Sam Donaldson Rejects Comparison To Reporter Who Interrupted Obama

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Huffington Post

Sam Donaldson Rejects Comparison To Reporter Who Interrupted Obama
Posted: 06/16/2012 1:12 pm Updated: 06/16/2012 1:18 pm

NEW YORK -- Shortly after Daily Caller reporter Neil Munro interrupted President Barack Obama's remarks on changes in immigration policy Friday, Editor-in-Chief Tucker Carlson suggested to The Huffington Post that the reporter's actions were similar to those of former White House correspondent Sam Donaldson during the Reagan years.

In a later official statement, Carlson again mentioned Donaldson when taking issue with ABC News anchor Diane Sawyer dismissing Munro as a "heckler."

“I don’t remember Diane Sawyer scolding her colleague Sam Donaldson for heckling President Reagan," Carlson said. "And she shouldn’t have. A reporter’s job is to ask questions and get answers."

But Donaldson, remembered for his aggressive questioning during the Reagan years and for sparring with White House press secretaries as an ABC News correspondent, rejected the comparison to Munro.

Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/16/sam-donaldson-tucker-carlson-daily-caller-obama-interrupted_n_1602526.html

[hlthe2b]

1. You truly left out the best part... from Donaldson's statement...

What this man did yesterday is something new, to me wrong and unusual. I think it is probably the result of the growing incivility of the times, the competition among reporters and news organizations to be noticed not only for the work product but for the theatrics of the gathering…and there is one more factor, let’s face it: Many on the political right believe this president ought not to be there – they oppose him not for his polices and political view but for who he is, an African American! These people and perhaps even certain news organizations (certainly the right wing talkers like Limbaugh) encourage disrespect for this president. That is both regrettable and adds, in this case, to the general dislike of the press on the part of the general public.

For Tucker Carlson to say that he would if he can give this man a raise for this rude attempt to interrupt the president is reflective of what I’ve said above and, to me, lowers my opinion of Tucker.

More at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/16/sam-donaldson-tucker-carlson-daily-caller-obama-interrupted_n_1602526.html


Yeah, Sam... That is tremendous.

[siligut]

4. ". . . lowers my opinion of Tucker."

Hard to get any lower.

Good for you Donaldson. I can imagine Sam scurrying away from a press conference like Neil did.

[WingDinger]

11. Tucker Carlsons shining moment, was his chairdance, on dancing with the stars.

Fact, I am going to TRY to find it. Oh here it is!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[siligut]

13. I had not seen that

Now I feel kind of sorry for him.

[wordpix]

46. omgoddess, that is so funny! really enjoying the clumsy doofus

[wordpix]

47. "the problem started when you stood up" ----bwahahhahaha

[graywarrior]

51. Wow, he'd be great at getting a lap dance done for him

[WingDinger]

8. Jumpin' Jehoseweightchallenged DAMN.

That breaks barriers far more effectively, regarding taboo things than interrupting. Sam is on fire, and this critique of interruptus oedipal
disrespectus give him a raise Tucker Carlson, must be responded to in another venue. This is a direct charge of some buncha racists by official media. WOW. Rethugs aint gonna like that.

[Overseas]

17. Excellent! Thank you for highlighting it.

[emulatorloo]

23. He said this perfectly n/t

[jaysunb]

33. Telling it EXACTLY like it is !

Thank You Sam

[GeorgeWW3]

40. If the shitwad got a raise

it would be the first payment he has ever actually received for playing journalist on his own nickel. Huff Post pays nothing, why would a greedy little shriveled nut sack George Will impersonator pay for theatrics and gossip from a alien limey who can't behave himself? I'd like to see him interrupt the Queen without getting disemboweled.

[rtassi]

52. +1

[MADem]

2. That is PURE horseshit. Donaldson always waited until Reagan had finished speaking.

Reagan often did not take questions, and Donaldson had a voice that could cut through ten inches of steel--he could be heard even if Reagan had the hearing aids set to "CHS==Can't Hear Shit."

