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Lee's Summit, MO —
Last Friday afternoon at a press gathering in the White House Rose Garden, an obnoxious, ill mannered, unethical reporter interrupted President Barack Obama’s new immigration policy announcement several times. The president did not intend to entertain questions but that did not matter to Neil Munro, a reporter for the conservative website, The Daily Caller.
Ignoring protocol, ethics, common sense and respect for the office of the presidency, Munro caused the president to answer his shout-outs. “Excuse me, sir,” the president said. “It’s not time for questions, sir.” Munro ignored the request and continued to interrupt. The president answered, “Not while I’m speaking.”
Upon completion, the president turned to walk away as Munro yelled out “What about American workers who are unemployed while you employ foreigners?”
Some attending White House correspondents were shocked; one even called Munro’s actions “boorish.”
Fox news anchors Shepard Smith (truly fair and balanced) and Chris Wallace agreed. Wallace told viewers, “I think it’s outrageous. The idea that you would interrupt the president in the middle of prepared remarks and shout a question – I don’t think the guy should be allowed back in the White House on a press pass and my guess is he won’t be.”
Tucker Carlson, conservative editor of The Daily Caller, said he saw nothing wrong with Munro’s actions.
And that’s the point. Not only is compromise and civility dead in Washington, so is the moderate Republican Party that some in my family diligently worked to extol.
We cringed when the governor of Arizona pointed a finger at the president’s chest and when a South Carolina Republican Congressman yelled out “You lie” during a joint session of Congress.
The press and the White House have always had a cordial relationship toward each other. One cannot dismiss photos of the press corps sitting around the desks of Presidents Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman and Ike Eisenhower.
What happened to the respect for the office of the president?
We all have our political preferences and favorite candidates, but when protocol, decency and respect demand that we not look at a black man and a Democrat but one voted on by the people to represent the office of the President of the United States.
Obama is the face of Washington, John Adams, Lincoln, Teddy and Franklin Roosevelt, Kennedy and Reagan, et al.
President Obama has become Rodney Dangerfield. Disgraceful.
I give you President John Adams’ toast: Independence forever.
Last Friday afternoon at a press gathering in the White House Rose Garden, an obnoxious, ill mannered, unethical reporter interrupted President Barack Obama’s new immigration policy announcement several times. The president did not intend to entertain questions but that did not matter to Neil Munro, a reporter for the conservative website, The Daily Caller.
Ignoring protocol, ethics, common sense and respect for the office of the presidency, Munro caused the president to answer his shout-outs. “Excuse me, sir,” the president said. “It’s not time for questions, sir.” Munro ignored the request and continued to interrupt. The president answered, “Not while I’m speaking.”
Upon completion, the president turned to walk away as Munro yelled out “What about American workers who are unemployed while you employ foreigners?”
Some attending White House correspondents were shocked; one even called Munro’s actions “boorish.”
Fox news anchors Shepard Smith (truly fair and balanced) and Chris Wallace agreed. Wallace told viewers, “I think it’s outrageous. The idea that you would interrupt the president in the middle of prepared remarks and shout a question – I don’t think the guy should be allowed back in the White House on a press pass and my guess is he won’t be.”
Tucker Carlson, conservative editor of The Daily Caller, said he saw nothing wrong with Munro’s actions.
And that’s the point. Not only is compromise and civility dead in Washington, so is the moderate Republican Party that some in my family diligently worked to extol.
We cringed when the governor of Arizona pointed a finger at the president’s chest and when a South Carolina Republican Congressman yelled out “You lie” during a joint session of Congress.
The press and the White House have always had a cordial relationship toward each other. One cannot dismiss photos of the press corps sitting around the desks of Presidents Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman and Ike Eisenhower.
What happened to the respect for the office of the president?
We all have our political preferences and favorite candidates, but when protocol, decency and respect demand that we not look at a black man and a Democrat but one voted on by the people to represent the office of the President of the United States.
Obama is the face of Washington, John Adams, Lincoln, Teddy and Franklin Roosevelt, Kennedy and Reagan, et al.
President Obama has become Rodney Dangerfield. Disgraceful.
I give you President John Adams’ toast: Independence forever.
