There was a time in this country when we didn't think much of actors and their political views. Ronald Reagan was routinely derided as an intellectual light-weight for his choice of career. Yet Reagan was famously spontaneous and devastatingly effective in a debate or a press conference--without teleprompters and without pre-screening his questioners.

About half-way through President Obama's press conference Monday night, he had an unscripted question of his own. "All, Chuck Todd," the President said, referring to NBC's White House correspondent. "Where's Chuck?" He had the same strange question about Fox News's Major Garrett: "Where's Major?"

The problem wasn't the lighting in the East Room. The President was running down a list of reporters preselected to ask questions. The White House had decided in advance who would be allowed to question the President and who was left out.

Actor's political opinions seem to very important these days--at least to themselves, and the President's theatrical skills more important than his executive abilities. Unfortunately, the world doesn't turn according to the script.