Donaldson never spoke out of turn, he bellowed when there was no opportunity to ask questions, just as the other reporters did (less effectively than SD). Often, it worked--Reagan would turn, and respond. After a while, it was a cat-n-mouse game. Reagan would EXPECT SD to bellow, and have a quip handy--it made for good television all around.

I LOVE what SD said about this:

Never once did I interrupt a president in any way while he was making a formal statement, a speech, honoring awardees or in any other way holding the floor. Yes, almost always when he was finished in the Rose Garden or in the Briefing Room or at a photo opportunity with other world leaders I tried to question him (only rarely was it a shout on the rope line, more often a more normal tone of voice) and other reporters of course did the same thing along with me.


What this man did yesterday is something new, to me wrong and unusual. I think it is probably the result of the growing incivility of the times, the competition among reporters and news organizations to be noticed not only for the work product but for the theatrics of the gathering…and there is one more factor, let’s face it: Many on the political right believe this president ought not to be there – they oppose him not for his polices and political view but for who he is, an African American! These people and perhaps even certain news organizations (certainly the right wing talkers like Limbaugh) encourage disrespect for this president. That is both regrettable and adds, in this case, to the general dislike of the press on the part of the general public.

For Tucker Carlson to say that he would if he can give this man a raise for this rude attempt to interrupt the president is reflective of what I’ve said above and, to me, lowers my opinion of Tucker.

[citysyde]

3. Well, of course it is! What would one expect

from Tucker Carlson OTHER than pure hose manure?

[MADem]

5. Actually, he's not even classy enough to be PURE horseshit!

At least the good stuff will fertilize the roses!!!

[hrmjustin]

15. Well said my friend!!!

[chelsea0011]

28. This is the way it has always been. Reporters have always yelled out questions to a POTUS

after he speaks and is walking away without asking questions or has taken questions and is done and walking away. What happened yesterday had nothing in common with anything like that. I honestly believe that having a black POTUS encourages disrespect from the RW. Racists fill that party. I can't think of another reason that they show so much disrespect to the office of POTUS.

[randome]

48. I can't think of another reason, either.

The more I TRY -just for the sake of objectivity- to see things as NOT racist, I always end up at a dead end.

[Hassin Bin Sober]

45. I seem to remember Reagan's team had Marine One rev up the engines to drown out questions.

Donaldson could bellow over the chopper sounds.

[MADem]

50. Precisely! nt

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

6. "A reporter’s job is to ask questions and get answers."

Carlson really expects us to believe Munro was just asking questions? He was arguing with the President and asking rhetorical questions. When Obama asked him not to interrupt Munro said "no, you have to take questions". You have to take questions? Munro was treating Obama like an underling. It's clear he wasn't there to ask questions but to argue and talk over the President which he tried to do.

[siligut]

7. Stop letting these bigotted fanatics pretend they are somehow noble in their ideas.

Giving Carlson any credibility is an insult to journalists.

[FailureToCommunicate]

9. Sam's too polite. Tucker is a sad little jerk...

[corkhead]

43. Tucker "Earl of Salisbury" Carlson

[valerief]

10. Is Donaldson an immigrant like Munro? nt

[Deepstots]

14. why is it all about race?

i never hear race brought up as much as i do here......

[hrmjustin]

16. Welcome to du!

I don't think it has to do with race. The guy was a jerk and should have let the president finish.

[lunatica]

19. What else is it about?

[quaker bill]

21. They did not interrupt Clinton, Bush I, Bush II, Reagan, Carter, Ford, Nixon....

No one yelled out "you lie" during any of their State of the Union Addresses. (Though I am quite sure many lies were told by at least two of them.) The "press" did not interrupt their prepared remarks.

What is different about this President from all the others who came before? They are all males and nearly all of them were freely elected to office. Why the lack of simple common courtesy to this one, and not the others? There is nothing this President has done that is less worthy of courtesy than Nixon. Do you have a better theory?

BTW, welcome to DU.

