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Getting Something Out Of The Briefing Room

By Hillary Profita

December 13, 2006 / 12:32 PM EST / CBS News

(AP Photo)

The relationship between the press and the White House can be seen every day in the briefing room (or temporary briefing room, as the case happens to be), where the press corps meets with Press Secretary Tony Snow. Of late, the gathering has gotten more attention than usual because some think the level of contentiousness has reached a fever pitch. It's been awhile since our own visit to the briefing room, so we decided to ask White House Correspondent Jim Axelrod -- who's there every day, front row – how he approaches the job:

In terms of yielding worthwhile answers -- from Snow or anyone speaking at the podium in the briefing room -- what works and what doesn't?

The presumption in the briefing room is that Tony Snow is there to explain the administration's point of view. That makes him an advocate. Sure, he can tell you facts -- who the President met with that day, what the subject of the week's radio address might be, or where the Bush family will spend Christmas. But the bulk of his job is to explain why the President is doing what he's doing -- and answer questions from reporters who are often trying to glean more information than the White House wants to share.
I generally have one chance to ask a question or a series of questions at the briefing. I know that if I ask a question like, "so what's the President's new way forward in Iraq?" it's not going to yield much. They'll announce that when they are ready, and not a moment before. However, I can ask questions designed to peel back a layer or two of the onion. For instance, yesterday I asked if the White House is factoring in the feelings of the American people in devising a new strategy. Either answer is going to provide a little better sense of how the process of crafting a new way forward is unfolding. That's all I try to do.

How does Snow compare with subjects you've dealt with on a similarly regular basis during your time as a reporter outside of the White House? Does any person stand out as a subject who "prepared" you for this job?

Tony's background as a talk show host has prepared him well for this job. Remember, what goes on in that room is broadcast to a nationwide cable audience. He is not just answering a reporter's question, he is speaking to a much larger audience. He has a well-developed skill set -- honed from years of taking calls on a radio show -- of taking critical points and defusing them. It's on display daily in the White House briefing room.

On "Reliable Sources" this weekend, Howard Kurtz called the tone in the pressroom "very contentious." Snow replied that he didn't see it as particularly contentious. How would you describe the tone?

The tone of the pressroom has intensified lately. This is a critical time for the country, and for this President. It is crunch time for his Iraq policy. It stands to reason that the back and forth is going to be a little more rough and tumble.