About the Bush press conference: was it REALLY that bad?

[E_Zapata]

I just read through two of the long threads covering the press conference. Thank you DUers for keeping the TV/Radio challenged people informed. I assumed that it would NOT be on network and didn't turn the TV on! Everything is on cable these days. Everything.

Could Bush have ever been worse? I don't know if we DUers are just so fed up with the evil that we are just perceiving bush as being worse, or if he really IS stumbling and tumbling down from almighty grace.

Tell me he's really and truly going down...........

[KC21304]

1. I was going out the door to the dentist when my sister- in - law

called me and asked if I was watching the President's news conference. She said he was slurring his words and stumbling around. I haven't seen it. Is that true ? I'll look for the other threads.

[E_Zapata]

7. Oh, read the threads!

They are priceless.

Esp La Serpiente's in the Lounge.

and catch this thread: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=604884

It's so amazing, I may go buy a new computer just so I can watch the online video replay!

[Braden]

2. a radio reporter was up to ask a question and *

said "a face for radio" something you would say jokingly to someone you know personally. He was commenting on peoples attire and giving the same High School debate answers you would expect.

he was a jackass.

actual quote "America is more peaceful and safer, more secure, under me"

3,000 dead in one day, two wars humming along. Yeah, real tranquil asshole.

[villager]

3. he actually said "under me"

...instead of "under this administration?" He is really, really cracked...

[Braden]

14. you got the feeling he was going to add a

"since the such and such administration" he left it open.

were safe and peaceful my spaghettio's are getting cold.

he also called Condi Rice the "unsticker. she's unstick's things that get stuck."

what a moron.

[SoFlaJets]

4. it really was that bad

and not just b/c of our collective dislike of the job he is doing to us.He brings the quality of American leadership down to the worst I have ever seen in my life.It's not only his words-it's his attitude towards anyone who asks what he feels is a contrary question.He is such a phony you get the feeling that he's got a little reciever in his ear helping him out.

[NicoleM]

8. Usually when in these situations

I notice that he is filmed at an angle, so only his left ear is visible. I don't know if that's true on all the stations or if it's just CNN. Pretty suspicious if you ask me.

[catzies]

23. Aha! That means there's an earpiece in his right ear!!!

You're on to something.

[NicoleM]

5. He could have been worse.

He could have been more obviously drunk or stoned or whatever his problem was. He wasn't gesticulating wildly and tripping over stuff.

But it was pretty bad. I think press may finally be ready to quit kissing his lying, arrogant ass. Well, except for Murdoch's outlets.

[prolesunited]

6. I watched it live

and in my opinion, it REALLY was that bad. But, I think that about all of his appearances and the media seems to spin him out of it.

[TEXASYANKEE]

33. You watched it live?

Did you have to wash your mouth out afterward? Smoke a joint? Drink a liter of something alcoholic?? You have my highest admiration if you can watch Bush live. Salute! :-)

[Skittles]

9. CONDI RICE IS AN "UNSTICKER"

YES INDEED, THAT IS WHAT SHE IS; THAT IS WHAT SHE DOES: SHE "UNSTICKS".

[GOPisEvil]

11. I'll bet Condi is happy to be compared with "Pam"!!!

[arwalden]

12. "K-Y Condi" Gets Things Lubed Up And Sliding Along?

[RedEarth]

13. LMAO........"an unsticker"

Condi the unsticker.....that's great. What a moran we have for a president. If he wasn't so dangerous, it would really be funny.

[RedEarth]

10. Does anyone know if the press conference will be rebroadcast later

I decided not to watch it since I can't stand to look or listen to bush, however, it sounds like it was somewhat entertaining. Perhaps someone knows if it will be shown again.....thanks.

[felonious thunk]

15. it's on cspan.org

You can watch it on Real Player. Be warned though, you're still going to sit here flipping off the monitor the entire time he's talking. Although he is babbling incoherently quite a lot, and also generally acting petulent that Congress and everyone else doesn't just bend to whatever will he wants. He's such an asshat.

[arwalden]

20. RATS! Real Player Only...

[RedEarth]

34. Thanks for the information...

I might try and stomach it for awhile. Not sure how long I can take it, however, maybe I can just fast forward to his Condi remark.

[Clete]

16. I had to turn it off after I realized he doesn't know

that "brief" and "briefing" are two different words with two different meanings, which means he doesn't know what he is saying. I am too tired of trying to figure out what he wants to say and I don't think it's meaningful to us in anyway, so sorry I am not any help.

[truthseeker1]

17. It WAS that bad

I was truly embarrassed (again) that this is our president. Here is how I would describe him during this morning's press conference:

Stepford-like (robotic)
sedated
unenthusiastic
simply read his speech with very little passion (or even much interest)
less confident than usual
unconvincing
looked constipated
looked beaten
and as usual, arrogant

I'm now certain that he comes out with a list of reporters to call on - this is probably not a surprise to some people but I noticed it for the first time. I mean, I noticed that he REALLY sticks to that list. He's got it down - in order and everything. He'd call someone's name and then look around for them. Usually you'd expect the person giving a press conference to look around for whoever has questions and take them based on who's ready to ask their question at that given moment. At one point, he called on Tom somebody (Hamburger? something like that) and he said, "you had a question..? if not, then make one up!"

He also complimented one reporter on his vest! That was just totally weird. (And the vest was stupid looking!)

Then towards the end, he ran down the list - the last couple of names - "Hillman, Ed and Bob, and then let's eat lunch!"

When one reporter chimed in and asked jokingly if they were invited to lunch, he said, "that depends on the question you ask!" Then after that person's question, he said, "No you're not invited to lunch!"

[JewelDigger]

18. I didn't hear him slurring

but his comments were very monotone and lifeless. It was obvious he didn't really know the issues that he was being asked about.


