Comments on: Online Town Hall With The President http://deanesmay.com/2009/03/26/online-town-hall-with-the-president/ Defending the liberal tradition in history, science, and philosophy. Sun, 12 Feb 2012 00:15:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: CosmicConservative http://deanesmay.com/2009/03/26/online-town-hall-with-the-president/#comment-171415 CosmicConservative Mon, 30 Mar 2009 21:10:39 +0000 http://deanesmay.com/?p=15464#comment-171415 Somehow all of the "random" questioners ended up being major supporters of Obama during the campaign and election. To which I hear a resounding "duh!" What really cracks me up about Obama is how much of the Left's caricature of Bush he is turning into reality. Somehow all of the “random” questioners ended up being major supporters of Obama during the campaign and election.

To which I hear a resounding “duh!”

What really cracks me up about Obama is how much of the Left’s caricature of Bush he is turning into reality.

]]> By: Dean Esmay http://deanesmay.com/2009/03/26/online-town-hall-with-the-president/#comment-171345 Dean Esmay Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:09:17 +0000 http://deanesmay.com/?p=15464#comment-171345 It appears to me that he attempted some sort of format where he wouldn't know what all the questions would be. That's something you *can* do in these scenarios. That, to me, still doesn't get to the essence of why the formula usually doesn't work. It appears to me that he attempted some sort of format where he wouldn’t know what all the questions would be. That’s something you *can* do in these scenarios. That, to me, still doesn’t get to the essence of why the formula usually doesn’t work.

]]> By: Kevin D. http://deanesmay.com/2009/03/26/online-town-hall-with-the-president/#comment-171340 Kevin D. Fri, 27 Mar 2009 08:07:56 +0000 http://deanesmay.com/?p=15464#comment-171340 I see nothing "town hall" about cherry picking the questions you want to answer from a pool of over 100,000. Certainly nothing honest about it. Obama wants to do a town hall meeting? Then actually do one. You are right about propaganda, Dean. And Obama is using it in a dishonest fashion. He's wants to maintain the appearance of "talking to the people" but knowing the questions beforehand? No, that's blatant dishonesty. Put out a press release if you want to push an agenda. But covering yourself in some cloak of open discussion when, in fact, you have no actual intention of doing so? If that's not dishonest I don't know what is. I see nothing “town hall” about cherry picking the questions you want to answer from a pool of over 100,000. Certainly nothing honest about it.

Obama wants to do a town hall meeting? Then actually do one.

You are right about propaganda, Dean. And Obama is using it in a dishonest fashion. He’s wants to maintain the appearance of “talking to the people” but knowing the questions beforehand? No, that’s blatant dishonesty.

Put out a press release if you want to push an agenda. But covering yourself in some cloak of open discussion when, in fact, you have no actual intention of doing so?

If that’s not dishonest I don’t know what is.

]]> By: Dean Esmay http://deanesmay.com/2009/03/26/online-town-hall-with-the-president/#comment-171339 Dean Esmay Fri, 27 Mar 2009 05:22:15 +0000 http://deanesmay.com/?p=15464#comment-171339 There's nothing wrong with the President controlling the agenda in any particular settings. And actually, there's nothing really technically wrong with propaganda--which is, after all, just a message with a point of view. Propaganda in and of itself is not bad, if it's not dishonest. If it's honest, then it's just people with a point of view making their case. That's important, especially in a leader. I simply think that the specific "town hall" format is very weak. There are better formats for getting tough, surprising questions from people who aren't "professional press." This is just a format that I've rarely seen work (and I still haven't actually seen all of this latest attempt by the President, so it may be better than previous attempts I've seen, I hope to see the whole thing by the weekend). There’s nothing wrong with the President controlling the agenda in any particular settings. And actually, there’s nothing really technically wrong with propaganda–which is, after all, just a message with a point of view. Propaganda in and of itself is not bad, if it’s not dishonest. If it’s honest, then it’s just people with a point of view making their case. That’s important, especially in a leader.

I simply think that the specific “town hall” format is very weak. There are better formats for getting tough, surprising questions from people who aren’t “professional press.” This is just a format that I’ve rarely seen work (and I still haven’t actually seen all of this latest attempt by the President, so it may be better than previous attempts I’ve seen, I hope to see the whole thing by the weekend).

]]> By: MikeLyons http://deanesmay.com/2009/03/26/online-town-hall-with-the-president/#comment-171336 MikeLyons Fri, 27 Mar 2009 01:47:07 +0000 http://deanesmay.com/?p=15464#comment-171336 The problem with any interaction with the President (outside of a one-on-one format with an adversarial interviewer) is that the President and his staff have an overwhelming motive to control the interaction. But controlling it turns it into simple propaganda for his agenda and not "answering to the people". Let him go on FoxNews and answer tough questions if he wants an open and transparant administration; otherwise he is just wasting my time. The problem with any interaction with the President (outside of a one-on-one format with an adversarial interviewer) is that the President and his staff have an overwhelming motive to control the interaction. But controlling it turns it into simple propaganda for his agenda and not “answering to the people”. Let him go on FoxNews and answer tough questions if he wants an open and transparant administration; otherwise he is just wasting my time.

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