Right, but past tense? (I noticed that too -- the "king hitting" thing didn't do him in, or anything?)
Cheney is likely to avoid baseball stadiums for some time to come. Bush's welcome in India was also telling -- what was that echo from the Nixon Administration?
Oh. Thanks. I immediately assume all conversations relate to me.
How very silly of you Mr. Mountie . . . i know full well they all relate to me . . .
I am not fooled. Your focus on me (quite appropriate) is obvious.
The Fighting Irish
The Fighting Irish
A reporter for the Irish television network RTE didn't play by the rules when she interviewed President Bush. She won't get a second chance.
By Rob Garver
Web Exclusive: 07.02.04
Does the Bush administration retaliate against reporters who don't play nice with the White House? Well, let's just say that Carol Coleman, the Washington correspondent for the Irish television network RTE, won't be interviewing President Bush again anytime soon -- or ever, for that matter.
In an interview timed to coincide with Bush's visit to Ireland over the weekend, the veteran reporter questioned the president aggressively about the U.S. invasion of Iraq and the subsequent occupation, interrupting him several times during the 11-minute exhange.
It was the first one-on-one presidential interview granted to Irish television since the Reagan administration, and the White House selected RTE from among a number of Irish media outlets that had requested time with Bush. Coleman returned the favor by asking pointed questions, and by noting that the president would be met in Ireland by large crowds protesting the U.S. invasion of Iraq.
When Bush tried to justify the war on the basis of Saddam Hussein's use of weapons of mass destruction, Coleman quickly pointed out that no such weapons had been found. When he strayed from the topic of her questions -- which had been submitted to the White House three days in advance -- or gave rambling answers that threatened to eat up her allotted time, Coleman tried to bring him back to the point by interjecting follow-up questions.
The president became visibly irritated with Coleman, and evidently communicated his displeasure to his staff, because within 10 minutes of the interview's end, Coleman got a call from a White House communications officer, who berated her for the tone of her questions and for interrupting the president.
She was then told that an interview with first lady Laura Bush, tentatively scheduled for the next day, was canceled.
To top things off, the White House Office of Global Communications called the Irish Embassy in Washington to lodge a complaint about Coleman. "
They were concerned about the interviewer's style," the spokeswoman said, adding that the White House also complained that Coleman showed a lack of respect for the president.
The administration's surrogates outside the government got into the act, too. Radical right-wingers on FreeRepublic.com posted the address and phone number of Coleman's Washington office, resulting in an answering machine full of abuse and invective, much of it in language common to sailors and, well, vice presidents.
The reaction of the Irish media to the White House's decision to lash out at Coleman was one of general bemusement. "Ms. Coleman was a fairly aggressive interviewer but no more so than would be the norm in Ireland, when a politician is the subject of the interview," wrote the Irish Emigrant, a Web site delivering news to Irish expatriates in the United States.
Coleman was traveling over the weekend and did not respond to requests for comment. However, she discussed the interview during a report aired on RTE during the presidential visit.
"I asked questions that I believed were relevant, and there were a few stages at which I had to move him along for reasons of timing," she said. "He's not used to being moved along by the American media. Perhaps they are a bit more deferential."
Stephanie Shweiki, an RTE producer who was in the White House during the interview, defended both Coleman and the interview.
"She is not some kind of renegade reporter out to make the story about herself. That's not her style," Shweiki said. "At the end of the day, I think [the president] expected it to be a softball interview."
Coleman, her producer said, was "concerned that he was going to go off on tangents and not address the issues the people of Ireland wanted to know about."
Shweiki also pointed out that Coleman had not deviated from the list of questions she'd submitted to the White House.
"She didn't come out of left field at all," Shweiki said.
One of the raps against American journalists over the past several years has been an unwillingness to ask tough questions of the Bush administration, and one of the standard defenses has been that journalists have to pull their punches with this administration or else be punished with a loss of access.
Whether taking it easy on the administration to preserve the goodwill of the White House is defensible journalistic behavior is debatable, but the administration's treatment of Coleman is proof that the threat of retribution is very real.
---------------------------------------
Rob Garver is a freelance journalist living in Springfield, Virginia, and is currently studying at the Georgetown Public Policy Institute.
BBB
We all know what happened to Helen Thomas when she got uppity with the Bush. Banned to the barn, that's what.
BBB
Those damned obstreperous Paddies . . . what do they think this is, a free and open democratic society?
I have come to believe that all Bush supporters are deaf and dumb.
blatham wrote:Setanta wrote:Mr. Mountie, when Our Dear Wabbit says "Latham" in this context, she refers to an Ozzian politico . . .
Oh. Thanks. I immediately assume all conversations relate to me.
You really should acquire some interest in politics overseas as well, you know, Blatham ...
I mean, blasting Bush for being such a narrow-minded Amerocentric [expletive] doesnt kinda really work if you're only ever interested in stuff if it relates to the US/neocons/Bush yourself, too ..
OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH!
