Oh… man… This story from the AP wire is a whirlwind. Essentially, Bush held a press conference just before a Republican caucus, then ushered the press out of the room so he could be more “candid” with his Republican supporters.
OK, fair enough, if you don’t want what you say to appear in the papers, don’t let the press hear it. So far so good.
Except he left his mic on.
And that played the first several minutes of this “private chat” straight to the press.
And then the press printed what he said.
The topic he discussed was - are you ready?…
THE ALLEGATIONS AGAINST BUSH’S USE OF ILLEGAL WIRETAPPING.
Now, I’m an American, so I’m pretty dense when it comes to irony… but I’m reasonably certain that’s the dictionary definition right there.
So, media ethics - should they have printed it? Good question. I’m betting the editorial staff at the press agencies who overheard this probably had the same debate and, considering Bush really said little of substance, probably concluded it was harmless to go ahead and print it, even though it really sort of makes him and his staff look like buffoons (isn’t “turn off the mic”, like, rule number one when the President wants ot have a private conversation? Have they learned nothing from Nixon?).
So, one could argue liberal bias here. “A ha!” the proto-communist editor at the AP said while eating his croissant and brie and listening to Fresh Air and… I dunno… having an abortion, “We have an opportunity to make a fool of the fascist Bush! Use our hard-earned mouthpiece to spread further anti-American propaganda so that we may better help our Taliban buddies further erode our way of life!” I’m only basing this exchange on what I’ve read in Ann Coulter’s columns. Oh, how I admire her equine beauty.
At any rate, if they’re so liberal, how did this gem slip in:
He indirectly pressed his call difficult in an election year for Congress to approve $70 billion in savings from benefit programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, food stamps and payments to farmers over the next five years, and to cut dozens of other programs that the White House has determined don’t produce results. [emphasis mine]
What’s up with the euphemistic use of the word “savings”? Sounds like something to get excited about, right? Like double coupon day at the Piggly Wiggly? Of course, with cuts in food stamps and payments to farmers, I’m guessing that will suffer too.
Sooo… The liberal press eavesdropped on a conversation about Bush’ eavesdropping then reversed bias to refer to his cuts in vital social programs - created and touted by Liberals - as “savings”. I’m… I’m confused.
Oh, Ann. Please explain it to me so that I can understand. Let me stroke your fine mane and listen as your gentle whinnying puts me to sleep, dreaming of a world in which Bush is not just the master of our country, but of our hearts as well. Ahhh…
No live horses were harmed during the posting of this entry, though a few dead ones were beat.
