WP: The President's Grand Elusion

[kskiska]

By Dana Milbank

President Bush, an old F-102 pilot, showed at yesterday's news conference that he has not forgotten his evasive maneuvers.

(snip)

When another questioner asked Bush to make his case for personal Social Security accounts, a wary Bush sought to suppress the negotiator within. "Yeah, I will try to explain how without negotiating with myself," he began.

The resourceful Edwin Chen of the Los Angeles Times pointed out that Bush had already negotiated with himself by ruling out benefit cuts for retirees and near-retirees, then asked Bush to define "near-retired."

The president saw through this plea for self-negotiation. "Yeah, well, that's going to fall in the negotiating-with-myself category," he said.

For all the bobbing and weaving, yesterday's news conference hinted at an emerging new style for Bush. In his first 45 months in office, he had 15 full-fledged news conferences, fewer than any other postwar president. Bush, a stickler for discipline, didn't want to make unintended news, or to be embarrassed by an unexpected question, as when he was asked what his biggest mistake had been. But since his reelection, Bush has had two news conferences in as many months.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A14748-2004Dec20.html

[Inland]

1. Bush can hold a million news conferences:

as long as there is no news and no conferences. He just won't say anything. He pretends that he has the backing of the American people for his position while refusing to divulge what the position is. He not only thinks we will buy a pig in a poke, he thinks we already have.

[Straight Shooter]

2. "bush, an OLD F-102 pilot"

Priceless. He said "old," not "former."

bush, the bobbing, weaving, old pilot. :D

[rooboy]

3. Time to get the popcorn ready...

Bush is having more press conferences because he believes his own spin that the people really admire him.

[TaleWgnDg]

4. So, the *new words* in Bush's lexicology are "not negotiating

with myself." This goes right up there w/ "It's hard work." Words that are whispered into his ear b4 taking the mike . . . that GWBush doesn't understand how to let go. He's a sad case. Incompetent and foolish man. Unfortunately, he's also the most powerful man on the planet too.



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[Moderator]

5. duplicate topic

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=1086763&mesg_id=1086763