:53:41Z")
Ari Fleischer also said about the Huffington Post reporter, “And there are some reporters, you know, in that briefing room, you can imagine, Bill, you get a lot of dot coms and other oddballs who come in there. They’re screened.” Yeah, like they screened Jeff Gannon so well. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-conference/485154/60 "2009-02-11T07:01:26Z")
Oh, this is delicious! [Obama draws more viewers than ‘Idol’ debut](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29124246/) > [@](#): > > LOS ANGELES - Almost 37 million Americans watched President Barack Obama’s first White House news conference on television, according to preliminary ratings figures released on Tuesday. > > The one-hour, prime-time news conference on Monday was shown on all four major broadcast networks. > > **Nielsen Media Research’s preliminary figure of 36.9 million viewers does not include viewership on cable news channels like CNN, MSNBC and Fox news, which also carried the news conference live.** > > Obama’s television audience was larger than the eighth season premiere of “American Idol” in January, which drew 30.1 million viewers. The TV talent show has been the most-watched television show for the past five years. > > … 37 million, NOT counting cable viewers (let alone online viewers, which is how I saw it) has just got to give Republicans nightmares. Even Jerkoff Joe (Scarborough, not Lieberman) had to admit, and this was before these viewer numbers came out but after the poll numbers shown in the piece, that maybe, just maybe, [they don’t know what they’re talking about](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOxRZ3rKtEM). For the past couple plus weeks these pundits and Republican politicians have been pounding on the idea that the stimulus is BAD BAD BAD BAD BAD!!! but the American people are pretty much saying, “fuck off, we don’t believe you anymore” just like they did on election day. President Obama is a smart, smart man. I’m in awe. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-conference/485154.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-conference/485154.md?page=4)