Bush White House fires back at critics

[leftchick]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060816/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/white_house_retorts

WASHINGTON - President Truman got so upset when a newspaper panned his daughter's singing that he wrote the critic: "Someday I hope to meet you. When that happens, you'll need a new nose, a lot of beefsteak for black eyes, and perhaps a supporter below!"

Today, the Bush White House punches back with virtual boxing gloves.

It fires off electronic rebuttals when it has a beef with news stories, broadcasts or statements by its critics, shooting its retorts directly into reporters' e-mail inboxes and posting them on the Internet.

Bush officials say their "Setting the Record Straight" memos, which dispute passages in stories aired and printed about the president, are about seeking the truth. Democrats and other targets of the memos say they're more about spin than rebuttal.

<snip>

Democratic strategist Stephanie Cutter isn't so sure. "Unfortunately, facts are troublesome things, and refuting things on paper is not going to go very far," she said. "People are living through the reality of this administration, and a piece of paper is not going to clear it up."

[SpiralHawk]

1. "Whine, whine, whine." - George AWOL Bush

"Be nice to me. I am, after all, a connecticut preppy AWOL cheerleader, and that is SPECIAL. So stop acting like republicons, and be specially nice to me or I will whine, whine, whine some more and sic my MOMMY on you."

- George AWOL Bush, Vacationer-in-Chief

[bluerum]

9. No - please no! Not the MOMMY!

[Missy M]

2. The problem with Bartlett's statement regarding what is...

viewed as "fact" is the White House "facts" never seem to have anything to do with the truth.

[Monkeyman]

7. Truth you American can't handle the truth hell being waiting to say that

[ewagner]

3. No f%$#&*ing kidding!

The primary purpose is that un-rebutted charges on important issues sometimes become viewed as fact,"

We've been screaming about that since the Dukakis race!

[warrens]

4. They have that right

Of course, if it is spin, which it usually is, it just gives the reporter more ammo. If they have a legit beef, what they are doing is kosher.

I've had a few of these arrive. They usually are disputing some niggling detail of a larger truth. Once, they were right and had a link to the actual stats. So...while I hate their anal and generally dishonest hectoring, they have that right.

[truthisfreedom]

5. yawn.

[Human Torch]

6. "The Bush White House punches back with virtual boxing gloves"

The testosterone is as thick in the air as a London pea soup fog.

The White House "fires back," "shoots"...tough talk (with a delightful soupçon of innuendo) from a tough administration run by a tough, rugged, heroic guy.

Who went AWOL and is afraid of horses.

With a bunch of chickenhawk, middle-aged guys with middle-aged spread and a scowling mistress to do his bidding.



:evilgrin:

[DoYouEverWonder]

8. At least the assholes are putting it in writing

The paper trail they are leaving will damn them in the end. Sort of like the Nixon tapes.

[Kolesar]

10. White House has been calling reporters' bosses to harangue them

Whenever a bad story appeared...according to "Ambassador" Joe Wilson.

[angstlessk]

11. Why bring Truman in on this..he complained when they attacked his

daughter, not his policies...are bush's policies his babies? if they are..they are daughter of chuckie! :grr:

[rock]

12. They have a large virtual ass from which they

get their "facts".

[raccoon]

20. Thanks for that, I needed a good laugh today. nt

[rodeodance]

13. as it says below---always in campaign mode.

......Democrats dismiss the aggressive tactic, and say it suggests the Bush White House is on the defense, fighting an uphill battle over ratings.

"They're attacking everybody — the media, the Democrats, government auditors, nonpartisan interest groups," said Phil Singer, a spokesman for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and the person who provided the party's rapid response to the GOP during the 2004 presidential race.

"It's as though they are the sole arbitrators of the truth. This is yet another step of the politicization of the White House. It's less a bastion of policymaking and more of a traditional permanent campaign," Singer said.

Kathleen Hall Jamieson, director of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania, disagrees that the "Setting the Record Straight" memos are just part of a Republican attempt to spin public opinion in their favor. This is increasingly going to be the way that presidential administrations — both Republican and Democrat — communicate, she said.

