On Hardball today, Matthews talked about Obama’s excellent interaction with the military in Afghanistan and Iraq. The Politico’s Roger Simon, a Villager extraordinaire said that the middle east trip is going swimmingly so far. Andrea Mitchell did confirm that Maliki indeed backed Obama on his Iraq plans because he brought up Obama’s name by himself in his interview over the weekend earlier in the interview, but then she said a very odd thing about his “message management” as some footage of Obama played in the background on MSNBC.
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Andrea: Let me say something about his message management. He didn’t have reporters with him. He didn’t have a press pool. He didn’t do a press conference while he was on the ground either on Afghanistan or Iraq. What you’re seeing is not reporters brought in, you’re seeing selected pictures taken by the military, questioned by the military and what some would call fake interviews because they’re not interviews with a journalist so there’s a real press issue here. Politically it’s smart as can be, but we’ve not seen a Presidential candidate do this in my recollection ever before.
I don’t think journalism is the prime thing that we recruit them and pay them for.
She was upset because she wasn’t “present” during these interviews. You mean you weren’t able to get a gotcha moment? When she says “what some would call” I guess she means herself. Will Andrea go on a limb and say every interview on FOX News is not legitimate when Cheney, Bush or McCain appear? How about when she joins O’Reilly? Or when someone is interviewed on a blog? The Daily Show has some very interesting interviews, does that not count? Is the military not capable of performing interviews? Where does she draw the line? Saying they are “fake interviews” really goes too far. I’ve emailed Obama’s campaign for a response.
Filed Under: Barack Obama, Hardball/Chris Matthews
Tags: Andrea Mitchell, Barack Obama, McCains Media
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Mrs Greenspan seems a bit angry, maybe because like her husband she is becoming more and more irrelevant
I heard this and was like WTF?
It’s a bogus argument, of course, but it’s surprisingly mild and moderate for a Righteous attack.
Ahhh! Andrea, how could you?
Corporate MsM’s heads are exploding, they can’t take it and now they’re flahklept
It’s all about pleasing the media. If you don’t appease them, they will be out to get you.
…And this is different from what we’re used to seeing how?
An e-mail to Obama’s camp is a good thing, but an e-mail to Phil Griffin, recently promoted President of MSNBC and apparent holder of a short list with Rachel Maddow’s name at the top, titled simply “Andrea Mitchell?? WTF!?!?!?!”
I mentioned it under another topic that Andrea “Team McCain!” Mitchell was ripping the military press coverage that Obama was receiving. I mean seriously, why did she have the make the statement of “I don’t think it’s the role of the military to do the job of the press.” like the corporate media does a great job? She doesn’t work for NPR or PBS, you know, a credible news organization. Barack has already committed to give at least three full interviews to the anchors of all three networks plus do Meet The Press this Sunday.
What would Andrea accomplish other than trying to ask him about his response to Jesse Jackson or some crap? I would want to stay away from her too as long as she’s walking around with a Team McCain bumper sticker on her ass.
this stupid bitch need to shut up and go home. last i checked, she was an “unbiased washington reporter” who is MARRIED TO ALAN GREENSPAN. remember him? fed chairman? fucked up the economy? yeah, that guy.
her whining about him not being interviewed by what she considers “reporters” is laughable. how unbiased are you when your husband is a presidential appointee?
this stupid bitch needs to shut up and go home.
9@Mister Anderson;
on her ass.
on? not up
European crowds ???
We already know it’s going to be another bunch of BS, it’s the US.
“Economic and civil reconstruction” ……… bwhahahaa she’s on drugs.
Imagine how demeaning to the likes of Her Highness Andrea Mitchell to have to simply function as a reporter. Unacceptable.
Clif @ 1:
thank goodness.
Andrea this is “message management” And Just who do journalist like Andrea do “message management” for? Certainly not the American people
Andrea “not interviews from a journalist” Just which journalist would Andrea choose to do “interviews’ with Obama with? The ones who sold our nation the war in Iraq? Which Journalist?
I would have to choose, Amy Goodman, Justin Raimando, Juan cole or Seymour Hersh, to do interviews with Obama on his trip..certainly not Andrea
She’s whining…..again.
Her face is fake. Gag.
