We waited a month for that?
April 29, 2009 9:20 pm ET by Jamison Foser
On March 24, President Obama held a press conference without calling on the New York Times, causing some chatter among Establishment media.
Tonight, the Times got its chance to ask the President a question -- and Jeff Zeleny used it to ask "What has surprised you the most about this office, enchanted you the most about serving in this office, humbled you the most, and troubled you the most?"
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He did have a little trouble speaking about what he found enchanting. Somehow the military came to mind, but the military as enchanting is not the kind thing that goes down well. He turned it to appreciation of the people in the military. Not bad, still I wonder if the echo chamber will do something with it.
Not that the military can't be enchanting, sexy, playful, and perhaps spiteful. These are not terms that a CiC is expected to use to describe the country's military...usually.
Q: "What has surprised you the most about this office, enchanted you the most about serving in this office, humbled you the most, and troubled you the most?"
A: That's a very good question Jeff... let me see... I'd say that was has surprised me the most about the Office, has been the unbelievable fascination that certain elements of the media have, with the most unimportant stuff, stuff like my new dog and teleprompters and the gift we gave to the Queen of England, and the familiar way my wife greeted the Queen, stuff like that, too much stuff to even waste time mentioning here... I'd say that my wife and I both have been enchanted, by the way that all of the White House staff and everybody else associated with the Office, treat our two daughters... I think that 'enchanted' is how I'd describe myself and Michelle, at how well and considerate our girls are treated here... I'd say the most humbling part of the Office, is the hushed almost reverential almost Sacred manner, in which most People treat the President of the United States... most people that is, other than those certain elements of the media I just referred to [laughter]... and as far as the most troubling part about the Office?
Let me see... I'd say the most troubling part of the Office I'm now in, is the smell left behind by the previous holder of this Office, by George W. Bush [laughter]... it's sort of a sulfur smell! [roaring laughter]