Bush refuses to release scandal-lobbyist pictures (Reuters)

[Up2Late]

(Oh, no matter, The Daily Show found a few, see link below article)

Bush refuses to release scandal-lobbyist pictures

Thu Jan 26, 2006 12:33 PM ET

By Steve Holland

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President George W. Bush sought to distance himself from disgraced lobbyist Jack Abramoff on Thursday, saying "I don't know him," and refused to release photographs in which he appeared with Abramoff.

At a news conference, Bush said release of photographs that show him and Abramoff together would be used for "pure political purposes" by Democrats seeking to tie the lobbyist to the White House. "I, frankly, don't even remember having my picture taken with the guy. I don't know him," Bush said at his first solo news conference in two months.

Early this month Abramoff pleaded guilty to fraud charges and agreed to help U.S. prosecutors in a corruption probe that has generated calls for reform of the Washington practice of lobbying lawmakers with donations and favors to try to influence legislation.

"This investigation needs to look into all aspects of his influence on Capitol Hill. And if there are some in the White House, I'm sure they're going to come knock on the doors," Bush said.

(more at link below)
<http://go.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=topNews&storyID=10988484&src=rss/topNews>

Link to The Daily Show Pictures: <http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2389921&mesg_id=2389921>

[ewagner]

1. Note to All Bush Contributors

Those pics you're so proud of? They don't mean S**t to Bush*. You're just a prop to him. You're just a cash cow he can milk for money whenever he wants it....

You

are

Nothing


to this man.

Feel proud now? eh?

[ozymandius]

10. My thoughts exactly ewagner.

"I, frankly, don't even remember having my picture taken with the guy."

That's gotta make those suckers feel really great knowing how much cash they coughed up to have their picture taken with a smiling pretzeldent, pretending to be their friend.

[Straight Shooter]

2. I don't know this Pioneer, the number one Repub lobbyist on the Hill.

The one who has close association with Delay, with Norquist, and goes all the way back to the Young College Republicans with Rove.

Yeah, right, whatever you say, Little Boots. :eyes:

[maxrandb]

15. I don't know this guy who was part of my Transition Team

I guess they really do know that they have the media all sewed up!!

Attention any media whore that can break themselves away from the latest missing blonde bimbo story!! The President has just issued you a challenge.

Bring it on. It shouldn't be that hard.

[caledesi]

27. The one on my transition team. Nope, dont know him nt

[Rose Siding]

3. "And immediately the cock crowed a second time"

[Poll_Blind]

7. 8^) n/t

PB

[Botany]

4. Then why did he write him letter in 1997 as Tex. Gov?

In which he told him to keep in touch and thanked him for his work.

I want the media to keep playing that clip ... very telling.

"I don't know him." Then a big shoulder shrug. Less then 30 seconds later his "coke jaw"
started twitching big time. He is a very bad liar.

[savemefromdumbya]

9. where do we find the letter and the vid clip

thanks

[Up2Late]

11. I have a new theory about the "Coke Jaw" thing. He only does it when...

...he seems to have the transmitter box on his back, which would mean he has the ear piece receiver in his ear. Soooooooooo, what if...

What if that "Coke Jaw" move is How he either:

1) Clears the static in the ear piece OR

2) It's how he "keys the mic" OR

3) It's how he signals to Rove, or who ever is on the other end, that he's needs a different answer.

Sort of like a pitcher shaking off a pitch sign from the catcher. OR

Maybe he had a chip implanted in his brain, and it tickles when Condi talks. :shrug:

BTW, did you see the video of him in Kansas? When someone tossed out a question he hadn't prepped for he suddenly went def, very interesting video, and great commentary by The Daily Show on this one:
<http://www.comedycentral.com/shows/the_daily_show/videos/most_recent/index.jhtml> It's the one labeled "The Manhattan Project"

[Marie26]

22. I think it's just stress.

He seems to do it when he's nervous or anxious - which is almost all the time anymore. In Woodward's book, Bush said something about his jaw getting locked w/the stress before the Iraq War. I'll try to find the quote.

