Posted on 09/15/2005 1:27:32 PM PDT by Uncle Joe Cannon
Reuters Says Bush Photo Not 'Malicious,' Reports Wide Interest In it
By E&P Staff
Published: September 15, 2005 4:30 PM ET
NEW YORK With confirmation today that an accidental photo of President Bush at the United Nations on Wednesday, writing a note to Secretary of State Condeezza Rice about a “bathroom break,” was indeed real, newspapers around the U.S. and abroad are now planning to run it widely. But many, it seems, will treat it as something more than a joke.
A source at the Washington Post tells E&P that the paper is considering it for prominent play tomorrow morning, in the context that, at least in some minds, it raises questions about overall perception of the U.S. at the United Nations, right or wrong. Reuters reports extremely strong interest in the photo today.
The fact is, according to Reuters--and this has not been widely reported--President Bush did indeed take a bathroom break after passing the note to Rice.
This apparently raised some eyebrows around the room, because American representatives (among others) have a reputation for suddenly bolting, though normally for a far different reason than this latest one.
Since the photo first appeared on the Web late yesterday, speculation has centered on whether the bathroom break reference was just a silly joke and who had written and passed the note.
Gary Hershorn, news editor-photos for the Americas at Reuters, told E&P today that the photographer, Rick Wilking, informed him yesterday afternoon that he had observed Bush pass the note to Rice, and a little later, rise from his seat, leave the room, and then return.
And while some have suggested that Wilking, a well-known photographer just back from taking some of the most gripping images in New Orleans, was out to embarrass the president, Hershorn said that the photog had no idea what Bush was writing on the paper. Wilking assumed the president was taking notes on what some other official was saying.
“Rick had no idea what he was shooting, or what Bush was writing,” Heeshorn said. “If Rick knew what he was writing we'd have 25 pictures of this, not two.”
The photo was taken at 12:08 PM and it was Hershorn, about three hours later, who took the trouble to examine the photo closely, noticed the writing, and decided to put it on the wire after 4 o'clock.
The photo, as E&P observed last night in the first story about the incident, shows Bush scribbling in pencil on a note that already holds the words: "I think I may need a bathroom break? Is this possible." Wilking is a veteran Washington photographer who has long covered Bush campaigns and the White House.
As for transmitting the photo, Hershorn says, "There was no malicious intent. That's not what we do."
There's a simple explanation, even a serious one, for all of this, he adds. Bush, he points out, is not used to attending meetings at the U.N. and probably did not know what the protocol was for exiting a room and returning. His question to Rice was “proper” and not all that surprising, “asking someone with more experience there about protocol,” he said.
I've never even heard of that picture. Does anyone have it?
Better than Bill Clinton passing a note that says, "Go get an intern. I need a BJ break."
Malicious is all they do!
Oh, sure, it's not malicious.
Slow news day?
Lifted from the DU website:
"More like MAMMMAE!!! MAMMAE I's a gotzza go pees mammae!"
(referring to Dr. Rice)
Nothing like all-tolerant, openminded liberals.
They think he was asking Condi's permission to go to the bathroom. Ignorant fools!
Welcome to FR. With due respect, why would any proud conservative care what liberals think ?
Not true. Sometimes he used an intern as a receptacle.
Someone needs to destroy the DUMeth Lab. The chilrens have had a little too much this week.
Let them run the story. Making a big deal about the President using the restroom will only expose the sophomoric antics of the Left.
Remember their mantra then? "Stay out of the presidents private life." Well they need to stay out of the presidents bladder!
Re: the Dallas am News. I used to get irritated reading them when we lived in TX, but now that my choices are the Sout FL Sun Sentinal et al, I do miss the Dallas am News. In fact, I just quit reading a morning paper. How the libs contribute to heart disease and high blood pressure!
susie
I think this is a total invasion of the president's and condoleza's privacy.
I think that's the whole point of the editor trying to take the blame. To keep the photographer from losing his White House privileges. However, if I was in charge of the White House press room, I'd never let another Reuters photog within 10 miles until they fired the editor that thought the photo was "interesting" enough to send out over the wires.
Pray for W and Our Freedom Fighters
I guess no one at the Wapo ever had to take a leak. They didnt get all excited when Gore drank too much tea and had to go.
Only in the MSM could, the President of the United States wanting to take a pee break be news. I guess the Depends wearing liberals just urinate & defecate in their drawers. OTOH, explains their foul and putrid odor.
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