Obama Town Hall Questioners Were Campaign Backers, Washington Post

[Captain_Nemo]

Obama Town Hall Questioners Were Campaign Backers
Updated 7:02 p.m.

By Garance Franke-Ruta

President Obama has promised to change the way the government does business, but in at least one respect he is taking a page from the Bush playbook, stocking his town hall Thursday with supporters whose soft -- though far from planted -- questions provided openings to discuss his preferred message of the day.

Obama has said, "I think it's important to engage your critics ... because not only will you occasionally change their mind but, more importantly, sometimes they will change your mind," White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs recounted to The Post's Lois Romano in an interview Wednesday.

But while the online question portion of the White House town hall was open to any member of the public with an Internet connection, the five fully identified questioners called on randomly by the president in the East Room were anything but a diverse lot. They included: a member of the pro-Obama Service Employees International Union, a member of the Democratic National Committee who campaigned for Obama among Hispanics during the primary; a former Democratic candidate for Virginia state delegate who endorsed Obama last fall in an op-ed in the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star; and a Virginia businessman who was a donor to Obama's campaign in 2008."

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/44/2009/03/27/obama_town_hall_questioners_we.html?hpid=topnews

[ErinBerin84]

1. somehow, I'm not scandalized.

[firedupdem]

2. Thank God for the post keeping us up to date on what this slick

guy we elected is doing. He should be impeached immediately. He's a slick shady one. Boy oh Boy, thanks Post! Between this and Biden's daughter snorting coke, I am just sickened!

[ErinBerin84]

3. maybe the Washington Post is bitter over not getting a question the other day

Still, don't get what the deal is. His town halls are not pre-selected, but because the questions that he answered at the online town hall were from people who- gasp- supported him, now there it is a big conspiracy and he is JUST like Bush!

[jbnow]

28. His supporters may have been invited to this one as a "reward".

In places he did his other town halls small groups of supporters/workers were invited to a meet and greet where he came and talked to them a few minutes, shook hands and thanked them.
They didn't get invited to the town halls, those were first come first serve. This one might not have been since it was so small and they asked only a portion of the questions. It would have been a find reward to those who worked hard for him. If so anyone he called on would be a supporter.

Frankly he uses any question to expand on some policy or plan in the course of answering the question whether they come from supporters or not.
Well except on I watched where he was asked if he was a Muslim or refused to do pledge of allegiance...one of those wild ones. He answered it politely enough but then advised him something like to be careful of e-mails, like if he got one from a Nigerian prince and then he moved on.

Other than that what question wouldn't include some talk about his policy since it's generally "Here is the problem, what are you going yo do about it" type question.

[jefferson_dem]

4. Wow.

Thanks for this non-story. I hope your not too concerned by it.

[jenmito]

5. "...though far from planted..." 'Nuff said. And he also takes plenty of questions from

reporters and adversaries.

[The_Casual_Observer]

6. Imagine the sour ass "questions" he'd have to field from the typical

mccain dickless.

[BlooInBloo]

7. Oh noes.

[FrenchieCat]

8. and he's got the media in his pocket!

Next thing you know, they'll be correcting his transcripts if he makes a mistake with his grammar!

[NYC_SKP]

9. Print and Cable media are beginning to feel irrellevant.

I was sure hearing a lot of this the other day:

"Is Obama dissing the press?"

"Obama End Run around Journalists?"

Etc., etc....

[jaysunb]

19. I think you're on to something...

:evilgrin:

[Iwillnevergiveup]

30. They are becoming more irrelevant

and these online sessions may actually help to restore our democracy.:kick:

[usregimechange]

10. Is it Obama's fault RNC staffers didn't post or didn't ask popular questions?

[usregimechange]

11. Did they not have the same ability to do so as anyone else?

[jaysunb]

12. If so...so what ?

are they not Americans w/ concerns too ?

[bluestateguy]

13. So?

He owes nothing to the people who did not support him.

Not a damn thing.

[CitizenPatriot]

14. No Joe the Schmo there to lie about being a plubmer?

and the Post is outraged? ha. right.

Note to the Post: A majority of Americans were Obama supporters...hence the WIN. So, if it's the numbers game that makes you nervous, you might try basic math.