[tibbiit]

38. The first year, many school systems wouldnt let him address the incoming students

That is another example of how they have treated him.
tib

[MrSlayer]

22. It isn't ALL about race.

It's just mostly about race. The other part of it is merely about being an asshole. Right wingers love to be assholes and bullies. They live for that kind of shit, they're just truculent, vituperative, cowardly punks.

[KT2000]

25. Sam Donaldson said it perfectly

I think the RW has shown their disrespect for Obama in blatant ways. Remember when joe Walsh yelled "you lie" at the State of the Union address?
Showing disrespect like that is the dog whistle to the bigoted faction of the repub. party.

[lastlib]

30. (that was Joe Wilson. Joe Walsh is the deadbeat Dad)...

... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...

[KT2000]

32. Thanks -

There are so many of them now - I'm getting them mixed up!

[roody]

31. because so many right wingers hate Obama

They can't admit it is about race.

[progressivebydesign]

34. because there is a pattern of complete disrespect of the President...

.. in an unprecedented way from the republicans and media. So when Clinton was president do you recall any racist jokes being told at republican rallies? How about jokes about Clinton's race being sent around via email? Did republicans refer to him as "boy?" Did the media pundits have a standard meme about him "being in over his head?" and other dog whistle comments???

It has everything to do with race. It was decided the minute he was clearly going to win that election, that they would tear him down every day, and in ways that had to do with race. Are you unaware of the PAC that supports Romney that is planning to hire a "articulate black man" to tear down Obama?

I'm sorry but I find your question to be disingenuous.

[SemperEadem]

37. well, get used to it if you want to be here

because it IS about race.

funny how it was never done to bush and he did far worse to the country and the office of the presidency.

[madashelltoo]

20. I know Sam Donaldson is pissed they

even said Tucker's name in the same sentence as his. You failed, Carlson. Your imp failed too. Now, go on, lick your wounds and sit in the corner.

[rhett o rick]

24. If you can stomach it, take 5 sec and go to The Daily Caller

and send asshole Carlson a "tip". Tab is on top right of the home page.

[A Simple Game]

26. Now Tucker, do we have to send Jon Stewart to pay you another visit? n/t

[chervilant]

41. +1 (lol) n/t

[BarbaRosa]

27. It seem to becoming the gop standard lame response,

. . . but reagan had it worse. . .

[LuckyLib]

29. As someone on the DU caption Munro thread pointed

out, Munro even looks disrespectful. Loose tie, hands in pockets, no notebook, just hanging around waiting to be seen. Sam Donaldson challenged the bullshit Presidents would shovel out, but he did it as a reporter, not a provocateur. Munro's lack of respect for the office AND the man holding it was evident by his behavior and demeanor. Obama put him in his place. And as for Tucker? He was wearing knee-socks when Sam Donaldson was on the White House beat.

[progressivebydesign]

35. Munro kind of makes me miss Jeff Gannon. n/t

[chervilant]

42. AND

playing with his winkie...

[SemperEadem]

36. two erroneous statements in that reporter's remarks in the story

Munro, who serves as the Daily Caller's White House correspondent, said in a statement that he "timed the question believing the president was closing his remarks, because naturally I have no intention of interrupting the President of the United States."

1. they meant to say he used to serve as the WH correspondent. He'll never be allowed on the grounds again come monday. (/speculation)
2. The president ALWAYS says "I'll take questions now" when he is done with his remarks to open up the floor to reporters. The president hadn't said that, so either munro is a liar or this is proof of the premeditation of his actions.

[randome]

39. Well, he WOULD say that.

Because he's right. There is no comparison and everyone knows it.

[NYC Liberal]

44. Reporters these days don't just report news, they now have to be PART of the news.

It's the sad truth.

[BumRushDaShow]

49. I can't believe my eyes

Sam Donaldson made that statement?

But then again his name was used in vain.

You know it's bad when jerks like Chris Wallace and Geraldo Rivera come out and condemn you. I guess Munroach has become the Trump of the media. Full WhitePrivilege™ mode engaged.