Current Events > Article: 'Why I did not take selfies with Obama'

(+) Yeah! (+)

https://conversationswithslava.substack.com/p/coming-soon

When I was sent out to cover Barack Obama in 2008 I liked Obama, I think all the reporters did, we all thought he was cool -, but when I first went on the plane, I went back into the press section and I saw that all over the press section the reporters had pasted pictures of themselves posing with Barack Obama. I was like a high school yearbook room, you know. This was like a ritual that everyone has done where, you know: Oh, we have all taken our own cool pictures with the cool candidate. And again, back in the seventies, you would never have seen reporters, you know, doing that kind of thing. It was considered unseemly to be seen even shaking hands with a politician and there was a big culture shift in the business where suddenly the idea is we are on the other side of the rope line now, you know, we are part of the system, we dont mind being pals with the president or the candidate. I was really shocked by that. It took me a while to get over that. And I had arguments with people on the plane about that. But for me thats the perfect illustration of how this generation of reporters doesnt see itself as separate in the same way that people in Seymour Hershs day would have, for instance.

Interesting read. This is really how I felt about the Obama administration, a whole lot of self-congratulatory back patting.
---

It does paint a poor picture of media personnel, when you can see them clearly falling head over heels for a person and losing their professionalism over it.

But hey, we're all human.
---

tote_all posted...

pinky0926 posted...

This is really how I felt about the Obama administration, a whole lot of self-congratulatory back patting.

Lmfao how is that related to the article.

Because Obama was an absolute media darling and could do no wrong, even when he was doing wrong. But look at how funny he was on Conan. I think it's a shame that there was so little criticism of him outside of the usual conspiracy whackjob right wing circles.
---

The fact that Obama is charming is not a bad thing.
---

I didn't really care for the way that Obama tried to be like a celebrity in office, it came off as unprofessional. I'm glad that we've gone back to a quiet, dignified statesman with Trump in office.
---

pinky0926 posted...

tote_all posted...

pinky0926 posted...

This is really how I felt about the Obama administration, a whole lot of self-congratulatory back patting.

Lmfao how is that related to the article.

Because Obama was an absolute media darling and could do no wrong, even when he was doing wrong. But look at how funny he was on Conan. I think it's a shame that there was so little criticism of him outside of the usual conspiracy whackjob right wing circles.

i used to love obama bought into all the hype was so fucking happy when he won in 08 and voted for him in 2012.

But the constant bombings, the deporting record amounts of people, the lack of progress on so many important things, bailing out the fucks who killed the economy, lack of transparency killed him for me.

He was the best president in my lifetime, yes, but that's a fucking low bar.
---

im a journalist with liberal ideals

does not compute

im with a liberal candidate that I believe in

error error error

I want to take a picture with the person I believe in

ILLOGICAL ILLOGICAL ILLOGICAL
---

The funniest thing about Obamas presidency was when SNL made that skit about him saying everything I promised hasnt happened yet, followed by the media swarming to ask but how accurate is an SNL skit really?
---

DifferentialEquation posted...

I didn't really care for the way that Obama tried to be like a celebrity in office, it came off as unprofessional. I'm glad that we've gone back to a quiet, dignified statesman with Trump in office.

This shitpost gets the X-Pac_Heat seal of approval
---

AdviceMan posted...

The fact that Obama is charming is not a bad thing.

The fact that people gave him a pass for so much because he was charming is, though.
---

Not My President
---