Where is Bush? "I assume he's in the White House."

[The Backlash Cometh]

I just saw the Chris Matthew-Cantor interview and Chris brought up a good point. The country is tanking and Bush should be on the air reassuring the country, just like Harry Truman would have. But he's not. Probably because he knows that his appearance won't reassure anyone. The illusion is broken.

Take this into account: It took another country to point out that in the US, within this last month there were government take-overs of major private institutions, and there wasn't even a peep about what this means in the big scheme of things. There are major Republican candidates, who don't even know these institutions are private not public. It's like the concept is too big for most Americans to wrap their minds around as far as the reality of the democracy they think they live in. I mean, what is going on here? How could we have grown up being taught one thing, to wake up suddenly in our 50s to find out that it was all an illusion?

[Arkansas Granny]

1. Here's Dana Perino's explanation from the press briefing yesterday that explains

why he hasn't been out front on this. The question was why Bush hadn't had a press conference in about two months.

----------------

MS. PERINO: -- that if you guys had him in here, almost everything would be geared towards the election, and he is cognizant of that. He wants to make sure that this election remains fully focused on the two candidates. He's not on the ballot. This is about John McCain and Senator Obama and how those two present themselves to the American people. And the President is reluctant to be in a place where there's going to be a lot of competition for questions that get him involved in the 2008 campaign --

Q How about if we keep it to the he economy?

Q So no press conferences for the next 48 days?

MS. PERINO: Not -- I didn't say that. I just said that I'm telling you that one of the reasons that we haven't -- I mean, every time that I would think about maybe having a press conference, the news of the day would be such that we might be talking about lipstick on a pig, and the President is just not going to get involved in it.

Q Well, but in fairness, Dana, right now you've had an unprecedented week of economic financial news. He still is President of the United States --

MS. PERINO: I hear you on that.

Q -- through January 20th at noon.

MS. PERINO: No, I hear you on that and I will update you as soon as possible as to when you would hear from the President on the economy again.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2008/09/20080917-5.html

This has got to be one of the lamest excuses I have ever heard, even from Bushco. When the US is facing a real economic meltdown, he's can't have a press conference because he won't get involved in pig and lipstick questions.

[gratuitous]

2. "I hear you on that"

Yeah, don't forget, Ms. Perino. Mr. Bush is supposed to be on the job through the end of his term. Unless he'd like to resign now. I'm sure he has lots of unfinished business cranking out pardons, though. Will four months be enough time?

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. Maybe Obama can capitalize on the void of leadership?

Someone is looking for direction. If he has answers, maybe now is the time to share it with us.

[The Backlash Cometh]

3. You know, when we see him on the news again, it may be the first time

in his life where he, alone, is facing the consequences for his own actions.

[Supersedeas]

7. responsive Government -- "we hear you on that...." next question

[ellenfl]

5. bush is busy selling off our infrastructure . . . while no one is watching. eom

[The Backlash Cometh]

6. But we will eventually find out, and when we do, we'll see just who he owes

his allegiance to, because, it certainly is not America.