Bush Commands the Spotlight ("stop the bleeding"--is the goal

[rodeodance]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/linkset/2005/04/11/LI2005041100879.html

Bush Commands the Spotlight

By Dan Froomkin
Special to washingtonpost.com
Thursday, April 28, 2005; 1:09 PM

For the first time in over a year, President Bush will hold a prime-time news conference tonight, at 8:30 p.m. ET.

His goal: Stop the bleeding.



Friday marks the end of the first 100 days of Bush's second term. And Sunday marks the end of his 60-day Social Security barnstorming tour.

As Bush approaches those mileposts, many observers are noting his low approval ratings and his lack of progress in achieving some key initiatives and they wonder: Has the president overreached? Has he lost his touch? Is he already a lame duck?

Tonight's news conference creates an opportunity for Bush to assert that he is still relevant, enthusiastically reaffirm his domestic and international agendas, and ask the American people directly for their support.......

more:
Unscripted -- More or Less
What Real People Would Tell Bush Tonight
So What Should Reporters Ask?

[JoFerret]

1. Look for another dip

in ratings

[Botany]

2. Please Mr. pResident .......

...... Talk a lot tonight. The more you talk the better it will be.

[tanyev]

3. He'd better find a tourniquet.

It's bleeding pretty bad.

[wallwriter]

4. Look for the lump

in the back of his sportjacket...

[Oreo]

5. Wow... man-flirting??

"how soon and how much will he start insulting/mocking/man-flirting with the reporters when he calls on them. . . ."

I hope he falls flat on his face sans pretzel


These quotes from the Gallup poll are classic. People were asked what they'd say to Bush:
http://www.gallup.com/poll/content/print.aspx?ci=16066

I'd say that I'm disappointed that he hasn't been indicted for war crimes. Male, age 56

To resign. Female, age 60

To go jump in a lake. Female, age 50

I can't say it out loud. Female, age 61

Retire. Female, age 54

[global1]

6. Hasn't He Got The Message....

the American People don't want privatization of SS; they are finally catching on that they lied about WMD and the war. If Chalabi is really the acting oil minister of Iraq - they will finally realize that the war was about oil and nothing else. He took Delay on a trip with him and a few days afterwards Hastert is undoing the ethics rule changes. Delay's problems are casting a shadow on * - if * doesn't have enough shadows already. He was unsuccessful with the Saudi's with respect to gas/oil prices. His energy program is a joke. Unless he says they captured Bin Laden or that he's going to do something to moderate gas prices - tonights outing is for nothing. He will just dig himself in deeper and his numbers will continue to go down. The American People are finally feeling it in their pocketbooks. Not only gas prices - but everything is going up - he's in trouble and Rove is throwing him out there to bail a sinking raft. Watch - soon the Press will begin to feel confident enough to start piling on. Then the real fun begins. Oh - I wonder if Gannon will be resurrected to put up some softball questions? * is going down in Plame's.

[adigal]

7. Wow!! Quick look seems like 75% of the people

either don't like him or don't like his policies.

1/3 seem to be concerned about the war in Iraq, which makes me feel better, because I thought most Americans did not care. Remember, we were told how Americans were so thrilled with the blue finger voting.