President Barack Obama boards Air Force One. The president has made the flights more appealing for the traveling press. (Photo by Charles Dharapak / AP)
by Mark Silva
Air Force One is "a sweet ride,'' as White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs allowed this week - aboard Air Force One - during a run of trips the president is making.
President Barack Obama has allowed, too, that it's a better ride than some of those campaign planes he rode.
It's also a sweeter ride lately, for the press that accompanies the president as "pool reporters'' aboard the presidential aircraft, riding, as they do, confined to a small cabin near the rear of the aircraft.
The former president, as often as he flew, was not known to show up in that press cabin very often - and only infrequently invited reporters up front to his, far more sumptuous, quarters. But the new president has "come back'' to the press cabin on every trip so far - all three of his ventures aboard Air Force One: Last week en route to the Democratic retreat in Williamsburg, Va., and this week, twice, en route to his campaign-styled appearances in Indiana and Florida to campaign for an economic stimulus.
This is a welcome change.
Why? The more exposure that reporters have to the president in informal settings - away from the staged and scripted speeches and occasional news conferences where no direct communication takes place - the more we come to understand the person and what he stands for. The more our readers learn about the president, in the process.
Obama has quickly shown that he's not afraid of the pool.
President George W. Bush, who basically is a lot of fun to talk with, was shielded from the press by a tightly controlling White House. Toward the end of his failing presidency, he sat for several "off-the-record'' sessions with reporters at the White House, offering the press a chance to get to know better who he is and what he thinks. The shame of it was that it was still off the record, and the public gained nothing from the encounters.
Obama, displaying a readiness to do his own talking, will be well served by continuing, as a matter of business, the informal hand he has reached out to the press. It was bitten, the first day he showed up in the press quarters of the White House for a little look-around - he was hit with tough questions that he wasn't interested in addressing. Yet he has reached out again, repeatedly, aboard AF One.
On Monday, en route to Elkhart, Ind., to pitch his economic stimulus, the president, in shirtsleeves, stepped back to the press cabin. He joked, with one of the press photographers, that this was a better ride than some of the campaign flights they had been on last year. He made it clear that this was a courtesy call, not an interview.
Leaving the cabin, he was asked how he had liked his first stay at Camp David over the weekend.
"It was beautiful," he said. "The girls just had a great time. They had a lot of fun. You can see that during the summer it's going to be a nice place to spend a lot of time. Hit a few golf balls. Played a little basketball."
On Tuesday, en route to Fort Myers, Fla, to pitch his economic stimulus, the president had several Democratic members of Congress aboard: Florida House Democrats Robert Wexler, Kendrick Meek, Suzanne Kosmas, Ron Klein, Alan Grayson, Kathy Castor, Corrine Brown, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz and Allen Boyd. (Among the nine, Boyd, a blue-dog Democrat from Florida's Panhandle, had been the only to oppose the stimulus package on the first House vote.)
Obama, sans suit coat, stepped into the press cabin and made his way down the short aisle, stopping to greet reporters individually and taking a few questions.
Asked why there were no Republicans aboard, he said with a smile: "We couldn't find any that wanted to go with us." But, he noted, "We got a governor," alluding to Florida's Republican governor, Charlie Crist, who was awaiting the president in Fort Myers and would introduce him with a warmth as if one of his own party.
Obama won't be traveling this heavily every week, though the White House has indicated he hopes to get out once a week - for now, it's a matter of pitching that economic stimulus.
"I think we'll travel some,'' Gibbs said, aboard that sweet ride this week. "I wouldn't anticipate doing this four or five times a week. But I think in the short term, getting out there and talking to people about the economy is something that he's anxious to do.''
Today, Obama plans to squeeze another brief economic road trip into his schedule, venturing just a short way down the road to a construction site in Springfield, Va., where Tim Kaine, the governor of Virginia and new chairman of the Democratic National Committee, will join him. He won't need Air Force One for that ride.
The president will return to the air tomorrow, flying to Peoria, Ill, for another pitch for his economic stimulus, and to Springfield, Ill., for a celebration of Abraham Lincoln's 200th birthday - and then back to Washington in the evening.
Here's hoping he comes back to the press cabin.
Comments
What a nonsensical propaganda speil- please.
If he's "not afraid of the press", it's because he knows he owns them... and even treats them with arrogant contempt, ie- hectoring reporters to "not waste their question", and tells them when they've "got enough pictures", and even to "get back on the bus" in Chicago- ouch.
But to imply he's forthcoming with the media is pure fantasy- what about the latest presser, where he went down a list, calling on those who pre-submitted questions for his speechwriters to tackle with the appropriate spin, while Obama read the telepromter like an automaton?
How about how he hid Emanuel during the Blago blowup? Or how he never told us how Blago received his offers/non-offers... as heard on the tapes? Or? said he never met with Blago to discuss the seat... when three news outlets and Larry Axelrod all said that he did Nov 5th
How about his first week, when he got snotty with the press pool when they asked him a simple question... saying "I'm just here to say hi"- and putting his hand on the Politico journalist's shoulder, scolding like he's a teacher with a child?
