Seriously, Mr. Press Secretary, just stop it. It’s not helping your cause at all–not one bit.

The reason for this sudden post this morning is simple: I’ve come to the sudden–perhaps far too late–realization that the press is genuinely pissed off with the Obama administration. They aren’t upset about the policies (indeed, most journalists lean left, and probably support most of them wholeheartedly), they don’t mind Obama himself (he’s a likeable enough fellow), and I’m sure the work environment down there for the White House press corps is stressful, but pretty hospitable. It ain’t exactly physical labor for minimum wage. But they aren’t happy with his communications team. And given what I’m hearing, I think that’s actually pretty reasonable. It appears Obama is doing a good job controlling his agenda, but his team really isn’t doing a great job communicating it (kind of important, there, guys).

Dana Milbank–who, honestly, I can’t stand, but sometimes makes some relevant points–wrote some shockingly insightful words in his “Washington Sketch” column in this morning’s Washington Post. A select quote from the column:

The Democrats’ failed struggle to hold onto Ted Kennedy’s seat in the liberal state showed how badly the party’s brand had been damaged over the past year. But as the White House press corps challenged President Obama’s press secretary on Tuesday afternoon about the unanticipated loss, Gibbs answered with his usual mix of wisecracks and insults.

Emphasis is mine. That’s not the kind of impression you want to be making on the press. It’s just not. It reminds me of some of the more contentious conflicts in “The West Wing” between CJ Cregg and the fictional Bartlet White House press corps. It usually ends with her getting really upset, the press being outraged, and her working to correct the mistake later on in the episode.

Milbank continues to refer to Gibbs with language like “glib Gibbs gibes”, “the smart-alecky press secretary”, “combative”, and more. Not exactly how I would want to appear in the Washington Post.

There’s no question Robert Gibbs is an outstanding political mind here in Washington. My question–echoed by many others, I believe–is: is he too political? Does he need to chillax a bit? Should he cool it down and give the White House press corps a little more of the respect they undoubtedly deserve?

I think the answer to all those questions is yes. Calm down, Mr. Gibbs. You hear it from Republicans all the time: this isn’t the campaign anymore. Now you can hear it from me, a hardcore Democrat–this isn’t the campaign anymore.