Have you ever wondered just how self-involved the traditional media is? Well, check out this breathless account from Ed Henry, detailing how he was humiliated by President Obama in front of 40 million people, and wonder no more - of course, Ed doesn't see it that way.
First, let's revisit Ed's moment in the sun:
And now, Henry's version of events:
... I was heading into this event with the same strategy: make news on something unexpected.
Well, kudos. Mission accomplished.
But on Tuesday night, as I sat in the front row nervously reviewing my hypothetical questions ... I kept thinking back to a conversation I had with Wolf Blitzer ...
Note to the media: When you're in a tough spot, don't think, "What would Wolf do?"
The play-by-play:
The pressure was on now because the president had called on me. Someone handed me a microphone, millions were watching, and it's scary to think about changing topic in a split second because you might get flustered and screw up.
But it's fun to gamble and like any good quarterback (though I was never athletic enough to actually play the position), I decided to call an audible. [...]
So I waited patiently and then decided to pounce with a sharp follow-up. From just a few feet away, I could see in his body language that the normally calm and cool president was perturbed.
Honest to God, is this not the most self-important, while at the same time, delusional, drivel ever written?
Henry finishes by saying:
What do I think? I've got no hard feelings toward the president and I assume he feels the same, but I can't worry about that. I was doing my job -- and he was doing his.
The article reads more like a psychological study of someone rationalizing away being publicly humiliated, but if this is what gets you through the night, Ed, go with it.