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TNGOP Communications Director Defends Closing The Statesman’s Dinner

By Kleinheider Posted on July 24, 2008 at 10:07 am

“I am paying for this microphone, Mr. Green!”

~ Ronald Reagan

Bill Hobbs chastises the media and blogger coverage of the news that, in a historical departure, the TNGOP will close this weekend’s Karl Rove-keynoted Statesman’s Dinner to the press:

[T]he suggestion that it should be open to the public because it is being held in a city convention center built with public funds is, frankly, silly. The Tennessee GOP rented the building - taxpayers aren’t paying for the building that night, the TN GOP is. That gives us the right to control access. And there are countless events held every month at city-owned convention centers across the state that aren’t open to the press. Weddings and business conventions, for example.

The Tennessee Republican Party from time to time holds events that are open to the media. In fact, we even invite the media to them.

They’re called press conferences.

PREVIOUSLY: No Tickee, No Rovee

SEE ALSO: Democrats accuse Hobbs of wearing pants that are less than fire-retardant.

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Comments

8 Responses to “TNGOP Communications Director Defends Closing The Statesman’s Dinner”

  1. GoldnI writes
    July 24th, 2008 10:47 am

    So is he speaking as Bill Hobbs the TNGOP Communications Director or as Bill Hobbs the blogger today?

  2. Sean Braisted writes
    July 24th, 2008 10:49 am

    Fair enough, will W.H. Hobbs hold a press conference with M.C. Rove?

  3. Aunt B. writes
    July 24th, 2008 10:59 am

    I have to say that I did kind of chuckle about the “press conference” comment. That was funny.

  4. Hmmmm . . . writes
    July 24th, 2008 11:34 am

    Hobbsie, your motives are transparent. You’re trying to keep the press from asking Rove what he thinks about all of the hateful and racist invective that the TNGOP has been spewing. Rove advised Republicans against going there, but you ignored him.

    Or is it that you intend to spew more hateful and racist invective at the Statesman’s Dinner and you don’t want the press around to report about it?

    Or is it that Rove doesn’t want the press reporting that he was the keynote speaker for the TNGOP, the state party known for spewing hateful and racist invective?

    Come on, Hobbsie, every other Stateman’s Dinner has been open to the press. Why is this one closed?

  5. richard writes
    July 24th, 2008 11:53 am

    Here’s my thing, Hobbs is constantly on everyone’s case about clarity. Give me this, give me that, give it to me right now. He sounds like a 6 year-old and what’s even more annoying is the constant open-ended lecture he continues to give to the general public about it. For once in your life Bill, practice what you preach and either open it up to the media or shut your hypocritical mouth.

  6. Emmett Flatus writes
    July 24th, 2008 2:11 pm

    Some posters seem to have a real problem understanding “private ticketed fundraiser”.

    If you want to see/hear/question Karl Rove at the fundraiser…buy a frickin’ ticket.

    If you want to see/hear/question Karl Rove on the cheap, wait around outside the venue and give it a shot.

    Your choice.

  7. Sharon Cobb writes
    July 24th, 2008 7:48 pm

    There are only two questions that need to be answered:

    1. Can anyone purchase a ticket?

    2. If no press is allowed, then will Bill Hobbs be breaking that rule if he blogs about it on his personal blog?

    Seems totally fair, if not part of his job, to write about it on the GOP website or their emails, however, if he writes about it on his personal blog, then in his professional role, he discriminated against the press.

    But otherwise, it’s fair if anyone can purchase a ticket.

    A lot of political fundraisers on both sides are closed to the press.

  8. If You Want To See The Man, You Have To Pay The Man : Post Politics: Political News and Views in Tennessee writes
    July 25th, 2008 9:32 am

    [...] Stacey Campfield doesn’t have a whole lot of sympathy for the press who have been prevented from attending a speech by Karl Rove for free. Campfield has to pay, so should they, he says: In fact most of the [...]

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