Laura Bush's former flack is on quite a tear. First there was this. And now he's mocking Obama for having a private meeting with journalists:
We are not making this up: Barack Obama was elected commander in chief promising to run the most transparent presidential administration in American history. This achievement and the overall promise of his historic administration caused the National Newspaper Publishers Assn. to name him “Newsmaker of the Year.”
The president is to receive the award from the federation of black community newspapers in a White House ceremony this afternoon. The Obama White House has closed the press award ceremony to the press.
Tip to Malcolm: don't do snark if you don't have a clue.
As Michael Scherer at time.com notes:
I am advised by the White House that exclusive access was granted to the NPPA [sic]...on terms similar to the access granted regularly to lots of media organizations for exclusive interviews. The organization or its members are expected to make a record of the event.
Press members from the NNPA have been granted exclusive access to Obama and will write about their time with him. But the NNPA does not want other journalists to be in the room when they meet with Obama because that would rob the NNPA of its exclusivity.
Andrew, let us know if you're having trouble following that simple premise.
UPDATE: Lots of conservative bloggers, like Ed Morrissey at Hot Air, can't quite grasp the facts. Not surprising.