President Obama Grants Station Interviews On Budget

Our trusty DC correspondent, John Eggerton, makes his second appearance in the Station to Station blog this week.

John tells me President Obama is taping interviews with several TV stations to give local viewers details on his budget proposal.

New White House press secretary Jay Carney said:

“Before we get started today, I have a presidential scheduling update for you. This afternoon the President will tape television interviews with local television affiliates in Cincinnati–that’s WCPO [Cincinnati], Richmond, WWBT; and Milwaukee, WTMJ; and the Hearst TV conglomerate.

“It’s part of his continued effort to talk to Americans across the country about his budget proposal and how it will prepare our country to win the future. These TV interviews are embargoed until 6:00 p.m. Eastern, so you can begin refreshing those local TV websites now, which is where you’ll be able to get information on what he said in those interviews.”

Some in the media room found the markets the president chose to address as interesting. The banter went like this:

Q: Jay, first of all, the interviews with Cincinnati, Richmond, Milwaukee–those are the three media markets of John Boehner, Eric Cantor, Paul Ryan. Coincidence?

CARNEY: I think those are important states, important parts of the country. And he’s very eager to talk to and reach out to Americans in all parts of the country to explain what he’s doing on the budget, explain his vision for the future, the need to reduce spending reasonably, promote economic growth and invest in the areas that will help us compete in a very competitive environment in the 21st century.

Q: So the fact that–it played no role or did play–or an added benefit?

CARNEY: He travels around the country; he has meetings with Americans around the country; and this is just part of that process.