Washington - More than 100 journalists crammed into the
White House's tiny press room - formerly an indoor pool - to hurl
questions at US President Barack Obama's new press secretary Robert
Gibbs on Thursday.
Gibbs strolled into the room 10 minutes late for his first moment
in the media glare, flanked by an eight-member entourage from the new
president's communications staff.
'How are you all?' a smiling Gibbs asked as he surveyed the crowd
of reporters gathered staring back at him. 'I'm great.'
The good humour was not returned. Gibbs received a one-hour
grilling from journalists on everything from the planned closure of
the Guantanamo Bay prison camp to Obama's plans for the shrinking
economy and the embarassing do-over of his swearing-in ceremony.
Perhaps it was the heat, all the more notable when compared to the
sub-zero temperatures just outside the small room. Print journalists
stood shoulder-to-shoulder with dozens of photographers and
television cam operators for the first opportunity to challenge
Gibbs.
'We should sell tickets,' Gibbs quipped. 'Have it go to the
deficit or something.'
The soft-spoken Gibbs handled the onslaught relatively calmly,
cracking jokes with some reporters and confidently making his way
through the sea of hands in the crowded room.
Gibbs exhibited little passion in his answers, a characteristic
common to many his predecessors as White House press secretary.
Having served as Obama's communications director for much of the
gruelling two-year presidential campaign, Gibbs is no stranger to the
press inquisition.
The 37-year-old Gibbs, whose Alabama roots bring a southern drawl
to the position, has been Obama's chief spokesman since he was
elected to the US Senate in November 2004.
Yet those who expected the press secretary to represent the
'change' that embodied Obama's presidential campaign will likely be
disappointed.
Gibbs ducked questions and used many of the same tactics of
repetition and caginess employed by past press secretaries. He
refused to 'prejudge' the findings of a Guantanamo taskforce being
formed by Obama, when asked about the administration's plans for the
Cuban prison.
Asked many times over why Obama felt it necessary to take the oath
of office a second time on Wednesday - after Chief Justice John
Roberts erred on a word during Tuesday's inauguration - Gibbs
repeatedly referred to the statement put out Wednesday night: It was
taken out of 'an abundance of caution.'
There were few mistakes during Gibbs' first press conference, but
also little new information. Perhaps the most notable flub was when
Gibbs blew the cover of a background briefing on Guantanamo that was
held one hour before Gibbs took the stage.
The White House refused to allow reporters to cite by name the
individuals who held the background briefing. Those efforts became
moot as Gibbs repeatedly referred to 'Greg' - presumably White House
counsel Greg Craig - during the nationally televised briefing.
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