Yesterday, “author and journalist” Liz Trotta had this exchange with Fox News Live‘s Eric Shawn (discussion topic: “How Has D.C. Media Handled Obama Administration?”):
TROTTA: So far the [White House] news conferences have looked like little British tea parties. I mean they’re…all laughing with Mr. Gibbs, it’s very jolly, and most of it isn’t really very funny but it’s that kind of forced Washington giggling. And the — it’s a happy little group. But nobody’s laid a glove on him yet.
SHAWN: There have been sharp exchanges…
TROTTA: Very few. Very, very few. I mean the whole atmosphere is to just keep this magic kingdom going. I think the moment will come, though when — I mean, after all, in the end, those people at the White House news conferences have to report to their bosses who are watching– I think eventually once they decide that this guy might be as he, himself, in his own language said, “screwing up,” then it’s time to go after him…
(Go after him but not, of course, like that…)
Liz Cox Barrett is a writer at CJR.