Subscribe to Breaking NewsWithers: Random press conference thoughts
It’s been noted by others much smarter than me that it was weird in last night’s presidential news conference that no reporter asked one question about Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner’s plan to rescue the banks. There was President Obama’s rhetorical smackdown of CNN’s Ed Henry. And did you ever think you would see an Ebony reporter asking a question at a White House press conference? My folks would have loved that.
The weirdest question was from ABC Radio’s Ann Compton. She confessed to being shocked on being called on (Come on girl! Keep that to yourself!) and then went to the race question. Call me biased but the media seems unable to let the “post-racial first colored guy to lead the country” thing go. Sure it’s historic that a country, whose history includes slavery and Jim Crow, elected a man of color to lead it. But the election is over, the inauguration is done. We all saw both happen. Now comes the governing part and harping on Obama’s race calls into question the whole “post-racial” America rhetoric. Obama’s answer was his standard response when faced with the ruminate on race requests. Give a nod to the history and move on.
Before you start typing: the reason “post-racial” is in quotes is because it’s a slippery term that does not do a decent job of describing our actual racial calculus.
Yhitzak Said: “The only realistic way to move beyond the present and the “current-racial” is to speak candidly about subjects that make us uncomfortable.”
I agree, but James also has a point in that this particular question has become a dead horse. Obama has answered it serveral times. Let the reporters go back and do research, or ask other more pertinent and original questions concerning race.
I am the last to wave flags for any Republican (except Colin Powell) but I watched Newt Gingrich being interviewed by Tavis Smiley the other night and he made a proposal that actually made sense. Newt suggested that those toxic asses should be packaged and auctioned off to private investors letting the market, rather than beaurocrats, set the fair market value with the Feds picking up the difference if a bailout was needed.
Yhitzak,
James is fine. I would have asked what took so long to get the plan out and how would he respond its lukewarm reception.
Sincerely,
James
The idea that this or any country is “post-racial” is laughable. Race and ethnicity are as deeply ingrained in our psyches as they are in our blood and skin. The only realistic way to move beyond the present and the “current-racial” is to speak candidly about subjects that make us uncomfortable. On the other hand, race and ethnicity are not things that we can alter, no matter how much we discuss them in any given venue.
I am curious, Mr. Withers, what question you would have asked regarding Tim Geithner or his plans for the financial industry. And I mean that sincerely, not being a troll (inflection is nearly impossible to convey through text).