Opinion: Obama signs bill to encourage press freedoms, then refuses press questions (Updated)

May 18, 2010 3:32 AM PT

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An amazing scene Monday in the Oval Office of the administration that’s raising opacity to new densities. (See Related Items below.)

President Obama signed legislation to encourage press freedoms around the world.

The measure, dubbed the Daniel Pearl Freedom of Press Act for the Wall Street Journal reporter slain by kidnappers in 2002, is designed to send a ‘crisp, strong message’ to other governments that they are being watched in their treatment of news media, Obama said.

The American president then refused to take any questions from the U.S. news media. See for yourself.

(UPDATE: Tuesday 1:30 p.m.: The White House must have been embarrassed by the president’s ironic handling of the signing. As ABC’s observant Jake Tapper points out, when the White House posted its own video copy of the ceremony, it clipped off the end of the press bill film clip, showing his refusal to answer press questions.)