Here's a snippet of what CBS's Bob Schieffer has said:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/...
It's reached the point that if I want to interview anyone in the administration on camera, from the lowest-level worker to a top White House official, I have to go through the White House press office.
If their chosen spokesman turns out to have no direct connection to the story of the moment, as was the case when U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice was sent out to explain the Benghazi episode, then that's what we (and you, the taxpayer) get. And it usually isn't much.
Let's think retrospectively for a bit: During Bill Clinton's years as president, I don't recall the presidency being noted for secrecy.
However, when President George W. Bush took over and for a couple of terms, that changed the whole picture. For what Schieffer is complaining about President Obama I should point out was much worse during Bush's presidency.
Sure, we have problems with President Obama and yes, even with his administration's communication policy but making a special commentary like this seems to indicate that the Obama administration somehow isn't even listening, which is not the case. For any special commentaries, I'd really appreciate something more meaningful Bob Schieffer could discuss: The unemployment situation in the U.S. The global warming situation. Or hell, what about the current riots in Sweden?
Instead, Bob Schieffer chose to make a special commentary on the way the White House deals with the press. No offense Bob but we've heard this before and in all due respect, it ain't going to get better anytime soon no matter how much you complain. President Obama is dealing with a lot of problems right now, particularly a brain dead GOP-run Congress that is putting Bob Dole's legacy to shame by continuing to obstruct Obama's once-productive agenda. If you don't like the way the White House is dealing with you guys, well, that's just too bad sir.
And furthermore Mr. Schieffer, you had your chance to make a special commentary like this when President Bush was running an even more secretive administration. Since Obama has been basically cleaning up Bush's mess.
No, it is not President Obama's credibility that is hurting. It is yours, Mr. Schieffer. Please do yourself a favor and focus on other more pressing issues to report in the news. And do a better job next time rather than your passive approach during President Bush's administration during the Iraq War.
This isn't the first time Bob Schieffer has attacked President Obama. After Obama's recent counterterrorism speech, Schieffer had this to say:
"It's a redrawing of strategy on how we're going to confront terrorism," Schieffer said. "The president said yesterday -- the quote that everybody is picking up is that, 'This war, like all wars, must end,' but you just cannot declare 'this war is over.' It takes two to tango, as it were. The war will be over when the terrorists stop attacking us.
"And I think the government's going to have to be very careful that this is not misread by those on the other side," Schieffer continued. "This does not mean, as I understand it, that we're going to stop tracking down these terrorists or any of that kind of thing or confronting them when we find them. It means that, for one thing, we're going to bring this large force of people home from Afghanistan and use those resources in a different way. But there's going to be a lot of controversy about this. ... A lot of Republicans are going to say 'this is premature, this is not yet over,' and that it will be misunderstood.
"
What on earth is Bob Schieffer talking about? First off genius, President Obama didn't say "this war is over." He said, "This war must end." That means, he's making a call to action, not a premature declaration of the end of war on terror.
Seriously sir, that has got to be the most half assed analysis I've ever seen. And for all these years you've worked at CBS. Oh boy.
And Bob Schieffer doesn't stop there. He has an assessment on the IRS scandal situation as well:
http://www.cbsnews.com/...
It did take awhile for the news to get to some quarters. We've heard that the President said he didn't find out about it until last week. Last week!
Which qualified him for Washington's fastest-growing club: the longer and longer list of officials who suddenly don't know much about a lot of unpleasant things, from Benghazi to the Associated Press investigation.
At this point, spare me the talking points and the excuses. No matter whether Republicans or Democrats are doing this kind of thing, this stuff is not just wrong, it's really stupid, and it will take more than firing a few temps and low-level bureaucrats to fix it.
The president won re-election with a smart political team, but the election is over. Maybe he should look now for people of substance who know about other things who could help him govern.
I've got news for you, Bob Schieffer: Barack Obama is president, not you. Second, President Obama doesn't oversee the IRS. The IRS oversees itself. The situation at the IRS was more internal and the people running the organization were not quick to report this to the White House or even Congress.
And you just lost your credibility with even mentioning the Benghazi into the context of supposed problems that are not making Obama govern well.
This is like saying problems never existed in President Bush's two terms and all of a sudden, they're happening under President Obama's watch. Oh I'm so sick and tired of this air headed reporting.
But I could be wrong. Maybe Bob Schieffer is right. I'm always open to being enlightened.