Reuters Says Bush Photo Not 'Malicious,' (Washington Post plans to run a story on it)

Editor & Publisher ^ | 9/15

[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.

[Cougar66]

Only embarassment is that its a fake photo. Reuters will be found out shortly.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Yay! Good point, thanks.

[twntaipan]

So...do you think the handwriting at the top might be Condi Rice's? Do you think she actually might have to use the toilet at times?

[twigs]

LOL. I'm an editor too and I can come up with some doozys. The Hays Code is a good illustration too.

[b4its2late]

I guess it boils down to "Who gives a rats ass?"

[CharlesWayneCT]

I do church sound system, and I train all the workers to always mute the pastor's lapel mike when he isn't on the stage. People just don't remember to turn them off, and don't remember they have them on.