Bush press conference -- the untold story.

[nashville_brook]

Bush has always had a whiff unhinged-ness about him, but lately he's just acting plain weird. As if he's bored. Going thru the motions. We've been surprised that he's held so many press conference -- I would assert that his attitude is that, "what the hell -- I can get up in front of you people and say whatever I want and you can't do anything about it. Na na-na na na-na.

And it really bugs me that the press ignores this dimension of covering the White House. It's not editorializing to give the audience eyes so they may see.

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Just reading the text of Bush's press conferences you'd notice he's not right in the head. Watching him participate in a press conference, it's painful how daffy he is. How can anyone ignore the Dr. Suess-y meter he puts on the text his speechwriter hands him -- as if the only way he can "dissect" it is to sound-it-out and read it like a childrens' story. It's truly found art:

Terrorists in that
country

have declared war against
democracy

and thereby declared war
against the Iraqi people
themselves.

Yet the elections will go forward. (repeat to next verse)
Yet the elections will go forward.
Yet the elections will go forward.
Yet the elections will go forward.

Millions of Iraqi voters will show their bravery,
their love of country
and their desire to live in
freedom.

Across the world,
freedom has deadly
enemies.

Yet across the world
freedom has great and growing
momentum.

And there have been enormous sacrifices
made by some of our citizens
in the spread of
freedom.

Yet the elections will go forward. (repeat to next verse)
Yet the elections will go forward.
Yet the elections will go forward.
Yet the elections will go forward.

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This isn't a press conference -- it's interpretive dance.
It has no...
meaning.

And what of all those graduates of expensive East Coast journalism schools -- the Press Corps. What pussies they are sitting there with Bush insinuating he can run background checks on them, and bribe them -- how come they still write about him like he's the greatest thing since ball point pens. He's got them all bought off -- he has to. Even so, how much is your dignity worth (it's only your dignity, suck it).

There's so much subtext in his *live* appearances. Did you know he had another moment of "let me finish," when no one was interrupting him. I'd like to see a close-up of the back of Cheney-suit. He can't string together a sentence to save his life, and when he's not yammering or floundering he's spouting off about "I firmly planted the flag of Democracy." That worries me. It sounds like a little boy who has finally cleaned his plate. "Look Mommy, I firmly planted the peas of Democracy in my belly." Yummy.

When asked (for the umpteen millionth time) if he were willing to admits "mistakes" (like lying) in the run-up to the war, he lamely tries to change the subject to "Dr. Rice," until he is brusquely pressed by the reporter: "No reaction to the lying?"
BUSH: "is that your question?"

As if the reporter is going back down.

REPORTER: nod yet
BUSH: "The answer is no. Next question."

Bee-oach! I'd expect better manners from any of my narcissistic, immature ex-bosses. The key to being a *successful* ego-maniac is to conceal your contempt for your bottoms. Not so for the boy prez. He lets it all hang out.

I find that so jarring. Like the part in the Matrix where a rip appears in the illusion of reality and we all realize we are all really naked, packed in Jello and being sucked on by some giant space crab. Is there anyone left who hasn't "turned" yet? Is there anyone left who is not a Smith Clone?


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[kiki]

1. Me.

Me, me, me, me...

[Bonobo]

2. Excellent interpretation. I couldn't agree with your assesment more.

[nashville_brook]

27. just saw your tagline -- :) good one

[Pirate Smile]

3. He has a new Press Secretary. I think she is encouraging the new tact.

[nashville_brook]

4. good point

[DemocratSinceBirth]

5. Bush Is A Card All Right

But we already know that...

[nashville_brook]

6. there is something called narcissistic personality disorder

that i think he displays in spades.

when i see him speak i see someone with NO IDEA who he is. he uses language that instead of OWNING his actions, says rather, "this is what a leader does."

he wants you to kn ow how "difficult" it is to have his job -- as if we are supposed to cut him some slack. he is a child.

[pbartch]

7. this really happened?? He was asked about the LIE?

When asked (for the umpteen millionth time) if he were willing to admits "mistakes" (like lying) in the run-up to the war, he lamely tries to change the subject to "Dr. Rice," until he is brusquely pressed by the reporter: "No reaction to the lying?"
BUSH: "is that your question?"

As if the reporter is going back down.

REPORTER: nod yet
BUSH: "The answer is no. Next question."

[nashville_brook]

16. yes indeed he was -- watch the quicktime on c-span's website

he was asked LOTS of pointed, hard questions.

then, this was SO WEIRD. there were two guys sitting next to each other who looked like frat brothers who BOTH asked him these totally loaded questions about the "democrats being divorced from reality" and how the dems "are helping the terroists."

