Obama gives interview to Fox

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[Sirenoftitan]

President Barack Obama has stepped up his efforts to gain support for his embattled healthcare reform bill by giving an interview to US Fox News.  The broadcaster has been criticised by the White House for its perceived rightwing bias.  Facing tough questioning, Mr Obama expressed confidence that the bill would finally be passed.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/8573772.stm

As I'd have to pay to watch Fox in the UK (and I'm not mad), did anyone watch this interview?

[Lani]

I heard bits of it on MSNBC.  The interviewer was very rude, interrupting and talking over the president.  Obama, of course, was calm, unflappable, and well spoken.

I'm sure the interview will be available on the internet very soon, if not already.

[Sirenoftitan]

Found this snippet from the interview.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ol82jiDavx4

What's the point in asking questions if you don't allow the interviewee to answer?

[Irishgirl]

I heard bits of it on MSNBC.  The interviewer was very rude, interrupting and talking over the president.  Obama, of course, was calm, unflappable, and well spoken.

 

The interview can be found here.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/03/17/obama-on-fox-news-accuses_n_503079.html

[futurexpat?]

I'm guessing very few here will have watched that whole interview. That would entail going to faux noise and then needing a shower after. I did see it on MSNBC, though (bits and pieces), and it was incredibly rude. It might be, however, the way more interviews in this country ought to be conducted instead of the dumb laziness and complicity of the media. But since it was faux noise doing this only to the president, it was hypocritical as well as rude.

[futurexpat?]

And here's a link to this same jerk's interview of GWB where he compared Bush to Lincoln.

http://crooksandliars.com/jon-perr/bret-baier-compared-bush-to-lincoln

    "We talked a lot about President Lincoln. And there's going to be a lot of people out there who watch this hour and say, is he trying to equate himself with Lincoln?

    I tell you what - he thinks about Lincoln and the tough times that he had during the Civil War. 600,000 dead. The country essentially hated him when he was leaving office.

    "And the President reflects on that. This is a President who is really reflecting on his place in history."

Uh, Lincoln didn't exactly "leave office."

[judi]

No...I dont think he meant to leave office

what morons

[daMamma]

I saw bits of that interview on the CBC.  I thought that was outrageously rude.  The interviewer was combative, rude, spoke over the president, tried to put words in the presidents mouth by answering the questions himself over the president. 

Seriously wanted to reach through the screen and just smack that guy right off his chair.  On the other hand I was mighty impressed with the president for keeping his cool, answering fully when allowed to break in a word edgewise and behaving in a gentlemanly fashion.  He kept his voice neutral and his expression free of frustration and anger.

I couldn't have done that.  I'd have told the interviewer that if he couldn't behave in an adult fashion with some respect the interview was over, and walked out.  Struggling all the way not to knock that fox guy right out of his shoes.  Never has any president been treated in such a disrespectful manner.  Ever.

Pffft!   

[Writing from Alaska]

The Obama Moment of the interview- When the interviewer said he 'didn't mean to interrupt', the Pres did the head tilt, big smile  - "life is funny, you have got to be kidding me" look. They chose not to show that expression straight on so you could only catch it from the side. I think they didn't show it as it is one of his more endearing expressions, when humor overcomes frustration. Good on ya, Mr. Pres.

[pacos_gal]

President Obama presented Fox and Fox viewers with something they have seldom seen, an articulate, graceful politician, who knows what he is talking about, doesn't get ruffled by pushy interviews and stays on message.  That message is to help the citizens of the United States with the cost of their health insurance.  I think that came across very well. 

In the aftermath of that interview we have seen the Republican spin machine go into hyperventilation mode trying to paint the interview into what they Wish it could be.  (insert memory of Palin resignation speech here for a visual of hyperventilation mode).  The Democrats are painting it as mission accomplished.  None of that matters.  What mattered was the interview itself and the viewers watching it.  That's it. 

[daMamma]

Personally I'm thinking it is just killing them that they can't get the Pres. to react badly.  He fights fire with facts, keeps a civil tongue, keeps his face pleasant and body language fairly neutral.  They just can't seem to get him to fight or lose control.