Different Anonymous @ 7:
Exactly. What we get everyday is a SPIN and manipulation of the facts by corporate owned media that must produce a profit so they try to make news to gain viewers and readers instead of simply reporting the facts. If you let Andrea Mitchell on that basketball court with Obama, instead of getting the pictures and video we see today, she would have reported something stupid like “there was a lot of Black soldiers in the gym so even in Iraq, Obama has a problem with white voters!”. Naturally she’d fail to report the fact that those are probably Reserve or Guard units who are located in predominantly Black locations.
I’m sorry, I just don’t want to hear that race, gender, and cultural crap this week and I’m sure the Obama campaign doesn’t want to hear it either. It distracts from the FACT that Obama is now at the head of the foreign policy debate which was McCain’s strongest suit. So now he has to blame high gas on Democrats, especially Obama.
Yeah, I remember all the outrage from the likes of Frau Greenspan over eight years of fake everything from Bush.
MM @ 16:
She could use some unwaxed Facial Floss.
Who says reporters have to be the ones that do interviews? They haven’t been doing much of a job of it in the last seven-and-a-half years have they? Why not have lawyers do interviews instead? They aren’t nearly the pussies that reporters are. Ten times the balls, the least of them.
Why does mrs. greenspan hate the troops?
“I wasn’t there to report”
Booo hooo! Waaaa waaaaa!
Shut up Andrea, cry baby.
Even if you were there to report
you still would only have negative
bullshit to say.
Andrea Mitchell is one of the creepiest talking heads on television. A complete corporate robot.
wombab @ 20:
Increasingly, these MSM Court Composers mostly sit around and interview each other, with a lot of the discussion being about what other “reporter”/commentators are saying. One big circle jerk.
Some would say that much like the NYTimes was trying to protect McCain from himself by rejecting his op-ed, the military is trying to protect the “press” from another embarrassing gaffe on itself for the steno lapdogging for McCain. Sorry, Lady Andrea….
this was a good move by obama…otherwise they may
have sabotaged this trip…there will plenty of coverage when he is in germany….this was a damn good move by
him and his people.
FAKE ? I would say any new made without reporters spin or personal opinion, would be the most genuine news you would find.
What a hag . I am so sick of even looking at much less listening to these old worn out right wingers.
FAKE ? I would say any news made without reporters spin or personal opinion, would be the most genuine news you would find.
repost (made a typo)
Andrea lost the top job to Richard Engel now she’s out to make sure the Bush lies it the news. Andrea has forgotten she was part of the Valerie Plame leak and the fake stories the White House gave her for the illegal invasion of Iraq. Notice how Andrea forgets she didn’t want to testifiy in the Libby Case because she would have gotten fired from NBC. Looks like her husband Alan Greenspan will soon have to support her.
Let me re-post my comment
What I love is that the Media is not allowed to control the narrative of this trip. Andrea Mitchell looked pissed on Hardball, whining and complaining that they don’t have access to Senator Obama the way they wish they could. I thought she was going to break out in tears especially when Roger Simons began laughing at her complaints.
Ironically she had to come up with a quick story for the Verdict with Dan Abrams. Andrea Mitchell is so pathetic it’s almost comical.
The McCain Campaign thought their Media Surrogates would help structure their story; first he tipped everyone off that Senator Obama would be in Iraq Saturday, why else did Andrea Mitchell rush to Iraq to report on how wonderful things were there but Senator Obama Big Footed McCain’s Media Surrogates by going to Afghanistan. They are so pissed and I am so glad… Senator Obama is beating them at their own game.
Off topic: Is it just me or did David Gregory look disappointed on Meet the Press this pass Sunday, First because Chuck Todd blunted his republican talking points, 2nd because Tom said we will be seeing more of Chuck Todd on Meet the Press and 3rd David Gregory didn’t get to go to Iraq…
Just an observation.
Mister Anderson @ 9:
Didn’t Obama give an interview yesterday to Lara Logan?
Maybe Mrs. Greenback is jealous.
Don from Canada @ 29:
This is killing her and I am loving it.
That c*nt is one of the reasons I don’t watch the tv. (except for Mystery on PBS)
What does that wrinkled, turkey-necked, shar pei c*nt know about press and journalists? Jessica Savitch still has more journalistic integrity than that
Andrea Mitchell slag ever will.
