My Side Of The Story: Gibbs And The Cell Phones

By: Bill Plante
Topics: White House

(CBS)

The issue of the day at the White House briefing: the Obama administration's reversal of the decision to release photos of detainees being tortured. After an appeals court refused to hear the case, the administration said last month they would abide by the lower court's decision and release the photos. So the President's decision NOT to do so was the topic of most questioning today - intense at times.

Intense, that is, until a reporter John Gizzi's cell phone began chiming one of those vaguely familiar ring tones which have become this era's elevator music.

Spokesman Robert Gibbs looked up and said, "just put it on vibrate man. We did this before...it happened twice one day."

He resumed. Ten seconds later, Gizzi's phone went off again.

"Give me the phone," said Gibbs - and started down from the podium, hand outstretched.

Laugher all around.

Gibbs took the phone, walked to the pressroom door, and pitched it to someone inside.

More laughter.

Then the briefing resumed -- for thirty seconds.

That's when my phone rang - a standard ring, nothing imaginative. I answered. It was a source I'd been waiting to hear from.

"You too," asked Gibbs? "So you want to do it too? Here, come on."

"Gibbs wants to take my phone," I explained to the caller as I got up from the chair and headed outside.

"I assume it's your banker, with a suit like that?" Gibbs quipped as I walked out, in reference to my pin-striped suit. "There's cotton candy down the street. It's a circus."

I spent about five minutes on the phone and came back into the briefing.

I asked Gibbs if I'd missed anything.

He joked in response: "Will somebody brief Bill on our new Supreme Court nominee?"

Watch the video here:

Bill Plante is a CBS News senior White House correspondent.

Bill Plante
Bill Plante is a CBS News Senior White House Correspondent

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by j238j238 May 12, 2011 7:08 PM EDT: Every phone abuser has a lame excuse.

Thanks for publishing yours.; Reply to this comment


by CharlieQuinn July 6, 2009 4:44 PM EDT: All of you need to get a life. Bill Plante is the best political correspondent on any media. CBS is fortunate to have this multiple Emmy Award winner on its staff. Plante possesses the most sophistication and poise "under fire" of any reporter I've seen/read. Let's not forget his coverage of the exodus from Saigon at the end of the war...or his reporting of the assasination attempt on Reagan (when he was recovering from a broken leg).

Look, in these days of dismal news at every turn, a little heartedness in the Press Room (which has never been compared to the Sistene Chapel)should be welcomed. Come on folks, if you want to see a real "circus", just switch to Fox News: clowns AND bimbos!; Reply to this comment


by mike8654 May 23, 2009 10:28 PM EDT: It was very insulting. It created the impression that you thought Gibbs was not wothy of respect . Thanks.; Reply to this comment


by fauxmaux May 20, 2009 1:51 AM EDT: great timing! nice riff. entertaining!; Reply to this comment


by Steerpike2 May 18, 2009 7:28 PM EDT: This was unspeakably rude behavior. CBS ought to fire you for doing this. If I had been running the meeting I'd have thrown you out and revoked your credentials. I've done it before in meetings I've hosted.

Here's a hint: you're a reporter. You don't actually do anything. You go to the press briefing and get spoon fed what they want to spoon feed you. No thought is required. Just sit there, shut up, and absorb information. There is no--REPEAT NO--phone call important enough for you to interrupt a press briefing for. You're not that important.; Reply to this comment


by arthernan May 18, 2009 7:17 PM EDT: I agree with marymac123, there seems to be a lot of angry comments. Nobody died ect.... But the fact is that this was very rude behavior. And now with the benefit of hindsight he should apologize, he also is not going to die for doing so. That would be the end of it. Because he is clearly unapologetic I think that he has some personal attitude problems.; Reply to this comment


by gilboastro May 16, 2009 5:04 PM EDT: (The difference is in his smug behavior.)

If CBS was wise, they would send him packing. He insults us when he insults the president. But I don't think they will. He is one of their own.

The public will start to see that the Bush administration had it almost right when complaining about the media. But It is not the arrogance of the liberal media, it is the arrogance of the media.; Reply to this comment


by bsjc May 15, 2009 7:04 AM EDT: As much as I would like to sympathize with Mr. Plante for receiving all this criticism for merely answering a phone call, I find it difficult to justify his actions in answering the call before stepping out of the press room first. If the phone call was as important as he says it was, he should have stepped out first before answering the call, or at least apologize to Mr. Gibbs for the ring before answering. His actions therefore do not bespeak a necessity but an air of smug superiority.; Reply to this comment


by tomginis May 15, 2009 2:20 AM EDT: you should be banned from white house.; Reply to this comment


by vess12 May 14, 2009 8:55 PM EDT: If you were expecting a phone call that was as important as you say it was you should have stayed out of the the briefing. Otherwise the phone call was not that important. Your phone rang and you made it worse by answering it. You were just being rude. They shouldn't let you into the briefings again if you dont know how to behave better than that.; Reply to this comment