Posted on 09/10/2002 8:32:22 PM PDT by Hillary's Lovely Legs
CBS' Scott Pelley isn't the first person to observe that in a world of grays, President Bush sees mainly black and white.
But Pelley says there are aspects about the Bush's personality that might surprise some people during Bush's only TV interview this Sept. 11 anniversary week - on 60 Minutes II Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
"There are times in the interview where he is pounding the desk, he's so angry," Pelley said Monday. "There are parts where tears are running down his face as he's describing the people (he) met in New York. Viewers are going to see a man who has a great deal more range of emotion that he betrays in public."
But they'll also see Bush repeating a familiar refrain: "He sees this (the war on terrorism) as a struggle between good an evil and he sees America as the leading champion of good in the world, with a responsibility to put an end to this evil wherever it is - way beyond Afghanistan."
Pelley spent 2 1/2 hours with Bush, speaking to him aboard Air Force One and at the White House. Pelley said Bush gets "a little testy. But I think he has fun with it: He likes the give and take."
Pelley also talked to 20 other Bush administration officials about their recollections of Sept. 11 and ensuing days.
But Pelley devotes a full 40 minutes of the show to examining what happened in the hours immediately after the attacks, when Bush remained largely aboard Air Force One instead of returning to the White House - a controversial move that Pelley came away thinking was justified.
By the end of the day it was Bush who overruled the Secret Service and ordered Air Force One to return to the the capital. "He said, 'Tell my wife to meet me at the White House' - and they did."
Pelley said that Bush is a bit like President Reagan - he paints the big picture but expects others to figure out the nitty-gritty - but someone who, in this case, needed to talk about the days that changed history.
"He was very engaged and thrilled to talk about it," Pelley said. "It was almost as if it seemed he needed to get it off his chest. He wanted to tell somebody about that week and what has been going through his mind."
Nice try, but such unsophisticated attempts at pop psychology really don't work.
So what if he prepares his answers--any good person worth their salt would do it. But how do you make tears come out? I have never been able to cry on command. Do you think that Clinton bit his lip everytime he wanted to cry--you know, cause pain and the tears come? Perhaps I now understand why Clinton did what he did.
Acting coaches teach people how to evoke emotions, including tears. Even mediocre high school drama kids can master it with practice. Get a book. Read a few biographies. Not just the recent hit pieces, but those that go back into the past. Presidents don't get to be Presidents without mastering the techniques of media. Would you really respect a man who went into an interview of this magnitude totally unprepared and decided to just wing it and see how he looked afterwards? It doesn't happen. The handlers would NEVER allow it.
You haven't time for honesty?
That's very mature of you.
And you think that by watching a carefully scripted interview on the boob tube you are able to discern these things?
Neither the presence, nor the absence, of a wide range of emotions, in ones public demonor, proves a whole lot. To understand what is really happening, one first must become a truth seeker, then one can begin to recognize such when it passes by.
Are you implying that you have tapped into some kind of netherworldly power that reveals these things to you?
Until then, reactions to superficial behaviours are rather superficial.
Twighlight Zone...
Calling in the Mongolian Hordes, huh? Why must you resort to such cheap tactics?
And you know this how?
But you wouldn't know about that yet.
Nor about maturity.
And yes, I do have time for honesty. I will have to look elsewhere for that, however. Good day.
Yea. As you see. I know the drill. I didn't even add "/sarcasm off".
even though you've never met me. ;-)
Gee, I wouldn't want to draw conclusions about you because I have never met you. Nope! No way! Or, say you were acting within your post, just because I presume like some other poster you were a good actor. /sarcasm off for sure this time
As with Clinton, shame is a foreign concept to some.
Excellent analysis. After 9/11, Clinton rushed back to NYC to "comfort" people -- of course, he only seemed interested in comforting the young women!
We all can disagree with his politics, But to compare him to Clinton is sophmoric. GWB might not please everyone on this forum, but he is not a scumbag. The entire image of the White House has been restored to the honor and dignity it deserves. I voted for George W. Bush and despite his compromises with the RATS, He has far surpassed my expectations of him. Here is a guy who was written off by all of the media and half of America. But yet he was able to get a tax relief bill on his desk along with many other FUNDEMENTAL changes in foriegn policy and accountability in domestic policy that is never wriiten about by 90% of the press.
This guy has been in office all of 19 months and IMHO he has done a great job, especially when you consider what he has had to face since he took the oathe of office. How many times did we hear from the media and others how GWB would not be accepted on the world stage? Bet you wont hear those reports now. The entire world is waiting for his speech on thursday and it isn't because they don't take him seriously.
Kudos for your thoughtful post
FReegards,
MJY
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