Find me an American journalist…
I honestly don’t know how anyone can watch this stuff. The best I can manage are one or two clips a day. The ignorance is staggering.
I saw this too. I thought what a bitter bitch! She is really losing her journalist credibility. Just to counter the fake interviews and photos - she could of went on YouTube and found recordings from troops cell phones which were the same videos. I actually think there has not been that many photo opportunities from Obama. It seems as though Obama is trying not to make it too political. More talk from MSM than actually Obama photo opportunities. In fact, I was hoping to see more.
What a shill! Why isn’t she enjoying the billions she and her husband Alan Greenspan has accumilated in the years Repugs were in office? Maybe go to the Rivera or Dubai. Oh wait, she is a neo-con! They love to wage war on the middle class! Whether it’s wars or the economy, they are NEVER satisfied.
When Dubya get lead around by the military it’s “listenin’ to the Generals on the ground”… “the conditions on the ground”… “supportin’ the troops”!
When Obama is shown around by the military it’s “fake interviews”.
Why does Andrea Mitchell hate our troops?
Join FAUX News where you belong Mrs. Greenspan.
Mr. Obama, out of respect for the Presidency, (not necessarily the current President) is purposefully keeping a low profile on these trips, and not granting access to his meetings with Iraqi and Afghani leaders to prevent any question that he is trying to undermine the government’s positions. It’s not his fault if these leaders come out and parrot his positions and inadvertently show he has a better grasp of foreign affairs than either McSame or Cheney. For this ignorant reporter to make her clains of fake reporting because she is not allowed in the room, is the height of arrogance, and shows what a twit she is.
The best quote is the one at the end that stated that Barak “is the junior senator”
Lets forget the he might be the President….and is the presumptive candidate…
Let’s just call him junior!
That is desperate journalism (an oxymoron I know)
Andrea and the rest of them are fuming over not being invited to the travel party. Not being courted is driving them crazy. Tough it out, Andrea. You’re not totally irrelevant. After all, you still get interviewed by Chris Matthews. Perhaps tomorrow you can be interviewed by Chris Wallace about other journalistic slights you’ve been subjected to by Obama. You guys could go on about that for a whole show. Can’t wait!
Clif @ 1:
You got it Clif.
Can’t think of two more overrated people on the planet than Mrs. Greenspan and her grandpa. Come to think of it she is old enough to be a grandma. Grandpa and grandma must own one hell of a lot of stock in GE because I can’t think of anything else that keeps her on the payroll at NBC.
So, the military press is in Obama’s pocket now? LOL!
It think even TWEETY wanted to respond to her comments by saying, “Andrea, WHAT THE FUCK are you talking about?”
Tweety, by the way, was most impressed by the fact that Obama MADE THE SHOT on thed basketball court! that’s typical for a day at HARDBALL: Dissing the troopers’ media specialists… and then aplauding Obama for his talent on the court.
The only fake interviews I can remember at the moment are when FEMA held a “press conference” with FEMA employees pretending to be reporters…remember that, Andrea? So funny…they reported they were doing a heckuvajob.
Now that’s a fake interview.
Hey Jo; You should check out NOVA. Great show.
But, back on point. She seems to forget all the retired colnels that the pentagon has been pumping into the media stream.
Frankly I’ll listen to Wes Clarke and think of what Ike would say. Talk about some grave spinning.
HB @ 42:
Hey. come to think of it…this has a familiar sound to it…it sound like whining!
Andrea seemed a little uppity and whiny today. Delicious !
Mike @ 2:
I was watching Hardball tonight also and my jaw dropped.
Mitchel Says: “you’re seeing selected pictures taken by the military, questioned by the military and what some would call fake interviews because they’re not interviews with a journalist so there’s a real press issue here. Politically it’s smart as can be, but we’ve not seen a Presidential candidate do this in my recollection ever before.”
WTF? How is the military handling Obama’s visit any different than how they handled McCain’s in the spring? Or any other visiting Senator or Congressman? No difference at all except that Obama comes off looking like a commander in chief - no matter how that perturbs you, you can’t spin away from that fact Andrea.
Andrea was hoping to hear boo’s from the troops instead of the cheers and adulation that Obama actually received.
Our mediea, on both sides, has been horrifically pathetic for a very long time.
wha