[0whole1]

Personally I'm thinking it is just killing them that they can't get the Pres. to react badly.  He fights fire with facts, keeps a civil tongue, keeps his face pleasant and body language fairly neutral.  They just can't seem to get him to fight or lose control.

I reckon -- talking out of ignorance here -- that they want him to react badly *because he's black* and he's calm in the face of blatant ridiculousness because *he has a lifetime of experience doing just that because he grew up black in America*.

Just noodling.

[Jaime from Wasilla]

It is almost like the Faux news talking heads (and the whole right wing) approach interviews or dialogue like it is a hockey game, and you have to prevent the other guys idea from getting in the net. They use interruption, and rapid fire rhetorical questions without waiting for an answer, as a technique for blocking the net, preventing the other guys ideas from even being spoken clearly. It is nearly impossible to hear a good idea through the noise.

Only one problem - an interview or dialogue is not a hockey game. It isn't about scoring points like a hockey game. Points in a debate or dialogue are scored by refuting the opponents ideas with better ideas. And by preventing/obstructing communication of ideas - nobody wins. Hopefully at least some of the fans of Faux news are beginning to see how rude and stupid this type of behavior really is, but I'm not gonna hold my breath.

When I heard the interviewer say "I didn't mean to interrupt..." I started yelling at the TV. It would have been poetry if Obama had gently asserted "You lie!"

[daMamma]

When I heard the interviewer say "I didn't mean to interrupt..." I started yelling at the TV. It would have been poetry if Obama had gently asserted "You lie!"

Oh yeah, that would have been pleasing.  But our Pres. has more class than that.  Personally I don't think I could have resisted the urge!   

[boodog]

Personally I'm thinking it is just killing them that they can't get the Pres. to react badly.  He fights fire with facts, keeps a civil tongue, keeps his face pleasant and body language fairly neutral.  They just can't seem to get him to fight or lose control.

Fox and it's followers seem to believe that there is something awfully sneaky about someone who won't yell, name-call or even throw a punch when provoked. They confuse mature behavior with macho. It's all about how many jabs you got in and how great you looked doing it.

[daMamma]

Fox noise and their followers look an awful lot like a bunch of spoiled and foolish little children in light of their behaviour and constant 'baiting' trying to force a stupid reaction from the President.  It seems to me that they are just dying for a 'gotcha' moment they can use to prove what an uncivilized, unqualified dolt we have in the White House.

I wonder if it has dawned (not that they'd admit) on them that Ms. Curic(sp?) and Mr. Gibson asked intelligent questions in a civilized manner to their queen of empty-hardheadedness and got gibberish in return.  This was deemed "gotcha journalism".  Here we have the opposite going on.  Gibberish and childish questions and actions from their *cough* 'journalistic' staff and getting intelligent civilized answers.
 

[Irishgirl]

Quick question here......did the "gotcha journalism" phraseology originate from the 2008 campaign?

[Sirenoftitan]

  (with daMamma's post) - yet another instance of where the 'rules' don't apply.


edited to make sense - Irish was quick off the mark 

[0whole1]

Personally I'm thinking it is just killing them that they can't get the Pres. to react badly.  He fights fire with facts, keeps a civil tongue, keeps his face pleasant and body language fairly neutral.  They just can't seem to get him to fight or lose control.

Fox and it's followers seem to believe that there is something awfully sneaky about someone who won't yell, name-call or even throw a punch when provoked. They confuse mature behavior with macho. It's all about how many jabs you got in and how great you looked doing it.

They react to everything as if it were a game of high school football.

[Centerline]

The interview was about 20 minutes long.  Obama was interrupted, but I am left to wonder; like most politicians, I do believe that the President would have gone on for 20 minutes on the first question alone.   There should not have been those interruptions, but how long does it take to answer a "yes" or "no" question?

While I am most definitely not an advocate for FOX, the questions asked did seem reasonable, as I did not see any type of "gotcha" questions for the President to answer.