Bush Teleconference With Soldiers Staged

[Iriemon]

Of course it wasn't spontanious. It wouldn't do much for the point of the effort for the President to be asked what Football team he predicts for the Super Bowl.

These questions were genuine and screened -OR- they were given some questions to choose from. Either way, what does it matter? They were good questions and they were common questions that many have asked. To say that these soldiers asked questions that they were forced to ask, an individual would also have to say that the Iraqi in the interview was told to pretend he was appreciative. The President has had plenty of talks with military personnel off camera when he is off on his trips. This particular interview was to serve a purpose, which was to center around retrieving lost support.

In a more local setting......The Marine Corps has an annual Sergeants Major symposium where all of the Sgts Major of the Marine Corps attend. The purpose is to get legitimate questions to the Commandant regarding issues of the Corps. Before the unit SgtMaj attends, he gathers up all of the questions that us Staff Non-Commissioned Officers have and he weeds through and finds the most common and the most practicle questions. These questions are asked at the symposium. There are some similarities with the afore mentioned teleconference. I do not know for sure, but something like this could have happened (it's happened before), where questions were volunteered by the masses and the best were chosen.

I just don't get what the bid deal was.

I agree this one incident by itself is not a big deal. It is, IMO, an example of a pattern of where this Administration has tried to manipulate the media in a way that is not consistent with telling the whole truth.

 

[Thorgasm]

I am not attacking the military personel. I am saying that the military institution is not exactly the free exchange of ideas forum that say, a college campus is. I am not saying that the personal aren't bright. I am saying that most don't speak out against the general consensus. This is the institution with the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. I know, that was Clinton's doing. I disagree with Clinton on that one and DOMA. Call me a lefty. Call me gay. It doesn't make it true. I know the answer to DADT is it is for moral purposes. They said the same thing about segregation in the military.

Anyway, back on topic. The answers weren't staged. But Bush was extremely unconfident and nervous during the interview. Is that the strong leadership he ran on? I certainly wouldn't risk my life for a leader like that. He doesn't inspire me to follow his message. Perhaps next time instead of rehearsing the soldiers (they are smarter than the president, and some want to think that I say they are stupid), they should rehearse the president.

 

[Fantasea]

I just don't get what the bid deal was.

The big deal is what the big deal always is.

Since the socialist-lib-dems and their media apologists haven't been able to staunch the hemmorhage at the polls for the past six federal elections, all they do is struggle to find any excuse to abuse Republicans.

There's nothing else left for them to do, except to create "big deals'.

 

[MSgt]

I am not attacking the military personel. I am saying that the military institution is not exactly the free exchange of ideas forum that say, a college campus is. I am not saying that the personal aren't bright. I am saying that most don't speak out against the general consensus. This is the institution with the "don't ask, don't tell" policy. I know, that was Clinton's doing. I disagree with Clinton on that one and DOMA. Call me a lefty. Call me gay. It doesn't make it true. I know the answer to DADT is it is for moral purposes. They said the same thing about segregation in the military.

Anyway, back on topic. The answers weren't staged. But Bush was extremely unconfident and nervous during the interview. Is that the strong leadership he ran on? I certainly wouldn't risk my life for a leader like that. He doesn't inspire me to follow his message. Perhaps next time instead of rehearsing the soldiers (they are smarter than the president, and some want to think that I say they are stupid), they should rehearse the president.

HELL NO!!! What do you want...anarchy? There would be Marines conducting "sit ins" whenever they didn't get the MRE they prefer.

Could you imagine....."He got more ammo than me! I propose a protest! Go to Supply and check out some picket signs!"........"Equal ammo!" "Equal ammo!" "Equal ammo!"

 

[AlbqOwl]

The big deal is what the big deal always is.

Since the socialist-lib-dems and their media apologists haven't been able to staunch the hemmorhage at the polls for the past six federal elections, all they do is struggle to find any excuse to abuse Republicans.

There's nothing else left for them to do, except to create "big deals'.

Can't really argue with that Fantasea. The guys doing the job over there have imbedded reporters traveling with them. If you want a very objective view of the good, the bad, and the ugly from the perspective of the fighting men, get or check out a copy of Generation Kill (Devil Dogs, Iceman, Captain America, and the New Face of American War) by Evan Wright published by the Berkeley Publishing Group, 2004.

