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| Bush Staged Event A Set Up; He must be getting desparate | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Oct 13 2005, 06:51 PM (456 Views) | |
| cruiser | Oct 13 2005, 06:51 PM Post #1 |
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WASHINGTON It was billed as a conversation with U.S. troops, but the questions President Bush asked on a teleconference call Thursday were choreographed to match his goals for the war in Iraq and Saturday's vote on a new Iraqi constitution. "This is an important time," Allison Barber, deputy assistant defense secretary, said, coaching the soldiers before Bush arrived. "The president is looking forward to having just a conversation with you." Barber said the president was interested in three topics: the overall security situation in Iraq, security preparations for the weekend vote and efforts to train Iraqi troops. As she spoke in Washington, a live shot of 10 soldiers from the Army's 42nd Infantry Division and one Iraqi soldier was beamed into the Eisenhower Executive Office Building from Tikrit _ the birthplace of former Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein. "I'm going to ask somebody to grab those two water bottles against the wall and move them out of the camera shot for me," Barber said. A brief rehearsal ensued. "OK, so let's just walk through this," Barber said. "Captain Kennedy, you answer the first question and you hand the mike to whom?" "Captain Smith," Kennedy said. "Captain. Smith? You take the mike and you hand it to whom?" she asked. "Captain Kennedy," the soldier replied. And so it went. "If the question comes up about partnering _ how often do we train with the Iraqi military _ who does he go to?" Barber asked. "That's going to go to Captain Pratt," one of the soldiers said. "And then if we're going to talk a little bit about the folks in Tikrit _ the hometown _ and how they're handling the political process, who are we going to give that to?" she asked. Before he took questions, Bush thanked the soldiers for serving and reassured them that the U.S. would not pull out of Iraq until the mission was complete. "So long as I'm the president, we're never going to back down, we're never going to give in, we'll never accept anything less than total victory," Bush said. The president told them twice that the American people were behind them. "You've got tremendous support here at home," Bush said. Less than 40 percent in an AP-Ipsos poll taken in October said they approved of the way Bush was handling Iraq. Just over half of the public now say the Iraq war was a mistake. White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Thursday's event was coordinated with the Defense Department but that the troops were expressing their own thoughts. With satellite feeds, coordination often is needed to overcome technological challenges, such as delays, he said. "I think all they were doing was talking to the troops and letting them know what to expect," he said, adding that the president wanted to talk with troops on the ground who have firsthand knowledge about the situation. The soldiers all gave Bush an upbeat view of the situation. The president also got praise from the Iraqi soldier who was part of the chat. "Thank you very much for everything," he gushed. "I like you." On preparations for the vote, 1st Lt. Gregg Murphy of Tennessee said: "Sir, we are prepared to do whatever it takes to make this thing a success. ... Back in January, when we were preparing for that election, we had to lead the way. We set up the coordination, we made the plan. We're really happy to see, during the preparation for this one, sir, they're doing everything." On the training of Iraqi security forces, Master Sgt. Corine Lombardo from Scotia, N.Y., said to Bush: "I can tell you over the past 10 months, we've seen a tremendous increase in the capabilities and the confidences of our Iraqi security force partners. ... Over the next month, we anticipate seeing at least one-third of those Iraqi forces conducting independent operations." Lombardo told the president that she was in New York City on Nov. 11, when Bush attended an event recognizing soldiers for their recovery and rescue efforts at Ground Zero. She said the troops began the fight against terrorism in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and were proud to continue it in Iraq. "I thought you looked familiar," Bush said, and then joked: "I probably look familiar to you, too." Paul Rieckhoff, director of the New York-based Operation Truth, an advocacy group for U.S. veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan, denounced the event as a "carefully scripted publicity stunt." Five of the 10 U.S. troops involved were officers, he said. "If he wants the real opinions of the troops, he can't do it in a nationally televised teleconference," Rieckhoff said. "He needs to be talking to the boots on the ground and that's not a bunch of captains." Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. |
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Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from a religious conviction. Blaise Pascal (1623 - 1662) | |
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| roz | Oct 13 2005, 07:25 PM Post #2 |
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Roz - Texas
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What unbridled hatred, Cruiser.............
