Obama’s “Foreign Workers” Heckler? He’s A Foreign Worker, Too
File under ironic—the reporter who last week heckled Pres. Obama during a speech on immigration, asking why he favored foreign workers over Americans, is himself a foreign worker. Neil Munro, a reporter for the Tea Party leaning Daily Caller, was born in Ireland and working in Washington D.C. on a green card, New York Magazine reported.
New York Magazine pointed out the ironic wording of Munro’s question, which did not ask about illegal immigrants but instead “foreign workers.”
Obama’s plan, which he announced Friday in a speech in the White House’s Rose Garden, would allow young illegal immigrants to receive work permits to stay in the United States. The plan would give these immigrants a path to full citizenship if they attend college or serve in the U.S. military.
Munro’s actions were criticized even by conservative media members, Politico reported.
A number of bloggers took issue with his tactic of interrupting Obama’s speech to ask his question.
“I found it embarrassing,” said Jon Fleischman, author of the FlashReport on California politics, Politico reported. “I like the Daily Caller, but I don’t think it’s appropriate to interrupt the president during a speech. It diminishes the stature of the office of the president of the United States, and Obama does that well enough for himself.”
Other bloggers defended Munro, Politico reported. Some said his question showed just how little spine other members of the White House corps had shown in recent years.
“I don’t believe in being rude, but I think the media has completely failed the American people when getting them information about the president. The media has created a cushion around him,” Politico quoted Melissa Clouthier, who writes at MelissaBlogs.com. “But … do I like someone being disrespectful? No.”
For his part, Munro said he believed Obama has finished his speech and wanted to get his question in first. He said in a statement that he had no intention of interrupting Obama.
