Obama signs press freedom act, declines to take questions


President Obama welcomed Daniel Pearl's family to the Oval Office today for the signing of the Freedom of Press Act named in honor of the Wall Street Journal reporter who was killed by terrorists in 2002.

The law requires the State Department to list countries that threaten press freedoms and permit violence against journalists. It "puts us clearly on the side of journalistic freedom," Obama said. That was a cue for reporters in the room.

"Speaking of press freedoms," began Chip Reid of CBS before launching into a question about the Gulf Coast oil spill. Obama didn't bite.

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