Did anyone else notice when he was asked about the Palestinian/Israeli 'wall' that he kinda 'brightened' a bit and said something about 'there's a difference between security and a land grab' and then he just 'cut it off'...he was looking straight out and it was like someone motioned 'cut! cut!' and so he stopped what he was saying and started rambling some nonsense.

[uh_Clem]

22. I just heard NPR's Talk of the Nation

The always-tactful Neal Conan said, "Mr Bush sounded a bit 'flat', did he not?" to his guest. :7 :7 :7

[felonious thunk]

24. I didn't hear slurring

but lots of ums and ers. And really simple answers like: When you're the ah president, um, you, um have ah briefings.

The man has no composure.

[NJCher]

25. he slurred

I wrote a post about it but things were going so fast on that thread that it disappeared into the vapor.


Cher

[underpants]

19. Lnk to that actual press conference (you be the judge)

http://www.whitehouse.gov/#

[donotpassgo]

21. I about threw up when he said that America was safer, more peaceful

and more secure under his leadership.

WAR IS PEACE
2 +2=5
We have always been at war with Eastasia

[Braden]

26. Mission Accomplished was the USS A. Lincolns fault

you may have missed this exchange as well:

Q Mr. President, if I may take you back to May 1st when you stood on the USS Lincoln under a huge banner that said, "Mission Accomplished." At that time you declared major combat operations were over, but since that time there have been over 1,000 wounded, many of them amputees who are recovering at Walter Reed, 217 killed in action since that date. Will you acknowledge now that you were premature in making those remarks?

THE PRESIDENT: Nora, I think you ought to look at my speech. I said, Iraq is a dangerous place and we've still got hard work to do, there's still more to be done. And we had just come off a very successful military operation. I was there to thank the troops.

The "Mission Accomplished" sign, of course, was put up by the members of the USS Abraham Lincoln, saying that their mission was accomplished. I know it was attributed some how to some ingenious advance man from my staff -- they weren't that ingenious, by the way. But my statement was a clear statement, basically recognizing that this phase of the war for Iraq was over and there was a lot of dangerous work. And it's proved to be right, it is dangerous in Iraq. It's dangerous in Iraq because there are people who can't stand the thought of a free and peaceful Iraq. It is dangerous in Iraq because there are some who believe that we're soft, that the will of the United States can be shaken by suiciders -- and suiciders who are willing to drive up to a Red Cross center, a center of international help and aid and comfort, and just kill.
....snip

when I say a word that isn't really a word I don't generally repeat it. Suiceders in back to back sentences.

Those of you who live in San Diego or Norfolk how often do you see warships returning to port with custom signs declaring slogans like "mission accomplished" draped over the Wheel house?

[donotpassgo]

28. getting in a well framed shot in front of the sign was purely accidental?

Just out of pure dumb luck, the President happened to be standing in perfect position below the sign. The podium, out of some strange alignment of the heavens was positioned in just the right place to have that banner become the background of the photo op.

To the millions of knuckle dragging slack jawed fox viewers, Mission Accomplished means...Mission Accomplished. Until things go bad and Mission Accomplished actually means, Iraq is still a very dangerous place.

We are not idiots, Bush. We see through your shit.

[E_Zapata]

30. Yeah, that's why they had to turn the boat around.........

to get the sun just right on the shrub and the SIGN that he brought with him!

[Braden]

32. shrubs lips to your ears!

I am going to miss the Jackass President.

[Braden]

31. I actually can sell you the USS Abraham Lincoln for $735.00 American

[roguevalley]

40. I saw the Constellation come into San Diego with cruisers and none

of them had a sign on the wheel house. The docks had
plenty but none on the ships.

[skypilot]

27. "Major or meager?"

"Meager."

"Oh."

LOL.Dumbass.

[HuckleB]

29. It's time for a constitutional amendment!

We need a regular forum instituted in this nation along the lines of "The Prime Minister's Questions" in Britain. This would keep dunderheads like Bush out of office, once and for all!

[Kat45]

35. I watched it live too, just because a press conf is so rare for him

I'd say everyone here is giving an accurate account of it; I'm in agreement with the observations about his performance. When he gave his speech, he was just reading it, in a monotone, as quickly as he could to get it over with, kind of like a kid would read his paper in the front of the class.

I too was sickened when he talked about this country being safer now. And I also had the thought about him having an earpiece on so he could be coached on his answers. I also noticed a pandering reporter, lobbing an easy question prefaced by a flattering remark about bush's policy--I assumed he must be from Fox, and sure enough, he was! I also noticed that bush looked terrible, worse than usual; I think he's aged considerably since I last saw him (which may have been a while back because I generally refuse to watch or listen to him).

But you know what? I would not be surprised if all of the things we all noticed went right by the repugs, particularly because some of these things were subtle, only to be noticed by thinking people. I can just imagine them thinking he did a stellar job. The talk radio callers will think he came across as a regular guy, not a boob. And the stations will probably cull out the least unflattering bits to show on tonight's news.

[LuLu550]

36. Ann Coulter thought he was fabulous

Saw her on CNN at noon and almost gaged on my lunch.

[Langis]

37. Why the hell does CNN have her on!!!

I hate that B#@#H!

If Bush farted she would say it was "fabulous".

[M_Demo_M]

38. The Emperor has no clothes

But the Republican's will always say he's dressed fabulously!

Coulter is a nut job!

[LuLu550]

39. yeah, she makes me want to puke

another thing that Blitzer said during her interview was that the Shrub never said "mission accomplished" on the deck of the Lincoln, it was just the regular banner the Navy always uses when they are on their way home from a mission.
The way the "good puppy press" bends over to excuse this idiot makes me want to throw up. Wait! I think I WILL throw up! :puke: