What's up with Obama's obsession with press-conferences?

I have been following Obama's transition into the Whitehouse. I'm a supporter of the guy but I don't think he said he would have daily press conferences on his campaign website. What's up with this? I still don't think I understand him. Obama sure is an interesting person. What's up with his obsession and press conferences? They seem to be happening every day now...

Mind pursuasion, mind manipulaiton, mental implantation, and basically to shove his face into your every thought and sleeping dream so that it will be much easier for him to do the dirty deeds after January.

He will become that familiar tune in your head you cant get rid of.


Cheers!!!!

Perhaps Obama knows he's not that good at public speaking outside a speech context and is 1. practising 2. "flooding the market" with press conferences.

Jeez guys,

Don't you think it's better when the president gets out in front of the press and announces some things and maybe answers some questions? I mean would you rather he didn't do that, and just keep everyone in the dark as to what is going on day to day? Wouldn't that make him more like Bush?
Oh I get it, you guys were all thrilled with Bush's style of presidency.

reply to post by liquidsmoke206


It's not that. It's just that he's almost too open. It's just that I think he could probably have these announcements made without having so many press conferences. At the very least this will probably keep him from smoking though.

too open?

I thought everyone was all for transparency...??????

Do you even know what exactly yer beef is here with Obama?

I'm not a huge fan of the guy either, but I don't mind that he is running his mouth a lot on camera....it's fodder for ATSers. In the coming months we'll catch him in a huge lie.

reply to post by Frankidealist35


I think a large part of it is that he simply likes the attention.

reply to post by Frankidealist35


Haha I hate politics and I'm somewhat of a supporter of Obama even though I'm not American, but you're thread's title Frankidealist35 describes exactly what going on with the Pres-Elect.

It does seem as if that's all he's been doing lately, of course he's not in office yet so let's give him a chance in the oval office before we label him another Bush(no pun intended).

Nice one Frankidealist35

Happy New Year everyone!!

its called "Neuro-linguistic programming", and i suggest you get used to it.

Originally posted by liquidsmoke206
Jeez guys,

Don't you think it's better when the president gets out in front of the press and announces some things and maybe answers some questions? I mean would you rather he didn't do that, and just keep everyone in the dark as to what is going on day to day? Wouldn't that make him more like Bush?
Oh I get it, you guys were all thrilled with Bush's style of presidency.

You presume that (1) a press conference is a sign of openness and that (2) the press is actually going to be critical of Obama.

Neither are true. Obama is the master of saying nothing - he could hold press conferences for 8 hours a day and no one would be any close to figuring out his policies.

Press conferences are mostly scripted. And certainly the press has no interest in being critical of Obama - they are literally the church choir that he preaches to. They would be asking him if he could take his shirt off so they could get more pictures of those abs than pesky complex topics like the deficit or wars in the middle east. While there may be 1 or 2 journalists in the White House press core that is willing to be critical of Obama, his operatives know who they are and will never call on them - and if he does by accident - they won't have a job much longer after that if they are critical.

[edit on 2-1-2009 by LowLevelMason]

I'd give him a break....he won the election and he is a good speaker (read. likes to hear himself talk) and is trying to disclose his cabinet level picks and give a head's up on potential policy matters (read, likes to look presidential behind the "office of the president-elect" podium against the backdrop of all of those American flags. But,,,the economy of the country is in turmoil so you cant blame him for wanting to ease the transition.

I may have assumed it was a sign of openness, and I suppose the term is relative, but it's hard to argue that no press conference at all is better than at least saying something. I never assumed that the press would be critical. I in fact expected ATS members to fill that roll. I get what yer sayin but still, I'd take the press conference to nothing at all.

I may have assumed it was a sign of openness, and I suppose the term is relative, but it's hard to argue that no press conference at all is better than at least saying something. I never assumed that the press would be critical. I in fact expected ATS members to fill that roll. I get what yer sayin but still, I'd take the press conference to nothing at all.

Originally posted by Frankidealist35
I have been following Obama's transition into the Whitehouse. I'm a supporter of the guy but I don't think he said he would have daily press conferences on his campaign website. What's up with this? I still don't think I understand him. Obama sure is an interesting person. What's up with his obsession and press conferences? They seem to be happening every day now...

The thing that comes closest to mind is the name of a song
put out by "Living Color" - "Cult of Personality"

Living Color - Cult of Personality

Before you bash the living hell outta me, check the lyrics, and
listen to the song here on youtube:

Living Color - Cult of Personality ( music vid )

It has some very wise words in the song.

I think Obama is very scared for the country though, and I think
he is aware of the level of anger, fear, and anxiety gripping the country.

Ohio Unorganized Militia - hints at 2nd civil war in Senate 2008

There are other things that are not publicly known that also most
likely have him very concerned and he wants to try to calm the
fears, anxiety and anger.

Mr. Johnson who is the spokesman for some of the Militias speaks
to why some of the ppl are angry, the anxiety is due to what is going
on here at home and abroad around the world.

The country could tear itself apart with just a few minor screw ups
escalating into major screw ups.

The financial mess is a good example of what should have been
taking care of by the SEC while it was happening, but ended up
as a major screw up due to croneyism and corruption.

The worst is yet to come in that area.

The worst is yet to come with Israel.

The worst is yet to come with Pakistan.

The worst is yet to come with Aztlan.

Aztlan Rising

The do nothing days of our government have born fruit that
will have a bitter harvest.

I am ready, and all who read this need to think about it.

From without and within that weak threads of sanity are slipping.

The Russians have made their plans for a collapse spreading
around the world once the USA enters complete meltdown.

Yamantau - Nuclear Bunker for 60,000+ in Russia

They rushed to completion this complex even while the financial crisis
has been going on.

As Churchill said:

"The era of procrastination, of half-measures, of soothing and baffling expedients, of delays, is coming to its close. In its place we are entering a period of consequences." - Winston Churchill, 1936

How telling that quote is even now to what is coming.

Ask any politician what his best weapon is and he/she will tell you it is the press conference.

The best and easiest way to do absolutely nothing while appearing to do something is the press conference.

Yes, i enjoy listening to his press conference's and hearing his plans to continue GW's legacy of destroying the country. Trillions in debt? Screw it !! Let's spend more!!! Yay!!!

I also can't wait for the whole 10 dollars a week i will receive from his tax cut. Holy crap i'll be rich!! It will be even better when i lose my job! Hurray for Obama!!

To me this sounds like a bunch of people complaining for the sake of complaining.

After one of the most covert, secretive, closed presidencies in modern history, we have a president-elect attempting to bring an air of openness into the office (whether it’s real or just a facade), and what happens? He's accused of being an egoist and too open, while not actually saying anything in the conferences...

And yet, if he didn't have the number of press conferences, which isn't one every day but, yes, he does have quite a few (rightly so, why shouldn't he?), the same people who are now saying he's having too many press conferences would be saying he's not having enough of them, and not explaining his vision for America, and isn't showing enough leadership, etc.

Honestly, is this what our capacity for political discourse is reduced to? If so, it is a shame…or maybe its all just a sham.

Originally posted by drsmooth23
its called "Neuro-linguistic programming", and i suggest you get used to it.

LOL....not sure that video is real, but it was very entertaining. And I think you may have a good point.

It's probably because press conferences offer the best in HD quality teleprompters.
...but I agree with the Wigger dude, it's fodder for ATS and we'll eventually catch him in some lie.

[edit on 4-1-2009 by The Scarecrow]