"No President has ever done more for human rights than I have."

New York Daily News ^ | 1/12/04 | Lloyd Grove

[Stone Mountain]

W & aides broadcast media hate

He didn't free the slaves.

He didn't rid the world of Hitler.

He didn't even - like his father - preside over the destruction of the Berlin Wall.

Yet George W. Bush tells New Yorker writer Ken Auletta: "No President has ever done more for human rights than I have."

With stunners like that, no wonder he spends so little time with journalists.

The President's eyebrow-raising assertion comes during some Oval Office chitchat after Auletta - writing about the testy relations between the Bush White House and the news media - sits in on an interview with a British newspaper reporter.

In the latest New Yorker, Auletta reports that Bush and his minions have little use for the Fourth Estate.

Political guru Karl Rove claims that the job of journalists is "not necessarily to report the news. It's to get a headline or get a story that will make people pay attention to their magazine, newspaper or television more."

And Chief of Staff Andy Card scoffs: "[The media] don't represent the public any more than other people do. In our democracy, the people who represent the public stood for election."

Card argues that it's not the responsibility of top White House policymakers to provide reporters with facts.

"It's not our job to be sources. The taxpayers don't pay us to leak!" Card tells Auletta. "Our job is not to make your job easy."

Predictably, the reporters who cover Bush aren't happy. The Washington Post's Dana Milbank complains: "My biggest frustration is that this White House has chosen an approach ...to engage us as little as possible." And the New York Times' Elisabeth Bumiller grouses: "Too often they treat us with contempt."

Free the White House press corps!

[Recovering_Democrat]

"[The media] don't represent the public any more than other people do. In our democracy, the people who represent the public stood for election."

Andy Card is right, you know.

[marvlus]

So doesn't the freedom of Afghanistan and Iraq count?

[KellyAdmirer]

And the New York Times' Elisabeth Bumiller grouses: "Too often they treat us with contempt."

I agree, except I would change "Too often" to "Not often enough."

[Argus]

Ms Bumiller should count her blessings. White House contempt for the press is nothing compared to that of the general public.

[dead]

I gotta admit, I would have bet $50 that the headline was a quote from Clinton.

[expatpat]

And the New York Times' Elisabeth Bumiller grouses: "Too often they treat us with contempt."

You earned it -- you get it.

[mewzilla]

So doesn't the freedom of Afghanistan and Iraq count?

Not to Ken Auletta on Imus this morning, who thinks Jimmy Carter did more for human rights BTW.

[BlackbirdSST]

And Chief of Staff Andy Card scoffs: "[The media] don't represent the public any more than other people do. In our democracy, the people who represent the public stood for election."

It's a Constitutional Republic, MORON! Seems you don't exactly represent the public either. Blackbird.

[narby]

George W. Bush tells New Yorker writer Ken Auletta: "No President has ever done more for human rights than I have." With stunners like that, no wonder he spends so little time with journalists.

Stunners?

I suppose it's just because the media has been ignoring the quiet work Bush has been doing to end slavery in north Africa that they have no clue.

[observer5]

Carter gave us - Komeni

Clinton gave us - Bin Laden

...

[RWR8189]

Awww, the poor media elitists are just so sad that Dubya doesn't like them.

Don't you all feel bad for them?

[OldFriend]

Regarding the media with contempt........WELL DESERVED!

[FairOpinion]

Bush is also making the world safer for everyone.


Assertive U.S. foreign policy produces diplomatic payoff (Bush doctrine works!)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1056484/posts

[Jeff Gannon]

As many of you here know, I am a member of the White House Press Corps (for Talon News) and I often feel as if I am operating behind enemy lines. Whatever contempt members of the press corps might feel coming from the White House is only a fraction of the contempt the reporters have for the President.

I have written on the subject several times on my website, www.jeffgannon.com and do a segment called "Behind Enemy Lines" on my www.radiofreerepublic.com show, "Jeff Gannon's Washington."

Does anyone notice that the Fox News or Washington Times people don't complain about contempt from the White House?

Is there any reason the White House shouldn't have contempt for the likes of Helen Thomas, Terry Moran or David Gregory?

[Fintan]

And the New York Times' Elisabeth Bumiller grouses: "Too often they treat us with contempt."
 

That's okay, Elisabeth. We pretty much feel the same way about the New York Times.

[Diddle E. Squat]

Yet George W. Bush tells New Yorker writer Ken Auletta: "No President has ever done more for human rights than I have."

Did President Bush really say that? If so, do you what was the context? That just doesn't sound like how he talks.

[MissAmericanPie]

Yeah buddy, he has done more than anyone before him in making his fellow countrymen slaves to illegal invaders. And if allowed to continue he will do far more than anyone else could ever hope to get away with.

[AndyTheBear]

He didn't rid the world of Hitler.

He did rid the world of the closest modern thing: Saddam Hussein.

Although Saddam Hussein was not as relativly powerful as Hitler, he was working on being so. Thus the operation to take him out could afford to cause much less human suffering then that to take out Hitler (and you would think the Left would be happy about this--but alas they just want to complain about Pubbies).

I do not agree with W's assesment, but this supporting argument by the author was the real zinger.

[Jeff Gannon]

It's hard to say, some of these reporters simply make stuff up. Unless it's on tape, who's to know?