Your posts are always thought provoking, Tara. Well hindsight is always 20/20. From this point in time it seems like it was a bad idea. It’s a way for presidents and their representatives to put on a show. It’s a tool to control the narrative. When a corrupt press is part of the equation the people don’t get the truth. It becomes a circus which is sometimes amusing, but mostly frustrating for thinking intelligent folks. On the other hand it does put the hypocrisy and deceit on full display. The question is do the majority see through it or are they easily fooled by every distraction. Praying fervently for our troubled Republic.
Thank you Tara for the inside baseball from the old line press regarding JFKs first televised press conference. Interesting.
I think that live and frank press conferences with genuine questions and answers is a great thing to let the American people see and hear from their President.
However, they have varied greatly in that regard. From Ronald Reagans easy and confident style to our current one, there's a marked difference in style, and content. Or, there's no press conference at all, again as we now have because live, unscripted interaction would provide a look at what we actually have.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy was one of the greatest Presidents in U.S. history and he wasn’t afraid of “the people”! He shared his thoughts openly so “the people” could know his thoughts without the press altering his thoughts!
Kennedy was so transitional of a president. I’m sure the Democrat Party would love to have a Kennedy again… on second thought would Kennedy even be a Democrat today? He lowers taxes, strong defense, very patriotic, that is a question to ask.
🇺🇲 Doesn't seem like it's worked the way JFK planned. The media controls the narrative now more then ever.
Those reporters, worried about respect for the office need not have worried. The Presidents and media have pretty much removed any respect that the office should command. 🇺🇲
I think the press corps has become more disrespectful to the office of the Presidency, yet we currently have a President that is so baffled at answering questions that he doesn’t hold press conferences any longer and his press secretary never really answer questions.
Good read Tara. Personally I think it’s great we can see how the president handles slight pressure to uncomfortable questions get a better handle on how this person will handle bigger pressure situations
That's a good refresher on how our presidents have kept in touch with those that have sent them to govern. Kennedy was right in doing so, just as the fireside chats were useful in their day. We have become so polarized as a nation that often the press conference is more of a battleground than an information sharing device. Prayers for our leaders in this tumultuous time.
It is a great means to go directly to the American people that it is popular. Regretfully, there is a lack of respect for the office by much f the press and it has turned into a clown show all to often. The current President has sadly been pushed onto that stage although his mental clarity is now very doubtful. I personally think it a shame in how they have done him and I would have thought his family would have stopped him from running. Most spouses would have I think.
I am truly amazed that Biden was elected President. He was an absolute do nothing as a Senator and totally exhibited his Corruption as a VP. Joe should have stayed in his basement.
"The press thought it “the goofiest idea since the hula hoop.”
"Others objected because they thought the conferences would turn into spectacles, disrespectful to the office of the President."
Isn't it amazing how both of these lines of thought have matured? I think they have not only become disrespectful of the office of the President, but disrespectful of the American citizenry.
I worry about two things with regard to the use of live broadcasts for Presidential press conferences. One is the motive of the President himself. We shouldn’t assume that his intentions are to truthfully inform and assure the American public. The other is the ability of the American public to parse and think logically about the content of the President message or answers to questions. There is so much spin. Are we listening to discern and draw conclusions? Or are we listening to regurgitate a particular sound bite to prove our point. Americans have every right to hear or see their President give a live press conference. It is also their responsibility to listen carefully, not be hoodwinked and hold them accountable. America belongs to “We The People”
Now with [televised] visits of our President into our living rooms (and cell phones), the entire world can hear and see our leader when he chooses to speak to us. No matter how “Nobel” his speeches or (blunders), we can see the [man] for all his worth. We don’t need a reporter staff to tell us what, he truly said to the public.
Our leadership of the early Republic, didn’t have such a communication with “The People”.
Your posts are always thought provoking, Tara. Well hindsight is always 20/20. From this point in time it seems like it was a bad idea. It’s a way for presidents and their representatives to put on a show. It’s a tool to control the narrative. When a corrupt press is part of the equation the people don’t get the truth. It becomes a circus which is sometimes amusing, but mostly frustrating for thinking intelligent folks. On the other hand it does put the hypocrisy and deceit on full display. The question is do the majority see through it or are they easily fooled by every distraction. Praying fervently for our troubled Republic.
Well said Patty 👏 👌 👍
Thank you Tara for the inside baseball from the old line press regarding JFKs first televised press conference. Interesting.
I think that live and frank press conferences with genuine questions and answers is a great thing to let the American people see and hear from their President.
