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National Briefing

OBAMA

1. The Day Love Ended

Pres. Obama "faced a press corps that at times seemed exasperated and was quick to challenge him" (Montopoli, CBSNews.com, 6/23) during his fourth WH presser on 6/23. Reports describe it as the "testiest news conference" of his admin (Dinan, Washington Times, 6/24), with some columnists pointing to it as evidence that Obama's honeymoon in the media is over:• Time's Scherner writes, "the press corps, which has been deferential through repeated prime-time pressers in the East Room, began to assert itself as never before in his tenure" (6/24).

• New York Daily News' Goodwin writes, "One job of journalists is, to borrow a horse racing phrase, to '"call the turns' of developing news." On 6/23, the WH "press corps called the end of the Obama honeymoon." By peppering Obama with "forceful questions on Iran and other big topics and by challenging some of his slippery answers, reporters captured the changing tone in the country. Like the end of a real honeymoon, blind infatuation is giving way to a more accurate view of reality" (6/24).

• The Hill's Youngman writes, the "normally unflappable" Obama "let his cool demeanor slip", showing signs of "frustration with questions on domestic and foreign policy issues." Obama "snapped at reporters who echoed his critics, particularly at those who questioned his response to unrest in Iran or asked about how his proposed public insurance plan might hurt the free market."

• FNC's Van Susteren: "It seemed like he was one the defense. ... We've seen him, you know, be spectacular in his speaking and be on the offense. ... That was Chuck Todd saying, We've now asked you twice. Major Garrett said, What took you so long? ... This isn't exactly someone who's sort of taking control of the public relations line on this" ("On the Record," 6/23).

• Author John Avlon, on the most important thing Obama addressed: "Iran. And he should've, I think, been more focused on Iran. This wasn't a day for health care. This wasn't a day for energy" ("No Bias, No Bull," CNN, 6/23).

• FNC's Hume: "The president's news conference today may have marked a turning point in his young presidency. Suddenly a White House press corps that had been ridiculed for its allegedly fawning coverage was asking some tough questions and a president noted for his easy self-assurance was defensive and even testy at times. ... I think the head over heels phase of the honeymoon with the press is over" ("Special Report," 6/23).

Off Deadline

Obama "grew stern when one reporter suggested" Obama "was only 'hinting' that there were human-rights violations taking place in Iran."

Obama: "I'm not hinting. I think that when a young woman gets shot on the street, when she gets out of her car, that's a problem." Pressed about "the possible consequences for the Iranian government if the violence continues, Obama "grew visibly agitated."

Obama: "I think that we don't know yet how this thing is going to play out. I know everybody here is on a 24-hour news cycle. I'm not. OK?" (Elliott, AP, 6/23).

(For more reaction, see today's IRAN and HEALTH CARE stories).

He Felt The Heat Anyway

The news conference "was moved from the Rose Garden to the briefing room at the last minute." WH "officials said the shift was related to the summer heat, and denied it was made because teleprompters," which Obama "relies on at nearly every speaking engagement, could not be seen in the bright, sunny garden. Officials set up teleprompters in the briefing room, only to break them down an hour before the news conference" (Curl, Washington Times, 6/24).

Where There's Smoke, There's Fire

For weeks, Obama's "advisers have declined to say whether he had whipped his smoking habit. But one day after signing a landmark tobacco law," Obama "conceded what many had already surmised" (Zeleny, New York Times, 6/24).

At his news conference, Obama was asked again about his struggle with smoking. And he said, again, he sometimes falls off the wagon.

Obama: "Am I a daily smoker, a constant smoker? No. I don't do it in front of my kids. I don't do it in front of my family. And, you know, I would say that I am 95 percent cured, but there are times where, there are times where I mess up"

His 6/23 admission was "the first public acknowledgment" from Obama "that he still hasn't completely kicked the habit. In the past, he had alluded to his three-decades-old habit without giving direct answers" (AP, 6/24).

