(NYT) Bush rudely interrupts Botswana president; won't take questions

[RichM]

In a Times feature called "Reporters' Notebook," a Times reporter (Richard W Stevenson) writes a few anecdotes to capture the up-close flavor of the trip. First he tells about the elephants' humping. Then he writes:

Bush's 2-Question Limit

"Mr. Bush almost never holds formal news conferences. Instead, he frequently takes a few questions from reporters, especially after meetings with foreign leaders. He has a strict rule: he calls on two American reporters and his counterpart calls on two reporters from the other country's press corps.

Mr. Bush is a stickler about the practice, even if it means chiding another leader on his own turf. When President Festus G. Mogae of Botswana tried to start one of these sessions on Thursday by saying, "Does anyone want to ask . . ." Mr. Bush cut him off good-naturedly and said, "That's not the way we do it."

(Can you believe that??) Continuing:

"Whatever the humor in the situation, Mr. Bush's two-question rule variously annoys and infuriates White House reporters, who have started to rebel. On Wednesday, when Mr. Bush and Mr. Mbeki held their "media availability" on the lush lawn of the presidential complex in Pretoria, many of the reporters on the trip chose not to attend, figuring they would not get a chance to ask a question anyway. South African and American reporters had been seated on opposite sides of the aisle, like friends of the bride and friends of the groom, and the result was a lot of empty chairs on the American side.

If Mr. Bush noticed, he gave no sign of it. And on Friday, when he appeared with President Yoweri K. Museveni of Uganda, he violated his own rule and took only one question."

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/07/13/international/africa/13NOTE.html

[annagull]

1. You can't hide forever, Georgie boy

I think you are going to answer ALOT of questions in the coming week or two--or be shown for the coward you are!

[PurityOfEssence]

16. Yes he can: forever and ever and ever and ever and ever and ever

The only calls that'll come will be ones he doesn't want to take.

The world's greatest hereditary nobody will be nothing to anyone.

I worry that the Junta may try to Baxterize him and pin it on the left to justify Martial Law, but I don't think they could if they wanted to.

The conversations that Hitler had after Hess flew to Scotland were filled with Hitler's concern that the people would get rattled thinking that the government was being run by the insane. What's the buzz in the West Wing right now?

[acmavm]

2. And it's patently obvious why he does this. It's to keep him from saying

something stupid. Even two questions is pushing it.

[WilliamPitt]

3. We do this in Fenway when Clemens pitches

It seems appropriate:

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSHHOLLLLLEEEEEEEEEE!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSHHOLLLLLEEEEEEEEEE!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSHHOLLLLLEEEEEEEEEE!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSHHOLLLLLEEEEEEEEEE!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSHHOLLLLLEEEEEEEEEE!

[Terwilliger]

7. YEAH!!!!

LIIIIIIIIIIAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!

[Algorem]

4. International chickenshit

punk.

[aquart]

5. Eeeew. This creature has no class.

Whatever he does is crass and rude and nasty. I want to slap his mother. More than once.

[bunnyhop]

6. Notice he calls him MISTER bush not president

I've noticed a number of journalists doing that this year. I think the press is getting fed up with bush's high-handedness too.

[northofdenali]

8. I wonder if he'll impose his "two question limit"

on the prosecutor at his criminal trial?

[grasswire]

9. the "Mister" Bush is not a sign of disrespect

It is simply the style of the news venue. The NYT has its own style manual, which some news outlets copy.

[Cocoa]

11. they adhere strictly to the "Mr" convention

they called Meat Loaf "Mr. Loaf" :-)

[DrPepper]

10. Traitors Can't Hide

[NYC]

12. That's a very interesting article.

.

[ClintonTyree]

13. This arrogant little bastard................

will get his in the end. Sooner or later he's going to have to answer many questions, under oath. As Desi used to say to Lucy, "Luuuuuuuucy, you've got a lot of 'splaining' to do".

[FoxNewsIsTheDevil]

14. It's totally embarassing

When he goes on these trips/meetings with foreign leaders. He acts like such a dick.

[charlie]

15. It's enraging

He's the face of the US when he's abroad. If he can't mind his goddamn manners, he shouldn't be out there. He was also rude as hell to Vicente Fox and Chretien's staff, and I'm sure there are other incidents we don't know about. I soooo want this strutting bantamweight to get his comeuppance...

[opihimoimoi]

17. Murphey sez: Its only a matter of time

he continues: Every Once in Awhile.

If there is a chance for a fuck up,

the odds must be addressed.

[lpbk2713]

18. Typical.......

.....what an embarrasment to have for our chief executive.