Brit journo Billy Kenber is currently at the Washington Post as a Stern scholar. He penned an article at WaPo in which he wrote that he found “the extent of the cult of celebrity surrounding the Obamas striking.” Lapdogs at Politico recently ran cover for the incredibly shrinking cult, but Kenber was partially referring to the press pool itself.
CBS’ Mark Knoller took some issue with the article and took to Twitter to explain:
On loan to the WPost from the Times of London, Kenber covered Pres Obama's Martha's Vineyard vacation, including some press pool duty.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) August 19, 2013
Kenber calls the White House press pool & its presence on all presidential movements “a peculiar U.S. tradition.”
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) August 19, 2013
Kenber is right that often the WH press pool never gets more than a distant glimpse of the president.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) August 19, 2013
But when they do, some squee that “it’s a treat!”
But what’s important is that when the President of the United States is out in public, members of the WH press corps are with him.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) August 19, 2013
Except when they aren’t allowed, natch. Transparency!
So-called “death watch” coverage often doesn’t produce news, but if something were to happen, the press pool is there to report on it.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) August 19, 2013
By having a press pool with the president, we always know where he is and what he is doing. Even if its just dinner out at a restaurant.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) August 19, 2013
The press, meanwhile, gets fed “glazed charm offensive” donuts!
Kenber notes there’s no comparable press pool in the UK for its Head of State – the Queen. She's never had a press conference either.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) August 19, 2013
@PolygraphPols That's why we get paid to do things like boring press pools. But if something does happen…we're there.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) August 19, 2013
Knoller isn’t whining about being “prisoners” like some lapdogs did recently. But, this Twitter user has a question:
@markknoller But that's only when it's innocuous things like 'dinner out', or his 6th round of golf. Where was he during #Benghazi ?
— Steve Parks (@Ipaddlecanoe) August 19, 2013
Bam.
@Ipaddlecanoe He was at the White House.
— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) August 19, 2013
Sigh.
Twitter users, including Drudge editor Joseph Curl, react to the article:
HA! Brit reporter sits in on WH beat and finds 'the extent of the cult of celebrity surrounding the Obamas striking.' http://t.co/CUSfSfu1OK
— Joseph Curl ❎ (@josephcurl) August 19, 2013
Great take WaPo's @billykenber, from Times of London, on POTUS "cult of celebrity" & covering Obama's golf games http://t.co/a0TiNzPtbv
— Philip Rucker (@PhilipRucker) August 19, 2013
Apparently it takes a Brit, @BillyKenber, to call out our ridiculous aggrandizement of the presidency. From WaPo: http://t.co/OLBbA1dEmj
— Alec MacGillis (@AlecMacGillis) August 19, 2013
Eric Boehlert whined, natch:
pple waving to POTUS=aggrandizement? MT @AlecMacGillis it takes Brit, @BillyKenber, to call out our ridiculous aggrandizement of presidency
— Eric Boehlert (@EricBoehlert) August 19, 2013
@EricBoehlert @billykenber Not the waving. The vacation media pool, the paparazzi…all the trappings of the imperial presidency.
— Alec MacGillis (@AlecMacGillis) August 19, 2013
Heh.
The article also went on to lament the fact that poor, little Obama has no privacy and other Twitter users note a few things about the journo himself.
@josephcurl @JammieWF After reading the piece, I believe the Brit reporter is in love with Obama as well.
— Lisa Haines (@Leisal) August 19, 2013
@josephcurl True, but the article is a pity party for Obama. Fails to note Obama fomented his cult of celebrity to win office.
— Kristinn Taylor (@KristinnFR) August 19, 2013
@josephcurl @jeffemanuel Obama ran hard to win this job…twice!
— Carolyn (@zorn17) August 19, 2013
@josephcurl @instapundit If the Obama's *really* want to be left alone, they should go to Camp David. #nevergonnahappen
— Mary Living in a dysfunctional purgatory (@akamom1996) August 19, 2013
Some smell sanctimony:
@AlecMacGillis Yes, they are good at the self righteous lectures towards Americans. @billykenber
— R. S. S. (@_R_S_S_) August 19, 2013
@PostBaron @chucktodd @billykenber Peculiar is the never ending British lecture on journalism and American journo's willingness to accept.
— R. S. S. (@_R_S_S_) August 19, 2013
Summed up in a hashtag nutshell:
#WeNeedRoyals MT @alecmacgillis a Brit, @billykenber, call out ridiculous aggrandizement of presidency. From WaPo: http://t.co/kOyBGfEt9B
— Sean Garren (@SeanGarren) August 19, 2013
Related:
Cue tiny violins: White House travel press complain of being ‘prisoners’ during Obama’s vacations
Lapdogs swoon! Non-lapdogs guess Obama’s next Egypt move; Note something he won’t say
It’s a ‘treat!’ Journos squee over Obama’s Vineyard golf outing (Plus mock-worthy pic)
Media breathlessly report on ‘charming’ Obama: ‘Do I get to ride the train? I always loved the trolley’ [pics]
Glazed charm offensive? WH chief of staff hands out ‘please-dont-report-on-Benghazi donuts’ to press
Love hurts: WH press corps ticked at no access to Tiger Woods/Obama outing; Where’s the transparency?
Reporters learn that unrequited Obama love hurts
Unrequited love: Team Obama snubs national media, thinks People magazine, ‘Entertainment Tonight’ as important