Mock the Press

Washington Post ^ | July 11 2007 | Dan Froomkin

[Milhous]

President Bush, at podium, speaks to members of the media prior to the ribbon-cutting ceremony ...

At this morning's ribbon-cutting for the newly renovated White House Briefing Room, President Bush dropped in just long enough to rub reporters' noses in his cheerful refusal to take them seriously.

... the president was in full frat-boy mode, clowning around during introductory remarks by C-SPAN's Steve Scully. ... Bush apparently felt Scully went on too long. "I like a good, short introduction," Bush jeered as soon as Scully gave up the podium.

Here's the transcript. "We missed you -- sort of," Bush said. ...

When reporters finally tried to ask questions, Bush waved them off.

"Maybe some other time," he said.

Then he came up with a little game: "Let me cut the ribbon -- are you going to cut it with me, Steve -- and then why don't you all yell simultaneously? (Laughter.) Like, really loudly. (Laughter.) And that way you might get noticed.

"Q It doesn't sound like you're going to answer --

"THE PRESIDENT: . . . I'll, like, listen --

"Q And leave?

"THE PRESIDENT: -- internalize, play like I'm going to answer the question, and then smile at you and just say, gosh -- (laughter) -- thanks, thanks for such a solid, sound question.

"Here we go, ready? I'm going to cut the ribbon. (Laughter.) Then you yell. I cogitate -- and then smile and wave. (Laughter.)"

As the end of this video shows, he then did exactly as advertised.

"Brilliant question," he said, cocking his head, then adding: "Thank you all. See you soon." ...

[kittymyrib]

“I see Arafat sitting front and center there.”

Don’t insult the late terrorist by comparing him to Helen Thomas. It speaks volumes about the WH press corps that they grant that putrid hag the seat of honor.

The President should not have dignified that confab of liberal scribblers with the notion that they matter at all in today’s world.

[johnny7]

I see Arafat sitting front and center there.

He's dead

...it's his sister.

[Republican Red]

from NYT via HotAir - NYT: Fear of nutroots ire leaves reporters “queasy” about attending Bush ceremony:

Mrs. Bush will help cut the ribbon. Yet with the White House press corps under attack from liberal bloggers as being too cozy with the Bush administration, some reporters say they feel a little bit queasy about attending. Mr. Snow said the president would not take questions, which poses a quandary for journalists uneasy about being seen with him at a purely ceremonial affair.

[Tzimisce]

I wouldn’t answer them either. What makes the press think they deserve their questions answered? Especially when they take everything out of context to fit their unbiased, non partisan extreme left wing agenda?

[ozzymandus]

Typical snotty garbage from the MSM.

[The Blitherer]

and then why don't you all yell simultaneously? Like, really loudly. And that way you might get noticed.

Okay, THAT is funny!

[TWohlford]

As a guy who plays reporter for 6-7 weekends a year (motorsports), I can tell you that this kinda of griping is pretty common.

Later on, this same reporter will decry that “anyone with a web page thinks they’re a journalist”. At some point, you’ll get an earful about travel hassles at the air port too.

[Jimmy Valentine]

"What's a Froomkin?"

A short handled Froom, silly.

[I still care]

I saw it on Fox. It was cute, and funny. The MSM just wrote and biased it in such a way as to make Bush seem mean.

Totally slanted article by someone with BDS.

[Old Professer]

Who’s the “hottie”, third from left, first row?

[whereasandsoforth]

Who is that dried-up old Arab woman in the front row?

[tje]

That is so excellent...

[de meanr]

Q: What’s the difference between the Washington Press corps and a Kindergarden class?

A: Adult supervision.

[iopscusa]

Yeah, GWB should have pulled a real frat joke and had the sprinklers come on as he walked out...Helen the hag would have melted...LOL

[Suzy Quzy]

Arafat was prettier.....and NICER!

[STARWISE]

The windup:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We missed you — sort of,” Bush said. ...

When reporters finally tried to ask questions, Bush waved them off.

“Maybe some other time,” he said.

Then he came up with a little game: “Let me cut the ribbon — are you going to cut it with me, Steve — and then why don’t you all yell simultaneously? (Laughter.) Like, really loudly. (Laughter.) And that way you might get noticed.

“Q It doesn’t sound like you’re going to answer —

“THE PRESIDENT: . . . I’ll, like, listen —

“Q And leave?

“THE PRESIDENT: — internalize, play like I’m going to answer the question, and then smile at you and just say, gosh — (laughter) — thanks, thanks for such a solid, sound question.

“Here we go, ready? I’m going to cut the ribbon. (Laughter.) Then you yell. I cogitate — and then smile and wave. (Laughter.)”

As the end of this video shows, he then did exactly as advertised.

“Brilliant question,” he said, cocking his head, then adding: “Thank you all. See you soon.” ...

~~~~~~~~

Priceless! And just how little of his time they deserve.

Talk about giving the evil, twisted presstitutes what they deserve! W gets it and gives it back, with pure class and humor, but his point is NOT missed. That WaPo has to characterize it as “frat boy” behavior goes so deeply to their derangement. The video !!

The close

~~~~~~~~~~

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2007/07/11/VI2007071100481.html

[Wings-n-Wind]

So he treated the peanut gallery like children. They deserve it. They treat him worse.

He should take a few deadpan, feigned shock, & comedic mug lessons from Art Linkletter...

MSM's Say The Darndest Things

[Kaslin]

We missed you — sort of,” Bush said. ...

I got a kick out of the "sort of" part and laughed. It was funny

[MEG33]

I saw it..loved it!

[Steve_Seattle]

" . . . this same reporter will decry that “anyone with a web page thinks they’re a journalist”. "

As if journalism requires advanced training in the same way that medicine and the law do. Most journalists learn their trade on the job; most have a college degree in one thing or another, and some eventually get advanced degrees. But so do many bloggers. So there's really not much to separate their qualifications from those of bloggers, who are probably of similar education and expertise.