Elena Kagan Interview Conducted by WH Staffer, No Outside Reporters Allowed

The White House posted an interview with SCOTUS nominee Elena Kagan on its website this past week. The White House says that the American people deserve to hear from Elena Kagan, but has only allowed for White House insiders to conduct any sort of interview and has not made the potential Supreme Court Justice available to reporters. The following is an exchange between Press Secretary Robert Gibbs and a reporter at a recent White House briefing:

"It appears that Solicitor General Kagan did an interview yesterday right after the president's announcement," said a reporter. "You've now posted that on the White House Web site. Who did the interview? And can I have one?"

"I think it's -- I think it's on the website if you want to see it," responded Press Secretary Robert Gibbs.

Soon after, the reporter can be heard saying, an edge in her voice, "So a White House staffer interviewing her."

Gibbs says yes, and the reporter asks if Kagan would like to do another interview.

"She has -- she's not told me that, no," replied Gibbs, prompting the reporter to respond, "Tell her we're deeply frustrated."

By controlling Kagan's interviews, the Administration is also controlling the general public's perception of Kagan. However, reporters are needed to ask the tough, unfiltered questions. Where is the transparency, Obama?