There are numerous similar news and magazine articles, TV spots, and books, some autobiographal, some reporting first hand what the guys are saying about their experiences and thoughts, unscripted, unrehearsed, extemporaneous, candid. But the negative nellies don't go to these because they can't be easily used as 'proof' that the Iraq war is a playground of evil purposes. No, they try to make some big deal out of a presidential photo op that was staged as every presidential photo op has been staged since they figured out how to do that with television.

Of course they assigned questions to the people who would have answers for them. What purpose would have been served making a combat soldier look silly by having to say "I don't know, Sir" when a question came at him?

The only dishonest part of this whole thing was that some snot-nosed anti-Bush reporter ran the story or some DNC operative fed it to them making it look as if this was a scene invented by the Bush administration and unique to this president. And of course other leftwing entities took the opportunity to make as much negative publicity out of it as possible knowing there are plenty of devoted Bush-haters who are more than willing to swallow what is fed to them without question.

 

[MSgt]

The big deal is what the big deal always is.

Since the socialist-lib-dems and their media apologists haven't been able to staunch the hemmorhage at the polls for the past six federal elections, all they do is struggle to find any excuse to abuse Republicans.

There's nothing else left for them to do, except to create "big deals'.

BWAHAHAHA! That was ****ing funny. Good post. I have said as much in other posts as well.

 

[Fantasea]

Can't really argue with that Fantasea. The guys doing the job over there have imbedded reporters traveling with them. If you want a very objective view of the good, the bad, and the ugly from the perspective of the fighting men, get or check out a copy of Generation Kill (Devil Dogs, Iceman, Captain America, and the New Face of American War) by Evan Wright published by the Berkeley Publishing Group, 2004.

There are numerous similar news and magazine articles, TV spots, and books, some autobiographal, some reporting first hand what the guys are saying about their experiences and thoughts, unscripted, unrehearsed, extemporaneous, candid. But the negative nellies don't go to these because they can't be easily used as 'proof' that the Iraq war is a playground of evil purposes. No, they try to make some big deal out of a presidential photo op that was staged as every presidential photo op has been staged since they figured out how to do that with television.

Of course they assigned questions to the people who would have answers for them. What purpose would have been served making a combat soldier look silly by having to say "I don't know, Sir" when a question came at him?

The only dishonest part of this whole thing was that some snot-nosed anti-Bush reporter ran the story or some DNC operative fed it to them making it look as if this was a scene invented by the Bush administration and unique to this president. And of course other leftwing entities took the opportunity to make as much negative publicity out of it as possible knowing there are plenty of devoted Bush-haters who are more than willing to swallow what is fed to them without question.

All too sad; all too true.

 

[26 X World Champs]

The only dishonest part of this whole thing was that some snot-nosed anti-Bush reporter ran the story or some DNC operative fed it to them making it look as if this was a scene invented by the Bush administration and unique to this president. And of course other leftwing entities took the opportunity to make as much negative publicity out of it as possible knowing there are plenty of devoted Bush-haters who are more than willing to swallow what is fed to them without question.

Completely UNTRUE sir! The feed was picked up by ABC News because the White House or the people controlling the broadcast left the uplink to the satellite open for anyone to see. ABC saw it and reported it.

Why must you and others always blame some weird conspiracy? What are you afraid of exactly? Is the truth something people like you are uncomfortable with? Your post sure seems to suggest that you like to blame everything that Bush fukks up on the Democrats. Another case of the new Republican credo? You know, "The Buck Stops THERE!"

It's downright ignorant to say that Democrats try to make up $hit for the media to exploit. Bush is one nasty bad speaker, almost the worst public speaker I've ever seen. This leads to mountains of faux pas' that are captured on film and then rebroadcast without editing and this is where Republicans start making $hit up about Democrats and where they PASS THE BUCK.

 

[26 X World Champs]

Of course it wasn't spontanious.

My point was that the White House promoted it as spontaneous! That is what has people up in arms. It's yet another example of manipulating the American people through falsehoods.

If they had simply revealed the truth this would have been a non-story.

I'm sure you can understand the natural objection of the opposition party to staged televised events that are billed as unrehearsed and spontaneous?

I think the fact that Bush is so weak as a public speaker, and that he comes across as borderline retarded when having to speak without a teleprompter that showing videotape of him speaking is like shooting fish in a barrel.

There have been way too many of these events. It is common knowledge that Bush's "Town Hall" meetings which also pretend to be spontaneous are only attended by loyalists whose questions are screened. This pattern of lies is the story. This event is simply the latest manifestation of the lie.

Do you understand where I am coming from?

