Bush Buffeted by Rove Turbulence in Buenos Aires
I saw all the videos of demonstrators assailing the leader of the free world as a genocidal tyrant, breaking windows and burning a bank in the town of Mar De Plata. Ten thousand demonstrated. Wow! Big news. Not like when a million women march in DC for reproductive rights. We don't hear about that. But just let some Argentines break up their own downtown when Bush is there, and it's all over the news. All the videos were of demonstrators, Hugo Chavez, and the President Kirchner of Argentina. The only clip of Bush showed him dodging a question about Karl Rove with a polite demurral, pleading the pendency of the investigation.
Good thing the important cameramen were out in the streets, and the masked demonstrators causing the violence were raging dramatically, tossing gasoline bombs and letting off steam. Otherwise, they'd probably have shown footage of the entire agonizing press conference Bush held with the “travel pool” of reporters. Agonizing for Bush, at least. The record from the White House press office reveals the whole painful episode, that was devoted exclusively to questions about Karl Rove. Bush engaged in long-winded dodging in his high-school student-government style, declaring policies that ignored the fact that his presidency is on the ropes. If reporters keep on this way, it's going to shake him up.
The NewSpeak Network would rather portray the President as hated by the citizens of Argentina than beleaguered by American reporters about the scandal that is sinking his presidency. Americans can't be allowed to see Bush peppered with difficult questions, providing no answers, like a criminal pleading the Fifth Amendment.
What's amazing about this situation is the media trying to spin this as “less than Watergate,” or “not Iran-Contra,” or “not Monica Lewinsky.” No, it's not any of those things, it's worse than all of them. It's rot at the core, a sick situation that's begging for surgery so drastic that no amount of media Novocaine is going to deaden the pain. In the past, the media aided in exposing the problem, but now it dispenses only eyewash. These reporters here are doing their job, but they might as well be doing it inside a closet, for all the information that gets to the viewing public. Apparently, though, it's not going to matter. Bush's numbers have been on an almost unrelieved downward slide since November 11, 2001, when he had an astronomical 78% approval rating. He's down to half that now, and dropping still. Like the reporter says, people just aren't believing him anymore. And when he trots out his fear-mongering catechism, no one stands up and salutes. Soon it will not be cool to like Bush in almost any society. Then, his administration is dead. With some luck, it will implode with grandiose special effects like the end of The Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Good thing the important cameramen were out in the streets, and the masked demonstrators causing the violence were raging dramatically, tossing gasoline bombs and letting off steam. Otherwise, they'd probably have shown footage of the entire agonizing press conference Bush held with the “travel pool” of reporters. Agonizing for Bush, at least. The record from the White House press office reveals the whole painful episode, that was devoted exclusively to questions about Karl Rove. Bush engaged in long-winded dodging in his high-school student-government style, declaring policies that ignored the fact that his presidency is on the ropes. If reporters keep on this way, it's going to shake him up.
The NewSpeak Network would rather portray the President as hated by the citizens of Argentina than beleaguered by American reporters about the scandal that is sinking his presidency. Americans can't be allowed to see Bush peppered with difficult questions, providing no answers, like a criminal pleading the Fifth Amendment.
What's amazing about this situation is the media trying to spin this as “less than Watergate,” or “not Iran-Contra,” or “not Monica Lewinsky.” No, it's not any of those things, it's worse than all of them. It's rot at the core, a sick situation that's begging for surgery so drastic that no amount of media Novocaine is going to deaden the pain. In the past, the media aided in exposing the problem, but now it dispenses only eyewash. These reporters here are doing their job, but they might as well be doing it inside a closet, for all the information that gets to the viewing public. Apparently, though, it's not going to matter. Bush's numbers have been on an almost unrelieved downward slide since November 11, 2001, when he had an astronomical 78% approval rating. He's down to half that now, and dropping still. Like the reporter says, people just aren't believing him anymore. And when he trots out his fear-mongering catechism, no one stands up and salutes. Soon it will not be cool to like Bush in almost any society. Then, his administration is dead. With some luck, it will implode with grandiose special effects like the end of The Raiders of the Lost Ark.
WhiteHouse.gov wrote:
Q Hi, Mr. President. Thank you. Did Karl Rove tell you the truth about his role in the CIA leak case? And do you owe the American people an apology for your administration's assertations that Karl Rove and Scooter Libby weren't involved?
