remember the Irish woman reporter that pissed off smirk?

[donsu]

here's her article on what happened:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,2766-1817008,00.html

Ireland: I wanted to slap him

George W Bush was so upset by Carole Coleman’s White House interview that an official complaint was lodged with the Irish embassy. The RTE journalist explains why the president made her blood boil
----------

With just minutes to go to my interview with George W Bush, I was escorted to the White House library, where a staff member gave instructions on how to greet the president: “He’ll be coming in the door behind you, just stand up, turn around and extend your hand.”

-snip-

Nobody said a word. “We don’t address the president unless he speaks first,” a member of the film crew had told me earlier. The resulting silence seemed odd and discomforting, so I broke it. “How has your day been, Mr President?” Without looking up at me, he continued to straighten his tie and replied in a strong Texan drawl, “Very busy.”

-snip-

“Are we all ready to go then?” I asked, looking around the room. The next voice I heard was the president’s. “I think we have a spunky one here,” he said, to nobody in particular.

-snip- (the reporter said that the Irish were angry with Bush and didn't want a fireside chat so she braved on and asked tough questions.)

The president did not see the look of horror on the faces of his staff as he began to defend his stance. “I’m the first president to have called for a Palestinian state. That to me sounds like a reasonable and balanced approach. I will not allow terrorists determine the fate, as best I can, of people who want to be free.”

Hands were signalling furiously now for me to end the interview.
-snip-
-------------------------------

this is a long article and I only posted some of the rules for interviewing the prez and how his keepers hover constantly. this is an interesting read as it shows how the faux emperor interacts with people not in his bubble.

later the WH phoned her and told her she had interrupted the prez. 8 times and he didn't like it one bit.

so I'm thinking that if you want to piss off the prez. interrupt his ass.

two gold stars for Carole Coleman

(edited to put sentence in right place, sorry)

[UncleSepp]

1. Yeah, that dame had moxie. A regular Lois Lane!

Ya think you could could have referred to her as "Irish reporter"? That she was Irish was important. That she was a reporter was very important. That she was a "woman reporter"... what is this, 1940?

[donsu]

5. yes, some people want it to be the 40's - I said woman because it took

a woman to piss off his ass

[tsuki]

29. You forgot Brenda Starr. n/t

[shenmue]

2. Kudos to Ms. Coleman

For maintaining class and intelligence in the face of the smug little piece of work.

I thought her address to him sounded rather normal and polite, in spite of the fact that she was 'jumping the gun' protocol-wise. I mean really, how retentive does Bush have to be to stick to the rules that much? Jimony pete, Smirk, can't you ease up your ego for once in your life?

Just like Bush to get all torqued up and throw a little tantrum because things didn't go precisely his way.

Memo to Bush: in other countries, journalists aren't afraid of you.

[rodeodance]

3. “Is that how you do it in Ireland — interrupting people all the time?”

.....I was removing my microphone when he addressed me.

“Is that how you do it in Ireland — interrupting people all the time?”

I froze. He was not happy with me and was letting me know it.

“Yes,” I stuttered, determined to maintain my own half-smile...........

[NV Whino]

4. “We don’t address the president unless he speaks first."

Fuck that. Good for Ms Coleman!

[cassiepriam]

7. I think it would be easy to get bush to crack....he is on the edge.

[Fla Dem]

13. Sheesh....little pompous twit......he's a nobody, a twerp elected by the

people, (maybe), he is nor anointed, divine, descended from royal bloodlines, etc. AN American, just like the rest of us....not to be bowed to, kowtowed to, scraped before. He is JUST A POLITICIAN !!!!


“He’ll be coming in the door behind you, just stand up, turn around and extend your hand.”

"We don’t address the president unless he speaks first,” a member of the film crew had told me earlier. "

Little Prince George.

[grace0418]

24. He really thinks he's a fucking god, doesn't he?

I really, really detest that motherfucker.

[Turn CO Blue]

25. He's not royalty for Pete's sake... What a stupid protocol! n/t

[willing dwarf]

6. Mr. Uncomfortable

I remember that interview well. It wasn't that she was at all aggressive or anything,she seemed so perfectly normal in her approach. She treated him like a normal human being who was capable of hearing and responding to critical questions. She just didn't handle him with kid gloves, which must be what he's used to.

You can tell he hates to be interupted. I've seen so many men like that along life's way. It's like they will make you uncomfortable to keep themselves safe.

[spooky3]

10. it's even worse--he wants to control the conversation by

rambling on, so her only choice was to interrupt. Like you, I've run into that several times in my life and the speaker clearly intends to make you feel as though he's superior to you.

[peacetalksforall]

8. Insight and thanks. The first thing this article shows is his fragility.

Think about all the books you've read and the movies and plays you've seen where the king is treated the same way. We DON"T have a democracy. Protocal, yes...but it was his protocal responsibility not to be a baby in public. He is not a big man, a grand man. He is a little snotty kid.

Thanks to the Times Online for publishing this article.

Thanks to her publisher for her book.

What a great title - Alleluia America!

Bow down to the born agains. Even the phoney ones.

[Maat]

9. Now, Clinton knew how to charm .. would have one taking the shirt

off one's back to give it to him .. within minutes.

* doesn't know the pertinent information, doesn't think he has to, and certainly does not know how to get along or charm people.

[Ravenseye]

15. That was his problem though

Clinton's I mean....being able to get people to take off their shirts...

BA DING BANG!

Man I miss the Big Dog. Remember when the biggest worry about the president was who he was sleeping with? Seems almost wonderfull now doesn't it.

