Soldiers Lend Somber Tone to Iraq Speech

[kskiska]

The White House carefully chose its backdrop for President Bush's Tuesday night address on Iraq. It was Fort Bragg, a sprawling Army base in central North Carolina. The president's audience du jour was 700 soldiers.

But to Americans watching Mr. Bush on television, he may as well have been at a convention hall in Washington. Through most of the speech, all viewers saw was the president speaking in front of a stage-style blue backdrop with American flags. The men and women in uniform were not visible except in occasional cutaway shots.

Most striking was the eerie silence in the room. There were no shouts of HOOAH -- the military salute -- and only a single burst of applause during the 28-minute speech (it came after the president said, "We will stay in the fight until the fight is won").

(snip)

It wasn't clear at Fort Bragg on Tuesday night whether the White House had choreographed the scene for respectful silence and a somber mood -- or, whether the soldiers in attendance were just caught up in the speech and taking their cues from the president's own solemn tone.

Afterwards, White House spokesman Scott McClellan said he had seen just what he expected. "It's not the kind of speech where you're out there in a rally," he explained. "It was a serious address to the nation."

Still, the White House had allotted 40 minutes for the remarks. Without the applause that may have been anticipated, Mr. Bush wrapped up in just 28 minutes.

more…
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4724156

[VegasWolf]

1. Should be "Hooey!" nt

[progressivebydesign]

11. Actually.. perhaps it's was "phooey!" n/t

[tanyev]

13. Boo or Boo-urns?

Audience: Boo! Boo!
Burns: Smithers...are they booing me?
Smithers: Uh, no, they're saying "Boo-urns! Boo-urns!"
Burns: Are you saying "boo" or "Boo-urns"?
Audience: Boo! Boo!
Hans: I was saying "Boo-urns"...

[AlCzervik]

2. Did you get that troops? You are now also "A backdrop"

[Solly Mack]

9. When it comes to many politicians, that's all they ever are

backdrops and photo-ops

[grytpype]

3. "Mr. Bush wrapped up in just 28 minutes."

What a gas!!!!! I read some Freetard posting that the soldiers were ordered not to applaud so the speech wouldn't go over 30 minutes! Guess that's WRONG!!!!

[rodeodance]

12. Fox's Cameron started that lie-saying the troops were told not to applaud.

[sweettater]

4. On the news with Brian Williams tonight

he said the soldiers were at attention and therefore could not clap. (when bush entered)

[IChing]

6. Brian Williams is a liar and here is the proof

That is a lie. Bush and company allocated 40 minutes for the speech last night but due to the lack of interruptions for applause, the speech only ran 28 minutes.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=47...

He was allotted 40 minutes but only used 28 because

no applause.
____________

[jobycom]

5. Or maybe,

the troops saw through his lies, and were expressing their disapproval at once again being used for a PR stunt while their comrades were dying in poorly planned operations in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Some troops might think their lives are worth more than that.

[nikraye]

7. That single "burst" of applause was staged...

ABC reported that White House advance team FAKED the applause
by John in DC - 6/28/2005 08:34:00 PM

ABC's Terry Moran just reported that the only time Bush got applause was in the middle of his speech when a White House advance team member started clapping all on their own in order to cajole the soldiers into clapping, which they dutifully did.

So even the applause was fake.

(from http://www.americablog.org /)

[Miss Chybil]

8. They expected 12 minutes of applause? Maybe, they should have

done one of their handpicked "townhall meetings" and given everybody the signals? One thing they did right. They didn't use the troops as "background."

[Qanisqineq]

10. "just caught up in the speech"

maybe they were thinking this man is an idiot and weren't paying attention.