August 16, 2009
Here’s what Gibbs had to say on consecutive days. As usual he lied and said he didn’t know how it was being done in Montana even though it’s been decided for weeks. Here Chuckie Todd head of barrymedia describes how it was first come first serve and how they made sure to pick on a guy who had “NRA” on his jacket.
WH Transcript 8-12
Q Who decides which of the many applicants for tickets to the town halls is actually chosen?
MR. GIBBS: Randomly by computer.
Q Totally random?
MR. GIBBS: Yes.
Q What about who gets a question?
GIBBS: The President asks people to raise their hands and picks on them.
[...]
Q Okay. He was asking the audience “Who’s a skeptic?” He seemed to be soliciting tougher questions. So to the extent that there weren’t as many of those folks present as we’ve seen in other town halls — not necessarily yellers, but people who have legitimate concerns — is there anything that you guys can do going forward as you approach these town halls to get an audience that’s more representative of divergent views? For example –
[...]
GIBBS: What I’m saying is, I don’t — I’m not assuming that the audience wasn’t in some ways representative. Again, I sense disappointment that he didn’t get yelled at. But I think there were a number of people in there that had concerns and wanted to ask the President directly. I think we’re going to continue to pick people randomly to come to a town hall meeting and they’ll raise their hand and the President will ask.
Q A smaller fraction of the audience, those tickets, as I understand it, go to offices through elected officials.
An enlightenment that Chuckie Todd said nothing about.
MR. GIBBS: I think Bill told you guys, the pool, that on Sunday or Monday.
Sarcasm alert:
Q A smaller fraction. Would you — but to Democratic lawmakers. Would you consider at any time to have a more open debate? Would you consider, for example, in Montana, giving to the Republican congressman?
MR. GIBBS: Savannah, I think the President feels very comfortable with the fact that he’s having a representative discussion despite people’s disappointment that he wasn’t yelled at.
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WH Transcript 8-13
Q And then secondly, you talked a little bit yesterday about the town halls and how people sign up for them. And I’m wondering if you could just give us a little bit more information. I’m curious how many people do try to get in. How far in advance do you put a sign-up list up on the Web site? Or just how does it work if I were a citizen wanting to come to a town hall?
MR. GIBBS: Well, obviously, the size is determined by the venue with which — and the capacity with which the venue can fill.
Q How far in advance do you advertise them?
MR. GIBBS: I don’t know — I don’t know how far in advance the Portsmouth one was. I know that a lot of this stuff is done through the local — local media outlets and the local paper that sends you to a Web site to sign up for.
Q And does the White House find that there are many, many people wanting to go that can –
MR. GIBBS: Sure, always.
Q — can get in, and it’s random, you said? Picked by computer?
MR. GIBBS: Random, yes — was for New Hampshire, yes.
Q Is it that way always?
MR. GIBBS: I mean, there’s different sign-up for different populations, but, yes, that’s the way it was done in New Hampshire.
Q Is that the way it will be done this weekend?
MR. GIBBS: I admit I don’t have clarity on how they’re — how it’s done this weekend.
Q Can we get that by the end of today, actually? I mean, I think that’s something a lot of our –
Joke deflection:
MR. GIBBS: You want to sign up?
Q — a lot of our editors and producers are going to want an answer for, which is, can you give us clarity exactly how the Montana — how the Montana tickets work by the end of the day?
MR. GIBBS: Yes, I’ll –
Q And the Grand Junction, as well?
MR. GIBBS: Yes.
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Did he?
Who knows — but the important thing is he didn’t go on record.
