Saturday, June 26, 2004
Could the Bush presidency survive a 1 hour unscripted interview?
Check this (from Atrios)
and this:
Bush doesn't want to president of a democratic country, answerable to the people. He wants to be---and acts as if he were---a king. Any reporter who refuses to play along is punished. The Irish media doesn't give a shit what the White House thinks, so they showed us how the White House press operation tries to stifle questioning of the president.
You can bet that what the WH does to domestic journalists is much more oppressive. Can you imagine: "Ask about what toothpaste he uses and you'll get more questions in the future" or "Ask about Enron and you'll never work in this town again".
THE White House has lodged a complaint with the Irish Embassy in Washington over RTE journalist Carole Coleman's interview with US President George Bush.
And it is believed the President's staff have now withdrawn from an exclusive interview which was to have been given to RTE this morning by First Lady Laura Bush.
It is understood that both RTE and the Department of Foreign Affairs were aware of the exclusive arrangement, scheduled for 11am today. However, when RTE put Ms Coleman's name forward as interviewer, they were told Mrs Bush would no longer be available.
The Irish Independent learned last night that the White House told Ms Coleman that she interrupted the president unnecessarily and was disrespectful.
She also received a call from the White House in which she was admonished for her tone.
And it emerged last night that presidential staff suggested to Ms Coleman as she went into the interview that she ask him a question on the outfit that Taoiseach Bertie Ahern wore to the G8 summit.
and this:
The policy of the White House is that you submit your questions in advance, so they had my questions for about three days."
-Carol Coleman, RTE.
Bush doesn't want to president of a democratic country, answerable to the people. He wants to be---and acts as if he were---a king. Any reporter who refuses to play along is punished. The Irish media doesn't give a shit what the White House thinks, so they showed us how the White House press operation tries to stifle questioning of the president.
You can bet that what the WH does to domestic journalists is much more oppressive. Can you imagine: "Ask about what toothpaste he uses and you'll get more questions in the future" or "Ask about Enron and you'll never work in this town again".