ETA: "There was a lot of stress," the President said. "Yeah, I felt stressed." All of the holiday parties at the White House added to the difficulties at the end of 2002. "My jaw muscles got so tight. And it was not just because I was smiling and shaking so many hands There was a lot of tension that holiday season."

[Placebo]

5. "Why won't your administration release the photos President Bush?"

"National Security. Just trust us. It's vital to our National Security."

This criminal administration must be stopped. And soon. Where do we draw the line? At what point do even Republicans say, "No. The president cannot do this. Regardless of party, it's both wrong and illegal."

Since when did loyalty to party trump your oath of office when you swore to uphold protect and defend the Constitution of the United States?

[onenote]

6. seems like chimpy is playing a high stakes game of chicken

It is indisputed that Abramoff was a high-echelon fundraiser for chimpy. I've been around politics and politicians a long time and its an absolute truth that fundraisers expect their efforts to be acknowledged and even to be stroked by something more tangible than a phone call. As a result, it seems virtually inconceivable to me that Abramoff hasn't received one or more hand written thank you notes from chimpy along the way. Assuming that I'm right, they will come out, either because Abramoff gets pissed enough to show them to the press or because he probably flashed them around to someone and that person will talk.

onenote

[Demeter]

8. "I Don't Know Him!"

Mary Magdalene: "Peter, don't you know what you have said? You've gone and cut him dead."

Peter: "I had to do it, don't you see? Or else they'd go for me."

Mary: "It's what he told us you would do. I wonder how he knew."

-----JC Superstar

I happen to think that Christ was telling Peter what to do, in order that Peter would survive the roundup. But Bush has his back to the wall; there isn't anyone sane and competent who believes him now.

[atomic-fly]

12. No wonder they want to search google....see if anyone has those pics.

[caledesi]

28. Good one AF - now the search engine thing all makes sense. nt

[onenote]

34. only two people would have the pictures

Abramoff and the White House. The pictures referred to are taken by the official WH photogs and then a copy is sent to the person in the photo. These aren't pics taken by the press and they wouldn't otherwise be available. The WH, above all others, knows this, so you can forget about any connection between these photos and the DOJ's intrusion into google's search history.

onenote

[MissMillie]

13. Well... HELLO!!!! Of course he refuses!

After all, that's what his idea of "cooperating" with and "welcoming" the investigation is!

[The_Casual_Observer]

14. "This investigation needs to look into all aspects"

So is he saying that those pictures of him are evidence in a criminal case? The pictures are a criminal matter now????

[MaineYooper]

16. anyone have contact info for the writer, Steve Holland? he screwed up

once again, the reporter f***s up the donation aspect of this:

"Abramoff and his clients contributed to both Republicans and Democrats but appeared to send more money to Bush's party."

Mr Holland should be informed that this statement is patently and demonstrably false.

[Skittles]

30. I'm sure he already knows

it's just part of the corporate media whore script

[brentspeak]

39. All I could find was [email protected]

Include author, title of article, and publication date.

[RedEarth]

17. Bush Opposes Release of Photos With Abramoff

Bush Opposes Release of Photos With Abramoff

By William Branigin
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, January 26, 2006; 2:48 PM

President Bush today dismissed the significance of photographs showing him with disgraced Republican lobbyist Jack Abramoff and indicated that the White House would continue to oppose releasing the photos, which he said are irrelevant to a federal investigation.

"I've had my picture taken with him, evidently," Bush said in response to a question at a White House news conference. "I've had my picture taken with a lot of people. Having my picture taken with someone doesn't mean that I'm a friend with him or know him very well." He said that "it's part of the job of the president to shake hands with people and smile."


Bush said the photos, if released, "will be used for pure political purposes, and they're not relevant to the investigation." He referred to a continuing federal probe of illegal lobbying activities directed by Abramoff, who pleaded guilty this month to felony conspiracy and fraud charges. A plea agreement said Abramoff bribed public officials, including a member of Congress.

The president said he has no idea how many photos were taken of him and Abramoff, and he declined to discuss reported meetings that the lobbyist attended with White House staffers. Federal prosecutors are "welcome" to look into those meetings if they believe they involved improprieties, Bush said.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/26/AR2006012601228.html

[TechBear_Seattle]

18. Now why is that, do you suppose?

"Used for pure political purposes", such as proving that Bush is a pathelogical liar?