New York Times' Zeleny writes, "the expression on his face -- one part dismissive, one part perturbed -- foretold his answer." Obama's answer "illustrated his testiness on the subject."

Obama: "I get this question about once every month or so. You know, I don't know what to tell you, other than the fact that, you know, like folks who go to A.A., you know, once you've gone down this path, then you know it's something you continually struggle with" (6/24).

One More Time For The Kids

ABC's Sawyer sat down with Obama at the WH 6/23. The interview aired this a.m. on "GMA."

Sawyer, on Obama saying at the news conference that he's 95% cured from his smoking habit: "95%, Huh? ... I'm shameless on asking the human interest questions."

Obama: "Well, this is a favorite for every reporter. You know, I've answered it as often as I can. I'm sure I will continue to answer."

Sawyer: "Is there a time of day that's the hardest?"

Obama: "Diane, I think I've answered that one" (ABC, 6/24).

Want Some Huff With That Puff?

An apparently "choreographed question" at 6/23's presser from Huffington Post's Nico Pitney is causing come controversy and overwhelming Obama's message on Iran.

Wahington Post's Milbank writes, After the "obligatory first question" from the AP, Obama treated the overflowing WH briefing room to a surprise: "I know Nico Pitney is here from the Huffington Post." Obama knew this because WH aides had called Pitney "the day before to invite him, and they had escorted him into the room. They told him" Obama "was likely to call on him, with the understanding that he would ask a question about Iran that had been submitted online by an Iranin."

Pitney "recognized his prompt" and "asked his arranged question. Reporters looked at one another in amazement at the stagecraft they were witnessing." WH CoS Rahm Emanuel "grinned at the surprised TV correspondents in the first row."

During the eight years of the Bush admin, liberal outlets such as the Huffington Post often accused the WH "of planting questioners in news conferences to ask preplanned questions. But here was Obama fielding a preplanned question asked by a planted questioner -- from the Huffington Post."

Pitney said the WH, "though not aware of the question's wording, asked him to come up with a question about Iran proposed by an Iranian. And, as it turned out, he was not the only prearranged questioner." Also, on 6/23, Obama "passed over the usual suspects to call on Macarena Vidal of the Spanish-language EFE news agency." The WH "called Vidal in advance to see whether she was coming and arranged for her to sit in a seat usually assigned to a financial trade publication. She asked about Chile and Colombia" (6/24).

MSNBC's Matthews: "It looked awfully awkward, didn't it? More and more these things are organized. The list of reporters, we know whose turn it's going to be. There's no more hand waving. I prefer the more spontaneous. But that looked particularly awkward" ("Today," NBC, 6/24).

His Neko (Or Nico) Case

Pitney called into "Washington Journal" this a.m. to discuss the possibility that his question for Obama was pre-planned.

Pitney, on the main issue that this question has garnered so much attention: "Well, it depends on who you are reading. I think, obviously, I have gotten lots of letters and emails and messages from Iranians, Iranian-Americans, people who were happy to see a question like this asked of the president. I thought it was a laudable move on behalf of President Obama to want to question that came directly from Iranians. It's obviously difficult right now for there to be direct contact in that sense. And of course, on the other hand, you've got some in the media who have a process problem with what took place. That is another threat of this."

Pitney, on whether the question was a "set-up," and his claim that Obama did not know which question Pitney would ask: "Yes, of course. They were very professional and they did not have any interest, nor would I have told them, what the question was going to be. ... I posted a notice on our website, we have been live-blogging the unrest there for almost 10, 11 days now. I had said, I'd like to ask the president a question on behalf of an Iranian. They contacted and said they would be happy to have me do that. But otherwise, it went along like any other question. I felt like it was a tough question. I was happy with how it turned out" (C-SPAN, 6/24).

