President Obama said at a fundraiser in Seattle on Tuesday that he doesn't tune in for TV news, because there's little such programs can inform him of that he's not already aware of. "Whatever they're reporting about, usually I know," the president reportedly said.
As conservative critics have been quick to point out, this is a surprising statement, because Obama has racked up an extensive record in recent years of claiming ignorance of major developments until seeing them reported in the media. The list of topics on which he or his staff have claimed such ignorance include the Petraeus investigation, the DOJ seizure of AP phone records, health insurance cancellations, ObamaCare website troubles, requests for additional security in Benghazi, IRS targeting of political groups, and the Fast and Furious scandal. Additionally, the NSA denied on Obama's behalf his knowledge of the agency's spying on German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Fed chair Powell in Trump's firing lineSpeed Read The president considers removing Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell
-
Trump trashes supporters over Epstein filesspeed read The president lashed out on social media following criticism of his administration's Jeffrey Epstein investigation
-
Judge nixes wiping medical debt from credit checksSpeed Read Medical debt can now be included in credit reports
-
Grijalva wins Democratic special primary for ArizonaSpeed Read She will go up against Republican nominee Daniel Butierez to fill the US House seat her father held until his death earlier this year
-
US inflation jumps as Trump tariffs 'bite'Speed Read Consumer prices are climbing and the inflation rate rose to its highest level in four months
-
SCOTUS greenlights mass DOE firingsSpeed Read The Supreme Court will allow the Trump administration to further shrink the Education Department
-
Cuomo announces third-party run for NYC mayorSpeed Read He will go up against progressive Democratic powerhouse Zohran Mamdani and incumbent Mayor Eric Adams
-
Secret Service 'failures' on Trump shootingSpeed Read Two new reports detail security breakdowns that led to attempts on the president's life
