Vanity Fair-Interesting Article On Robert Gibbs and Obama Press Operation

[babylonsister]

The Power and the Story

The Obamas may have the smartest, most finely calibrated press operation in White House history, parceling out scoops (The New York Times), partisan talking points (the Huffington Post), and First Family tidbits (the celebrity mags) to a desperate media. Just don’t ask them to admit it.

By Michael Wolff July 2009


Bill Burton is the baby-faced political op with a little too much junk food under his belt—and, at 31, with one of the political world’s longest résumés in media relations—who runs the pressroom at the White House. He’s got possibly the littlest office in the West Wing, but it’s where you want your West Wing office to be, guarding somebody more important than you. Burton is guarding his boss, the president’s press secretary, Robert Gibbs—who guards the president—from me. The Obama presidency is striving to be the most open and available in modern history, hence—and I am here on the 98th day—its first 100 days of remarkable staging, including dogs, wife, children, mother-in-law, bailouts, and handshakes and bows with dubious world leaders. But what it doesn’t want to be open about is the staging itself. One of its least favorite subjects is media. As much as the Obama-ites don’t want to be as defensive and recalcitrant as the Bushes were when it came to the press, having methodically reviewed all lessons from recent administrations, they also don’t want to seem as clever, pleased with themselves, and publicity-crazed as the Clintons, who talked endlessly of media strategies—precisely because they are much more clever and publicity-crazed.


White House press secretary Robert Gibbs seems to be in total control of the media. Photo illustration by Darrow.

Even though I’ve been invited to the White House for a talk with Gibbs, there’s an abrupt cancellation when, after some chitchat with Burton, it becomes clear that my interest is in process rather than, per se, message. And then a kind of sudden vaporization—no Gibbs, according to Marissa Hopkins, his assistant, “for the foreseeable future.”

“The process aspect of media, the insider stuff, is not—it’s not our thing,” says Burton, whose entire career in the press offices of Dick Gephardt, Tom Harkin, John Kerry, and Obama during his Senate term has been about nothing but media process. “We won’t miss it if you don’t do the story.” Big cheesy smile.

There it is: the keynote affect of this most brilliant and successful and certainly calculated White House press operation is, We’re artless, really. Pay no attention to what we’re doing here—it ain’t nothin’ much.

more...

http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2009/07/wolff200907

[ClarkUSA]

1. The author lost me when he said reporters never ask Gibbs "about the bailout or Afghanistan"

That's total bullshit. He also presumes to know what President Obama thinks and what Team O is doing when it's all supposition. He's trying too hard to make up a "manipulation" meme without any proof.

[babylonsister]

2. He's a frustrated journalist because the Obama WH is beating

them at their own game and, in many cases, going around them. They don't need no stinkin' press corps!

[ClarkUSA]

3. You're right. I guess Gibbs' refusal to discuss process ticked him off and he had to make up shit.

[Cha]

5. Yeah, just giving this

a cursory look it seems like a hit piece on everybody but the press.

[MADem]

6. It's bad journalism when they drag out "always" or "never."

And what does this nitwit expect? The reason people have "press offices" is to MANAGE the press. EVERYONE tries to manage the media, spin the story, and shape the output. This isn't "news."

The WH "courts the dinosaurs" like NYT because people who read the "dinosaurs" are reliable voters (I am sure this whooshed right over the author's head). They don't have to be "fired up" or "ready to go" to get their old asses to the polls--on their walkers, if need be.

I don't know why this fellow is apparently affronted by something that every government agency (to say nothing of private citizens--from Donald Trump to Britney Spears) do on a daily basis. It's almost as if he's angry or jealous that they do it so well, and really pissed that he couldn't get an interview to get people to reveal what he perceives as their "secrets."

Message control and connections with people who like getting a scoop and feeling like they're on the inside track--not particularly "secrets." Not really news, either.

What a long-winded, drawn out diatribe. More about him than his subject, IMO.

[ClarkUSA]

7. Well-said.

:thumbsup:

"More about him than his subject, IMO." I agree.

[Jennicut]

4. I like that Bill Burton. Can't believe he's practically the same age as me.

[Clio the Leo]

8. That caricature is adorable. THank you! NT