[Avalux]

19. Awwww....he's scared.

Hey dumbass - if you don't know Abramoff and the photos are no big deal - what's the problem? :popcorn:

[spindrifter]

21. BushCo gets to operate "in secret"--we don't.

How stupid can Chimpy get? We all know about the pix and whose in them. Keeping them secret just reifies them.

[Skittles]

29. I bet he does - cowardly piece of shit

what an asshole

[EndElectoral]

31. He opposes that,but doesn't mind snooping your internet searches

[EndElectoral]

32. Arw these photos of a Brokeback Mountain nature? Why the FEAR?

[onenote]

35. he's afraid because he knows the Dems will use them exactly the

way the repubs would use them if the shoe was on the other foot. The fact is that the pics probably prove nothing, at least the one's taken at the holiday receptions. But they will be splashed all over the media and the association of a close connection between Abramoff the felon and chimpy the idiot will be drawn. They'd take innocent pics and use them against a Democrat in a heartbeat and are terrified that the Democrats have finally learned to fight back using similar tactics.

onenote

[PassingFair]

42. "it's part of the job of the president to shake hands ...and smile

...unless you're Cindy Sheehan. Or ANYONE not on the approved list.

He wasn't posing for any pictures with the citizens in the "free-speech" ZONE.

[DoYouEverWonder]

20. Some one needs to remind Bush

It's the cover up stupid.

[superconnected]

23. I can't imagine why someone would cover up something unless they were

guilty.

[SpiralHawk]

24. Peter did not know Christ either

Not that Kommander AWOL can be compared in any way...but still, he does show the same kind of cowardice.

[antonialee839]

25. I don't know that man who raised tons of money for me and

is a good pal of Karl Rove. Never heard of him.

[caledesi]

26. No, the American people don't want the pix for political purposes,

we want them to show what a LIAR you are. The arrogance to say you have had your PICTURE taken w/ him, but you don't KNOW him.

Hey Freeps - don't believe your lying eyes.

As an aside, it didn't take long to release the Cindy Sheehan pix at the WH to make discredit her, did it?

[onenote]

37. wrong. I want them for political purposes.

I don't care whether its a picture of Abramoff with chimpy and 500 hundred other people. I want the picture, cropped to show a nice tight shot of chimpy and Abramoff grinning and shaking hands, to be on the cover of People, Time, Newsweek, and every other rag. I want that image, fair or unfair, burned into the electorate's brain.

onenote

[okieinpain]

33. bush is so fucking stupid. why get up there and say he doesn't

know the guy, when you know somebody is going to find a video with bush talking about he knows the guy and they go way back. it's just fucking stupid to say some dumb shit like that. I guess once you start lying it's hard to stop.

[PassingFair]

43. He has gotten away with it so far....

just ask "Kenny Boy"

The press WILL NOT call this administration, and it's chief misadministrator out.

[brentspeak]

36. And again the media is trying to falsly implicate the Dems

"Abramoff and his clients contributed to both Republicans and Democrats but appeared to send more money to Bush's party"

Which Democrats were that, Mr.Holland? Got any names?

[onenote]

38. that statement isn't completely untrue, but its misleading

Abramoff's clients did give to both Democrats and Republicans. There are plenty of lists. And its true that more $$ went to repubs than to Dems. The one fact that is left out is that some of those same clients gave to Democrats before Abramoff came on the scene and it looks like they generally gave less to Democrats after Abramoff than they did before Abramoff.

onenote

[brentspeak]

40. Which Democrats received contributions from Abramoff?

No list is going to demonstrate that, because Abramoff contributed nothing to Democrats.

[onenote]

41. Mea culpa I should've said its not completely untrue, but is misleading

I should've said that statement isn't completely untrue. To the extent it suggests that Abramoff personally gave to Democrats, you're right.

onenote

[Career Prole]

44. LOL! Breaking.....Shrub insists he doesn't know Jack!

Amen to that!

[Supersedeas]

45. but * is a likeable fella and a straight shooter - according to the MSM