Secret Baghdad visit is PR coup for Bush

London Telegraph ^ | 29 November 2003 | Alec Russell

[Lando Lincoln]

Secret Baghdad visit is PR coup for Bush
By Alec Russell in Washington
(Filed: 29/11/2003)

President George W Bush was back at his Texas ranch yesterday basking in the most adulatory coverage in months, as an admiring American media described his surprise trip to Iraq as one of the boldest ever presidential forays.

By turning up unexpectedly in Baghdad for Thanksgiving dinner, Mr Bush appears to have pulled off a stunning public relations coup.

His secret overnight flight was glowingly compared to Abraham Lincoln's daring visits to battlefields in the Civil War and Franklin Roosevelt's summit meeting in the Atlantic with Churchill at the height of the U-Boat campaign. CNN delved into the archives for footage of Eisenhower on the frontlines in the Korean War and Lyndon Johnson in Vietnam before concluding that Mr Bush's adventure had trumped them because of its secrecy.

The pictures of Mr Bush in an Army tracksuit serving turkey and trimmings would have struck a chord with millions of Americans back home, hitting their screens just as they were enjoying the same feast.

White House officials are confident the images will eclipse public memories of Mr Bush flying on to the deck of an aircraft carrier in front of a banner saying "Mission Accomplished" in May.

• America's former first lady, Senator Hillary Clinton, visited Baghdad yesterday and said the United States still faced a "big challenge" in Iraq. She met leading US military and civilian officials including Paul Bremer, the US administrator, and had lunch with troops from her home state of New York.

  	28 November 2003: Guess who's coming to Thanksgiving dinner?
  	3 May 2003: Bush takes a Top Gun stance on US carrier

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Typical liberal media. They see this as merely a PR move. They also see their eroding support and increasing criticism from unexpected corners as being a merely PR problem. Wrong!

[livius]

Actually, both those images were great. The mission was accomplished, for one thing - the clean up is a whole 'nother thing, and we're on it. Bush's visit was proof of that.

[XtreMarine]

Whether or not this was a PR issue is not the question in my opinion. As a Marine this was definitely a morale booster. The Commander in Chief was away from his family just as our brothers and sisters in arms are away from thiers. Not too mention putting himself in grave danger, JUST as they do everyday. Motivation now is at an all time high. The troops needed that and I am sure it was more than a PR stunt. If you serve or have served it means a great deal to see the boss in the mud every now and then....

I ask everyone, let the service members enjoy that moment and not taint it with the rhetoric of politics.

Semper Fi

[alloysteel]

Talking to the firemen at the site of the World Trade Center, while the pit was still smoking....

Flying onto the carrier to announce to the troops that the combat phase of the Battle for Baghdad was over....

Dishing out the meals on the chow lines for the military to give his personal thanks for their efforts, and encouraging them to keep up the work....

These were recorded by the cameras and made terrific news stories, but that was not the objective. Thanking the men and women in harm's way, for performing their duties faithfully and well, recognizing their dedication and spirit, showing that their efforts meant something, and what they did was not in vain, but part of something noble and good, were all in the message George W. Bush was trying to impart to America's defenders.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Thank quuuuuuuuuue !

[Arpege92]

The liberal press will ALWAYS find fault with Bush. Let's pretend that this trip of Bush's was leaked out to the press and they were forced to turn around and go home. The liberal media would have had a field day with that. They would have accused him of being a coward, especially since Hillary was there visiting the troops.

The point is, that most Americans see right through the liberal media....that's why most don't even watch them anymore. Including me!

[tubebender]

Not to bad a article considering it's the British Press...

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Right on. I think most people are seeing this for the good thing that it really is.

Notice that the news media publishes whiny comments from the 1% malcontents that don't understand the concepts of commitment and country. I'm also wagering that a lot of those comments are taken out of context, edited to show the negative half-truth, or fabricated outright. In my civilian job, I deal with a lot of military servicemen from Hill AFB, many of whom have returned from Iraq. When I talk to them, I get a completely different view of Iraq than what comes out of the TV every night.

[Terp]

The point is, that most Americans see right through the liberal media....that's why most don't even watch them anymore. Including me!

The campaign season has begun. I don't care what the liberal foreign press thinks and neither does 99% of the American public. It's our own liberal media that we need to be concerned about at this stage. And your right that most can see through the liberal media, I just wish the numbers were higher.

[luvbach1]

"I ask everyone, let the service members enjoy that moment [Bush's Baghdad visit to the troops] and not taint it with the rhetoric of politics."

We're with you 100% on that. But try posting that comment on DU (Democratic Underground, as far away as your next Google search) where they really need to take it to heart.You'll have to register to do it, whereupon, after posting, you will be banned from the DU site for life.

[luvbach1]

"Flying onto the carrier to announce to the troops that the combat phase of the Battle for Baghdad was over...."

Gee, listening to the Demonrat rap one would think Bush had declared the liberation of Iraq a fait accompli.

[smileee]

Speaking of President Bush's "Top Gun" stance aboard US Carrier...I would love a picture of him in that flight suit. Anybody out there know how I can obtain one?

[lonevoice]

BUMP for truth!

[Lando Lincoln]

Let's pretend that this trip of Bush's was leaked out to the press and they were forced to turn around and go home. The liberal media would have had a field day with that. They would have accused him of being a coward, especially since Hillary was there visiting the troops.

Boy, are you on the money. And then Hillary Heifer would have commanded the camera even more. What an upside down world!

Lando

[happydogdesign]

How depressing for some people...

[Eala]

[Lando Lincoln]

Thanks Eala - great contrast. That heifer is so full of herself. GWB, on the otherhand is such a humble man.

Lando

[GulliverSwift]

White House officials are confident the images will eclipse public memories of Mr Bush flying on to the deck of an aircraft carrier in front of a banner saying "Mission Accomplished" in May.

Where's the source for that opinion? I'll bet the reporter just made it up. Notice there's no attribution of any kind.

[Eala]

Thanks Eala - great contrast. That heifer is so full of herself. GWB, on the otherhand is such a humble man.

Thank you! I kept seeing these contrasting images between all the posted GWB and HRHHRC photos and figured that somehow somebody needed to juxtapose them. Since nobody else did...