The First Press Conference: Short Notes
2008-11-07
Eric Easter
The first official press conference was short and effective, but…
There were two visual miscues in Barack Obama’s first news conference as President-Elect. Odd mistakes for an organization with a reputation for detail in holding events.
First, appointed Chief of Staff Rahm Emmanuel stood most of the time close to Obama on stage with hands on hips and jacket open. It was a highly impatient and confrontational body language in comparison to the sober, mature image of Obama elder advisors in the background. Visually at least, it fed the fires of critics of the choice of Emmanuel.
And on those advisors, it was a wonderful show of strength and support, but many of the men in that particular group are taller than Obama. For the very first time, in a campaign where Obama towered over shorter, stumpier candidates, Obama looked somewhat small and slight when flanked, for example, by the 6 foot 5 inch, 250-plus pound Time Warner CEO Richard Parsons.
But those are minor quibbles. The effect overall was presidential and reassuring. Obama showed confidence, and importantly, a Kennedy-esque kind of relaxed humor mixed with thoughtfulness and seriousness of purpose. He moved from serious answers into a riff on the choice of a new dog seamlessly.
Importantly, he was wise to reiterate that despite the change that people might want right away, he has two more months before taking office.
CNN’s Candy Crowley asked the best question, whether anything the President-Elect had learned in his intelligence briefings gave him pause. Obama naturally answered that if it had, he could not tell us. But she asked it the wrong way. It should have been ”You ran on a platform based on a certain set of assumptions. Now that you know the facts, do you see any of your policies changing.”
He would have deferred from that answer as well, which would have been wise. But it gets to a more interesting philosophical discussion, which is “How much worse is our situation than what President Bush and his administration is telling us?” -- Eric Easter
11 Responses to "The First Press Conference: Short Notes"
11.07.08 at 4:19 PM
Craig says:
Not sure why the fact that Rahm Emanuel was standing with an open jacket matters or how someone else's height in comparison to Obama matters.
The press conference may have been short but how was it effective? All you said is that he managed to look Presidential (no big surprise), and that he successfully answered one question.
What about his pick for Treasury? Did he discuss any other top priorities?
You are going to have to step up your game.
11.07.08 at 4:58 PM
Dan says:
He can't tell us intelligence?
I can already feel that Mr. Obama is going to be another miliary industrial of corporate American.
11.07.08 at 4:58 PM
Dan says:
He can't tell us intelligence?
I can already feel that Mr. Obama is going to be another miliary industrial tool of corporate American.
11.07.08 at 7:58 PM
MEB says:
Mr. Obama was elected less than 3 days ago. Why are you whining about his first conference? Try practicing some patience for a mere moment before beginning your campaign of negativity.
11.08.08 at 12:43 AM
tyrell says:
I hope Mr. Obama keeps his promise and legalizes gay marriage and gives us gay rights.
