Obama To HuffPo Blogger: Tee One Up For Me

(AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)

It was White House choreography at work near the top of President Barack Obama's news conference, when he called on blogger Nico Pitney from the Huffington Post.

"Nico, I know that you, and all across the Internet, we've been seeing a lot of reports coming directly out of Iran. I know that there may actually be questions from people in Iran who are communicating through the Internet. Do you have a question?" the president said.

Indeed he did, offering a question that he said came from an Iranian protestor with whom he had online contact.

The question gave Mr. Obama another chance to express his doubts about Iran's election and concerns for the Iranians protesting the declared winner, incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

"Ultimately, this is up to the Iranian people to decide who their leadership is going to be and the structure of their government," said the president.

Pitney said later that the White House had called to invite him to the news conference. There was no seat for him in the briefing room, but a deputy press secretary escorted Pitney from the press office to a standing room position near the front. And the president called on him to offer a question before any other reporter but one, Jennifer Loven of the Associated Press, which always gets first question.

The incident reflects White House efforts to convey its new, harder line on the situation in Iran to audiences there and elsewhere.

Mr. Obama opened his news conference with his strongest statement to date about the election and protests in Iran.

"The United States and the international community have been appalled and outraged by the threats, the beatings, and imprisonments of the last few days," he declared.

In answer to the question from Pitney, Mr. Obama said there are "significant questions" about the legitimacy of Iran's election.

Bluntly, he insisted that he was not interfering in Iran's internal affairs, but he hailed the demonstrators for "courage" and "dignity" as he cast a spotlight on "a remarkable opening within Iranian society."

Further, he left no doubt about what he wants the Iranian regime to do.

"I think it is not too late for the Iranian government to recognize that there is a peaceful path that will lead to stability and legitimacy and prosperity for the Iranian people," he said. "We hope they take it."

The White House says it didn't know what question Pitney would ask, which means the question might not have been planted, although the reporter clearly was.

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(CBS)

Mark Knoller is a CBS News White House correspondent. You can read more of his posts in Hotsheet here. You can also follow him on Twitter here: http://twitter.com/markknoller.

[dante805]

Only the Obama Liberals would recognize Huff Post blogger as press. What a setup. This was a laugh-a-thon, not a press conference. The media is a lap dog to obama and Rahm. Where is the real investigative journalists gone? Why do you think the NYT and WPO are going out of business. Make money on their downfall and short these stocks.

[speakinup22]

It is about time the President took the advice of McCain and others.

The free world's leader can not sit idly by while a supposedly 'democratic' government threatens it citizens with retribution for peacefully speaking their mind.

While he was slow to react - I WILL give him Kudos for being able to eventually do the correct thing. It is not easy to change your mind after publically choosing a direction.

[antoniof123]

We need to stay out of it! Not what you neocons want this is the best thing no one can blame us we need to do what is best for America not what is best for the noecon party.

I agree with the President take a hard stand but stay the he11 out!

[mattcat25]

The Republican Party has only wanted more War in the Middle East against Iran even when the Iranian Government was a willing ally in the fight against the Taliban and Al Quaida.

Republicans are the LAST PEOPLE President Obama should listen too when it comes to foreign affairs and the Middle East.

Besides, why is the GOP blovating on about Democracy and Free Elections in Iran when they openly stole two Presidential Elections in the US?