"When was the last time that Bush spoke in a forum open to citizens... ?"

[dajoki]

WP
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2005/11/29/BL2005112900634.html?referrer=email&referrer=email

Bush's Shrinking Safety Zone

By Dan Froomkin
Special to washingtonpost.com
Tuesday, November 29, 2005; 12:42 PM

What does it say about the president of the United States that he won't go anywhere near ordinary citizens any more? And that he'll only speak to captive audiences?

President Bush's safety zone these days doesn't appear to extend very far beyond military bases, other federal installations and Republican fundraisers.

<<snip>>

When was the last time that Bush spoke in a forum open to citizens who are representative of the diverse array of views in the country? Certainly not since last October's presidential debates, and not often before then, either.

The White House advance team has long been sensitive to the potency of imagery in presidential events, going to great lengths to stage dramatic backdrops for Bush's appearances. In particular, they have used uniformed, on-duty military audiences many times before to underscore his case for war.

[Lefty48197]

1. I don't think it's ever happened

Maybe we should hold "shadow" press conferences, where we gather in a studio like news reporters and ask questions of an empty podium?

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

2. Double Bubble Bush

He floats from orchestrated events with screened participants to his obsessive solitary bicycling to his well-insulated inner circle echo chamber.

[Hissyspit]

12. I would be a better President than * SIMPLY BECAUSE I wouldn't

be that way. And I would be a lousy President. So what does that say about him?

[napi21]

3. I actually think it goes back to the beginning of the 2000 campaign.

I don't think ANY of his speaches were totally open to the general public in 04, and I know NONE of them were after the elections!

I am quite politically active but don't have much chance to attend live meetings because I can no longer drive, but I went to a speach by Howard Dean several months ago when he was in Atlanta, and although they did ask to see some form of picture ID, there wasn't anyone checkiing to see who anyone supported. Now I would think if there was going to be any hecklers, Howard would be the one to attract them because he is so outspoken. There were NONE!
there were a few anti-war picketers outside, but no more than maybe 10.

I never did understand how Shrub gets away with isolating himself from the general public like he does.

[leesa]

4. Never? His entire life has been comfort-controlled

[Javaman]

24. Or would that be political climate-controlled

[Nite Owl]

5. What does it say that

it's taken the msm this long to notice! This has been going on forever and we were all screaming about it during the '04 campaign and being labeled as looney lefties. How many things do we need to be right about before they sit up and take notice that the so called left is right and the right wing nuts shouldn't be heeded or given time to spew their lies.

[gratuitous]

10. Yeah, no joke

The Post is just now noticing that Bush doesn't appear in public anymore? He's been bubblefied for YEARS.

[0007]

17. It sez that junior has bought most of MSM - And most

journalist are a Jeff Gannons.

[spindrifter]

6. This fits with Ch*ney

hiding his travel destinations and acting like it's none of our business--never mind that we taxpayers are footing many--maybe not all--of the bills. * remains an Imperial President. He is not a person of the people or for the people. He describes himself as living in a bubble. For some reason he feels best surrounded by croneys and carefully crafted audiences in controlled environments, rather than regular sorts like you and me.

[dajoki]

7. he doesn't even...

read the newspapers, relies on his cronies to tell him what he wants to hear.

[texpatriot2004]

8. You mean ALL citizens, like any citizen, as in those who disagree

with his propaganda? Uh, never...or did he do that before Selection 2000? I doubt that he even did it then.

[dajoki]

9. i believe those crowds...

were also carefully selected.

[W stands for Wacko]

11. Cabinet Meeting! W is the most prolific Citizen speaker-wither!

[leftofthedial]

13. prior to his inauguration in 2001

maybe never

[radfringe]

14. notice the disappearance of first amendment zones?

stories which may include a snippet regarding protests don't even mention the first amendment zones...

like Johnson and Nixon - the only place bush* can appear is on military bases - it's the only place where audiences can be ordered to applaud and cheer

[zippy890]

15. bush definately needs a dose of reality

He is so isolated its scary. Your absolutely right, he needs to speak to an open group, get booed and protested so he can hear and see it. HE NEEDS A WAKE-UP CALL

from today's NYT editorial:

"A president who seems less in touch with reality than Richard Nixon needs to get out more."