Making The Rounds

Ahead of tonight's town hall meeting on health care, Obama will meet today "with a bipartisan group" of govs. "who co-hosted regional forums on health reform earlier this year." They include MI Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D), WI Gov. Jim Doyle (D), WA Gov. Christine Gregoire (D) VT Gov. Jim Douglas and SD Gov. Mike Rounds (R) (AP, 6/24).

Detroit And Other Dugouts

• Obama plans to hold a town hall in Detroit, MI, 7/14 -- his first trip to the state as POTUS. An admin "official said no details are available about the town hall, including where it will be held or what issues Obama will focus on at the meeting" (Price, Detroit News, 6/24).

• Obama "will throw out the ceremonial first pitch" for the '09 MLB All-Star Game at Busch Stadium on 7/14, the WH confirmed 6/23 (Lambrecht, "Political Fix," 6/23).

Blumenthal Always Comes Back

Obama had "decided to send an ambassador to Syria after a four-year hiatus," two senior admin. officials said 6/23, "in a sign of the deepening engagement between" the Obama admin. and the Syrian government. The State Dept informed Syria's ambass to the U.S Imad Moustapha of the decision on 6/23. Obama has not yet chosen a person for the post, an admin offical said (Landler, New York Times, 6/24).

In other State Dept news, Sec/State Hillary Clinton "is in talks with" ex-WH aide Sidney Blumenthal to serve as a consultant to the State Dept (mult, 6/23).

Invoking Koh-ture

The Senate today voted to invoke cloture on the nomination of Yale Law School Dean Harold Koh to become legal adviser to the State Dept. The vote was 65-31. The nomination will move to a final vote after no more than 30 hours of debate.

Sens. voting against invoking cloture:

• Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY)
• Sen. Bob Bennett (R-UT)
• Sen. Kit Bond (R-MO)
• Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS)
• Sen. Jim Bunning (R-KY)
• Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC)
• Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
• Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK)
• Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX)
• Sen. Bob Corker (R-TN)
• Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID)
• Sen. Jim DeMint (R-SC)
• Sen. John Ensign (R-NV)
• Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY)
• Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
• Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA)
• Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX)
• Sen. Jim Inhofe (R-OK)
• Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
• Sen. Mike Johanns (R-NE)
• Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ)
• Sen. John McCain (R-AZ)
• Senate Min. Leader Mitch McConnell
• Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK)
• Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID)
• Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS)
• Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL)
• Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL)
• Sen. John Thune (R-SD)
• Sen. David Vitter (R-LA)
• Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS)

Sens. Robert Byrd (D-WV), Thad Cochran (R-MS) and Ted Kennedy (D-MA) did not vote. A seat from MN remains vacant (U.S. Senate, 6/24).

Cornyn said he opposed the nomination "reluctantly." Cornyn: "There's no question that Dean Koh is a brilliant lawyer, and he has been a charming advocate for his promotion to this important position. ... (But) he has stated what I regard to be radical views (about int'l and transnat'l law)."

Senate Foreign Relations Cmte Chair John Kerry (D-MA), Senate Homeland Security and Gov't Affairs Cmte Chair Joe Lieberman (I-CT) and Sens. Russ Feingold (D-WI) and Arlen Specter (D-PA) spoke to support the nomination. Specter said that rejecting Koh would send the message that "the best and the brightest" should not think about entering public service because "the politics" are "so thick" (Hotline viewing, 6/24).

You Can Hear A Walpin Drop

Washington Examiner's York reports, recently-fired Corp. for Nat'l and Community Service IG Gerald Walpin "contacted the FBI" in Sacramento, CA, with allegations that Sacramento Mayor/ex-NBA point-guard Kevin Johnson's (D) e-mails related to a Walpin investigation "had been deleted" just before he was fired by the WH. "(T)here is no doubt that, whatever the other reasons," the Corp. board "feared that a revival of a scandal they thought was in the past would be embarrassing to the newly-prominent Americorps" ("Beltway Confidential," 6/24).

 

Editor-in-Chief: Amy Walter

Executive Editor: John Mercurio

Managing Editor: Quinn McCord

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TV Editor: Abby Livingston

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