 

[MSgt]

My point was that the White House promoted it as spontaneous! That is what has people up in arms. It's yet another example of manipulating the American people through falsehoods.

If they had simply revealed the truth this would have been a non-story.

I'm sure you can understand the natural objection of the opposition party to staged televised events that are billed as unrehearsed and spontaneous?

I think the fact that Bush is so weak as a public speaker, and that he comes across as borderline retarded when having to speak without a teleprompter that showing videotape of him speaking is like shooting fish in a barrel.

There have been way too many of these events. It is common knowledge that Bush's "Town Hall" meetings which also pretend to be spontaneous are only attended by loyalists whose questions are screened. This pattern of lies is the story. This event is simply the latest manifestation of the lie.

Do you understand where I am coming from?

How was it promoted as spontaneous? How is it possible to have a teleconference spontaneously? How was anybody lied to? I still don't get it. When I watched it, I had no doubt what it was. It didn't matter to me.

 

[26 X World Champs]

How was it promoted as spontaneous?

It was supposed to be a spontaneous Q&A between Bush and selected soldiers. The questions were not supposed to have been scripted and rehearsed.

The best way to describe it is to imagine a Press Conference where all the questions were submitted in advance. It's unethical and a misrepresentation of the actual event. That is the objection.

Can you see how promoting something as spontaneous and then having proof that it is not can become the story?

 

[AlbqOwl]

Completely UNTRUE sir! The feed was picked up by ABC News because the White House or the people controlling the broadcast left the uplink to the satellite open for anyone to see. ABC saw it and reported it.

Why must you and others always blame some weird conspiracy? What are you afraid of exactly? Is the truth something people like you are uncomfortable with? Your post sure seems to suggest that you like to blame everything that Bush fukks up on the Democrats. Another case of the new Republican credo? You know, "The Buck Stops THERE!"

It's downright ignorant to say that Democrats try to make up $hit for the media to exploit. Bush is one nasty bad speaker, almost the worst public speaker I've ever seen. This leads to mountains of faux pas' that are captured on film and then rebroadcast without editing and this is where Republicans start making $hit up about Democrats and where they PASS THE BUCK.

I could as easily ask why do Democrats assume so much that isn't said? For instance you seem to assume that what you saw in that feed was a 'rehearsal' instead of what it was. For that matter, what weird conspiracy did I reference? I didn't mention a conspiracy, so is that an assumption?
Where have I blamed everything that Bush fukks up on the Democrats? Or do you assume that my take on this translates to that? That's a huge assumption.

Where did I say anybody made up anything? Or is that another assumption of yours, and what does that have to do with Bush's speaking ability? Who passed the buck about anything? Or do you just assume that this is what happens when somebody disagrees with you?

I think you should probably re-evaluate your assumptions about what others post.

 

[MSgt]

It was supposed to be a spontaneous Q&A between Bush and selected soldiers. The questions were not supposed to have been scripted and rehearsed.

The best way to describe it is to imagine a Press Conference where all the questions were submitted in advance. It's unethical and a misrepresentation of the actual event. That is the objection.

Can you see how promoting something as spontaneous and then having proof that it is not can become the story?

Maybe it was a "spontaneous Q&A between Bush and selected soldiers." Who's to say it wasn't?

 

[26 X World Champs]

Where did I say anybody made up anything? Or is that another assumption of yours, and what does that have to do with Bush's speaking ability? Who passed the buck about anything? Or do you just assume that this is what happens when somebody disagrees with you?

You need to read your posts before AND after you submit them! You wrote:

Originally Posted by AlbqOwl
The only dishonest part of this whole thing was that some snot-nosed anti-Bush reporter ran the story or some DNC operative fed it to them making it look as if this was a scene invented by the Bush administration and unique to this president.

Did you read what you wrote Mr. Owl? "snot-nosed anti-Bush reporter or some DNC operative". This is fiction, a lie, untrue, made up.

And of course other leftwing entities took the opportunity to make as much negative publicity out of it as possible knowing there are plenty of devoted Bush-haters who are more than willing to swallow what is fed to them without question.

More made up crap, sorry. ABC News reported the story and then it took on a life of it's own due to the mispromotion of the event by Bush and his evil henchmen. You blame the Democrats from making something from nothing when in fact it was BUSH's people who lied about what the event was.

Are you so ignorant that you truly believe that if this had been promoted as pre-screened Q&A where Bush was asking questions that represent the minds of many of those he is speaking to vs. a "spontaneous and unrehearsed Q&A" that this thread would exist?