[rodeodance]

14. Tony snow mentioned a few at his press conf. this am.

[aquart]

15. Eh. Call me when they finally use guns.

And no one can tell me they aren't on order.

[uppityperson]

16. 'Bout time "setting the record straight" gets media notice. Link here

I keep emailing everyone, every media organization, every politician "strs" complains about.
Here is the link to the main page, check out the articles, if you haven't.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/setting-record-straight/

July 2006
Jul. 21, 2006
President Bush's Foreign Policy Is Succeeding
Jul. 17, 2006
President Bush's Stem Cell Policy Is Working
Jul. 11, 2006
President Bush's Strong Record of Addressing Climate Change
Jul. 11, 2006
The President's Policies Are Increasing Tax Revenues and Growing Our Economy
Jul. 10, 2006
More Than 2,500 National Guard Troops Are Supporting Operation Jump Start In The Border States

May 2006
May 11, 2006
President Bush's Tax Relief Benefits All Taxpayers
May 11, 2006
AP's Misleading Military Recruiting Article
May 10, 2006
The New York Times Continues to Ignore America's Economic Progress
May 10, 2006
CBS News' Misleading Medicare Report
May 9, 2006
USA Today's Misleading Medicare Story
May 8, 2006
The ABA Finds Brett Kavanaugh Is "Indeed Qualified to Serve on the Federal Bench"
May 4, 2006
GAO's Inaccurate, Incomplete, And Outdated Medicare Report

April 2006
Apr. 27, 2006
Medicare Check-Up: Medicare Prescription Drug Coverage Is Cutting Costs
Apr. 12, 2006
The Washington Post's Reckless Reporting On WMD Claims
Apr. 11, 2006
Despite Democrat Claims, President Bush's Policies Are Growing Our Economy
Apr. 5, 2006
Just the Facts: President Bush's Pro-Growth Tax Relief Benefits All Americans Who Pay Income Taxes

March 2006
Mar. 2, 2006
The August 28th Hurricane Katrina Videoconference

February 2006
Feb. 13, 2006
The Washington Post's Sebastian Mallaby on Health Savings Accounts
Feb. 10, 2006
The New York Times Story On Hurricane Preparations

January 2006
Jan. 24, 2006
Charges Of "Domestic Spying"
Jan. 22, 2006
Democrats Continue to Attack Terrorist Surveillance Program
Jan. 4, 2006
Critics Launch Attacks Against Program to Detect and Prevent Terrorist Attacks

December 2005
Dec. 7, 2005
Rep. Pelosi Downplays Progress In Iraq

November 2005
Nov. 30, 2005
Democrats On An Artificial Timetable In Iraq
Nov. 26, 2005
Sen. Biden Adopts Key Portions of Administration's Plan for Victory in Iraq
Nov. 17, 2005
The Senate Amendment On The Strategy For Victory In Iraq
Nov. 15, 2005
The New York Times Editorial on Pre-War Intelligence
Nov. 14, 2005
Senator Levin on Iraq
Nov. 13, 2005
The Washington Post On Pre-War Intelligence
Nov. 11, 2005
Sen. Kennedy On Iraq

February 2005
Feb. 3, 2005
Fact Sheet: Setting the Record Straight

[intaglio]

18. I beg you pardon?

Let's just look at the top link "President Bush's foreign policy is succeeding"

Poll after poll has shown that this policy has made the USA the most widely reviled nation in the world. That is not success any more that alienating the electorates of your oldest allies.

Well I suppose if your aim is to do these things then that is success

[uppityperson]

22. It is an interesting group of outrageous arguments.

You have to be careful when Mr.bush or the administration says soomething because often it is the truth. It is outrageous, people think that he/they could not really mean when they said, must be a mis-speaking. But it is often not. Never assume they mean what they seem to say either. Often, later, you will see that they said exactly what they meant and not what they seemed to mean. Welcome to DU intaglio.

[MadMaddie]

17. Oh so they are putting out the Propagada in email form....

Nothing to see here folks, same ole same ole...different day!!

Except I am seeing a little desperation sneaking in.........

[Vinca]

19. It is what it is.

No amount of White House PR can erase the images we see on the news.

[raccoon]

21. It boggles the mind how thin-skinned Bush is.

Why the HELL did he go into politics?