WASHINGTON (Reuters CAIRO) - After months of self indulgence in the media too, as some critics, President Barack Obama these days often avoid the questions from the press at the White House. Obama closes the Oval Office that is usually used to hold a question and answer session with reporters, he also withdrew from the press conferences, much different from what he did at the beginning of his term.
President Obama, that level of popularity has declined sharply, has never held a formal press conference within a period of 22 weeks, since 22 July. The press conference on May 23 ended badly, at that time, Obama engage in racial controversy by calling a white police officer had done "something stupid" when an arrest of a Harvard University professor who is black.
"There is absolutely no coincidence that the last time he (Obama) dealing with the press, we finally found Obama drank beer at the Rose Garden, along with Henry Louis Gates (Harvard professor) and James Crowley (white policemen who arrested Henry), when the focus should be is a matter of health benefits, "said Julie Mason, a reporter for the Washington Examiner White House that also cover the performance of the Bush administration for the Houston Chronicle.
"Apparently, they instead provide a response to the argument (which states that Obama is) too self-indulgence in the media and try to limit the president's appearance," he said.
The veteran reporter who covered the White House complaining about the limited - or even the lack - access to contact the president of the Democrat Party in his promise as a presidential candidate said he would implement full transparency.
In a recent trip to Asia, Obama just answer a few questions, even in the session "a joint press conference" with Chinese president Hu Jintao, Obama did not answer any questions from journalists.
In a press conference with leaders of foreign countries, Obama is limiting the number of questions asked to him to be into each of the questions from U.S. reporters and foreign korensponden, as happened last week, when Prime Minister of India, Manmohan Singh, was in Washington . Obama did the same thing while in Asia and held a press conference with Japanese Prime Minister and President of South Korea.
In an unusual step done, the U.S. president to change the practice of allowing reporters into the Oval Office to ask some questions informally after a meeting held the presidency is finished, usually with a foreign leader. Obama's meeting with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of Australia at all closed to the press, even the photographer, said the White House.
"It's really surprising and unusual, because there is absolutely no picture taking session at the beginning and end of President Obama meeting with leaders of allied countries such as Australia," said Mark Knoller, a veteran White House reporter, told CBS radio.
On Tuesday, Obama will announce its policy on the war in Afghanistan at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York. He will not answer questions from reporters after the announcement.
White House spokesman describes the situation when asked reporters on Monday. "I think the last time we get questions about the president, if I'm not mistaken, was not at that time stated that the president too much exposing yourself?" Robert Gibbs said.
"Difficult for me to imagine that the president was willing to receive so many questions, whereas before many say that the president was too self indulgence in the media, but it seems a new thing happened when he did not answer the questions in sufficient quantities," he said.
White House spokesman adds, "The president enjoyed the questions from you guys, as well as questions from the reporters in this process. So did I - with the assumption that the president will continue his policies."
President Obama answering direct questions from reporters all over television stations and cable television on his way to Asia, including a question from Major Garrett of Fox News, which avoided Obama's last press conference on the White House. Obama has held at least 139 press interviews with reporters, said Knoller.
Obama made equal to its predecessor. According to Knoller count, Obama has held five official press conference at the White House within the first 10 months since taking office, not much different from President George W. Bush, who held four press conferences in the same period.
Bill Plante, a veteran CBS News reporter who usually covered the White House, said that the U.S. president does have a tendency to lie prone to avoid the press from time to time, at least for a while.
"Currently, the residence of Obama have anything to do with the announcement of Afghanistan," he wrote in an electronic message. "Bush (senior and junior), Clinton, Reagan - they all have periods in which they chose not to answer the question, the reasons vary, ranging from economic problems, enmity with Iran or Monica Lewinsky."
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