[dajoki]

21. good quote n/t

[Robert Cooper]

16. Der Fuehrer mingle with peasants!? Surely you jest. nt

[Neil Lisst]

18. Bush must have constant reassurance, like the scared kid he is.

His handlers have to constantly work to build him up, convince him he's loved, he's right, he can do it. To do that, they must keep him away from anywhere there might be protesters or rejection of any kind. He's about the most emotionally fragile president ever.

[OneTwentyoNine]

19. Not only at Military bases but invitation only even with that crowd....n/t

[...of J.Temperance]

20. Junior is in a prison of his own making, his handlers cannot allow him to

Venture out into public where ordinary citizens are...his handlers KNOW how MUCH Junior is HATED by the general public.

This is why Junior must solely exist in his protective bubble.

[Blue_In_AK]

22. When he was here at Elmendorf last month...

...the Anchorage Baptist Temple (shepherded by Jerry Prevo, our local Jerry Falwell wanabee) was allowed to send busloads of people over for his speech. This letter appeared in the Anchorage Daily News this morning. And yet ... they still have their tax exempt status. :shakes head:

Bush visit stacked deck by busing in Christians, leaving out dissenters

There are several things your coverage of George Bush's recent visit to Elmendorf Air Force Base didn't note. One was the presence of those of us peacefully protesting the discredited policies of the ever more violent, senseless and expensive war in Iraq -- representing many more here who were not able to get out at the last minute, and the majority in the country.

Also not noted was the composition of the 4,500 who were invited to attend Bush's photo op, other than the military. From our vantage point on Boniface, I and the others could see bus loads and then more bus loads from the Anchorage Baptist Temple -- yellow school buses, full of students and then adults with babies. Some may never have seen others with different opinions before. By trucking in true believers to a military base, this president completely secludes himself from any public opinion, taking not even the slightest chance of anyone disagreeing with his rhetoric.

It was such a sad contrast to President Kennedy's visit to the San Francisco Bay area in 1961. Every school in the Bay area was invited to send two or three students and it was such an honor to be there hearing him speak about the newly founded Peace Corps in the area's largest stadium.

---- Jean Kollantai

[dajoki]

33. and now shrub wants...

to turn Peace Corps into a branch of the military, truly sad.

[Az_lefty]

23. I don't think he's ever spoke in a public forum...

either as President or Gov of Texas. He's simply not up to it and his family/handlers know it. GWB is a total phony as a leader.

[Vickers]

25. That punk, in front of a crowd of REAL Americans?

:rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

He's too much of a coward!

I bet the military guys are about tired of his faux-hero bullshit, too.

[warrens]

26. The last time he fell off a bar stool

[CottonBear]

27. Never? n/t

[CottonBear]

28. Any Texans here know about his gubernatorial appearances in Texas?

Just curious? I'd never heard of the fucker before he ran for president. :(

[Up2Late]

29. There was those "days of unity" from September 12th 2001 to about...

...September 28, 2001, when they really started the crazy talk.

O.K., maybe it was as late as November 2001, I doubt it was much later than that.

[troubleinwinter]

30. Here are a few of a President. People liked America then.

Thursday, Aug. 24, 2000
President Bill Clinton came to Crossroads Middle School Wednesday to talk about school construction


June 11, 1996
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
TO THE COMMUNITY OF GLENDALE
Glendale Community College



June 29, 1998
President Clinton takes questions from the audience following his speech to the Beijing University community, Beijing.



After his speech to thousands in Ljubljana's Congress Square, President Clinton shakes hands with the welcoming crowd.
June 21, 1999


An Enthusiastic Crowd Wave Irish and American Flags At President Clinton's Speech in Limerick. Photo By Ralph Alswang.

[Quakerfriend]

32. Just seeing these pics brings a tear to my eyes.

My, how much we have lost.

[butterfly77]

31. The presidency will never be the same because of this ...

[dajoki]

34. it will certainly take...

someone extra special to restore some of the respect back to the office.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

35. This excerpt deserves a thread of it's own:

As many readers and bloggers have recently pointed out, McClellan hasn't done a full-fledged briefing since November 9.

[europegirl4jfk]

36. I saw Bill Clinton today on German TV

He was in Munich and got a Bambi Award and he was greeted by the people there like a hero. What a difference to Bush's Germany visit earlier this year when the Secret Service and the German security forces kept all the people away from the president.

[Miss Chybil]

37. I wonder if it hurts the troops to be used as props.

You think it hurts their moral? I'm sure they only pick "good" troops - i.e. Republican ones, so not to worry.