One of the things I missed with my computer’s untimely demise this week was Obama’s absurdly short press conference earlier this week.  Now Obama’s limited availability to the media has become very noticeable over the last few months, and it has remarkably coincided with the wave of favourable coverage that had been going on for at least the last six months (and, really, for the last 14).  For those who missed it, Obama ended this press conference after eight questions.  You may recall another candidate and then President who disliked the formal ritual of the press conference and held very few for years–his name is George Bush.  In Bush’s case, he stayed away from these things to avoid having to speak on camera more than necessary, since he was hardly a master of elocution, but in Obama’s case the reluctance to talk to the press in these formats is odd and more damaging.  It feeds into an impression of arrogance that the “cult” atmosphere of his rallies already creates, and it undermines his calls for transparency in campaigning and politics.  Surely one of the better ways to have transparency is for politicians to speak with the press on a reasonably regular basis.  Obama has been a media darling in spite of his coolness towards them, but that may not last forever and won’t if he can’t give straight answers to questions.  As far as the Rezko business goes, Obama seems to have no reason to avoid questions about it, since there appears to be nothing that ties him to any of Rezko’s wrongdoing, so the evasions are creating problems for him where none should exist. 

Update: John Heilemann views the press conference brush-off in much the same way:

It also gives off the distinct whiff of arrogance and entitlement that’s lately been emanating from him.  Eight questions! OMG! That’s, like, three more than I usually answer — and five more than I should have to answer!”