Bush parries reporters' thrusts on 'false premises,' 'mistakes'

Washington Times ^ | 4/14/04 | Joseph Curl

[kattracks]

False premises. Errors in judgment. Personal responsibility. Mistakes, mistakes, mistakes.

Those were the words and phrases that filled last night's hourlong prime-time press conference as a gaggle of White House correspondents finally got to ask President Bush what they have quietly been asking in the cramped press quarters just off the Oval Office.

[McGavin999]

The media was in full red a$$ last night. They made complete fools of themselves in front of the entire nation.

When they asked him about what mistakes he's made, I wish he would have said "Right now I have to keep my eyes straight ahead. We have men and women in harms way and their well being is far more important than anything else. I can't afford to be self indulgent right now"

[NorthGA]

I was really surprised to hear the several questions of "do you admit personal responsibility?"

I have never heard another president, mayor or governor asked such a question about taking personal responsibility for bad things that happen - shootings, thefts, fraud, etc. Bush must have been somewhat prepared (or quickly recognized the political trap).

It reminded me of the old question of "Have you stopped beating your wife?"

[WOSG]

Should have said ... "after 3 years in the White House, it's still the Sammy Sosa trade... big mistake."

[VRWC_minion]

Most people don't pay ultra-close attention.

They would if he said he made a mistake or if he acted cocky. Those are the only wrong responses.

Bush was passed the equivalent of a dog $hit, and he handled it as best he could. If he kept it (said he made a mistake) he would smell like $hit from now to November. If he threw it back (said no he made no mistakes, ) he would look like he over estimated his personal worth. The best thing he could do is put the $hit down and say he had no idea what to do with it.

[Frunabulax]

Bush was passed the equivalent of a dog $hit, and he handled it as best he could. If he kept it (said he made a mistake) he would smell like $hit from now to November. If he threw it back (said no he made no mistakes, ) he would look like he over estimated his personal worth. The best thing he could do is put the $hit down and say he had no idea what to do with it.

Love the analogy. The press didn't even have the grace to pick up their turd on the way out.

[CyberAnt]

I SAID: "He (President Bush) is not self-absorbed."

YOU SAID: "Others would say it's just being reflective and not "self-absorbed".

I get from your answer that you think I said - Bush was self-absorbed. I didn't - Please read the message again. Thank you.

[CyberAnt]

I agree .. and I just keep thinking - WHERE WERE THESE PEOPLE WHEN CLINTON WAS LYING AND LYING AND LYING AND LYING?

[Two-Bits]

Hi, Please take a moment and either call the President or send an email to let him know we, the American people back him. Also, if you could just tell one person to do the same and ask them to tell another, than God willing, we will flood the switchboard with calls and faxes like they have never seem. This is one way we can take it direct to the President and it can not be misled by the media or stupid polls.....
Please call or email and God bless:
Comments: 202-456-1111 Switchboard: 202-456-1414 FAX: 202-456-2461 E-Mail President George W. Bush: president@whitehouse.gov Vice President Richard Cheney: vice.president@whitehouse.gov

[workerbee]

I don't think you can go wrong by assuming the masses in this country can be led around by demogogues. Half of them are willing it seems to me. I hope I am just cynical.

I agree.

[GraniteStateConservative]

No, I'm saying that being self-absorbed is bad, being reflective is good. If people viewed the question in terms of being reflective, they'd wonder why he isn't. It's a perfectly normal and advisable quality. Batters look at tape of their swing to get better, for example. Does Bush do the same thing-- look at his mistakes and learn from them or does he just ignore them and keep on making them?

The question was "After 9/11, what would your biggest mistake be, would you say, and what lessons have you learned from it?" That's a perfectly legitimate question. You'd think Bush would have an answer. My guess is he had an answer, that he is reflective, but he didn't know what the political implications would be of his answer so he choked. That's fine. Everybody chokes on time or another.

[hilaryrhymeswithrich]

After last night is there ANYONE who doubts the bias of the press corps?? My husband, not as interested in every little bit as I am, screamed at the tv louder than me!

[hilaryrhymeswithrich]

I told my husband I would have had two answers, neither of which I could have gotten away with.

1) I mistakenly thought that those across the aisle would be more focused on protecting the American people instead of trying to bust my chops.

2) I mistakenly thougtht Americans had a longer attention span than they appear to.

[AZFolks]

This demonstrates the feminization of America as well as media bias. I expected Oprah to appear any monent!