Carney Tells Reporters They Shouldn’t be so Greedy in Their Questioning

The president took questions from 10 different reporters Tuesday during his news conference, but press secretary Jay Carney says it could have been a whole lot more if reporters would learn to limit their questions to just one.

"The president can answer, let's say, 15 questions in an hour," Carney explained to reporters. "And he can either answer that many from eight people or from 15 people, depending on how people handle it when they get called on."

It all started in the White House briefing Wednesday when April Ryan of the American Urban Radio Networks made a passing remark that she got no love from President Obama in the form of a question yesterday.

"The president, in answers to questions from you..." Carney began answering Ryan when she asked him about critiques that Obama seemed frustrated.

"I didn't get a question," she quickly interrupted.

"[Y]ou might have, and a number of others might have if those that did ask questions, in general, kept to one question," Carney quipped to the laughter of the offending journalists.

During the approximately 65 minute news conference Tuesday, eight of the 10 questions included follow-ups, and only one question could really be considered a single question.

Some follow-ups were more extreme than others.

Chuck Todd of NBC, asked a question on the Constitutionality of not just the War Powers Resolution, but also the debt ceiling and gay marriage. He could accurately be described as trying to get his money's worth, because statistically it contained the most follow-ups and Obama spent about nine minutes answering.

As the second question of the news conference, it could have set the tone.

"Chuck's not here to defend himself!" shouted Fox News' Mike Emanuel to a chorus of laughter.