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and listening was painful for this expat. I couldn't do anything in front of the Brit I was with but grimace and shrug.
I've noted in the US they use anchors to say "President Bush said today . . ." so that folks are shielded from his idiocy. No such luck here.
"Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?" - Abraham Lincoln
by LondonYank on Sat Jun 09, 2007 at 11:22:00 PM PDT
[ Parent ]
European media don't censor his verbal idiocies. Here in the US you almost never hear how stupid he sounds, aside from a few extended presser clips on Olbermann now and then.
Wonder if Bush was having near-DT's after his near-beer?
I can't expect to live in a democracy if I'm not prepared to do the work of being a citizen.
by Dallasdoc on Sat Jun 09, 2007 at 11:31:37 PM PDT
I think it is criminal for CNN to cut out all the pausing, stammering, and foolish little things he says and present a polished version of a man who is rough and not a diamond inside. It's no wonder many Americans like[d] him since they never see the real thing. I watched him try to make a statement about Keynesian Economics in Spring, 2001, in which CNN played it live the first time, and then successively cut it back over the course of the next 2 news half-hours. If you saw it the first time, you were treated to his version of "Fiscal...uh...-what he said..." as he pointed to his financial advisor next to him, and then they coaxed him through the whole phrase, "Fiscal Stimulus Calculus." It was clear, that he didn't have the gist of what he was saying, but for some reason they needed him to be the spokesman for the policy so they got him through it. I was so intrigued by what could be so important that I did some research and decided this was their code-way of saying here we go, off to eternal war.
Let Sibel Speak
by peaceloveandkucinich on Sun Jun 10, 2007 at 04:41:07 AM PDT
Bush comes out babbling incoherently about Iraq, then the media cleans it up and prints an intelligent-sounding summary: "President Bush outline his strategy for the Middle East..." This is very wrong and troubling, in a THX 1138 kind of way.
No, I'd prefer they just told it straight: "President Bush was incoherent in the Rose Garden this morning, but he appeared to be attempting to saying something about Iraq. Later, a White House spokesperson clarified that Bush was unable to articulate the strategy he is following, but that he does indeed have a strategy."
That would be fairer. Still a lie, but more fair.
Every day's another chance to stick it to The Man. - dls.
by The Raven on Sun Jun 10, 2007 at 06:08:21 AM PDT
I suspect that's one of the reasons David Letterman does his "Great Moments in Presidential Speeches" segments almost every night -- so the people can see for themselves what a complete idiot he is. The segment lead-in of well-known moments from truly great speeches by eloquent Presidents is clearly designed for stark comparison.
Not one single person I know who supports Bush (several still do to this day) watches him give speeches. None. I believe they refuse to do so because if they did they'd have to admit what an idiot he is -- and it's tough to support someone for President when it's clear they're so stupid.
I think they should all be forced to watch every press conference and photo op with questions that he has. I know one who, when I pointed out what a train wreck Bush was during his debates with Kerry, said he didn't bother to watch them and didn't care how badly he did because he was voting for him anyway.
by donnas on Sun Jun 10, 2007 at 02:08:17 PM PDT
That's why I love watching his live press conferences. They can't cut out the bumbling. It just goes on and on, unfettered.
by lorzie on Sun Jun 10, 2007 at 03:00:07 PM PDT
It would be interesting to see them gathered together, for viewing side by side.
by Deep Harm on Sun Jun 10, 2007 at 07:17:45 AM PDT
right from the beginning of his Occupancy was the shortened soundbites on all the media (ABC, CBS included) that made him sound good. However if you watched the PBS Newshour every night you'd see longer clips, often two or three times longer of the same speech or event and the result, just from that little extra amount of reality, was that he sounded confused and incoherent.
I don't know if this is still going on because I cannot watch or listen to anything with Bush in it anymore--I just hit mute or turn it off.
[-5.50, -8.05] and in good company. FreeRice level: 50 (good guesser)
by sillia on Sun Jun 10, 2007 at 08:08:19 AM PDT
I noticed the same thing when I watched the news in Thailand. They let Bush talk uninterrupted, and he seems dumber than a box of rocks.
by lorzie on Sun Jun 10, 2007 at 02:58:59 PM PDT
I watched a bit of Ronald Reagan's funeral from Italy. The most entertaining part of it was hearing George W. Bush give a speech. He was dubbed by an Italian man with a sexy, smart, deep and distinguished voice. The cognitive dissonance was very odd.
by lorzie on Sun Jun 10, 2007 at 03:07:52 PM PDT
I can't stand listening to the man; whenever they say "President Bush said today" on the radio I pray that they will just summarize, and not play an actual clip.
by LihTox on Sun Jun 10, 2007 at 10:14:28 AM PDT
wide narrow
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