White House Press Corps Goes Seven Weeks Without a Question -- You explain it

This says it all about what passes as an independent "fourth estate" in the United States:

WH Press Corps Goes Seven Weeks Without a Question | The Blog on Obama: White House Dossier: "President Obama has not taken a serious question from the White House press corps in nearly seven weeks, a remarkable string that points to a campaign-style White House operation that is seeking to insulate the candidate from tough cross examination. The last substantive question Obama took from a White House reporter was during a June 20 press conference following the G20 Summit in Los Cabos, Mexico. Obama allowed only six questions during the event, which was nearly guaranteed to keep him out of political hot water as the focus was on foreign policy. Since then, Obama has held no press conferences, given no interviews to White House reporters, and taken no questions at the White House events he has held where reporters have been present. After a July 26 Cabinet meeting, Obama actually laughed off the prospect of taking a serious question about gun laws. From the White House transcript: Q Mr. President, can you tell us, if what the Colorado shooter did was entirely legal, how do you do more on this subject without any new laws? THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. I’m sure we’ll have more opportunity to talk about this. Q This afternoon is fine. I’m available. THE PRESIDENT: Thanks. I’ll ask Jay for your number. (Laughter.) During his recent trip to Europe and Israel, Mitt Romney’s failure to take many questions from the frustrated reporters traveling with him sparked an uproar in Washington, even though Romney did in fact hold a press availability during the trip. Obama’s silencing of the White House press corps has drawn no similar protest."

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