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New Deputy White House Press Secretary: Twitter.com?
July 17, 2009 5:43 PM
ABC News' Yunji de Nies Reports: The White House Press Corps are usually the first to get wind of a presidential news conference. First come the whispers, then comes the official word -- usually in an email from Press Secretary Robert Gibbs or one of his deputies. Today, there had been buzz of a pending presser all afternoon, but no official word from the White House. Then, at 4:23 p.m., the announcement came -- from an unexpected channel: Twitter.com.
The tweet read "@whitehouse You heard it here first: Primetime presidential news conference at the White House, Wed. 7/22 @ 9PM EDT"
When asked whether there was in fact, a news conference scheduled for next Wednesday, a White House aide said, "It is on our White House Twitter, so yes, I can confirm."
Julie Mason, Washington Examiner reporter and at-large White House Correspondents' Association board member-elect, says the announcing a major news event via the niche-medium bothers her.
"If the administration wants to have a twitter conference, then Twitter is the way to go. For a press conference? Notify the press," Mason said.
UPDATE: Exactly two hours after the @whitehouse twitter post, the White House sent out an official email announcing the press conference to the White House Press Corps.
July 17, 2009 in White House | Permalink | Share | User Comments (18)
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Twitter is Fantastic. I absolutely love it and they are very different from other similar places, as they do give you more ways to communicate and enjoy it at the same time.
Posted by: Good Luck Charms | Jul 25, 2009 4:55:25 PM
Since the majority of 20 Mil uninsured are illegals and the Rich will be tapped to pay for them, maybe the Rich will finally take a stand and put pressure on the administration to deport them. That would certainly save a lot of money. We can only hope.
Posted by: Betty Williams | Jul 19, 2009 8:58:03 PM
Yes the right wing has found another place ,wonder what they say about their favorite Governor who tweets daily and sometimes continually and the tweets make no sense.Talk about childish tweets from a quitter who can't take the heat and tells half truths or complete lies and now we have found out why she may have passed the mess that is in Alaska to the Lt Governor LOL
Posted by: janet | Jul 19, 2009 3:43:28 PM
"Which Obama will we see?"
__________________________________
Same one we always see, and thank God we don't have to look at Bush or Cheney or their smug, 'who are you to ask me anything?' faces again.
Posted by: danita | Jul 18, 2009 4:43:22 AM
_____________________________________
I agree. Same one we always see...
President Above-It-All...
Narcissist-In-Chief...
Obama
Posted by: Traffic Cop Timmy | Jul 18, 2009 3:37:54 PM
Not again. This man is nothing but a frustrated actor. Give him a weekly show. Only someone else write his lines. Because his present writer has multiple personality disorder.
Posted by: mewp | Jul 18, 2009 11:32:14 AM
Remember MySpace?
Yeah, that used to be cool.
Twitter will get sold to MSN, Google or Yahoo and it will make the creators gazilliions. Bravo to them!
It will be old news in a year or so but that's no reason the White House shouldn't jump on board the fad for over-connected, self-absorbed, superficial, over-sharers.
Posted by: Danilo | Jul 18, 2009 11:30:21 AM
Jake, the comments on your blog remind me of free republic. The right wing has found a home here. Wonder why they love you so much.
Posted by: Kit | Jul 18, 2009 11:19:02 AM
Or maybe punch drunk Obama?
Posted by: dee2008 | Jul 18, 2009 10:21:13 AM
tjp, I have another Obama it could be. How about the Obama who talked to the NAACP the other day? The one who all the sudden developed an "Urban" accent. Seemingly so to be relevant to his audience. Hmmm. Makes you wonder.
Posted by: bessrad | Jul 18, 2009 10:17:09 AM
>
Hmmm... Last time I checked a "press-conference" required "press" to ask the questions. Without the press there, it's just Obama reading his teleprompter again. So, yeah, the press needs direct notification and the WH shouldn't confuse things with impromptu tweets.
Posted by: Dee2008 | Jul 18, 2009 10:05:45 AM
That's the Obama white house -- all style -- look at us! We're cool! We use Twitter!" -- and no substance.
Posted by: liz | Jul 18, 2009 7:28:06 AM
"Which Obama will we see?"
__________________________________
Same one we always see, and thank God we don't have to look at Bush or Cheney or their smug, 'who are you to ask me anything?' faces again.
Posted by: danita | Jul 18, 2009 4:43:22 AM
I believe the White House press corps would get more respect from the White House if, for example, they would please stop censoring Barack Obama's personal physician.
Posted by: James Salsman | Jul 17, 2009 9:58:25 PM
Oh, goody, another prime time press conference. Must we?
I'm counting on you for an original and solid question, Mr. Tapper. If, of course, the president deigns to call on you. I suspect you're not the administration's favorite member of the WH press corps.
Posted by: moderate | Jul 17, 2009 9:55:34 PM
There are gonna be another 7 1/2 years of Obama
It would be 6 1/2, and that's only if somebody broke a mirror.
Posted by: bgates | Jul 17, 2009 9:46:15 PM
As if a press conference is for press ears only.
Someone needs to tell Julie Mason to get over herself.
Posted by: evie | Jul 17, 2009 9:41:57 PM
That's pretty funny.
And tjp612, pace yourself. There are gonna be another 7 1/2 years of Obama. I don't want you to have a nervous breakdown.
Posted by: mike from Arlington | Jul 17, 2009 9:13:59 PM
"Primetime presidential news conference at the White House, Wed. 7/22 @ 9PM EDT"
Which Obama will we see?
The motherly Obama who scolds us?
The petulant and childish Obama who throws a temper tantrum?
The "non-partisan" Obama who lauds the bi-partisanship within Congress (even though minority Republicans get shut out of meetings and have proposed amendments receive no consideration)
The "sky is falling" Obama who tells us "we cannot wait" (see "stimulus package")
Or, perhaps it will be a repentant Obama who will try to make amends for his extremely poor showing in today's press conference...
One thing for sure: We will not receive many details regarding his proposed plans; we'll be told "mis-truths" (call them lies if you with) regarding how ObamaCare will be "cost neutral" and we'll be told again that we will not lose our private insurance plans (which is a half-truth...we will not lose them immediately, but over time the "public" (government) option will crowd out private insurance - how could it not? The govt. does not need to make profits and makes all the rules)
Posted by: tjp612 | Jul 17, 2009 6:52:38 PM
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