BS: Bush's Pet Press Corps Bends Over...

Subject: BS: Bush's Pet Press Corps Bends Over...
From: Amos
Date: 30 Dec 03 - 05:53 PM

A very live-spirited discussion about the most recent White House press conference (which was scripted ahead of time_) by Max Taibbi can be found on this page

An excerpt:

The Bush press conference to me was like a mini-Alamo for American
journalism, a final announcement that the press no longer performs
anything akin to a real function. Particularly revolting was the spectacle
of the cream of the national press corps submitting politely to the
indignity of obviously pre-approved questions, with Bush not even
bothering to conceal that the affair was scripted.

Abandoning the time-honored pretense of spontaneity, Bush chose the order
of questioners not by scanning the room and picking out raised hands, but
by looking down and reading from a predetermined list. Reporters,
nonetheless, raised their hands in between questions-as though hoping to
suddenly catch the president's attention.

In other words, not only were reporters going out of their way to make
sure their softballs were pre-approved, but they even went so far as to
act on Bush's behalf, raising their hands and jockeying in their seats in
order to better give the appearance of a spontaneous news conference.

Even Bush couldn't ignore the absurdity of it all. ...


A

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Pet Press Corps Bends Over...
From: katlaughing
Date: 30 Dec 03 - 06:10 PM

Cracked a smile, too, didn't they? Wankers! Thanks for the info, Amos.

katdisgusted

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Pet Press Corps Bends Over...
From: Ebbie
Date: 30 Dec 03 - 07:06 PM

Do you know when that stellar event took place? I couldn't find a date in that link for that particular press conference, but it was obviously some time ago, i.e., before Saddam was captured.

How in the hell did we get into this situation?

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Pet Press Corps Bends Over...
From: Amos
Date: 30 Dec 03 - 07:39 PM

Ebbie:

You're right, and I apologize for not noticing that. The article was issue 11; Saddam's capture was mentioned in Issue 53. Both in Volume 16.   I assume Volumes are annual so it was probably about March? Wild-ass guess on my part.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Pet Press Corps Bends Over...
From: Sorcha
Date: 30 Dec 03 - 09:52 PM

It's been happening for a loooong time.

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Pet Press Corps Bends Over...
From: Walking Eagle
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 04:48 PM

Carl Rove at his absolute stellar finest. I need to grab a waste basket or sumpthin' fast!

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Pet Press Corps Bends Over...
From: Sorcha
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 04:55 PM

No one was ever allowed to photograph FDR in a wheelchair, and he posed standing up w/o sticks as often as possible....

Subject: RE: BS: Bush's Pet Press Corps Bends Over...
From: Ebbie
Date: 31 Dec 03 - 05:42 PM

Sorcha, I imagine you mean that no one was allowed to *publish* photographs of FDR in a wheelchair. Or where did all those photos come from?

I believe that the 'anything goes' approach began pretty much when LBJ showed the media his fresh gallbladder scar. And continued when Gary Hart taunted the press with 'Follow me' which they did; ever since, the press has been lurking behind every public figure.

Our government is changing this rapidly, only this time the silence and complicity are more damaging to us. What we're not supposed to watch - or hear about- these days is the flowing of the lifeblood of our nation and how it's being contaminated and diverted into something reprehensible. If this is not stopped, it will inevitably change our society and our government into an alien thing that our forebears warned against 200 plus years ago.