The normally savvy media mavens on Team Obama blundered badly on the opening day of his European trip, scheduling his only open event for 5:15 a.m. EDT, which forced the mainstream and cable morning news programs to fill endless hours showing live protests in London and discussing first lady Michelle Obama 's "green pencil skirt."
Unlike President Bush 's White House communications team, which usually timed press conferences abroad to coincide with the U.S. morning programs, the Obama operation began the president's first day of his first trip abroad while most Americans were still asleep. What's more, the president banned most reporters from nearly every event he held on a day heavy with bilateral talks with foreign leaders, and even held U.S. cameras at bay for his visit to Buckingham Palace to meet the queen.
As a result, the 24-hour cable shows began their morning programs with endless footage of hooligans clashing with British bobbies, a scene that played out all day on television.
"They're the only pictures being shown out of London right now," said Christiane Amanpour, CNN's chief international correspondent. CNN anchor Christine Romans assured viewers, "There's a lot of other hard work going on behind closed doors," although a split-screen showed only the raging protest in the streets of the city's financial district.
