No chance for media to grill Bush By Mark Forbes Foreign Affairs Correspondent Canberra October 23, 2003 US President George Bush will dodge media questioning during his Australian visit, in a breach of normal protocol. At the White House's insistence, Mr Bush will not hold any news conferences with Prime Minister John Howard and strict restrictions are being imposed on media access to the visit. Joint news conferences are normally held with leaders on official visits, with opportunities for journalists from both nations to ask questions. A spokeswoman for the United States embassy said she believed the decision not to hold a news conference was based on a desire to focus media attention on the address Mr Bush will deliver to a joint parliamentary sitting today. A formal press conference was held for the last visit by a US president, Bill Clinton, in 1996. Chinese President Hu Jintao will hold a joint press conference with Mr Howard after their talks tomorrow. And in Bali yesterday, Mr Bush held a lengthy news conference with Indonesian President Megawati Soekarnoputri. Mr Howard's office declined to answer questions about the lack of media access to Mr Bush. It is believed, however, that Australian officials had pushed strongly for a news conference to be included in the pair's schedule this afternoon, but were overruled by the White House. more at the URL: Source Strange, that Bush is very reluctant to address the press.. Wonder why that is? I mean, Australia is a Democracy, allied in the War on Terror.. True Friends of the United States, and the President declines to address the local media?
Hell, he's held the fewest press conferences of any modern President for the media here in the States, to the best of my knowledge. Why would you be surprised?
Maybe he was afraid they might ask him about General MyGodIsBiggerThanYour God. As you've pointed out in the past Murdock, it is very dumb to do anything that might counter the idea that all Arabs and all Muslims are terrorists. And even though he pussed out and stopped short of firing him, us true patriot type Amarcuns don't like our Christian generals getting any kind of slapdown. Not when there are real Arabs on the loose.
Hell, he's held the fewest press conferences of any modern President for the media here in the States, to the best of my knowledge. Why would you be surprised? Last week he was complaining about the whole story not being told about Iraq, and heres a chance to set the record straight and win a few diplomatic points (granted it's a small formality BUT for a nation that has stood by us shoulder to shoulder through this whole ordeal, it shouldn't be too much to ask. Instead he makes himself and America look like a bunch of jerks.. I mean when Red China is allowing greater media access to their President than the United States, then there's a serious problem there.. I guess with his latest media push, I kinda expected him to at least go through the diplomatic motions.
Bush dodges all media/press conferences he is no 'fair dinkum' when it comes to answering the tough questions.
I hope you slap down the religiosity of the Muslims with same fervor. WHat the general said was bad, but how come there is no criticism of the Imams and such folks? Politically incorrect?
I was mostly busy slapping down Morlock for his dumb Dean thread from a few days back. I've been on the road and didn't have a chance to do it then. I'm not against anyone being religious. I am, however, totally against anyone in a position of power (especially when that power includes the sanction to kill people) employing that power in a religious crusade. Whether it's 9/11, the Crusades or the current, incredibly dangerous scandal with our boy, it's wrong. Especially in America. Further it's against God, if you believe in that kind of thing. Not firing this guy is among the dumbest things the Bush administration has done. And there have been many. But, like I said, mostly just taking a well-deserved shot at the Morlock for his dumbass position that Dean made a mistake by campaigning for Arab-American votes.
The sooner that ******* gets the hell out of my country, the better. And he can take Howard with him.
The Moment of Zen on The Daily Show last night was a paper-maiche (sp?) of a dog with Howard's face licking the hindquarters of a similarly made Bush. Pretty funny in a down under humor kind of way. The other thing (continuing with the dog theme) is I don't think the Aussie press is as much a lapdog as our own. Perhaps he knew he couldn't brush off questions without getting challenged. At a any rate, it makes us look petty and wimpy.
Bush has been complaining that the press is painting a biased picture of our great successes in the Iraqi occupation. Alarmingly, he admitted recently that he doesn't read newspapers, as he prefers to have his news spoon fed to him by Condi Rice and others. The million dollar question: is Condi the one who told him the press is being unfair to his achievements in Iraq? How else would he even know?
You could have a permanent thread - Bush dodges US media. Every media event is scripted including the White House press conferences - they only let *friendly* correspondents ask questions, when they let them ask questions at all.
Maybe if he shortened that news conference, he would have had time to answer outback questions?...Apparently, there is a plan i.e. Iterinary,...if I knew how to spell it...and he is making an address as I understand it,...It makes sense to me that a viable reasoning is the focus of the address and to put it into the limelight given time considerations...I know the whiny cry liberals want to hear Bush speak as much as possible, since you love listening to him...Isn't an address enough? Perhaps we should clone Bush to all the unamericanized liberal of diabolical nature and put him in your home so you can hold him tight, stare at him and ask him thousands of questions...Perhaps then, you will stop all the baseless is belong to the liberals crappy-coup agenda...
