Women, and only women, asked the questions at Barack Obama’s year-end press conference on Friday.
At the start of the unusually packed press conference, the US president joked that he would consult a “naughty and nice list” drawn up by his press secretary to determine who to call on. Based on Obama’s list, it was a particularly good year for female political journalists.
All eight questions the president answered were from female journalists. And not just any women, but specifically print and radio journalists.
The journalists asked Obama about the Sony hack, his decision to normalize relations with Cuba, and American race relations.
Twitter, of course, immediately picked up on the president’s preferential treatment.
All 8 reporters President Obama called on today for questions are women. http://t.co/LDkU85d8ae pic.twitter.com/bzA3JgyiWv” #CalmDownDear
— Sophia Cannon (@UndercoverMutha) December 19, 2014
Obama Just Held A Press Conference And Didn't Take A Single Question From A Dude And It Was Awesome.
— Miriam Elder (@MiriamElder) December 19, 2014
see how newsy press conferences can be when women ask the questions?
— gwen ifill (@gwenifill) December 19, 2014
While the women in the room cheered the president’s picks, some network journalists were overheard grumbling at not being the chosen ones this year as they exited the conference.