Obama's "friendliness" with the press is the same as his supposed "bipartisanship"-- he's have you over to dinner, and smile for a picture with you... as long as you go-along unquestioning with his misguided, far-left agenda... and don't ask any uncomfortable questions... or call him on any of his numerous lies and historical revisionism.
http://reaganiterepublicanresistance.blogspot.com
Posted by: Reaganite Republican | February 11, 2009 9:01 AM
The Press must be all Liberals.
to get treatment like that.
Posted by: Inky | February 11, 2009 9:25 AM
Reaganite is still stuck in hate mode.
Posted by: K | February 11, 2009 9:26 AM
This is a funny story. I think the reason for this is obvious.
The press spend its time trying to rip Bush down. They now spend just as much time promoting Obama, as they used to spend attacking Bush.
So why would Bush want to expose himself to the press any more then he did?
Look at CNN coverage of Geither's press conference. After he presented absolutely no details of his plan, CNN's coverage was "we got no details, but that is OK, because we will get the details, when we get the details".
Now that is journalism. Now that is holding our goverment accountable. Did any of them point out that Obama has said we must act now and delay would lead to catastaphy? Well if this is true then why weren't details of his plan evalaible at the press conference to unvail the plan?
But instead the media spent it s time justifying the lack of any details! This is not news reporting, this is public relations!
Posted by: Heather | February 11, 2009 9:28 AM
I voted for Obama, worked for Obama, contributed to obama, but GOOD GRIEF. The media HANDED HIM the nomination. The misogyny toward Hillary was beyond palpable. And the way the corporate stenographers deep sixed Kucinich is something people will write books about.
If we still have a planet that produces trees.
I am so concerned about the escalation of the war in Iraq--moving it to Afghanistan was some sort of DEAL cut apparently with BUSH behind the scenes? OBAMA NEEDS TO SUPPORT PATRICK LEAHY'S CALL FOR A TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION. Otherwise, he'll be a one term wonder regardless of how much the boyz and girls on the 'bus' suck up to him.
Posted by: COVER REAL ISSUES PLEASE | February 11, 2009 9:30 AM
RR,
Vs. his predecessor who rarely came out from under his rock or went before military audiences under tight control. Mission Accomplished.
And your beloved R? If you could wake him up and put a script in his hand...Bonzo.
Posted by: Kenny Bunkport ☯ | February 11, 2009 9:42 AM
Reaganite pug, you know what disgusts me almost as much as !nky does? Idiot bloggers like you and rag that come on here to promote your own websites. I have never gone to either blog site, and I never will. I find it disgusting that the Trib chooses to censor some posts, and allow your's to go through. If you have to come here and try to funnel people to your site, maybe it is a hint that no one wants to here what you have to say....sorry to burst your little buble there bud.
Posted by: Xcellentform | February 11, 2009 10:06 AM
The inside joke is posted on his daily schedule as " slobber time". The prime time news slobber was a scripted, TelePrompTer insult and one noticed he falters when he waivers from the talking points. There was no knowledgeable substance in his answers and many misleading statements as fact, however he was well versed in doom, gloom and fear while attacking honest discourse toward his plan. The MSM has lost all objective analysis and appear to have become Axel lap dogs. They should be ashamed to be known as reporters but the Obama herd loved it.
Posted by: Bubba Porter | February 11, 2009 10:08 AM
Anyone else getting tired of the whining?
Posted by: Kenneth Janowski | February 11, 2009 10:45 AM
Perhaps 'Reganite' you should have a look at Ari Fleischer's comments about manipulating the press corps for Bush's press conferences.
Or are you a selective whiner who disregards what Reagan and other republicans do?
Posted by: Flo | February 11, 2009 10:46 AM
Heather, I suppose you'd be happier watching FoxNews where they make fun of the homeless lady who was at the Ft. Myers town hall meeting yesterday. There is plenty of right wing media out there simpletons; I know you dittoheads are able to find Rush and Vannity.
Posted by: mort | February 11, 2009 11:34 AM
As the republican leadership has dragged the country down to the pits.......25 cents and their cheerleaders advice and comments will be worth.........a phone call.
Posted by: bill r. | February 11, 2009 11:53 AM
"Anyone else getting tired of the whining?
Posted by: Kenneth Janowski"
Yes. But in a way it's quite amusing as well.
Posted by: Flo | February 11, 2009 12:16 PM
"Anyone else getting tired of the whining?
Posted by: Kenneth Janowski"
Yes. But in a way it's quite amusing as well.
Posted by: Flo | February 11, 2009 12:16 PM
Yes..in some twisted way it seems fitting after 8 years of talk to the hand.
Posted by: bill r. | February 11, 2009 2:26 PM
Reganite: Do you ever fly? Well your "man" was the one who busted PATCO, the air traffic controllers union...even with him riding comfortably on Air Force One, did he not think that because of his vindictive actions even HE could have been in jeopardy because of the mess he created for the air traffic controllers? Associate yourself with him if you must, but I wouldn't think it would be anything to be PROUD OF!!!!
Posted by: Mary | February 11, 2009 3:29 PM