Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Distortions
There's a discussion of yesterday morning's press conference over at The Texas Scribbler. Aside from what was said, which was interesting - even occasionally inspiring - and can/should be read in its entirety here, TTS was struck by the difference between the actual transcript and how people have reacted to what Bush said. (I especially loved his comment that "politics is just choking good sense." I really wonder what things would be like if he were able to effectuate the ideas he has instead of being blocked at every turn. Couldn't be much worse, could it?)
This is something I have noticed many times during Bush's tenure. His actual words are often smart and his exchanges with reporters are often chatty and friendly, but the reports after the fact talk only about gaffs and tension.
To that point, I watched a Rose Garden press conference a while ago. For over an hour I saw several verbal, smart, relaxed and interesting people talk with Bush who was also verbal, smart, relaxed and interesting. I had meant to have it on as background to my knitting but ended up watching intently because there were so many engaging expressions on everyones' faces during the conversations between the reporters and the President. Plus, I was fascinated to observe that they were in fact conversing, not attacking at all. Imagine my astonishment the next day when I read newspaper and blog reports about what a smirky nasty business it had all been. I couldn't figure out what they were talking about and even wondered fleetingly if there had been two press conferences that day covering the same exact subjects. After all, I'd seen and heard it myself and no one, not one person there, either reporter or chief executive, smirked or put anyone down or said anything stupid or disparaging. Quite thoroughly the contrary.
As a result, I concluded that (a) BDS is a far more interfering block than rose-colored glasses and (b) many media presenters and bloggers either have BDS or want to put things in terrible light even if it distorts what actually occurred.
Maybe the editors and executives who decide what will appear and be heard cannot cope with the fact that nothing has shaken Bush one bit from his total belief in liberty and his trust in individuals' strength and intelligence.
This is something I have noticed many times during Bush's tenure. His actual words are often smart and his exchanges with reporters are often chatty and friendly, but the reports after the fact talk only about gaffs and tension.
To that point, I watched a Rose Garden press conference a while ago. For over an hour I saw several verbal, smart, relaxed and interesting people talk with Bush who was also verbal, smart, relaxed and interesting. I had meant to have it on as background to my knitting but ended up watching intently because there were so many engaging expressions on everyones' faces during the conversations between the reporters and the President. Plus, I was fascinated to observe that they were in fact conversing, not attacking at all. Imagine my astonishment the next day when I read newspaper and blog reports about what a smirky nasty business it had all been. I couldn't figure out what they were talking about and even wondered fleetingly if there had been two press conferences that day covering the same exact subjects. After all, I'd seen and heard it myself and no one, not one person there, either reporter or chief executive, smirked or put anyone down or said anything stupid or disparaging. Quite thoroughly the contrary.
As a result, I concluded that (a) BDS is a far more interfering block than rose-colored glasses and (b) many media presenters and bloggers either have BDS or want to put things in terrible light even if it distorts what actually occurred.
Maybe the editors and executives who decide what will appear and be heard cannot cope with the fact that nothing has shaken Bush one bit from his total belief in liberty and his trust in individuals' strength and intelligence.
Labels: gwb, people, reflections, writing
Permalink | 
| posted by jau at 9:25 AM
ligneus — at 10:38 PM, July 16, 2008:
| posted by jau at 9:25 AM
2 more:
ligneus — at 10:38 PM, July 16, 2008:
You have to remember that the reporters who have come up through a lefty feminized education system, been to lefty universities and work for similar people in the left dominated news 'service', squeeze everything to fit the lefty narrative, that's all they know. They really need to get out more.
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Bush's Ivy League GPA was better than John Kerry's but Kerry had the good northeastern accent. Bill Clinton had largely rid himself of a strong Southern accent by the time he was president and he is liberal.
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