When Lester Kinsolving, WorldNetDaily reporter and member of the White House press corps, recently asked Robert Gibbs why President Obama has not held an open press conference since July of 2009, Gibbs launched into this lengthy, mocking tirade.

It would have been no shocker if Gibb's blast had concluded with the admission that Obama was giving the press corps an extended time-out. 

Obama's relationship with the press corps began to go awry a mere two days after his inauguration.  Remember this scene from the sandbox:

President Barack Obama made a surprise visit to the White House press corps Thursday night, but got agitated when he was faced with a substantive question.

Asked how he could reconcile a strict ban on lobbyists in his administration with a deputy defense secretary nominee who lobbied for Raytheon, Obama interrupted with a knowing smile on his face.

"Ahh, see," he said, "I came down here to visit. See this is what happens. I can't end up visiting with you guys and shaking hands if I'm going to get grilled every time I come down here."

Pressed further by the Politico reporter about his Pentagon nominee, William J. Lynn III, Obama turned more serious, putting his hand on the reporter's shoulder and staring him in the eye.

"Alright, come on" he said, with obvious irritation in his voice. "We will be having a press conference at which time you can feel free to [ask] questions. Right now, I just wanted to say hello and introduce myself to you guys - that's all I was trying to do."