What exactly is a Town Hall Meeting?  I checked with Professor Wikipedia and learned:

A town hall meeting is an informal public meeting derived from the traditional town meetings of New England. Similarly to those meetings, everybody in a community is invited to attend, voice their opinions, and hear the responses from public figures and elected officials.

Now that we’re all on the same page, let’s talk about President Obama’s “Town Hall Meeting” yesterday.

The idea was to discuss Obamacare in an open forum where people could voice their opinions and ask questions.  BUT it turns out all of the question-askers (and attendees, actually) were hand-picked, pre-screened Obama supporters. Even if you wanted to attend as a member of the voting public, no such luck.

Some of Obama’s questioners Wednesday were from friendly sources, including a member of the Service Employees International Union and a member of Health Care for America Now, which organized a Capitol Hill rally last week calling for an overhaul.

So much for being open and transparent and encouraging participation from the public…

Debby Smith, 53, told Obama of her kidney cancer and her inability to obtain health insurance or hold a job.  The president hugged her — she’s a volunteer for his political operation — and called her “exhibit A” in an unsustainable system that is too expensive and complex for millions of Americans.

I have a lot of issues with this. One: Not only could she not obtain health insurance, but she couldn’t hold a job. Is Obamacare going to give people jobs too? I had no idea the plan was so magical.

Two: Does the president hugging her mean she was miraculously cured of cancer? I’ve heard that hope and belief in change can really work miracles in our lives. I don’t mean to be insensitive but hugging cancer patients really isn’t my idea of a solid plan for healthcare in America.

Three: A campaign volunteer!? Really?? Couldn’t Gibbsy or whoever planned this shindig have found a cancer patient who didn’t work on the campaign? It really just kills any hope one might have had for a genuine town hall meeting.

BONUS: Clearly this whole failed “town hall” concept has me really pissed off, but I wasn’t the only one…

Check out this awesome footage from the press conference before the “town hall.”  Chip Reid and Helen Thomas decided to take on Gibbsy over the issue of transparency. Serious love to Helen Thomas — that woman will not be denied.

Hat tip to Deceiver reader Barney Snakes.