I was distressed to find out the the typical dose of reality television had been preempted for the third primetime news conference of Bush's "presidency".
Although watching Average Joe Hawaii, or whatever the fuck else would have been on clearly would have caused me to regress socially, listening to George Bush Jr.
speak did something far far worse.
Source: BBC World News, April 14 2004
* Disclaimer: All quotes were taken from the official Whitehouse transcript. Having watched the speech, I can say with some certainty that George Bush occasionally "elaborated" on some points.
"It's not a civil war; it's not a popular uprising. Most of Iraq is relatively stable. Most Iraqis, by far, reject violence and oppose dictatorship. In forums where Iraqis have met to discuss their political future, and in all the proceedings of the Iraqi Governing Council, Iraqis have expressed clear commitments. They want strong protections for individual rights; they want their independence; and they want their freedom."
It would seem that a lot of them simply want "their freedom" from us. Out of curiosity, how many Iraqis need to pick up a gun and shoot at us before it qualifies as a "popular uprising" or "civil war"?
"In Fallujah, coalition forces have suspended offensive operations, allowing members of the Iraqi Governing Council and local leaders to work on the restoration of central authority in that city."
Source: New York Times, April 14 2004
Apparently no one informed the Bush administration that when you have control of a city and people start attacking you, then they are the ones engaging in offensive operations…..not you. Perhaps Bush was hopeful that the Iraqis would be so overwhelmed by our generosity that they would stop trying to retake the city.
"The people know where I stand. I mean, in terms of Iraq, I was very clear about what I believed. And, of course, I want to know why we haven't found a weapon yet. But I still know Saddam Hussein was a threat, and the world is better off without Saddam Hussein. I don't think anybody can — maybe people can argue that.
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I know the Iraqi people don't believe that, that they're better off with Saddam Hussein — would be better off with Saddam Hussein in power.
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I also know that there's an historic opportunity here to change the world. And it's very important for the loved ones of our troops to understand that the mission is an important, vital mission for the security of America and for the ability to change the world for the better."
This was in a response to a question asking whether or not it was fair for people to criticize Bush's adimistration for never admitting a mistake. He seems to contradict himself several times; nevermind the fact that he doesn't seem to even slightly address what was asked. Perhaps you can make some sense out of this answer. I can't.
"I don't plan on losing my job. I plan on telling the American people that I've got a plan to win the war on terror. And I believe they'll stay with me. They understand the stakes. Look, nobody likes to see dead people on their television screens — I don't. …. It is a — it is — it's a chance to hug and weep and to console and to remind the loved ones that the sacrifice of their loved one was done in the name of security for America and freedom for the world."
Let me see if I've got this: He has a plan? He plans on telling us his plan? Perhaps he plans on having a plan? This makes me feel very secure. I guess I should just rest assured that a plan for a plan, whose dissemination is planned is going to ensure "security for America and freedom for the world."
Whew.
I am glad I am not a liberal or terrorist, or I might have been a bit distressed by this speech.
For More Information:
Here is the official transcript, I suggest reading it. Reading and quoting this speech made me tired and disheartened, I could not possibly include everything that merited reading.
The official Whitehouse transcript
The BBC does a good job here of summarizing press reaction to the speech.
BBC World News- "Press Unimpressed"
Liz says:
I spent most of the conference being ecstatic that the press were beginning to ask legitimate questions instead of pandering to the administration's version of things, even though they knew perfectly well that Bush wasn't used to that whole "watchdog" thing. I can't remember the last time that happened in a presidential press conference. Not that there have been that many to compare with in the last few years.
mike says:
I love that the only mistake he admitted to making was not being able to think of any mistakes he has made.
It's like a logic problem.
Ed says:
I can't remember the last time there was a press conference, period.
I give Bush credit for one thing and one thing only: he didn't avoid selecting reporters who he knew would hammer him.
Only the Washington Times reporter asked him a softball question……even Fox News' reporter asked a relatively critical question.
Erik says:
I kind of get the feeling that every reporter in the press corps had a critical question in mind. They were out for blood. I think bush actually had some reporters in mind that he intended to ask questions of. "must calls" he referred to them as. However, they, in turn, slammed him.
Ed says:
Actually, "must calls" is an actual term, not just some mental list he keeps.
In exchange for limiting the number of reporters who get access to the White House, the White House agrees to have reporters on the "must call" list on a rotating basis, and those reporters serve as a "pool" for questions from reporters who do not get access.
tom says:
the question about whether or not bush had made mistakes was more like an empathy response test than a policy question. human beings are introspective and can admit to and learn from mistakes – robots carry on with their plan until they fall apart. i think that proved pretty conclusively that Bush is a replicant.
Oh, and to show the genius and pervasiveness of spin in this country – I was talking to a guy saturday about James Joyce of all things and the stream of consciousness narrative style, and he said that Bush's rambling stream of consciousness (which he did not see or hear directly, but only heard about) at press conferences was a similar mark of genius as Joyce's prose. I'd love to find the rightwing commentator who managed to pull off that comparison.
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