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[wakemewhenitsover]

22. I think I see some greenbacks sticking out of their lapel pockets.

Anyone know who they are?

[BurtWorm]

8. "Look Mommy, I firmly planted the peas of Democracy in my belly."

:toast: Great line!

[liberal43110]

9. Do you have a link where I could see the "let me finish" line?

And about how far into the press conference is it?

I still believe he was wired for the first debate....

[grasswire]

11. go to

http://www.whitehouse.gov

There's a transcript and a video there.

[ebayfool]

21. Why does a url want me to download a file? Everytime I click it , ...

it trys to download :
interview-20050128.a.mp3 10.8kbs

Doesn't play anything (mp3), though - just goes to main page.

10.8kbs is awfully small for a mp3 file, am I missing something?

[Lugnut]

14. I heard it

I braved the news conference for five minutes and the silly SOB did say "let me finish" when nobody was talking but him. He's an arrogant, ignorant POS.

[nashville_brook]

18. check the transcript -- it stands out about midway (i think)

i'm travelling, away from my desk, so i can't put me hands on this.

the video is on c-span too.

[bluedeminredstate]

10. Excellent analysis

You've described perfectly what it is to watch him hanging over that podium like a spoiled frat boy that can't be bothered to stand up straight. He knows the press knows he's an empty suit and his attitude is just as you said - "What are you going to do about it, huh?"
I loved your Dr. Suess comparison. I've always been bothered by the way he speaks in verbal clusters that realy don't follow any natural speaking pattern.
I'm kicking this so more people will see your great post!

:kick:

[nashville_brook]

19. thanks! his attitude is like a slap in the face to me...

it's behavior you wouldn't stand for from someone standing in front of you -- say in a working environment.

[Kahuna]

12. Remember when he avoided the press like the plague???

Now they can't shut the chimp up. He's like a bi-polar person who is on an extreme high. No wonder his job approval ratings are sliding. Whenever the public has to actually endure his chimping, they disapprove.

[nashville_brook]

28. see below -- narcissistic personalilty disorder

[justiceischeap]

13. Everyone seems to have forgotten

This is the longest he's ever held a job...

[Lugnut]

15. Excellent point!

I forgot about that.

[nashville_brook]

17. bwaha ha ha! so true.

[zann725]

20. And he'd have lost THIS one too...had ALL the votes been counted.

n/t

[Jane Austin]

23. Ken Hermann sure didn't sound bought and paid for

when he said Bush had gone done in flames with his tax cuts in Texas.

[nashville_brook]

24. no, and i would agree there were some TOUGH questions

[FizzFuzz]

25. Narcissistic Personality Disorder

I think he is a classic case. Lack of empathy, doesn't know how to relate to people, grandiose...(his shows of empathy for others are always superficial and obviously fake). Even how others react to him fits the description (Narcissists inspire extreme hate or excessive loyalty)

Here's a clip from an informative site:http://samvak.tripod.com/faq43.html
(and here is the address for the index to that site. http://www.suite101.com/bulletin.cfm/6514/12069 Explains ANYTHING you ever wanted to know about this personality disorder. Worth knowing about, since Our Great Leader is a textbook example IMHO.

This snip talks about the "manic phase", which is what happens when the Narcissist is on a "high" from large amounts of their "drug", Narcissistic Supply (praise, attention)--gee ya think having just been inaugerated qualifies as praise and attention? He's been higher than a kite, and gracing us with his presence ever since the "mandate".

The contrast is very sharp and striking. While in the manic phase, the narcissist is talkative and gregarious. In the depressive phase he is passively-aggressively silent and schizoid. He vacillates between being imaginative and being dull, being social and being antisocial, being obsessed with time management and achievement and lying in bed for hours, being a leader and being led.

These mini-cycles, though outwardly manic-depressive (or cyclothymic) – are not. They are the result of subtle fluctuations in the volatile flow of Narcissistic Supply.

The narcissist is addicted to Narcissistic Supply: admiration, adoration, approval, attention and so on. All his activities, thoughts, plans, aspirations, inspiration, and daydreams – in short, all the aspects of his life – are dedicated to regulating the flow of such supply and to rendering it relatively stable and predictable.

[nashville_brook]

26. i had not heard of the manic-depressive aspects of NPD

but this seems to fit really well with his depressed state at the press conference. no one in the press corps is going to rub his fur the way the way he like, so gets all passive-aggressive until his "friendly" reporters lob him limbaugh-written softballs.