Bush press conference highlights government crisis

[Rose Siding]

Bush press conference highlights government crisis

The press conference held by George W. Bush on July 30 left the unmistakable impression of an administration in crisis. Wednesday’s session, held three days before the president was set to begin a month-long vacation at his Texas ranch, was just the ninth press conference of Bush’s term and the first since early March, before the invasion of Iraq.

It was only called after weeks of pressure from reporters, including a shouted request directed at the president by CBS News’ Bill Plante after an appearance by Bush the day before. Bill Clinton had held 33 news conferences by the same point in his first term, and George H.W. Bush, the current president’s father, had held 61.

The administration’s aversion to press conferences has two root causes: concerns on the part of Bush’s political handlers about his general lack of knowledge and limited mental capacities, and an obsession with secrecy that reflects the White House’s contempt for democracy.

http://www.khilafah.com/home/category.php?DocumentID=7996&TagID=2

[jmcgowanjm]

1. Last paragraph from the WSWS article is the best

There was an unreal air to the press conference. Here was a roomful of people walking on eggs, as it were. The assembled journalists shared the sense that to put Bush on the spot about any one of a range of questions—the quagmire in Iraq, the budget deficit, the growth of unemployment—carried the risk of a presidential meltdown. The timidity and banality of the questioning was, in large measure, a reflection of THE GROWING FEAR WITHIN ALL SECTIONS OF THE MEDIA AND POLITICAL ESTABLISHMENT, DEMOCRATS AS WELL AS REPUBLICANS (my emphasis), that a crisis is looming in America that could set off an unprecedented wave of social and political struggles.

[GreatAuntK]

2. That's heavy

I wonder what horrible thing he'll do if he melts down. Something worse than he's done already?

[foole]

3. link to easier to read version (on WSWS)

http://www.wsws.org/articles/2003/aug2003/bush-a02_prn.shtml

[Ardee]

4. some will dismiss this because of the source

but it did remind me of the presidential debates during the Gore/Bush race. At th ebeginning of that first debate I was avidly awaiting the Bush meltdown that i just knew would come when Gore's great intellectual advantage became obvious and Bush couldnt respond tot he pressure. I waited and waited, watching Bush acting nervous, fidgity, frankly scared sh*tless.

As that first debate unfolded with Gore softballing endlessly, failing to advance his points ,failing to show the obvious unfitness of Bush, his complete lack of facts and inability to demonstrate any grasp of the issues one could see Bush stand taller, lose his fear and gain confidence.

So, rather than win the damn election by a landslide, Gore wasted this terrific opportunity to expose Bush before the whole nation, lost the three debates, by not winning them convincingly as he should have, and allowed the election to be close enough to steal.

[MandM]

5. bush nc will be great in the D' ads

especially the way he apologized to a Sept 11 hijack planner for calling him by his first name!

Ramsi. Sorry about that.

[newyawker99]

8. Hi MandM!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

6. Believe it or not

There were letters to the editor in my hometown paper complaining that Al Gore wasn't very nice to G DUHbya in the first debate. People treat Bush like the retarded kid one's not supposed to pick on.

I can agree with giving the handicapped the respect they're due as a human being. I can't understand however wanting the mentally handicapped your leader.

[Ardee]

7. right wing machinery

is always in place ready to spring into action. We should expect this and be ready to respond to it. Most of the criticisms were directed at Gore making faces behind Bush as our pResident (then candidate)fumbled and stumbled though one pointless sentence after the next.