I second that.
Nimh is soooo kewel. He's got your number, you Canajun, you.
From a longer quote on BBB's earlier post:
Quote:Coleman, her producer said, was "concerned that he was going to go off on tangents and not address the issues the people of Ireland wanted to know about."
Just so--I was completely impressed at her poise in the face of the Shrub's total inability to answer ONE question.
White House Waffles on Interview Policy; no kidding!
July 5, 2004
White House Waffles on Interview Policy
MediaChannel.org
NEW YORK, July 2, 2004 -- Controversy rages over President George W. Bush's terse interview last week with Carole Coleman of RTE, Ireland's state network, as a reporter challenges White House spokesman Scott McCLELLANon Coleman's claim that the administration had pre-approved her questions three days in advance.
Meanwhile, the White House has lodged a complaint with the Irish embassy in Washington and canceled RTE's meeting with Laura Bush. (Read the Editor & Publisher story)
Does the Bush administration OK questions from interviewers ahead of time? You be the judge:
From the June 30 White House Press Briefing:
Q: Did anyone in the White House or the administration ask Irish television or its reporter, Carol Coleman, to submit questions in advance of her interview with the President last Wednesday?
MR. McCLELLAN: Bill, a couple of things. I saw I guess some reports on that. I don't know what every individual office -- whatever discussions that they have with reporters in terms of interviews. But obviously, the President was -- is pleased to sit down and do interviews with journalists, both from abroad, as well as here at home, and to talk about the priorities of this administration. And I think anytime that there is an interview that's going to take place, obviously there are staff-level discussions with reporters before that interview and to --
Q: -- what are the --
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, to talk about what issues might be on their mind, and stuff. That's -- but, reporters --
Q: That's not the same thing as asking for --
MR. McCLELLAN: Let me finish. Let me finish.
Q: -- and my question is, were questions asked for.
MR. McCLELLAN: Let me finish. Reporters, when they meet with the President, can ask whatever questions they want. And any suggestion to the contrary is just --
Q: Right, but that doesn't answer the question. Did somebody in the administration ask her for questions in advance, and is that your policy?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, in terms -- you're talking my policy?
Q: No, the administration's policy.
MR. McCLELLAN: I don't know what an individual staffer may or may not have asked specifically of this reporter, but some of these interviews are set up by people outside of my direct office and control.
Q: Well, will you say from this lectern that it is not the policy of this White House to ask for questions in advance?
MR. McCLELLAN: Will you let me complete what I'm trying to say? Thank you. Just hold on a second. As I said, and you know very well from covering this White House, that any time a reporter sits down with the President, they are welcome to ask whatever questions they want to ask.
Q: Yes, but that's beside the point.
MR. McCLELLAN: And certainly there will be staff-level discussions, talking about what issues reporters may want to bring up in some of these interviews. I mean, that happens all the time.
Q: Indeed, it does.
MR. McCLELLAN: So reporters are able to ask whatever questions they want, Bill.
Q: Right, but that wasn't my question. (Laughter.)
MR. McCLELLAN: I'll be glad to look into this further.
Q: Is it policy to ask for questions in advance?
MR. McCLELLAN: Again, I don't know what some individual staffer may have done in another office, specifically in terms of this question that you're asking. I'll be glad to look into it. But reporters can ask the President whatever questions they want. I think we've addressed this question.
Q: Is it your policy to ask for questions in advance?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, it is not my policy. In fact, if reporters would give me their questions, this press briefing would be a whole lot easier, I'm sure. But that's not my policy.
Q: Sometimes you might answer them. (Laughter.)
Q: I'll be glad to give you a question --
Q: Just before I get on to my question, what you're saying is, you didn't ask anyone, but someone in the press office might have asked, and you're not sure --
MR. McCLELLAN: Not in my office.
Q: But someone in media affairs or communications --
MR. McCLELLAN: These interviews are set up by another office. I'll be glad to take a look into it. But regardless, the reporter can ask
whatever question they want. This interview is past us.
Q: So now I'm going to ask the question that I want to ask, which is --
Q: -- might not be able to if there's a pre-brief.
MR. McCLELLAN: Helen, you know that that's wrong. Reporters can ask whatever they want when they see the President.
Q: Okay, I'd like to ask the President some questions. (Laughter.)
MR. McCLELLAN: I'm sure you would.
Ha!!
Who were the reporters? Good for them! Would be nice if this were a turning point... love how the theme in these two interviews (Coleman/ Bush, unnamed [except for "Helen"] reporters/ McClellan) is cutting through the prefab non-responses and asking for actual responses.
Soz
Maybe the White House Press Corps will finally get the courage to do their jobs. It will only happened if their editors all the way up to the owners encourage and protect their job status. Its all in the hands of the editors now.
BBB
Soz,
I did a quick search of the White House Press Corps + Helen and this is the name I came up with:
Helen Thomas.
Here's a link to where that quote came from:
Press Briefing by Scott McClellan - White House
