Sources tell me Fletcher had a post news conference pow-wow with his top staff, ripping them for being unprepared and failing to have answers to the most basic questions from reporters. Fletcher was rightfully embarrassed.
For those of you who haven't heard, the smoking ban presser devolved quickly, almost as soon as reporters started asking questions. Does this ban impact the Capitol Annex cafeteria? Fletcher says "yes", then Jim Abbott of the Finance Cabinet steps to the mic, and says "no". Fletcher was then huddling with staff and sending others out of the room to try and track down the basic information he (and they) should have had before the news conference. More basic questions and a bunch of "we're not sures" later, reporters were left scratching their heads about the practical impact of the smoking ban. It was another embarrassment for Fletcher and he rightfully took some of it out on his staff, according to what sources are telling me. I've only seen Fletcher get really mad a couple of times, and that was at me, so I don't know how he handles subordinates. But he does have a healthy temper behind the casual demeanor. Although the smoking ban stories were largely positive, because that was the true news of the day, the performance at the news conference left many reporters saying "just another screw up by the Fletcher administration".