From Jake Tapper and Mary Bruce at ABC News comes this:
President Obama hasn’t formally taken questions from the White House press corps in more than two months, while on the campaign trail in Iowa yesterday he made time for reporters from People Magazine and Entertainment Tonight.
His last news conference was at the G20 in June, when he answered six questions from three reporters on the European debt crisis, the conflict in Syria, and the notion of politics stopping at the water’s edge.
The White House press corps has not formally been given the opportunity to ask questions of the president on U.S. soil since his appearance in the Briefing Room on June 8 (when he said “the private sector is doing fine.“)
If you’re looking for an explanation, you can stop right there. Coupled with this Politico story about how Joe Biden’s handlers are working overtime to keep him from self-destructing, you see that the pattern is to court manufactured “press opportunities” not substantive press conferences.
The White House press corps might as well just pack up shop and go home until after the election. They won’t be calling on you anytime soon.
