July 2, 2009: The Date of the Washington Press Corp's Independence

Congratulations to the Washington Press Corp for striking a blow for their Independence and finally being weened off the Obama Kool-Aid. They are getting fed up with these pre-canned press conferences where the Obama Administration has previews of the questions to be asked and personally hand selects the reporters to called on. Chip Reid from CBS opened Wednesday's confrontation with Obama Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, then Helen Thomas woke up from her 11AM nap and drove a truck through it:

"This is an open forum for the public to ask question," said Chip Reid of CBS News. "But it's not really open?"

"Based on what?" responded Gibbs.

"Based on the information ... on how the audience and the questions are being selected," said Reid.

"How about this: I promise we will interrupt the AP's tradition of asking the first question. I'll let you ask me a question tomorrow on whether you thought the questions at the town hall meeting that the President conducted at Annandale...."

"That's not his point," interrupted Helen Thomas, correspondent for Hearst Newspapers. "That's, that's not his point. His point is the control from here. We have never had that in the White House. I'm amazed at you people who call for openness and transparency and control.

"You have left open the suggestion that you are pumping the answers," Thomas continued. "It's shocking. It's really shocking."

"Let's have this discussion at the conclusion of the town hall meeting," Gibbs said.

"No, no, no. We are having it now." claimed Thomas. "It's a pattern. It's a pattern. It isn't the question. It's a pattern of controlling the press."

I would highly recommend that you follow this link and watch the video of this exchange. This truly marks a turning point in Obama's relationship with the Press. Nothing will demise this Presidency quicker than losing his love affair with the press. They have been the front line in concealing all of Obama's warts.