Not quite a year ago Donald Rumsfeld staged a TV appearance in Iraq. A soldier asked Rumsfeld why military vehicles in Iraq weren't armored for combat. Remember the Bushniks fury when they learned a reporter from the Chatanooga Times Free Press had suggested the question.
George W. Bush staged a TV appearance today that was intended to look like a teleconference with troops in Iraq. The live feed began before the show, and stations in the USA saw Deputy Assistant Defense Secretary Allison Barber rehearsing the troops on their scripted questions and answers.
The really funny part is Bush's spokesliar Scott McLellan trying to pretend the troops hadn't been told what to say, and to deny that he had said there was no prescreening of the soldiers comments.
Presidents do this from both parties. For better or worse, it is what is done and any thinking person should have a hefty dose of skepticism anyway. Remember the only time a politician lies is when they open their mouth.
I think this just speaks to how sloppy the Bush team has gotten since Plamegate started. Sure all Presidents stage events like this, but three years ago they never would have been exposed like they have.
"I could be wrong, but I doubt it"---Charles Barkley
Like others have said, I'm certain presidents from both parties have done things like this before. But, man, the Bush team has gotten sloppy about things. One thing you could always say about Bush is that he must have a tremendous publicist. What happened?
(edited by OMEGA on 18.10.05 1538)
The answer to WWE's financial problems...
Never 'Wiener of the Day', and is actually quite bitter about it.
Originally posted by the blogWe practiced passing the microphone around to one another, so we wouldn't choke someone on live TV.
Seriously, how hard is it to hand off? I'd imagine you'd have to try really hard to jam the mic down someone's throat...
Originally posted by againIt makes my stomach ache to think that we are helping to preserve free speech in the US, while the media uses that freedom to try to RIP DOWN the President and our morale, as US Soldiers. They seem to be enjoying the fact that they are tearing the country apart. Worthless! The question I was most asked while I was home on leave in June was, "So...What's REALLY going on over there?" Does that not tell you something?! Who has confidence in the media to tell the WHOLE STORY?
Somewhere, a mile or so back, there's a road sign welcoming him to Completely Missing the Point. Most of the criticism I've seen (ANECDOTAL!) of the press conference was directed at Bush. As far as the "what's REALLY going on over there?" it's the blinders coming off the masses. Cindy Sheehan may have gone too far, but she got people asking questions, and now the storyline's swung away from administration cheerleading. Not meant to disprove his statement, but the plot can change quite easily, and hell, I wouldn't trust the media to tell me the whole story either. Don't know who does anymore, but the whole story isn't "oh, all our responses were completely off the cuff".
Even if he's telling the truth, the pre-conference "so when Bush asks this, you're going to answer" footage looks REALLY bad.
You wanted the best, you got... Out of Context Quote of the Week.
"...but that doesn't mean he can't relate an amusing anecdote about the Haiti Kid and one of the Frenchman's testicles." (Hogan's My Dad)
AWA, didn't Bush the Elder go to Saudi Arabia dung the build up? Not a war zone but close. I also thought Clinton joined the troops in the Balkans around Turkey Day one year.