In a speech in the White House Rose Garden today, President Obama formally announced his administration’s decision to relax enforcement against law-abiding undocumented immigrants under the age of 30.

But in the middle of his speech, Obama was interrupted by someone in the press gallery attempting to but in with a question. Whatever the reporter was trying to ask, it came off as a rude bit of heckling. The president was visibly irked by the interruption, which came from Neil Munro of The Daily Caller, a conservative news and opinion website run by Tucker Carlson. “Why’d you favor foreigners over Americans?,” Munro asked.

In response to Munro’s interjection, Obama gave a sharp rebuke: “Excuse me sir, it is not the right time for questions sir.” When Munro continued, Obama intensified his response.

“The next time I prefer you let me finish my statements before you ask your question,” the president said. “I didn’t ask for an argument, I’m answering your question.”

But after finishing his statement, Obama declined to take any further queries and returned to the White House. Munro, meanwhile, earned the consternated looks of his fellow reporters. It was quickly pointed out by many that Munro is not a normal member of the White House press corps and was instead at the White House with a temporary media pass.

Still, whether a White House regular or not, Munro’s antics earned prompt criticism from all corners, even Fox News. In a segment on the brouhaha on Studio B, host Shepard Smith said “Tucker knows better,” referring to The Daily Caller’s editor-in-chief. Fox News Sunday host Chris Wallace called the incident “outrageous.”

But The Daily Caller regrets nothing! In the immediate wake of Munro’s outburst, the website tweeted out the following boast:


Later, in a statement released by The Daily Caller, Munro said he thought it was his turn to speak.

I always go to the White House prepared with questions for our president. I timed the question believing the president was closing his remarks, because naturally I have no intention of interrupting the President of the United States. I know he rarely takes questions before walking away from the podium. When I asked the question as he finished his speech, he turned his back on the many reporters, and walked away while I and at least one other reporter asked questions.

Carlson backed his reporter up, comparing it to other reporters’ shouted questions at U.S. presidents:

I don’t remember Diane Sawyer scolding her colleague Sam Donaldson for heckling President Reagan. And she shouldn’t have. A reporter’s job is to ask questions and get answers.

Of course, the hard truth is that Obama, apparently, did not intend to answer any questions at all. As soon as he was done laying out his new immigration policy, he went back to the Oval Office. The New York Times’ Jennifer Steinhauer wrote on Twitter that while Munro “was a jerk,” Obama “should have taken questions from the press.”

Via CNN, here’s video of the showdown between Obama and Munro:

Filed Under: barack obama, immigration, interruption, neil munro, the daily caller, tucker carlson, white house,