[Maat]

16. Man ... I miss the Big Dog too ... those were the good ol' days!

And I'd love that to be the biggest worry again.

The guy had class when dealing with world leaders ... and their staff ... and just about anyone else ('cept maybe Monica - but that's debatable).

He was well-versed about the current issues, and could marshal the facts into a good argument quickly. Now, I'm comparing him to DimSon in my head ... :( (we're in such a heap of trouble).

[YOY]

11. he replied in a strong Texan drawl, “Very busy.”

You can drop the fake accent George. We know you're not from Texas...you just play a Texan on TV.

[Missy M]

12. Don't you have to wait for a king or queen to speak first before you...

can address them? I find it interesting that bush said he was the first president to call for a Palestinian state. When Hillary Clinton was first lady she suggested a Palestinian state and I am sure she was highly criticized by the republicans and Limbaugh, etc. bush is such an arrogant, ignorant, humorless excuse for a human. I did like her comment that he appeared to be shorter than he looks on TV and he was grey looking.

[Poiuyt]

20. Do people have to back out of the room so they don't turn their backs on

him? Bowing graciously as they do so?

[Ravenseye]

14. Good Article. Worth The Full Read

Shows just what we've been talking about for 5-6 years now. They control 'access' and barter it to keep reporters docile. Amazing more haven't stood up to him before this point.

[bluedawg12]

17. When did the imperial protocol start? Was it like this with BigDog

and Raygun?

Since when do employees demand silence from their employer?

The Preznit is an employee of the people.

[Nay]

22. That's what I want to know, too. Since when can't a person speak

first if he meets the president? Was this the protocol before Il Douche stole the pretzeldency?

[moobu2]

18. Excellent article. So glad I read the entire thing..

"Where are the Carole Colemans in the US press?” indeed..

Recommended

[SunDrop23]

19. "Nobody cares more about death than I do. I care a lot about it."

Bullshit.

[Bridget Burke]

21. I remember the JFK press conferences....

Reporters shouted their questions & JFK answered them on the fly. Some hard questions & some witty ones. Many witty answers. Perhaps that IS the way the Irish do it.

[chalky]

23. “She’s my hero. Where are the Carole Colemans in the US press?”

Damn straight, Michael Moore.

[Gregorian]

26. When you are part of a crime family, you don't want questions.

I just added that. Haven't read the article.

It's so obvious. Free questioning might expose the corruption and crimes.

Bush is affraid.

[Peace Patriot]

27. Christ, the human race is paying dearly for the invention of nuclear...

...weapons. That's what all this "his royalness" is about. It is the exact opposite of "all men are created equal." One man holds the power of life and death over all, and thus enters of the realm of pharaohs and emperors, who can't be touched or spoken to. Add in the remoteness and naked fear of the super-rich, as they horde and protect their ungodly gains at the expense of the poor, and you have double-whammy of TYRANNY. Same old, same old, we've been fighting for 10,000 years. The Great Leap Backward--that's what future historians will call this era, if there are any future historians. Backward to monarchy. Backward to empire and oppression. Backward to slavery and cannon fodder.

Just remember this. We are a revolutionary country, based on brand new principles of equality, born of the 15th and 16th centuries Enlightenment, and enshrined in our law. The idea was that, with democratic participation in society's decisions, and open debate, the aggregate of all ideas and interests would lead to wisdom, prosperity and progress, and that, when, for some reason, this aggregate wisdom failed--for instance, when power hungry men grabbed the reins of power, or duped the people--the country would be able to correct its wrong course democratically, through public debate and voting.

And when power hungry men have monopolized most of the means of public discourse?

And when power hungry men have gained control of the vote tabulation with secret, proprietary programming code?

You know the answer to the second question: Throw these election theft machines into 'Boston Harbor' and start over!

And, when you have recovered your right to vote, then you bust up the news monopolies that are stifling public discourse, and, following that, you bust up the so-called "Defense" establishment, remove the war profiteers, and re-think what "defense" means. (Are nukes a defense against terrorists? What are they a defense against? And who is profiting from their proliferation? And who is outing covert agents whose job is non-proliferation? Etc. You now have the room, the venue, the votes to ask questions and arrive at wise, consensus decisions.)

Some reverse these priorities--thinking that the news monopolies are the worst problem, and must be dealt with first. They are, after all, the reason that the people do not know about the "trade secret," proprietary programming in their voting system, nor about the evidence that those secret formulae, controlled by Bushite corporations, produced the wrong result.

And there is a lot to be said for that--and for guerrilla news (like this, at DU), most certainly.

Obviously, we must do both, if we are to create American Revolution II. Transparent elections. Uncontrolled political debate.

We have a window of opportunity on transparent elections, and must take advantage of it. This "window" exists in the state and local jurisdictions, where control over election systems still resides, and where ordinary people still have some influence. There is serious corruption at this level, in the billion dollar boondoggle of electronic voting, but it is nevertheless closer to the people and easier to reform. The Fed politicians are gradually eroding local control of elections, and cynically calling it "reform." The more they bribe the states with money to buy into the corrupt electronic voting industry, and make national rules (like the "Voter ID" that Bush's "pod people" in Congress are likely to pass), the faster our "window of opportunity" for real election reform is closing.

Info and action:

"MythBreakers," an excellent pamphlet on electronic voting: http://www.votersunite.org

Help with election monitoring projects for 2006 and 2008:
http://www.UScountvotes.org

[blang]

28. Alleluia America available now

Hi, I don't know if I'm allowed to "advertise" on this site, but I work for the Carole Coleman's (Dublin-based) publisher, and wanted to let anybody interested know that her book Alleluia America! is available direct from www.theliffeypress.com.