We have heard some bizarre questions from reporters in the White House press pool over the years, but yesterday, Mediaite’s Tommy Christopher took it to a whole new level when he peppered White House Press Secretary Jay Carney with some downright bizarre questions about Obamacare and the debt ceiling debate.
“It is so simpleminded and pandering that I wonder if there's something wrong with him,” Glenn said of Christopher on radio this morning. “Because listen to this question asked by Mediaite yesterday in the press room.”
CARNEY: Tommy.
CHRISTOPHER: I have three questions.
CARNEY: Three?
CHRISTOPHER: Yeah. First of all, I don't know if you're aware of this but when I had a heart attack three years ago, I was uninsured and haven't been able to get insurance ever since then. Listening to all the pressure on the president negotiate a lot from inside this room made me think, is there a chance the president would be willing to delay Obamacare for a year if Republicans were to agree to delay heart attacks for a year?
“Okay. Stop,” Glenn said. “Notice that there's nobody in the press room laughing. Nobody laughed at that because that is such an outrageously stupid question. You seriously question the man's IQ. I mean, what, are you applying for a job? Is that what you're doing? Really, is that what you're doing? Are you applying for a job? Would the President delay Obamacare for a year if the Republicans decide to delay heart attacks for a year?”
“I mean, that's just mindless stupidity,” Pat agreed. “And it went on. There was more.”
CHRISTOPHER: My second question, I was talking to my mom this morning actually and she asked me to ask you to please open government back up again. And I know you can't just do that, but she's really worried about her Social Security check. And I told her, you know, don't worry, Mom, we'll get it taken care of; I don't want you to worry. But, you know, Steve Rattner last night said that October 23rd is one of these drop-dead dates, you know, when stuff starts to pile up. And so I guess my question is, you know, should she be worried?
CARNEY: What I would say about that which goes to the issue of the debt ceiling is that the basic premise of the United States always pays its bills on time is not jeopardized. So that's the position the President has taken.
“Okay. I'm talking to Mommy? So I'm already questioning his IQ on the first one,” Glenn said.
“Tommy's talking to Mommy and Mommy wants to know about the Social Security check… You cannot default. He is picking and choosing. You cannot, according to the Constitution, default. And why no one will say that is beyond me. If you aren't paying your Social Security checks, that, again, will be by choice – the President's choice, not Congress' choice. And if anybody thinks that the President would choose not to pay Social Security, then that says something about the President of the United States… Now, here's the third question.”
CHRISTOPHER: Do you remember the last debt ceiling deal there was a plan floated that was called the McConnell plan where congress would authorize a debt ceiling increase for, I think it was a year, year and a half, and it would hold a vote every so often so the Republicans could vote no, but it would require 2/3 majority to overrule. So it gave the president the authority. Is something like the McConnell plan in the air now, being discussed now? And if not, why not?
“Oh, those are three hard-hitting, brutal questions,” Pat quipped. “I'm worried about whether the Republicans will agree to delay heart attacks for a year… That's got to be embarrassing. How do you let the guy back in the office? [Mediaite has] got some actual people who work there, some real journalists who work there and are really trying to do some actual work. And then you got this clown? Really?”
“I mean that's the guy you send to the White House,” Glenn asked. “Tommy and his Mommy?”