A * press conference -- a refresher

[CatWoman]

He's still woefully inept when it comes to speaking in an unscripted environment. A year later, and I swear, he's gotten worse, not better.

Bush's Distaste for News Conferences Keeps Them Rare

By Mike Allen
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, March 7, 2003; Page A20


The extended questioning of the presidential news conference was a regular exercise for all presidents of the recent past. But President Bush has turned the tradition into a rarity, both because of his distaste for the format and his staff's determined message management.



Bush went before 94 reporters for his eighth solo news conference last night as part of his effort to prepare Americans for a likely war against Iraq as increasingly insistent opposition from allies and skepticism at home grow.

At the same point in their presidencies, President Bill Clinton had held 30 solo news conferences (that is, without a foreign leader at a twin lectern) and Bush's father had held 58, according to research by Martha Joynt Kumar, a Towson University political science professor who specializes in presidential communication.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A53542-2003Mar6?language=printer

[Poiuyt]

1. Did you see his news conference today with President Mubarek?

He was belittling some reporter the same way a mean teacher would patronize a third grader. With a smirk at the end of course.

[gristy]

2. Maybe someday a reporter will throw caution to the wind,

and respond with a "f*** you, Mr. President". In my dreams, I know.

[Davis_X_Machina]

3. That's not a news conference...

..that's an 'opportunity'.

Number of quesitions strictly limited, and half of them go to the honored guest. No followups.

[CatWoman]

4. I like the way you put that

right on target.