Categories: Capital Read, Inside the Queensway

Obamathon: And another rogue photo op breaks out! (Or does it?)

by kadyomalley on Wednesday, February 18, 2009 4:09pm - 25 Comments

Actually, from what I’ve been told by those who were in attendance at yesterday’s background on-the-record briefing for bureau chiefs, Kory Teneycke declined to provide reporters with any details on media availability around the Obama-Ignatieff meeting, saying that it would be up to the Liberals — and the president, of course — to decide whether to invite the nation’s press to capture the moment for posterity. The suspense, needless to say, was killing us.

And so, hot off the gallery listserv, we have our answer:

For Immediate Release
February 18, 2009
Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff Holds Photo Opportunity with President Obama

Event: There will be a photo opportunity (pool) of Liberal Leader Michael Ignatieff’s meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama.

Date: Thursday, February 19, 2009
Time: 4:00 p.m.
Location: Canada Reception Centre
Hangar 11
Ottawa, Ontario

After the president departs — and you know, it just occured to me that we don’t know whether who, if anyone, will be there to see him off; will Ignatieff — or the Governor General, for that matter — be allowed to stand on the tarmac and wave? Anyway, once he’s gone, Ignatieff heads back to the Hill for a post-Obama press conference. (No word yet on whether he’ll shut the whole thing down if we don’t behave ourselves at the airport.)

Tags: as the ottawaworld turns, et tu michael, o-day, this is turning out to be more fun than the actual visit

More by kadyomalley

Geiseric the Lame

He’ll need you to behave so he doesn’t confuse you with party members. It’ll be like camouflage.

btw, Kady. Way off topic but you might want to block off March 31st on your calendar. Linda Keen is getting her day in court.
Craig

I like Obama as much as the next guy but GOOD GOD, there is enough newsprint (and virtual newsprint) devoted to a 5-hour visit to wrap every fish in the Atlantic. What on earth will pundits discuss when he leaves? I don’t know if Christ Himself would get this much attention.

I hope it’s a good visit. Productive. Relationship-building. Harmonious. But it’s not even a full work day people….can we let it ride (PMO idiocy aside) and watch some other channels?

Craig

BTW….I do enjoy this blog, but I’m just Obama-ed out….

http://www.macleans.ca Kady O’Malley

I totally understand, and I promise that by this time tomorrow, we will once again be an Obama-free (or at least Obama-extra-lite) zone. But you can’t expect a reporter at the middle of all this chaos to not write about it, can you?

madeyoulook

Craig, I would sympathize with your complaint except that you are complaining on a post from our Parliament Hill and environs super-blogger. Since Parliament Hill is quite likely seized by this visit from The One, what else should she be blogging about, right now?

Although, I just realized Craig has a point, since, technically, Ottawa Airport does happen to find itself outside the Queensway…

Sisyphus

And besides , I’m given to understand that there really aren’t all that many fish in the Atlantic anymore.

Wayne

I heard Bobby R was going to nudge his way in as well! = come on Iggy remember you owe me man!

onlinereader

Bob Rae is one of the few Canadians that is in the same Foreign Affairs league with Richard Holbrooke or George Mitchell .

http://www.canadianrosebud.blogspot.com dan in van

But Larry Cannon is our equivalent to Major Roger Healey, no?

onlinereader

” at yesterday’s background on-the-record briefing for bureau chiefs, Kory Teneycke declined to provide reporters with any details on ” ………………….. budget lockup ?

Not only has the Obama crew recognized the con nest in the PMO he whooped momma con south of the 49 th . All poison spewed by the Ottawa bunker is equivalent to your 1980′s policies on governing .

Shenping

I usually go all school-marmy on the conbots’ spelling, grammar & general lack of recognizable coherent thought strains, but . . .

. . . lost for words.

http://macleans.ca kc

Let’s see if i have this right. Iggy’s going to shmooze with el Presidente, and that will be the focus of the story. Meanwhile genius Harper’s also gonna shmooze with the President but access to, or lack of it for the Canadian press will be the focus of the story. Sorry i lost my thread, who’s the genius again?

onlinereader

Like con tim horton nascar tax cuts ( 95 % of which went to top 5 % of wage earners ) all con genius is scripted as if brodiegate or financial update or half baked (0.7 %) stimulus were still secret .
Just visiting

This is bad. The Liberals probably don’t have an agreed-upon policy on what to do at a photo-op if someone shouts out a question.

- JV

Wayne

I really love the see hangar 11 …

http://macleans.ca kc

O i think you’ve been there before Wayne! :)

Wayne

no that was area 51 groom lake! see hangar 51

Erika

Ignatieff and Obama will have so much more in common than Harper and Obama.. Ignatieff can tell Mr President how well they’ll work together when he’s Prime Minister.

Wayne

Providing of course Obama is still president in 2014 and Iggy is still leader because who knows maybe after next election and the Conservatives win then maybe the LPC will have Bobby R as leader (stranger things have happened) then again maybe that’s why Bobby wants in on the warm and fuzzy meet with Obama.

transplantedcaper

Is this photo-op going to be Iggy waving at an airbound Air Force One?
Critical Reasoning

I guess this means that 10 minutes of Iggy’s precious Obama-time will be spent grinning for the cameras and the other ten minutes will be spent talking about Samantha Power.
Wayne

Hey Critical why Samantha Power? I have a feeling there is a story there …
http://tigerathome.wordpress.com The Tiger

Ignatieff and Power are friends; they were at the Carr Center at the Kennedy School together.
Critical Reasoning

Also, Ms. Power is an important player in the Obama team, and the Big Man likes her and trusts her advice.
J@ck M!tchell

And she’s a terrific judge of character.