In a case of news reporters making news, Ed Henry notably expressed his frustration at a White House press briefing, last Friday. Though Henry attempted twice to ask his question, press secretary Jay Carney never called on him during the 40 minute session, calling on others instead. Henry muttered to colleague Major Garrett before walking off from the news room, something not normally done.
When asked why he left, Henry said, “What really happened was that the briefing went on for about 40 minutes and I didn’t get a question, for whatever reason,” Henry said on the Kilmeade & Friends radio program Monday. “I guess Jay Carney will have to answer that. I don’t know why… maybe he was upset. I wasn’t.”
“I would have stayed longer if Jay had called on me, but he didn’t. I had work to do,” Henry said, referring to his appearance on Fox News’s “The Five.” As the conference started hours past schedule, he claims he had to go.
As for why Carney didn’t call on Henry, it was probably deliberate. Network reporters were not called on at all on Friday. Further, Henry and Carney have had a hard time with each other, after a session on Wednesday in which Henry repeatedly asked when Obama “learn[ed] specifically that the military death benefits would not be paid,” something Carney felt was confrontational. Carney referred to Henry as a partisan opponent in that exchange.