Reporting Obama's every move

by Katie Fretland

In the above video, CNN's Jeanne Moos explores the art of reporting on Barack Obama's every move.

Protective pool reporting, or the journalistic practice of a person or small group following the candidates pretty much everywhere, provides written reports for the rest of the press to use.

The importance of pool reporting is to have a journalist with a candidate all of the time, in case something happens, like an assassination attempt or illness. It also helps to have someone with a candidate in case a significant event happens somewhere else in the world, and it would be necessary to have a response from the candidate.

The reports can even include details like this: "8:32 P.M. MO and BO flirt. MO hits BO playfully multiple times in a row." (MO is Michelle Obama. BO is Barack Obama).

Or a mention of a "slammin" dress:

"7:48pm They arrive at the restaurant. Obama walks in a few feet ahead of Michelle who looks slammin' in a black cocktail dress with a severe slit down the back. Her hair was up."

Or this:

"Sen. Barack Obama and his wife Michelle left their house on Tuesday night to watch their eldest daughter Malia play soccer. The couple sauntered onto the athletic field at the University of Illinois at Chicago, carrying matching bags containing fold-up "Sports Authority" chairs. Obama was dressed in brown pants and a black polo shirt. Michelle wore Capri pants, a pink shirt and sneakers."

Or a personal favorite (note the Tony Rezko mention):

"[Obama] stopped home then headed off to a barbecue at the South Shore home of his long-time friend Dr. Eric Whitaker, who he has known since their days at Harvard -- Whitaker was working on a master's in public health while Obama worked on his law degree. Whitaker has a big side yard with huge swingset, soccer nets, and a basketball hoop and kids could be seen running around, screaming, having fun.

Whitaker was named director of the state department of Public Health after Obama recommended him to his friend Tony Rezko, who was screening applicants for top state posts for Gov. Rod Blagojevich. Rezko was later convicted of mail fraud for influence-peddling in the Blagojevich administration. Whitaker and Obama were never implicated in the case.

And finally, the pool report that was proved wrong by video of the event at a Zanesville, Ohio ministry:

As he left, a boy tried to give him a fist bump. Obama said no.
"If I start that ...'' his voice trailed off.

Obama didn't actually deny a young boy the famous fist bump, according to video. The boy just wanted his hand signed.