When Guilds Attack: MSM Reporters Kind Of Curious About Blogger Getting To Ask Question Today

There's a bit of a dust up today about Huffington Post's Nico Pitney getting an invite to the White House press conference today with the assurance he'd get to ask a question.

Frankly, I don't get it.

Pitney has been doing yeoman's work on Iran. This isn't news to anyone following the story. Obviously the White House noticed it and reached out to a reporter/blogger who would normally not be at an event like this (though I imagine he could have gotten a credential if he'd asked).

Yeah, it's a little clubby to basically give a guy a guarantee that he'd get to ask a question but so what? Obama can call on whomever he wants. He knows before he goes out there who he will pick, so what's the big deal? Yes, Obama also knew it was very likely that Pitney would ask about Iran. Again, so what? It was the story of the day and has been for a week. Now, if Obama had knowledge of what the question was, that would be different but I haven't seen anyone claim that.

This strikes me as a little bit of guild jealousy. The White House press corps may think they are the only ones qualified to ask tough questions but clearly they aren't.

Pitney asked a question submitted by a reader in Iran that was totally legit.

Under which conditions would you accept the election of Ahmadinejad? And if you do accept it without any significant changes in the conditions there, isn't that a betrayal of -- of what the demonstrators there are working to achieve

Obama's answer was telling...he punted by saying it was up to the Iranians to decide. Well yes and no. They are 'debating' that now but the US is free to make an independent judgment and base its interests and actions accordingly. Again, Obama took a pass and was very passive. That was telling.

Let's be honest Pitney has done more on this story than most msm reporters. I don't see the big deal in letting him follow it up this way.

Plus, when the next Republican President invites Ace to ask a question, we can point to this example and tell the left to stick it.

posted by DrewM. at 03:08 PM

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