You might also want to read some other Republican replies in this thread to see what my last post was referring to. Your ego read it and presumed that I was writing about you and you alone. If you had comprehended my words you would already know that I was referring to Republicans in the plural, not to you specifically. Of course, if the shoe fits...

 

[26 X World Champs]

Maybe it was a "spontaneous Q&A between Bush and selected soldiers." Who's to say it wasn't?

C'mon! Did you see the rehearsal and read the rehearsal transcript? Sheesh! You're smarter than this, really!

Bush was busted and now must accept the consequences of deceiving us. It's really that simple.

 

[MSgt]

C'mon! Did you see the rehearsal and read the rehearsal transcript? Sheesh! You're smarter than this, really!

Bush was busted and now must accept the consequences of deceiving us. It's really that simple.

Yeah, but what's the consequence? There was obviously no attempt to hide the happenings. I don't feel deceived. Is this another reason for the impeachment demand?

 

[AlbqOwl]

You need to read your posts before AND after you submit them! You wrote:

Did you read what you wrote Mr. Owl? "snot-nosed anti-Bush reporter or some DNC operative". This is fiction, a lie, untrue, made up.

More made up crap, sorry. ABC News reported the story and then it took on a life of it's own due to the mispromotion of the event by Bush and his evil henchmen. You blame the Democrats from making something from nothing when in fact it was BUSH's people who lied about what the event was.

Are you so ignorant that you truly believe that if this had been promoted as pre-screened Q&A where Bush was asking questions that represent the minds of many of those he is speaking to vs. a "spontaneous and unrehearsed Q&A" that this thread would exist?

You might also want to read some other Republican replies in this thread to see what my last post was referring to. Your ego read it and presumed that I was writing about you and you alone. If you had comprehended my words you would already know that I was referring to Republicans in the plural, not to you specifically. Of course, if the shoe fits...

When you address a post to me or use my post to launch your comments, I assume you mean me unless you specify otherwise. When I make an assumption, I identify it as an assumption.

I do concede I don't know if the report was snot-nosed or not and my characterization reflects my intense distrust of and contempt for the leftwing media, but the fact is the story was presented just about everywhere as something unique to the Bush administration which just about every Republican has now pointed out is not true and which anti-Bush types such as yourself have yet to acknowledge. You inferred that you were accusing me/us of cooking up a conspiracy while giving the impression that you considered the President's meeting with the soldiers to be a conspiracy to 'fool the public'. You seem to infer this from seeing footage of the normal....get that NORMAL....advance preparation for such a photo op. Again you assume way too much.

 

[26 X World Champs]

Yeah, but what's the consequence? There was obviously no attempt to hide the happenings. I don't feel deceived. Is this another reason for the impeachment demand?

Impeachment? Not by me or anyone I think is creditable? Bush couldn't hide it, he was busted, exposed. There was no way to hide it.

I do feel deceived, sorry, just like when Bush holds his BS Town Hall Meetings. Actually what you wrote "I don't feel deceived" is the issue. Millions of Americans believed what they saw not knowing they were being deceived, and that is what has people like me upset about this incident. I already wrote it's not about the servicemen, it's about the methodology and the continuous pattern of deliberate deception by Bush.

The bottom line is that the fact that so many Americans are being duped IS the problem IMHO.

 

[MSgt]

Impeachment? Not by me or anyone I think is creditable? Bush couldn't hide it, he was busted, exposed. There was no way to hide it.

I do feel deceived, sorry, just like when Bush holds his BS Town Hall Meetings. Actually what you wrote "I don't feel deceived" is the issue. Millions of Americans believed what they saw not knowing they were being deceived, and that is what has people like me upset about this incident. I already wrote it's not about the servicemen, it's about the methodology and the continuous pattern of deliberate deception by Bush.

The bottom line is that the fact that so many Americans are being duped IS the problem IMHO.

Well, look at it this way. In just three short years, we'll have a whole new President in which to be duped by.

 

[26 X World Champs]

When you address a post to me or use my post to launch your comments, I assume you mean me unless you specify otherwise. When I make an assumption, I identify it as an assumption.

I wrote this:

Why must you and others always blame some weird conspiracy?

And this:

This leads to mountains of faux pas' that are captured on film and then rebroadcast without editing and this is where Republicans start making $hit up about Democrats and where they PASS THE BUCK.

