It's hard to believe that White House Press Virus Scott McClellan can get away with crap like this and not have someone in the press corps finally snap, pull out a handgun and empty it into him, screaming, "No! I just couldn't take it any more!!"
Q Scott, at the press conference yesterday, approximately 25 percent of the journalists were women, and the President went to 2 percent of the journalists. And back in April, again, it was about 25 percent, and the President took only one question from a woman reporter. Can you explain this pattern?
MR. McCLELLAN: That might be a reflection on the media. That's not -- I don't think that's a reflection on who the President calls on.
Q Their hands were up, picked the female hands --
MR. McCLELLAN: You pointed out that there is a smaller percentage of women at the event. I think that's a question you may want to address to the media, if it's a question of diversity in the media.
Q If 25 percent of the journalists are women, I would think more than 2 percent of questions -- or, in fact, it was one question -- would perhaps be directed to the women.
MR. McCLELLAN: The President looks forward to taking questions from a wide variety of people, and I don't think that's a reflection on the President. I think that's a reflection on maybe the media and the diversity within the media. So I think that's a question you ought to direct to the media, not us.
Q Can you assure us that he will take note next time to count --
MR. McCLELLAN: He was pleased to call on women journalists yesterday --
Q He called on one. (Laughter.)
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, like I said, there are a number of major media organizations that were represented there. The President believes it's important to get to those major media outlets and start the news conference that way. And if it's a question of diversity within those organizations, I think it's a question to direct to those organizations, not us.
Got that? If women don't get called on, well, clearly it's their fault and you should ask them about it.
1 comment:
If there were any justice, the entire White House press corps would compile a list of McClennan's "ask somebody else" suggestions, spend the time allotted for McClennan's press conference going out and asking each of those questions, and accordingly cut all White House spin out of the news entirely for the day.
Sadly, I don't think it'll happen.
Incidentally, tag.
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