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 hate these Bast**ds
Yeah, I mean if the photographer had only known the note contained the word "bathroom" there would have been 25 pix instead of only 2. Maybe they'll run an online contest for the best bathroom joke too.
Honestly...
What a sleazy bunch of slugs these are!!!!!!!!! Well at least it proves the President is, in fact, a real person like the rest of us. I wonder that many of the reporters/photographers can say the same.
I think we should start a campaign to see how many of these breaks everyone in government makes. lol
Any of y'all remember how quickly they scotched the picture of Hillary, running for the Senate, coming out of a bathroom with toilet paper being dragged by one foot? Where's the equality?
That's right. And right after he's finished his biden, he takes some tp and wipes his kennedy.
Even DU was convinced it was a photoshop deal. And many posters posted about the poor quality of photoshoping.
What a bunch of fricken clymers. Isn't there something more important going on? This really is a whole new low.
Oh my. This, breathlessly followed by...
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.
If anything I've read lately deserves a "WTF", this is it.
Apparently there is no bottom to the barrel in which the left resides.
LOL! The funniest part is that you are 100% correct!
Bush indecisive yet again.First he waffles about sending in FEMA, and now he's not sure about needing the bathroom.And how about that manicure? DUmmiepeak
Strange that the media didn't think it big news that Algore had to go to the bathroom at the monks fundraising event. They used it as an excuse as to why "he didn't know it was a fundraiser."
OMG! How low can the media go?
I'm with you and said essentially the same thing on one of the threads......
Well, in all likelihood/certainty, you won't. He's not up for reelection. :)
I bet that's the last time 'W' will accept a glass of iced tea from algore.
This will REALLY sell papers. /sarcasm
One actually had a comparison of the potty-note handwriting and some other note.
While it is hard to tell because the note is in block test, the top part does NOT appear to be Bush's handwriting, while the bottom part does. (The capital "I's" are different, in particular.)
I suspect Condi was asking the question and Bush is responding.
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