Korean Job Discussion Forums

[bourquetheman]

This seems to be a reoccuring theme at the White House lately. I wonder just what is real and what is not, it's tough to tell anymore.





Bush Teleconference With Soldiers Staged

By DEB RIECHMANN, Associated Press Writer 58 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - It was billed as a conversation with U.S. troops, but the questions
President Bush asked on a teleconference call Thursday were choreographed to match his goals for the war in
Iraq and Saturday's vote on a new Iraqi constitution.
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"This is an important time," Allison Barber, deputy assistant defense secretary, said, coaching the soldiers before Bush arrived. "The president is looking forward to having just a conversation with you."

Barber said the president was interested in three topics: the overall security situation in Iraq, security preparations for the weekend vote and efforts to train Iraqi troops.

As she spoke in Washington, a live shot of 10 soldiers from the Army's 42nd Infantry Division and one Iraqi soldier was beamed into the Eisenhower Executive Office Building from Tikrit — the birthplace of former Iraqi leader
Saddam Hussein.

"I'm going to ask somebody to grab those two water bottles against the wall and move them out of the camera shot for me," Barber said.

A brief rehearsal ensued.

"OK, so let's just walk through this," Barber said. "Captain Kennedy, you answer the first question and you hand the mike to whom?"

"Captain Smith," Kennedy said.

"Captain. Smith? You take the mike and you hand it to whom?" she asked.

"Captain Kennedy," the soldier replied.

And so it went.

"If the question comes up about partnering — how often do we train with the Iraqi military — who does he go to?" Barber asked.

"That's going to go to Captain Pratt," one of the soldiers said.

"And then if we're going to talk a little bit about the folks in Tikrit — the hometown — and how they're handling the political process, who are we going to give that to?" she asked.

Before he took questions, Bush thanked the soldiers for serving and reassured them that the U.S. would not pull out of Iraq until the mission was complete.

"So long as I'm the president, we're never going to back down, we're never going to give in, we'll never accept anything less than total victory," Bush said.

The president told them twice that the American people were behind them.

"You've got tremendous support here at home," Bush said.

Less than 40 percent in an AP-Ipsos poll taken in October said they approved of the way Bush was handling Iraq. Just over half of the public now say the Iraq war was a mistake.

White House press secretary Scott McClellan said Thursday's event was coordinated with the Defense Department but that the troops were expressing their own thoughts. With satellite feeds, coordination often is needed to overcome technological challenges, such as delays, he said.

"I think all they were doing was talking to the troops and letting them know what to expect," he said, adding that the president wanted to talk with troops on the ground who have firsthand knowledge about the situation.

The soldiers all gave Bush an upbeat view of the situation.

The president also got praise from the Iraqi soldier who was part of the chat.

"Thank you very much for everything," he gushed. "I like you."

On preparations for the vote, 1st Lt. Gregg Murphy of Tennessee said: "Sir, we are prepared to do whatever it takes to make this thing a success. ... Back in January, when we were preparing for that election, we had to lead the way. We set up the coordination, we made the plan. We're really happy to see, during the preparation for this one, sir, they're doing everything."

On the training of Iraqi security forces, Master Sgt. Corine Lombardo from Scotia, N.Y., said to Bush: "I can tell you over the past 10 months, we've seen a tremendous increase in the capabilities and the confidences of our Iraqi security force partners. ... Over the next month, we anticipate seeing at least one-third of those Iraqi forces conducting independent operations."

Lombardo told the president that she was in New York City on Nov. 11, 2001, when Bush attended an event recognizing soldiers for their recovery and rescue efforts at Ground Zero. She said the troops began the fight against terrorism in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and were proud to continue it in Iraq.

"I thought you looked familiar," Bush said, and then joked: "I probably look familiar to you, too."

Paul Rieckhoff, director of the New York-based Operation Truth, an advocacy group for U.S. veterans of Iraq and
Afghanistan, denounced the event as a "carefully scripted publicity stunt." Five of the 10 U.S. troops involved were officers, he said.

"If he wants the real opinions of the troops, he can't do it in a nationally televised teleconference," Rieckhoff said. "He needs to be talking to the boots on the ground and that's not a bunch of captains."

[The Bobster]

[Octavius Hite]

Is anybody really surprised, this is the most dishonest administration in history, no wonder some many people have become conspiracy theorists.

[On the other hand]

I'm not clear about a few things here. First of all, who was the intended audience for this teleconference? Just the soldiers in attendance, or was it being broadcast elsewhere?

If it was being broadcast elsewhere, then it could have been considered a propaganda piece. Not the most reputable thing, but hardly the outrage of the century either. If, however, it was only intended for Bush and the particpating soldiers, then it can only be seen as an attempt to deceive Bush. Which is totally bizarre.

Can someone provide a link to the actual news site which carried the story?

[On the other hand]

Ah, here we go...

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051014/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_iraq

[igotthisguitar]

No not surprising in the least. Most have come to expect it haven't they? For the record ALL press conferences are staged as well. Bush in fact gets really ticked when someone asks him a question he's not expecting

If you'll recall, just before the last staged computer fraud presidential "selection" the little story about the army pics that had been digitally doctored? His WAG THE DOG staff took a sample & duplicated it, pasting the same little cropping of good soldiers in the background while he was pictured from behind giving a great rousing & spontaneous WAR speech.

[Kuros]

[The Bobster]

[jinglejangle]

Ummm....... I hate to break it to you but ALL things of this nature are more or less staged.

In ANY administration.

I'm pretty solidly opposed to the Bush Administration, but whoever wrote this "expose" is really reaching.

Now for your amusement.

Consider this possible scenario.
Captain X: "OK, we're going to be doing a teleconference with the president. Who wants to talk to him.
Pvt A: "Me me me!!!"
Pvts B-H: (No response)
PVt I: "F NO!! F-That A-Hole!!!"
Officer X: "OK, thank you Pvt A, we'll get you on with him. Pvt I, that's fine. The rest of you just volunteered. Be in the [location] at [Time]. And those uniforms better be looking crisp."
(aside to SGT Z) "OK Sgt, make it happen. And I want you to do something about PVT I's attitude. And I'm warning you, if any of these guys says something to make me look bad I'm going to hold you responsible" (Leaves room)
SGT Z: "OK SH!TBAGS!!!! You heard the man, get your a$$es squared away and then get that [location] GI'd. PVT I! What the H#LL is your malfunction? Just frigging smoke yourself. You try to pull this kind of Sh!t again and I'll kick your head so far up your fourth point of contact you'll be breathing farts for a month.
Oh, and if any of you jokers makes me look bad during this teleconfrence I'm gonna ruin your Sh!t. You understand me? Now execute!"

Sorry. I'm up way to late.

[bourquetheman]

Point taken JingleJangle but I think there is a difference between vaguely saying "We'll be talking about this topic and asking your opinions, etc." to "Ok I'll read the transcript of what the President will be saying and let's walk you guys through this, now who will be holding the microphone first? That's right, and after......"etc.

I listened the the audio portion that was on yahoo and that's what it was like. I know I've heard before how all Bush's press conferences are tightly controlled/staged but I didn't realize how extensive it really was.

[bourquetheman]

Point taken JingleJangle but I think there is a difference between vaguely saying "We'll be talking about this topic and asking your opinions, etc." to "Ok I'll read the transcript of what the President will be saying and let's walk you guys through this, now who will be holding the microphone first? That's right, and after......"etc.

I listened the the audio portion that was on yahoo and that's what it was like. I know I've heard before how all Bush's press conferences are tightly controlled/staged but I didn't realize how extensive it really was.

[Gopher]