Note: AND OTHERS and REPUBLICANS...clearly not about you and you alone.

I do concede I don't know if the report was snot-nosed or not and my characterization reflects my intense distrust of and contempt for the leftwing media,

That was my point, really. You wrote untruths based on your personal hatred, and that was what I decried.

but the fact is the story was presented just about everywhere as something unique to the Bush administration which just about every Republican has now pointed out is not true and which anti-Bush types such as yourself have yet to acknowledge.

Unimportant IMHO. Justifying a current lie with "everybody does it" is so weak and also revealing. This is what I meant about "PASS THE BUCK." do you see my point at all? No ownership, just snakeoil salesman talk.

You seem to infer this from seeing footage of the normal....get that NORMAL....advance preparation for such a photo op. Again you assume way too much.

Again, not the point at all. The point is the way Bush promoted the event as spontaneous and I defy anyone to disprove that if someone knows the questions in advance it is a spontaneous Q&A!

This again is a fine example of "PASSING THE BUCK" and not accepting the consequences of their lies.

 

[26 X World Champs]

Well, look at it this way. In just three short years, we'll have a whole new President in which to be duped by.

No doubt! Hopefully this one will not be a blundering idiot who can barely utter words without screwing up.

I know you and I disagree, but I simply want to state that does not mean that I disrespect your opinions. This is a fine example of my supporting you and your actions in the name of our military and our country while at the same time hating the mission and disagreeing with it.

Navy Pride's ignorant signature line is offensive to anyone who really believes in freedom of speech and the American way. It's contrite, stupid, untrue and a perfect example of how someone can be divisive based on prejudice and misguided beliefs.

Do you think that I want our mission in Iraq to fail? Do you think that 95% or more of your fellow Americans feel the same as I do? I want you to win, to be victorious and more than anything else to be safe. BUT...I don't think you should be there, that we should ever have gone there, and I do not support the reasons for the mission, and nor do 58% of Americans and it's growing bigger everyday.

It takes a unique ignorance to believe that your fellow countrymen want you to fail and to be hurt, and I really believe that you are fighting for what you believe in and you are fighting for me and my family and our way of life. I love you for it, and I would never ever stop supporting you!

Navy Pride, however, does not fight for all of us, he fought for only those that agree with his bizarre way of thinking, and that is the difference between you, a professional soldier and someone else who is a poor representative of America and Americans.

 

[AlbqOwl]

I wrote this:

And this:

Note: AND OTHERS and REPUBLICANS...clearly not about you and you alone.

But you did include me in your condemnation and then criticized me for defending myself.

That was my point, really. You wrote untruths based on your personal hatred, and that was what I decried.

There you go again making assumptions out of what was not said. I did not use the word hate. I don't hate anyone. Because I see that something is wrong, dishonest, incompetent, unethical does not extrapolate to hate, nor does it translate to 'assumption' or 'conspiracy'.

Unimportant IMHO. Justifying a current lie with "everybody does it" is so weak and also revealing. This is what I meant about "PASS THE BUCK." do you see my point at all? No ownership, just snakeoil salesman talk.

It would be 'passing the buck' if there was anything wrong with it. But you have a very good analysis earlier in the thread by GT, speaking from personal knowledge and experience, that this is how photo ops are done. Not just by the President and members of his administration, but by everybody who arranges for some form of press conference. It has been done this way ever since television started showing these kinds of events. My former career included setting up just those kinds of events and you have to do it the way the Bush event was done or you wind up with a chaotic, disorganized mess that is satisfying to nobody. Your attempt to make this something uniquely Bush is disingenuous. "Stagng" a press conference in a specific setting is not.

Again, not the point at all. The point is the way Bush promoted the event as spontaneous and I defy anyone to disprove that if someone knows the questions in advance it is a spontaneous Q&A!

This again is a fine example of "PASSING THE BUCK" and not accepting the consequences of their lies.

Show me the trailer promoting the conference as 'spontaneous'. Yes the soldiers knew in advance what subjects the president would ask questions about--they may or may not have known the specific questions but that wouldn't change the scenario. The advance people made sure there was somebody prepared to discuss each subject and the people so assigned knew they needed to be prepared and be in position to accept a microphone when their subject came up. This is simple courtesy, not some devious plot. The event was staged so it would look good on TV. Why would anybody expect there to be something presented to the public that would look completely disorganized and difficult to follow? The interaction that then occurred between the President and the soldiers, however, was entirely spontaneous and unrehearsed.

