Posted on 02/03/2005 6:39:42 AM PST by fight_truth_decay
To Ron Reagan's hearty affirmation, MSNBC's Chris Matthews asked if the hug during the State of the Union, between an Iraqi woman who voted on Sunday and the mother of a Marine who was killed in Iraq, was engineered by President Bush in order "to push his numbers on Social Security reform, just to get his general appeal up a bit, a couple of points?" Matthews proceeded to suggest that Bush's "PR guys around the White House did this to promote the President's agenda" Reagan enthusiastically agreed:
"Well, of course they did. Oh, sure they did."
Joe Scarborough soon dismissed that theory as "just the height of cynicism." Even after NBC's Norah O'Donnell called the hug "very spontaneous," Matthews wouldn't let go: "The only question is whether that Iraqi woman was prompted to go up and hug" the Marine's mother "by some staffer." Newsweek Managing Editor, Jon Meacham, rejected the notion: "I think the idea that that moment was about Social Security poll numbers is absurd."
Before the State of the Union, CNN's Paula Zahn Now pointed it out repeatedly and, after the address, NBC focused on it. Zahn asked a guest: "This President comes into the State of the Union address with a 50 percent approval rating. What challenge does that present?" She soon pointed out how "the President is under a lot of pressure tonight to deliver this speech at a time when his approval rating rests at 50 percent" and CNN's John King echoed that "this is a President at a historic low in terms of delivering a State of the Union, a 50 percent approval rating."
ABC's Terry Moran saw it as "the kind of moment that can crystallize for a President what he's trying to do on the world stage." Cokie Roberts, also on ABC, described the "spontaneous hug" as "something that leaves you with goose bumps. And I think will have more resonance than any words he [Bush] said."
CBS's Dan Rather wrapped up his prime time coverage by suggesting nothing "said more about America in this 229th year of our freedom than this picture" of the two woman hugging.
"In the most poignant moment of any State of the Union night we can remember," Rather related, "a grateful Iraqi said, 'we thank you.'"
When posted will be readable at: http://www.mediaresearch.org/cyberalerts/2005/cyb20050203.asp
yeah, right.
president bush is lying about social security.
harry reid would have us believe that the stock market is risky and he wants to protect social security for us.
how many times did the democrat-controlled congress spend social security monies?
My only complaint is that if they were waving their fingers at the Democrats then they dipped the wrong one.
What on earth is this woman so very angry about?
Good Lord, relax and have a cup of tea.
Chris Matthews asked if the hug during the State of the Union, between an Iraqi woman who voted on Sunday and the mother of a Marine who was killed in Iraq, was engineered by President Bush in order "to push his numbers on Social Security reform, just to get his general appeal up a bit, a couple of points?" Matthews proceeded to suggest that Bush's "PR guys around the White House did this to promote the President's agenda"
I hope all the far-left libs keep it up.
They are doing a great, great job of increasing the ranks of Republican voters.
At this rate, 2006 could be another blowout.
Poor Jeanene, her movie career dries up and now she's debating Ron Reagan on Mess-NBC..
We know YOU didn't have anything to do with it.
Shalom.
Knowing that in just a few short years she'll look exactly like Helen Thomas?
But what is pissing me off to no extent is the amount of money the Republican congress is pissing away. More than the Dems, I'm sorry to say.
Sooooo.....Garafalo has done WHAT to actually help Iraqis or Afghanis? Or anybody, for that matter...?
Because it seems to me that some in Congress, the president, and all of the armed services have done a whole helluva lot.
What's with her anyway? Perpetual PMS? Get her some chocolate and stfu.
There are few rules that have no exceptions, but one is: anything that disgusts Garafalo is good for America.
The stock market could have violent swings and huge losses and still wouldn't be as risky as giving the money to congress.
Congress never saw a $ it didn't spend. Invest in the stock market and there is at least a > 0% chance it will be there when you retire. Give the money to congress and there is a 0% chance it will still be there the second after you get your deposit slip.
Shalom.
Yada,yada....
The dems are losers, they are on the wrong side of history.
I guess democrats prefer the waving of cigars. The democrats do more for turning people into Republicans than we do. Keep it up Democrats, we are depending on you.
Didn't the Nazis raise the Jewish flag and fly it above their own?( such as the Iraqi flag is flown above the US flag at ceremonies in Iraq)
Why do these leftists not understand what Hitler and Nazi's were all about? What part of their brain is missing?
Oh I see we are Nazis because we want the good folks of the world to be free- so they will have pride in their own country, spend time building up their own communities and stop trying to destroy ours.
Well that is so close to what the Nazis were doing. ( what a bunch of spoiled and pampered children we have on the left)
No Chrissy that trick you refer to of using cheap symbolism is right out of the RAT handbook. We're Republicans and believe it or not we really do care about something other than being re-elected and fooling the public
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.