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| cruiser | Oct 13 2005, 07:30 PM Post #3 |
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FOR ROZ Do not criticize me, address the issue. This is a new topic, if you cannot stand the heat,you know what to do. |
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Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from a religious conviction. Blaise Pascal (1623 - 1662) | |
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| cmoehle | Oct 13 2005, 07:36 PM Post #4 |
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Chris - San Antonio TX
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She was providing sarcastic (as opposed to substantial) support for you, cruiser. We all know how much she loves Bush! On edit, I need to use smilies to indicate my intentions: :deadhorse: |
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Politics is the art of achieving the maximum amount of freedom for individuals that is consistent with the maintenance of social order. --Barry Goldwater | |
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| roz | Oct 13 2005, 07:40 PM Post #5 |
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Roz - Texas
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Yes a smilie would be nice, I've pmed Cruiser. He knows I'm in agreement. |
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| cruiser | Oct 13 2005, 08:03 PM Post #6 |
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OOPS, Sorry Roz, I had a feeling that anyone with a picture of a cute cat as their logo could not be a bush lover. From a true cat lover, Just spent three hundred on one of the loves of my life and found out she just has a bad cold. Lab tests are expensive. Bob |
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Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from a religious conviction. Blaise Pascal (1623 - 1662) | |
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| roz | Oct 13 2005, 08:11 PM Post #7 |
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Roz - Texas
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LOL no problem, Cruiser. I understand about the cat lover part. I have a 4 year old Siamese that is boss around here. |
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| feddoc | Oct 13 2005, 09:30 PM Post #8 |
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I don't suppose clinton ever staged anything. Remember his walk along the beach The above refers to the 50th anniversary of D-day. .....he just 'happened' to find some rocks and 'happened' to place them in the shape of a cross. |
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| Colo_Crawdad | Oct 13 2005, 09:34 PM Post #9 |
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Lowell
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The concern by the Pentagon is more than the event being staged. It is about rehearsing the soldiers in specifically how they were to ask questions and respond to questions of the President. They rehearsed, at the command of the Administration, both style and content. At least that was Smith's report. |
| "WE HAVE MET THE ENEMY AND HE IS US." --- Pogo | |
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| kajtek1 | Oct 13 2005, 11:10 PM Post #10 |
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Kris, CA
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I was under impression, that staging military responses for GW. was going on for years. What year was he honorably discharged as a pilot? Wait a minute, was he? |
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| Jelly Bean | Oct 14 2005, 01:49 AM Post #11 |
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OK...I just read this and have absolutely NOOOOOO problem with it! Just which part are you all offended in? It's an interview like all interviews are. Before cameras role, anyone stages the set up, and agrees on subject topics asked for the most part. It isn't staged in totality, but what kind of rock have all you been sleeping under to think it would be ran any different? Don'tcha all watch interviews? Larry King at least? Heck....Jay leno?...lol
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| pentax | Oct 14 2005, 02:36 AM Post #12 |
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Kamloops - BC Interior
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Now easy does it, folks! Let's not get our Hormones in the way of our Synapses.... not MY section, but in all honesty, chris is deservedly sleeping..... Let's take a "cool-down" and whack it out tomorrow, okay? That's my friends...... ![]() |
![]() (thumbnail) ![]() "Kirk to Enterprise - Very funny, Scotty.... now beam down my clothes!" | |
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| Jelly Bean | Oct 14 2005, 03:39 AM Post #13 |
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| feddoc | Oct 14 2005, 07:22 AM Post #14 |
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kaj, The proper term is discharged....discarded is an insult to all of us who served. Don't blame your lack of english on this one. |
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| Fr. Mike | Oct 14 2005, 08:22 AM Post #15 |
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quote "It was billed as a conversation with U.S. troops, but the questions President Bush asked on a teleconference call Thursday were choreographed to match his goals for the war in Iraq and Saturday's vote on a new Iraqi constitution" My question would be--why was it billed as a conversation with the troops when it was really intended as propaganda? I'm reminded when President Lincoln would travel into Virginia to meet with General Grant, his officers and troops. He appeared more interested in assessing the situation and getting to the facts. What really bothers me is that national politics is all a stage show. We might as well be watching a comedy or drama for all the truth that we get from these staged events. Maybe the American audience is considered by the spin masters to be beyond figuring out what is right or wrong. Maybe they believe it is all just a game of numbers, polls, and actors. Well--the next time a president is elected, I sure hope we choose a better actor. sic Watching this man read a speech or interact on live camara gives me so much confidence, that before he comes on stage, Yodi and I already have our life vests on. |
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A humble servant of the Lord Jesus Christ Don't forget to say your prayers! The unborn have rights too. | |
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10:38 AM Jul 13