LIVE THREAD: President Bush's Press Conference

www.freerepublic.com | April 28, 2005

[beyond the sea]

Wow, ABC is the only network to stick with the President.

I guess the others could not spare the extra minute or two.............. disgusting. Says everything about the old lefty destructive media.

[beyond the sea]

Ooops, here is the answer to my question. I should have investigated first before asking.

"Thank you for your interest. God bless our country" was the President's finish.

Here's hoping something has been gained by this press conference.

[Miss Marple]

Yes, but by running the press conference up to 9PM, he kept them from doing any analysis of what he said, which is a good thing.

I am certain it was intentional, because early in the press conference he intentionally called on TV reporters first, and said so. He knew the TV people would be under pressure to finish by 9. After he had called on all of them, he went to the print press, who of course didn't care about any deadline. He ran that conference right up to the wire on purpose.

So, he spoke to a large audience supplied by two popular network shows, got his message on Social Security and energy out, spoke plainly enough that most average people could understand, and managed to avoid the partisan pundits attacking him.

Pretty smart, if you ask me.

[beyond the sea]

re: I am certain it was intentional, because early in the press conference he intentionally called on TV reporters first, and said so. He knew the TV people would be under pressure to finish by 9. After he had called on all of them, he went to the print press, who of course didn't care about any deadline. He ran that conference right up to the wire on purpose.

Makes sense. Thanks. It's always better for the country when the old media doesn't give us their evil and slanted summations.

[rodguy911]

IMHO what you saw on t.v. last night was the Old Media/rat press asking questions. The "real" press event happens on here and on talk radio. We are the new media. What we do here gets copied big time. Who gives a rats ass what the old media does, let them make fools of themselves. Sooner or later the rest of the population will stop watching survivor island long enough to get it. Lots of people already do. We will set the pace not the old media.

[ncpatriot]

It's still hard for me to believe that the Old Media is dying (I've been around a LONG time), esp since the polls show that the president's Soc Sec ideas are not going over well with "the people". "The people" must be listening to the Old Media. It is discouraging.

[keysguy]

Which poll. Many of the polls put out by the old media are skewed badly.

[Pillows]

People are so stupid. This man is trying to HELP the Social Secutiry system....HELP the Oil problem....and yet they fight him. He doesn't HAVE To do any of this......he WANTS to help.

We all better start telling our representatives to start cooperating with this man. How rare is it that we get a President who actually cares and wants to do GOOD for the country. It's so aggravating.

[twigs]

I don't think that the president was particuarly smooth or polished, but he was certainly no wuss. And I don't vote on polish. He's his own man, even when I don't agree with him.

[HankReardon]

Tony Blair and george Bush did NOT lie concerning the Iraq war.

[snugs]

I am afraid Tony Blair did George Bush did not

[expatpat]

The non-negotiability means that the Feds are just self-dealing. Only they can issue them, only they can buy them back, so it's just a useless piece of paper.

As far as your main issue is concerned, the way I see it is that that's a red herring. They've been dumping non-negotiable bond notes into the Trust Fund for decades to keep the books 'straight', and aren't going to switch them to negotiable ones in the future. The whole thing becomes moot when the income from FICA is less than the outlays, since there will then be no more bonds issued. The ones already in there will be retired on a one-to-one basis with the amount that outlays exceed income each month.

If they never get to that point (e.g., they raise FICA taxes or reduce benefits again), they will continue in the same old way, with non-negotiables. That's my assessment, FWIW.

[HankReardon]

Keeping in mind, the definition of lie is something said with the deliberate intent to deceive, please tell me what was Tony Blair's lie?

I'm not arguing, just trying to be better informed.

[BibChr]

Your: He did no such thing to Frist or FOF.

Transcript is up.

From it, excerpted:

****************************

[The vile David Gregory] Q Thank you, sir. Mr. President, recently the head of the Family Research Council said that judicial filibusters are an attack against people of faith. And I wonder whether you believe that, in fact, that is what is nominating [sic] Democrats who oppose your judicial choices? And I wonder what you think generally about the role that faith is playing, how it's being used in our political debates right now?

...blah blah blah, all over the landscape; then...

