White House bars press - from press awards ceremony

Barack Obama was elected commander in chief promising to run the most transparent presidential administration in American history.

This achievement and the overall promise of his historic administration caused the National Newspaper Publishers Assn. to name him "Newsmaker of the Year."

The president is to receive the award from the federation of black community newspapers in a White House ceremony this afternoon.

The Obama White House has closed the press award ceremony to the press.

From the president's official schedule: 

"Later in the afternoon, the President and the First Lady will attend a reception with the National Newspaper Publisher Association in the State Dining Room, where they will be presented the Newsmaker of the Year award. This event is closed press."

Maybe they'll let the newspaper people pass the award through the fence.

I predict in another couple of months, Obama will be hunkered down in the White House with his only press contacts coming with "friendlies" and known sycophants. The press may be biased but they smell blood in the water and have caught on to the fact that these folks are hardly the best and brightest. Plus, they may feel a bit betrayed as well as embarrassed for having gone so far out on a limb for this incompetent that a natural backlash against their earlier glowing coverage will be forced on them.

The economy isn't likely to improve and Obama's numbers will continue to drop. The strategy of presidents who find themselves unpopular will be to wall themselves off from the press and use campaign style appearances in front of sympathetic crowds to get their message out.

Besides, covering Obama's downfall is as good a story as writing about his rise. And more than anything, reporters love a good story.