Video || Obama Enters the Briefing Room

by KEITH KOFFLER on AUGUST 23, 2012, 7:10 AM

Here’s a little video I took Monday in the White House briefing room when President Obama suddenly materialized to take a few questions from the White House press corps, which he had ignored for about two months.

I was sitting in the fourth row, pretty close to the podium. Obama came in and interrupted White House Press Secretary Jay Carney’s regular briefing.

I got his entrance on video because I was ready for him. His foray into the briefing room really wasn’t a complete surprise, since word was circulating among reporters that Obama might stage an “unscheduled” appearance. In fact, as you’ll see, several news photographers were on hand to get some shots in case he came out.

The video is a little shaky in places – your adrenaline does get going when the president appears, and I was using an iPhone, which is harder than better cameras to steady – but I thought the quality was good enough to post for you.

I hope my position among the reporters gives you a sense of what it’s like to be there. I videotaped all around the briefing room to add to the feeling of being present in the room.