Q Do you think that's an inappropriate statement? And what I asked is --

THE PRESIDENT: No, I just don't agree with it.

Q You don't agree with it.

THE PRESIDENT: No, I think people oppose my nominees because -- because of judicial philosophy.

****************************

Gregory got what he wanted. Bush cut Frist and FRC off at the knees... so he wouldn't hurt the Donks' feelings.

Dan
Biblical Christianity BLOG

[HankReardon]

I'm very curious about Blair's deceit, are you still there?

[billbears]

What is your vision for old poor people?

Last time I checked the Constitution, I don't remember reading the national government had a requirement or power to take care of 'old poor people'. Well that is unless you are a liberal and read 'promote the general welfare' as establish a welfare state that the citizens of the respective states must pay for. For 140 years prior to 1935, somehow the issue never arose but now even 'conservatives' expect it as some sort of entitlement. That's a grand vision right there. LBJ and FDR are applauding..

[billbears]

however, under your vision, even if you spent the next decades until social security collapses building a fort for your heirs, it wouldn't keep them from being ravaged by the starving hordes

Yep that's the faith Jefferson held of the average citizen. Allow liberty and freedom and you'll have starving hordes. Forget Locke, it's apparent the Republicans have thrown that ideal to the wind. Nope, we need to put our faith in Bush and the Republican Party. They have the answers and the "Rats" are the problem. Seems I remember someone in this nation of states past warning us about that.

maybe someday the free state project will get off the ground and you'll make piles of rudolph and mcveigh currency that you won't have to share with anybody

Now that's a stretch. As a conservative, I don't support Social Security in any form, so by definition I must automatically be a libertarian who wants a different form of currency named after two murderers. Republicans definitely need to stop the hyperbole.

[billbears]

And as not to complain without providing an answer or solution, I would submit that it is already there. Again Federalist #45 comes into play (as it has already during the debacle in Florida a few weeks back). Madison was clear about this. I would imagine getting old falls under the 'ordinary course of affairs' of a citizen of a respective state doesn't it?

[HankReardon]

I have an answer to the vision for old poor people. They had their whole lives to prepare to be old. Not only that, they are fortunate to be in the greatest, most prosperous nation the world has ever known while they lived their lives of preparation for their older years. If they are of healthy body and mind and irresponsibly do not prepare, who is the federal government to deny them their deserved consequences? WHAT THIS NATION NEEDS IS MORE HUNGRY BELLIES! I'm tired of seeing FAT poor people, I want to see skinny poor people!

If they made bad choices, or no choices why should the government take up the slack?

The first ones to provide for the "old poor" would be their families and friends. If this failed, churches and charity oraganizations.

It is unconstitutional for Congress to force the American people to pay for the welfare of others. This includes mandatory Social Security confiscations, oh, I mean contributiuons.

[snugs]

I am still here. Tony Blair was not straight with the British people he said the intelligence proved 45 minute threat that Saddam definitely had WMD he said very little about anything else. He also refused to publish our Attorney General's document about whether the war was legal or not including members of his own cabinet did not have this full information. Blair stated it was not necessary because the AG was at the Cabinet meeting and members of the Cabinet could have cross questioned him with the PM already deciding we were going to war I am certain the rest of the cabinet would not cross question the AG thinking that he would obviously already advised the PM that it was OK to go to war on these terms.

Subsequently he has now been forced to release the document which although not conclusive certainly indicates that the AG was not comfortable about the war and its legalities.

Blair majored on a dossier that was later found to be unsafe and was not even issued by the intelligence service he also inferred that WMD issue was proven beyond all doubt.

I 100% agree with Michael Howard and George Bush that Saddam had to be removed purely because of his regime, his breaking of the UN resolutions, the possibility he may have or would have got WMD again and the threat to his region which is the crucial point threat to his country and his people though bad as it is can never be ground for another country invading it has to be proven danger to other countries in the region which undoubtedly was the cause with Saddam. Blair however went to war purely on WMDs and immediate threat to Britain which was undoubtedly not proven so therefore Blair lied if you do not tell the truth or with hold certain facts you lie how ever you dress it up he did not give the British people the full facts so he lied.