However, they have varied greatly in that regard. From Ronald Reagans easy and confident style to our current one, there's a marked difference in style, and content. Or, there's no press conference at all, again as we now have because live, unscripted interaction would provide a look at what we actually have.
Exactly Wally......I'm afraid that the current press we have now has Failed this Country!
Thoughtful comment, Wally.
I agree with Patty. Very goo Wally.
John Fitzgerald Kennedy was one of the greatest Presidents in U.S. history and he wasn’t afraid of “the people”! He shared his thoughts openly so “the people” could know his thoughts without the press altering his thoughts!
Thank you, Tara, for this fine story!
Kennedy was so transitional of a president. I’m sure the Democrat Party would love to have a Kennedy again… on second thought would Kennedy even be a Democrat today? He lowers taxes, strong defense, very patriotic, that is a question to ask.
JFK would be a Republican today. Not far “right” but more conservative than todays liberal party.
I wonder. His nephew was a Democrat, now an independent . . . .
And he is not liked by the Democrat party.
🇺🇲 Doesn't seem like it's worked the way JFK planned. The media controls the narrative now more then ever.
Those reporters, worried about respect for the office need not have worried. The Presidents and media have pretty much removed any respect that the office should command. 🇺🇲
I think the press corps has become more disrespectful to the office of the Presidency, yet we currently have a President that is so baffled at answering questions that he doesn’t hold press conferences any longer and his press secretary never really answer questions.
It is truly a sad affair from both sides.
❤️🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Good read Tara. Personally I think it’s great we can see how the president handles slight pressure to uncomfortable questions get a better handle on how this person will handle bigger pressure situations
Exactly.
Be it a boastful, blundering, saddened, or profound wisdom, we get to hear “what the President is made of.
In Kennedy’s time it was a good thing I believe. Back then communism hadn’t taken over the demoncrat party.
But now it is all scripted, and the questions afterward
are scripted and the current POTUS can’t even read off a teleprompter without messing it up.
It has become a clown show, and dog and pony show with the press all in for one side.
Biden’s handlers won’t let him do it without cutting the mic if he goes off script.
We didn’t have a POTUS like Obama who absolutely hates America in Kennedy’s time.
It's now a farce, used by the state run media to prop up their candidates and try and destroy those they politicly hate.
That's a good refresher on how our presidents have kept in touch with those that have sent them to govern. Kennedy was right in doing so, just as the fireside chats were useful in their day. We have become so polarized as a nation that often the press conference is more of a battleground than an information sharing device. Prayers for our leaders in this tumultuous time.
It is a great means to go directly to the American people that it is popular. Regretfully, there is a lack of respect for the office by much f the press and it has turned into a clown show all to often. The current President has sadly been pushed onto that stage although his mental clarity is now very doubtful. I personally think it a shame in how they have done him and I would have thought his family would have stopped him from running. Most spouses would have I think.
I am truly amazed that Biden was elected President. He was an absolute do nothing as a Senator and totally exhibited his Corruption as a VP. Joe should have stayed in his basement.
Yes it is nothing short of elder abuse. Very sad to watch.
It really is. Sad.
Live televised press conferences are a good thing...better if they’re unscripted, but quite telling if they are scripted 😉
"The press thought it “the goofiest idea since the hula hoop.”
"Others objected because they thought the conferences would turn into spectacles, disrespectful to the office of the President."
Isn't it amazing how both of these lines of thought have matured? I think they have not only become disrespectful of the office of the President, but disrespectful of the American citizenry.
I worry about two things with regard to the use of live broadcasts for Presidential press conferences. One is the motive of the President himself. We shouldn’t assume that his intentions are to truthfully inform and assure the American public. The other is the ability of the American public to parse and think logically about the content of the President message or answers to questions. There is so much spin. Are we listening to discern and draw conclusions? Or are we listening to regurgitate a particular sound bite to prove our point. Americans have every right to hear or see their President give a live press conference. It is also their responsibility to listen carefully, not be hoodwinked and hold them accountable. America belongs to “We The People”
As with so many topics: The more knowledgeable and attentive "We the People" are, the better everything works.
That sums it up perfectly, Tara.
Now with [televised] visits of our President into our living rooms (and cell phones), the entire world can hear and see our leader when he chooses to speak to us. No matter how “Nobel” his speeches or (blunders), we can see the [man] for all his worth. We don’t need a reporter staff to tell us what, he truly said to the public.
Our leadership of the early Republic, didn’t have such a communication with “The People”.
Certainly seems like the job of President has become more "acting." Most press conferences these days are a joke.