See, out of that majority, the people who are involved enough in his administration's policy's at this point are more than likely supporters. They may have even...GASP! shock! donated money to the man they wanted to win.

And then...several months later....they had a question and went through the effort of seeing it through.

The fact that they were supporters is really only logical at this point.

Nut thanks for the non-story, WaPo.

[terisan]

15. Aargh. Imagine real town hall meeting with input from all the people. I believe we will

achieve it someday not too far in the future.

[jenmito]

16. Did you miss his two town hall meetings in CA a couple weeks ago?

:eyes:

[ErinBerin84]

17. the article is talking about the online town hall

questions, not the town halls in general. I think that both could stand to ask better questions, but it's not like they were planted, as the article said.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

31. Obama did not screen the previous two townhalls at all.

So, it was achieved weeks ago.

[Undercurrent]

18. .

Even the article admits that the questions were not planted.

Of course the room was packed with Democrats, and supporters of the President. Who the hell else is going to stand in line to get in? Republican'ts? Neonuts?

What a non article, about a non issue.



I swear. It's getting more loony tunes by the minute. We have stories and posts about why Obama flies on Air Force One (and the kind of music he listens to when aboard), to many, or not enough rides in the limo, the limo is to fancy, or he likes basketball to much.

And don't forget all the hoopla about arms, the "trashy" garden, the Easter egg roll tickets, the exotic Hawaiian vacation, bla bla...

I've never, in all my 60 years, seen so much picky bull shit rolled out on any President, and his family.

[FrenchieCat]

20. Don't forget he reads from a teleprompter

just like news readers do! Oh the scandals! They are a pilin' up! Oh Lawdie!

[FLyellowdog]

21. And I think he's black.

When people find out, they are going to be sooooo pissed. :sarcasm:

[uponit7771]

22. ...Drudge says Obama has not ONE black child but two...wait till ABC gets ahole of that story!!!!

[FLyellowdog]

41. Why didn't we know this before we voted?

I guess President Obama really IS the most transparent president we've ever had. Shocking, I tell you, shocking. :rofl:

[Undercurrent]

23. Yes!

Imagine a President who wants to say exactly what he wants to say, and not tie himself in garbely knots like that idiot who used to live in the White House!

Outrageous!

[alcibiades_mystery]

35. The blacks are sneaky like that, doncha know?

:puke:

;-)

[asphalt.jungle]

24. wow and to think i thought they would allow anyone in the white house

really washington post? i knew from the get go that the live audience had to be somewhat familiar to the president's staff. who wants freeptards in the white house causing mischief? this isn't him coming to your city for a public town hall meeting.

[Life Long Dem]

25. Supporters? Oh my what next?

Maybe any number of us could be there in support of the President.

[Hippo_Tron]

26. He had open town halls a few weeks ago

Just because he also does staged ones doesn't mean he is like Bush. Bush ONLY did staged events.

[FrenchieCat]

27. Since he did it the day after reporters tried to get him with Gotchas in his 2nd press conference,

it would seem that folks would be more interested in the answer to the questions,
then who asked them.

[lostnotforgotten]

29. Change We Can't Believe In - Shades of Bush II In The Making

eom

[SemiCharmedQuark]

32. His last two townhalls were open to anyone. Bush never did that.

[ecstatic]

34. lame

:eyes:

[cottonseed]

37. Are you attention deprived?

[HopeOverFear]

38. ...aaaand another one to put on ignore n/m

[lostnotforgotten]

39. Happy To Be On Your List - Fewer People To Argue With Leads To Less Stress

eom

[SemiCharmedQuark]

33. Honestly though...who is going to wait hours and hours for a townhall

Who is most likely to? My guess would be *mostly* Obama supporters.

[CaliLiberal]

36. The people in the TOwn Hall on thrusday didn't hide who they were

They stood up and said "Mr. President, I did so and so"


WashPost, didn't even have to research it. Obama wasn't trying to hide it. THe other town halls he's done, seem to be pretty random.

[stillcool]

40. please..."the online portion..

was open to anyone who had an internet connection...but the five 'fully identified'" were supporters. I'd be surprised if a good portion of the 'anyone with an internet connection' were not 'supporters' as well.