THE PRESIDENT: We're going through a very serious investigation. And I will — have told you before that I'm not going to discuss the investigation until it's completed. And we have got a — my obligation is to set an agenda, and I've done that. And the agenda is fighting and winning the war on terror, and keeping the economic vitality and growth alive, dealing with the energy problem, nominating people to the Supreme Court that adhere to the philosophy that I can depend on — Judge Alito being such a person. I noticed today that they've got a date. I'm disappointed in the date, but happy they do have a firm date for his confirmation hearing. We've got to recover from the hurricanes. So I've got a lot to do, and will continue to focus on the people's business.
Steve.
Q You've taken a beating in recent weeks, sir. What are you going to do for a fresh start? Are there going to be any staff changes? Would it help if the special prosecutor would wrap up his probe quickly?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, again, you're trying to get me to comment on the investigation, which I'm not going to do. And I hope you understand that. It's a serious investigation, and it's an important investigation. But it's not yet over.
I think it's important for the American people to know that I understand my job is to set clear goals and deal with the problems we face. Now, look, we've got an ongoing war on terror. And my administration is working with friends and allies to find these terrorists and bring them to justice before they strike us again. We're fighting the terrorists in Iraq. And, as you know, we've got a two-pronged strategy, an important strategy, that one — on the one hand, has a political solution to it, on the other hand has a security solution to it. And we're working hard to achieve those objectives. We're laying what I have called the foundation for peace, because democratic nations don't war; democratic nations will be allies with each other in fighting off an ideology that is dark and grim in its vision, and is willing to use murder as its tool.
Elisabeth.
Q Okay, this is not a question about the investigation, but it's about Karl.
THE PRESIDENT: It sounds like one, though.
Q Are there discussions in the White House about whether or not Karl will remain in his job?
THE PRESIDENT: Elisabeth, the investigation on Karl, as you know, is not complete. And, therefore, I will not comment upon — about him and/or the investigation. Again, I understand the anxiety and angst by the press corps to talk about this. On the other hand, it is a serious investigation and we take it seriously and we're cooperating to the extent that the special prosecutor wants us to cooperate.
Q The American people, though — sir, the American people, though, are beginning to question your honesty, according to the polls, 58 percent. And your approval rating is at an all-time low, primarily because, it seems, of this investigation. They are wondering whether you can keep on track and whether to believe you, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, no, I understand there is a preoccupation by polls and by some. I think this may be — I think we've got — this is maybe the fourth or fifth consecutive semi-press conference — press conference or semi-press conference that I've been asked about polls. The way you earn credibility with the American people is to declare an agenda that everybody can understand, an agenda that relates to their lives, and get the job done. And the agenda that I'm working on now is one that is important to the American people.
First of all, it's to protect our country; it's to understand that we're at war with a radical ideology that wants to inflict harm on America and, at the same time, use that harm they inflict to achieve territorial ambition. I've talked a lot recently about the Zawahiri letter to Zarqawi, which is a clear statement of purpose by these terrorists. It should be viewed for what it is: an open warning to the free world that this is a very vital war and we need to win it. So I spend a lot of time talking about that — and more than talking about it, acting on it.
Secondly, you know, our economy has shown amazing resilience in the face of natural disaster, as well as rising energy prices. But we've got to have policies in place that make it possible for the economy to continue to grow. You know, we're down here talking about trade — it's hard to trade with somebody if they're broke. And I've told our partners that we've got good economic growth now. But what we need to do is to work with Congress to make sure that we deal with the energy crisis — what can we do to deal with the energy crisis? Well, we can expand refinery capacity in the United States. I mean, it should be apparent to the members of Congress that when the Katrina hit there was massive disruptions of our own capacity to make gasoline, which put us in a precarious position for the consumers — which would affect the economy, by the way.
And so we'll be talking to Congress about a further energy initiative to make sure we've got economic growth. We've obviously got work to do with Katrina and Rita, the damage from those hurricanes.
And I mentioned the Supreme Court. This is a very vital issue for the United States Senate and for the country. Sam Alito, Jr., is an incredibly intelligent, well qualified person who should be on the Court. I told the leadership I thought it would be best to have the hearings before Christmas. They didn't feel like they could get the job done. I talked to Chairman Specter, and the reason why, at least he explained to me, that he couldn't get the hearings done before Christmas is because Alito had written so many opinions and he wanted to make sure he had time to read them. And they made that decision. Fortunately, there is a firm date and we look forward to working on that date.
And, finally, an issue that is of concern to the American people is the border, is border security. I signed an appropriations bill for border security and during that signature ceremony talked about our strategy to use technology and border patrol and wise policies to do our job, which is to prevent people from illegally — not only people, but, by the way, contraband, guns and drugs — from coming into our country illegally. And so that's the agenda before us, and that's the agenda that I will continue to work on.