The First Press Conference

Posted on 11/07/2008 at 3:17 pm by Bob Cesca

Just some random reactions.

• Yet another chills moment this week when the press stood up as the president-elect entered the room.

• Paul Volcker is a gigantic human being. The president-elect isn’t short, but next to Volcker, he looked small.

• How great is it that the words “middle class” were all over the president-elect’s remarks? We’ve come a long way from an administration dedicated to “the have mores.”

• How great was it to not hear smirky snark, but rather good-natured humor, coming from our chief executive? By smirky snark I mean, “I earned capital in this campaign, and I intend to crap on your face. Eh-eh-eh!”

• This isn’t going to be 1993. The Obama administration clearly plans to move, move, move. The domestic priorities: the middle class, stimulus package, job creation, small business, health care, auto industry (keep ‘em clean, sir!) and energy.

• “A mutt. Like me.” And America. We’re a mutt nation.

ADDING… From Lee Stranahan in the comments:

The press was nervous because Obama had his whole posse on stage with him and you do NOT want to have Robert Reich get all double maverick on your ass.

And apropos of nothing…

• Richard Schiff, who played my favorite character Toby Ziegler on The West Wing, misspelled “Barlet” in his otherwise excellent Huffington Post essay today. (Pssst, Richard… Bartlet has one “t”, not two. And yes, I’m a geek!)

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  • Stranahan

    I’m so fucking happpy. Those are my thoughts.About mutts – America, baby – forward to 2:40 in this clip…http://tinyurl.com/5hfp5x

  • GItheJOE

    I still haven’t let this sink in yet. We have a President that enjoys press conferences. When asked about super secret squirrel stuff. He calmly replies that I can’t go into to that. Not because he is trying to hurt American but to protect it. Middle Class will be renamed the “the Obama Class” after all his laws are passed. The DOW didn’t drop off the map either. It was so refreshing to watch our new President. Still haven’t let it sink in yet.

  • brutlyhonest

    no Nancy Reagan seances

  • http://livefreeordie08.wordpress.com LiveFreeOrDie08

    QT and I both noticed that the press was uncharacteristically nervous. What do you suppose is different about this PC vs. all the others?

  • Terry4505

    Couple of thoughts:1. I love his sense of humor. I love that he can laugh at himself, unlike W, who made jokes at others expense (you know, like blind reporters wearing sun glasses).2. I am going to have to adjust my perspective from campaign Obama, to President Obama, because he is much more serious in a press conference setting.3. The talk about picking the dog was a hilarious, human moment.

  • Stranahan

    The press was nervous because Obama had his whole posse on stage with him and you do NOT want to have Robert Reich get all double maverick on your ass.

  • GItheJOE

    Does anyone believe that W. could never say the word, “Hypoallergenic”? Or that he would give a crap about a reports broken arm. “I am Jack’s total lack of Surprise.” My life revolves around movie quotes.

  • dontpanic23

    Some great moments, especially the dog (and I loved that clip from “Stripes”, Stranahan) and the seance part.LFOD: I think the PC are excited to be dealing with a president who has a brain of his own for a change, and isn’t automatically blowing lies out his asshole when not making fun of people. I also think all but the worst of the press wingnuts were pulling for him, secretly or not, because they would be dealing with someone reasonable (which even Robo-McCain had strayed from during the campaign).

  • JG

    very, very impressed, and no BBQ bullshit either. This guy is special–I really have to say I am so glad he won out over HRC. She is incredibly talented and smart, but he is the right guy for these times.

  • KatinWilm

    Dude….that was awesome! What a fantastic change to have a president (elect) who actually sounds intelligent – like he knows what he is talking about (because he does) and doesn’t snicker through the whole thing!One thing that struck me – Obama mentioned “reviewing” the current administration’s policies and bailout package a couple times and also referred to his transition team “monitoring” the next couple months. I think that sends a big signal to the Bush administration that the Obama team will be on top of what is going on during the lame duck session and will have no compunction with throwing anything they don’t like out the window on January 21st.

  • tiadebella

    If we’re going to engage in geeky quibbles over spelling… “Bartlet” has two t’s, not three.;-)

  • Poleezz

    What it was. Thoughtful intelligence. Ahhhhhh…how refreshing!

  • 24hourjack

    there are so many tremendously awesome moments going on right now which make me so f’in proud to be not only an american but a liberal american.last night bill maher compared mccains concession speech to kerry’s in 04′.guess what?noone booed when kerry said bush’s name.and at that point people had a legitimate reason to be booing george bush.