MSNBC: After 100's of interviews @ Obama town hall no evidence WH hand picked audience

[sabra]

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/

<snip>

*** Obama’s town hall vs. the others: One question we’re getting: Why was the president’s town hall so staid compared with all the other town halls we’re seeing? Our theory is the Secret Service. One of us interviewed hundreds of folks who were in the town hall and outside, looking for ANY evidence of town-hall packing -- and we couldn't find any. Perhaps the White House should have attempted to distribute tickets through some GOP groups, like the state party, or Sen. Judd Gregg's office etc. In fact, it seems as if the White House was a tad disappointed they didn't get a moment for the president to confront a critic. The closest the president got was the question from the Maine Republican, who told NBC News that he did NOT vote for Obama. But this man seemed more nervous asking his question about the public option to the president than he did speaking to reporters afterward when he said he wasn't convinced on the public option. What this suggests: How people treat a president is MUCH different than how they'll treat a senator or a member of Congress. It may be a tough reality for a member of Congress to deal with, but it's where we are.

[babylonsister]

1. How bloody big of them to admit it. nt

[WeDidIt]

2. This Shows The Loudmouthed Cowards Are TERRIFIED Of Obama

They're too chicken shit to confront him.

How many DUers would have LOVED an opportunity to confront * on the IRaq War or the PAtriot Act, but were shuffled off to 'free speech zones' two miles away from the blivet?

[ecstatic]

5. Terrified or secretly smitten

:) :dilemma:

[ecstatic]

3. They were so convinced the WH was lying that they

conducted 100s of interviews? Well, I'll still give them credit for continuing the broadcast after it was clear they weren't going to get the drama they wanted. Unlike Fox.

[Cha]

12. I was thinking Yesterday when Pres Obama was

being accused of Plants that they should just interview the people who attended but that would never happen because they don't care.

Wasn't tweety one of them?

Chris Matthews [e-mail]

[SpiralHawk]

4. "Bama shudda followed my strategery. Smirk." -xCommander AWOL (R)

"Nothing like packin in a friendly flock of kool-aid guzzling Sheeple. We Republicon Homelanders knows how to fix an audience, and an election. Too bad for you Americans. Smirk."

- xCommander AWOL (R)

[CrownPrinceBandar]

6. Tweety and Cilizza were saying the crowd was picked.........

last night on Hardball. It enraged me immensely because just a few hours earlier, MSNBC reported that the crowds WEREN'T hand-picked by the WH.

[Cha]

13. Tweety needs contacting on this..

Chris Matthews [e-mail]

[orleans]

19. pissed me off too. n/t

[eleny]

7. Lawrence O'Donnell told KO last night, "That's why Senators want to be President!"

[spanone]

8. they are chickenshits

[tridim]

9. How long did they spend investigating Bush's bulge at the debates?

1 minute maybe? zero?

[fasttense]

10. Yeah, tweety's guests were saying the crowds were hand picked,

screened and carefully manipulated. Yet, they let that Republicon in to ask a question. There was no evidence of any handpicking for Obama. The Republicons are the only ones who stage public displays of affection or disaffection.

[glitch]

17. They ALWAYS project.

The only way they can live with themselves is if they believe everybody does it.

[Cha]

11. Well, this deserves a Big Howdy Do, a Rec'd, and

a High Kick!

Somebody on HERE yesterday was trying to say they were picked. Hello..Pres Obama doesn't need that shit.

[Canuckistanian]

14. And how does that compare with MSNBC investigations of Bush's townhall audiences?

I don't remember seeing the results of those investigations.

[stubtoe]

20. There were investigations??

mmmmm, I never even heard about those!

[gkhouston]

15. This is the #1 story that will not be reported by Andrea Mitchell today... n/t

[gkhouston]

16. As someone who's been at a few events where the Secret Service was, hell

yeah, I can believe that would have a dampening effect on assholery. They give off an aura of "don't start any shit" even in crowds where no trouble is expected.

[DCKit]

18. "...disappointed they didn't get a moment..." Bullshit.

I was watching yesterday when one questioner started going down that path and used one of their "sekrit" code words. Obama abruptly interrupted, set him straight with a concise argument then let him "finish" his question.

Swatting at flies again, eh Mr. President?