Obama’s hypocrisy focus of press briefing

Obama’s decision to take advantage of campaign finance rules permitting superPACs, which he has decried as a “threat to our democracy,” dominated the early part of the briefing.  “What is the point of taking a principled stand and campaigning against something if then you switch course and abandon it for the sake of strategy?” the Associated Press’s Ben Feller asked White House Press Secretary Jay Carney, who dodged the question and argued that Obama still opposed superPACs, but would not yield the fundraising advantage to Democrats.

“Jay, the President has railed against this type of funding of elections,” asked NBC’s Norah O’Donnell. “With the President reversing course on this, does he look hypocritical?” When she continued to press Carney on Obama’s decision to embrace a superPac, Carney scolded her. “Well, look, you can throw in a lot of editorializations into your question, or you can just save them for your piece,” he said.

The hypocrisy charge resurfaced when incredulous journalists asked Carney about Obama’s thoughts on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals overturning the California ban on gay marriage. “[T]here’s a fundamental inconsistency — correct me if I’m wrong — if he says on one hand it’s up to the states to decide [their policy on gay marriage], but that those states who decide that they’re against it are divisive and discriminatory,” one of the reporters said to Carney. “How is this not just complete hypocrisy if he’s saying that it’s up to states to decide but he won’t back a state that does make the decision?” Carney repeated his talking points of Obama opposing discrimination and refused to comment on the particular California case.

President Obama’s capacity for changing positions became a joke in the briefing room. “On the President’s evolving mindset,” one of the questioners started to say.

“Which one?” another reporter interjected.