 

[26 X World Champs]

Yes the soldiers knew in advance what subjects the president would ask questions about--they may or may not have known the specific questions but that wouldn't change the scenario.

Please read this, maybe more than once if necessary?

Quote:
MITCHELL: The White House had said the exchange would be spontaneous, but there was something they did not expect you to see. The troops were coached on how to answer the commander in chief. This is Allison Barber. She works for the Pentagon.

BARBER (video clip): All right. But if he gives us a question that's not something that we've scripted, Captain Kennedy, you are going to have that mike, and that's your chance to impress us all. Master Sergeant Lombardo, when you're talking about the president coming to see you in New York, take a little breath before that so you can actually be talking directly to him. You've got a real message there, OK?

MITCHELL: During today's rehearsal, Barber played the role of the president. Here's one of Mr. Bush's questions in the practice session:

BARBER (playing the role of President Bush; video clip from rehearsal): I'm interested in how your pre-election operations are going.

MITCHELL: And here's how it was repeated when the cameras were rolling with the president in place:

BUSH (video clip from conference): Confident? I mean, how do you think feel like the operations are going?

MITCHELL: Here from the rehearsal is a soldier practicing his answer.

CAPT. BRENT KENNEDY (video clip from rehearsal): We are working in northern Iraq right now with an operation that we call Operation Saratoga.

MITCHELL: And here's how it appeared on the broadcast.

KENNEDY (video clip from conference): We're surging in an operation called Operation Saratoga.
MITCHELL: The White House had said the exchange would be spontaneous, but there was something they did not expect you to see. The troops were coached on how to answer the commander in chief. This is Allison Barber. She works for the Pentagon.

Get it? See? Spontaneous? NO....scripted and phoney.

 

[AlbqOwl]

Please read this, maybe more than once if necessary?

Get it? See? Spontaneous? NO....scripted and phoney.

You don't get it my friend. "Staged' is not 'scripted'. The soldiers didn't want to get caught with their thumb in their mouth and nothing intelligent to say any more than the front men for the event wanted that to happen. Phony in the sense that you didn't get a disclaimer ahead of the televised version explaining that the soldiers knew what was going to be asked? I'll accept that though it is one of the standard tools of the process. Scripted in the sense that the soldiers were told what to say?. They were not. That part was spontaneous. Mitchell, who is one of those media types I previously referenced, inferred they were told something they were not and inferred this was unique to this President and this event. That was blatantly dishonest. Anybody with any experience in the media knows how a media event is staged by politicians.

I have plenty to criticize this President for and do. But for the Bush-haters to keep piling on with manufactured criticism and pretend that it is unique to this President or this administration just should not stand.

If you had made a blanket comment that such events are not necessarily spur of the moment occasions, you would be right, and I would agree. To condemn President Bush alone for utilizing the process that exists and has always existed, is partisanship and is wrong.

 

[26 X World Champs]

Phony in the sense that you didn't get a disclaimer ahead of the televised version explaining that the soldiers knew what was going to be asked? I'll accept that though it is one of the standard tools of the process. Scripted in the sense that the soldiers were told what to say?. They were not. That part was spontaneous.

I don't get it? Please look in the mirror? Do you know what spontaneous means?

spon·ta·ne·ous Pronunciation Key (spn-tn-s)
adj.

1. Happening or arising without apparent external cause; self-generated.
2. Arising from a natural inclination or impulse and not from external incitement or constraint.
3. Unconstrained and unstudied in manner or behavior.
4. Growing without cultivation or human labor.

Why can't you admit to yourself or understand that knowing the questions before you're asked takes away any semblence of spontaniety?

Andrea Mitchell? Her husband is Alan Greenspan and I find her very middle of the road. How come when any reporter in the course of doing her job reveals truths about Bush it's called media partisanship? She reported the facts and had visual evidence to back it up. Only those blinded with loyalty and lacking any objectivity can conclude that providing the questions well in advance of the answers is spontaneous! Give me a break!

You keep harping back to the "PASS THE BUCK" defense that others do the same thing so it's OK to cheat! That is loser language, sorry. That level of thinking IS the disease that is the Bush Administration.

Why not, for once, have Bush be a frickin' man and admit the truth?

There are so many lies swirling around the Bushie's that they can no longer seperate the truth from the fiction.

Bottom line is that when you give people the questions in advance it is not a spontaneous Q&A. Your attempts to :spin: this to mitigate the damage is very loyal of you, but still very wrong.