President Bush Takes On Al Qaeda Reporters

The most talked-about part of yesterday's press conference at the White House (besides the President stating troops will remain in Iraq through 2008, his odd praise of Rumsfeld, and his lies about weapons inspectors and how long he'd wanted this war) was the President's back and forth with Helen Thomas. Ms. Thomas is an 86-year-old journalist who has covered every President since Kennedy and has always done so with the toughness required of our press. But she was moved to the back of the room years ago by this White House, her tough questions getting in the way of their spin and lies.

Yesterday, after ignoring her for years, the President called on her. Why now, some asked? My hypothesis was this- Bush's base like red meat. They like to worship see him as their big, tough Commander-In-Chief kicking some ass. The problem is that Mr. Bush isn't kicking ass where it matters. The best way to get that impression back- and throw some chum to the Malkins and Hannitys- is to go after the right's favorite scapegoat... the media. Taking on an 86-year-old woman should really get the President's ratings back up.

This is all part of a larger strategy- make the press the scapegoat for the disastrous Iraq war. You see, the war is actually going really really well! But that darn ol' liberal media just doesn't want you to know that. The media is simply distorting the truth, as the meme goes. The goal is, of course, to convince you that everything the White House has been saying about Iraq (we're making great progress- did you hear?) is true... and that anything you hear/read otherwise is the real propaganda. I don't think I need to restate how maligning the press is a fascist tactic.

We've seen this strategy being played out even more than usual in the last week or two. For instance, when Vice President Cheney was on 'Face The Nation' this past Sunday, he said his previous statements about being greeted as liberators and the last throes of the insurgency "were basically accurate and reflect reality" and that you don't know that because all that is "newsworthy" are the carbombings and not the progress. And then just today, during one of the President's handpicked Town Hall meetings, a woman in the audience ranted about how the press "just want[s] to focus on how they don’t agree with you and what you’re doing, when they don’t even probably know how you’re doing what you’re doing anyway". And just what is the President doing, hmmm? Besides, ya know, giving an endless parade of speeches... He's our PR President. Sorry, no real leadership available at this time.

This brings us to Helen Thomas. What better way to get this "it's all the media's fault" talking point launched fully than to field a question from Helen Thomas whom they knew would have a tough one for the President? To recap, Helen's question was-

"I'd like to ask you, Mr. President, your decision to invade Iraq has caused the deaths of thousands of Americans and Iraqis, wounds of Americans and Iraqis for a lifetime. Every reason given, publicly at least, has turned out not to be true. My question is, why did you really want to go to war? From the moment you stepped into the White House, from your Cabinet -- your Cabinet officers, intelligence people, and so forth -- what was your real reason? You have said it wasn't oil -- quest for oil, it hasn't been Israel, or anything else. What was it?"

The President didn't answer the question, stating that he didn't want war (when it's a well-known fact that he did, regardless of whether you believe intelligence was manipulated). He then launched into a talking point tirade- about 9/11, and Afghanistan, and the White House's false premise that Saddam denied weapons inspectors. He talked down to her like she was a child, stating "Our foreign policy changed on that day, Helen. You know, we used to think we were secure because of oceans and previous diplomacy", as if anyone actually believed that. Thomas tried to interrupt him to get back to the original, stated question, but the President shouted her down. He continued with the talking points, stating how the world is "safer" now because of his actions (this may come as shocking news to the people of Iraq). Ms. Thomas' question was never answered.

See video- here.

Ignoring all of that, the President got what he wanted out of it- He got to act tough and appear like a victim of the fictional media monsters. His right-wing base immediately picked up the message. Drudge had it as his main story yesterday evening and the tale of the President's bravery made its way around the conservative blogosphere.

Bob Cesca also looks at the President's strategy-

...Before we go through the Q&A, let's take a look at the broadstroke idea of the president calling on Helen Thomas. Helen Thomas has been a staple of the White House press corp since Kennedy. She's asked tough questions of all presidents no matter their party or politics. She's also 80-years-old and just about the height of a hobbit. Yet the president decided to toss her to the back of the room and strip her of her ceremonial "Thank you, Mr. President" closer simply because she said something critical about the president. Tough guy. He's a really tough, strong man. But yesterday, he was apparently ordered by his political strategists to field a question from her. Oh the horror!

If you saw the cable news pundit shows last night, you know that everyone from Newt to O'Reilly to Scarborough to Hannity were blasting Thomas and the press for their harsh treatment of the president. What I can't figure out is why a group of tough-talking manly men needed to defend the President of the United States against Helen Thomas. And they went on to praise the president for doing well in the face of it all. Stop the presses! Our second-term president handled questions well (he didn't)! Talk about the soft bigotry of low expectations.

Poor, poor LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD and COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF OUR MILITARY. Had to take hard questions from the mean press corps and a tiny old woman for the first time in forever. How tragic. How sad. To quote Artie Lange: "WAH! The press asked tough questions. WAH!"...

Bolded added by me. The press is so used to Bush ignoring them, it's considered a bold move when he doesn't.

Cesca also does a great job of outlining the falsities in Bush's response.

This is how the President plans to rebuild his support- SHOOT THE MESSENGER.

It's not his fault the intelligence was all wrong. It's not his fault there was no plan for a post-war Iraq. It's not his fault the insurgency was allowed to gain strength. It's not his fault our troops were sent there without the proper protection and support. It's not his fault that Osama is still free. It's not his fault we facilitated a theocratic regime in Iraq friendly to the Shia rulers of Iran. It's not his fault the Pentagon has no plan to deal with the changing conditions in Iraq. It's not his fault that worldwide terrorism has been increasing every year. It's not his fault most of the world sees the United States as war criminals. It's never his fault. Nothing's his fault... That so many people still swallow this nonsense is sad.

I'll say it again- the President's base is a cult. They've drunk the Kool Aid. And there's no going back.

Final thoughts: More leadership, less speeches, please.

[PS- Watch video of Helen Thomas schooling CNN's Wolf Blitzer:
Helen Thomas with Blitzer]

[PPS- A soldier in Iraq discusses being fed up with the propaganda he's been fed.]

Special thanks to State of the Day for the pimpin'.