Here is some more of the transcript from the Bush 'rib incident' this part makes a little more sense:
btw, there is a time and place for everything, (i.e. press conferances and the like)...like Bush, eloquently put it, his job is to oversee country affairs, not answer ill-timed questions at every opportunity by others...
So why the f-ck is he ordering ribs and doing campaign oriented photo-ops if his job is to oversee country affairs?
ROXRAN: "My job is to secure the homeland and that's what I'm going to do" qualifies as eloquent? I grant you it was one of his less stupid statements, but eloquent?? Ah, the power of low expectations... Jorge: Intimating that you've shamed someone else when my repeated shaming of you the past few days, in several threads, has gone unaddressed and unanswered? Didn't know you were capable of irony. Nice work.
Yeah, presidents aren't allowed to eat ribs. They can have their nutrients given to them intraveneously while overseeing the country's affairs.
Nobody said that, but somebody implied that the press was bothering him while he was trying to run the country's affairs. Unless the country's affairs are eating ribs and campaigning -- then that is not what he was doing. Go out in public to shill for yourself in front of the cameras, you can't cry foul when the cameras ask you questions back.
This kind of thing would never happen to President Bartlett. C.J. would kick the offending reporter in the nuts and then tell him to back off.
I wasn't going to respond, because I thought the answer was a given and obvious...perhaps not. When you are a President of the United States, your job requirement's basic premise is to oversee the affairs of the United States of America... It is often noted that the President's job is on duty 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year...However, unless you are a machine, or Ah-nold, then this is a culmination of dictated agenda encompassing the 24 hour period which makes allowances for "down time"... Obviously, the most critical phase of time in the duties of a President is the actual briefing and exchange of information from differing areas, bureaus, and agencies which comprise governmental processes, direction, and eventual decision-making...then, there will be times for a President (as all past Presidents' have) to make public appearances and even a little campaigning in an election year... To imply running a country is a constant without regards to eating or public appearance or even opportunistic campaigning is blatantly ignorant... Should President Bush answer every question at every whim without regards to his agenda?...I don't think so. This is unpractical and detrimental towards allowable time for the multiple issues that arise daily...Press conferances are utilized for a reason... When a President uncommonly has the time to engage the public, the focus of the President's attention shouldn't have to be entertaining unrelated questions to the actual engagement, otherwise the public is deprived and this is a travesty to the umpteenth degree...imho...
So which is it? Is he running the country or maxxing and relaxing? I was just using your rationale as to why he shouldn't be subjected to questions. Or should it have to be related to the engagement as you say? So only questions about ribs are allowable? What about questions about Mad Cow Disease? Hamburglar? Grimace? What about the fact that he gave the SOU address the night before, essetially kicking off his reelection campaign with free airtime...I must have missed the Q&A session afterward; Are all bets off? There's a 12 hour rule? When you have a photo opp for your campaign and invite/allow the press along....they're going to ask you questions. That goes with the territory. You campagin, they show your soundbites, they ask the questions. If the President just wanted to hang out alone at a Rib Joint and chat with the staff in private, the Secret Service could have arranged for it...But they didn't. If you don't wnat to answer reporters questions, don't invite them to come film you and talk to them; that's just kind of common sense. BTW, I suggest you read up on press conferences and the Bush Administration. Given that this is the most secretive adminstration in history, it's not surprising that reporters are desperate to get any questions answered.
Hey, maybe Bush was on one his very long *working* vacations. Cut him some slack, the Yalie can only work a couple days out of the month, not enough brain cells left due to alcohol and coke damage.
Isn't this the same president who set the record for the most vacation time during the first year of "service" among all presidents?
Heh, heh. Once again, silly liberals are PWN3D. Oh and the Bush Tax cuts r00l. Just like to throw that out there.
The reason is that he made it abundantly clear to the idiot reporter that he was not interested in answering questions but would rather chat with the proprietors and eat some ribs. Once upon a time they were called <b>manners</b>.
I just came back from a one month trip overseas and your comment above seems to reflect what many people I came accross outside our 4 walls think of George Bush. It is just sad. It is so obvious to them that it is ridiculous. He is essentially considered a dumb figure head (and that characterization pisses his mother, Barbara, off).
I have no doubt that this is a common perception in Europe and elsewhere. I traveled to Europe during Veitnam and Nixon. Talk about a trip! The Europeans are so much more engaged in politics... from voting to talking about it. I wish this forum reflected more an American interest in the same thing, but sadly it does not. No matter what your political persuasion here, people, you are the exception to the rule. Americans in general, with an occasional "lapse" (lol!) into political discourse, are pathetically uninterested in the politics of their own country. Sad, but true. I hope someday that changes. We would be so much better off.
