bush with blind reporter...

[bigpoppapuff]

June 14, 2006 — The president was in a jovial mood during his Rose Garden press conference Wednesday, joshing with reporters, excited to aggressively defend the Iraq war in the midterm elections, optimistic about his recent trip to Baghdad.

Then he was told a reporter he playfully teased about wearing sunglasses during the press conference has a serious vision problem and is legally blind.

By the end of the day, the exchange had merited a presidential apology. The reporter, Peter Wallsten of the Los Angeles Times, said he bears no grudges and accepted the president's apology quickly.

"Clearly the president has more important things to worry about," Wallsten said.

The incident happened towards the end of the press conference, when the president called on the 34-year-old Wallsten.

"Are you going to ask that question with shades on?" Bush asked.

"I can take them off," Wallsten offered.

"I'm interested in the shade look," replied Bush. "Seriously."

Wallsten said, "All right, I'll keep it, then."

"For the viewers," the president said to the TV cameras, "there's no sun." Some in the press corps laughed.

"I guess it depends on your perspective," replied Wallsten, Zen-like.

"Touché," said the president, who then took Wallsten's question about Karl Rove.


A Presidential Apology


Wallsten has Stargardt's Disease, a degeneration of the central area of the retina called the macula, where cells sensitive to light send visual signals to the brain.

It turns out Wallsten wasn't trying to be hip or cool or cop a 'tude — he was wearing the pricey sunglasses because recent studies indicate that the progression of Stargardt's disease can be slowed by wearing sunglasses that protect the eyes from ultraviolet rays.

Wallsten suspects the president was informed of his gaffe by White House Communications Director Nicolle Wallace, who knows Wallsten and been aware of his vision problem for years, dating back to when both were in Tallahassee, where he worked for the Miami Herald and she for Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.


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there's more...but i think you get the gist of the incident....just when you think that shrub can't get more stupid...he gets more stupid...

[Stryprod]

Im not a big bush fan but sounds like an accident and he apologized. I personally hate when people where their glasses inside because I was raised to think it is rude so I am glad someone called it out, bad luck for him that it was the 1 in 100 w/ a problem.

[bigpoppapuff]

i'm sure that it was an aide that suggested it would be a good idea to apologize...he's too fucking stupid to realize the mistake...

[SmokinDVM]

And dumbya never apologizes for anything, because he thinks he never makes a mistake. After all, he gets all his marching orders directly from "god".

[jaewing]

smokin and bigpop . . .

Looks like the left has finally found their scandal on which to impeach the President!

You really are making a big deal out of nothing. You have found another inconsequential event on which to bash the President. Had this been a prior administration I am sure it would have been considered cute and dismissed with the waive of a blue dress and a cigar

[Shagaroo]

I personally hate when people where their glasses inside

Rose garden is outside...



I think Bush should quit trying to be funny, he's no good at it. My eyes are very sensitive to light and find overcast/cloudy days to be worse than sunny days because the light reflects from all over and often wear sunglasses when most consider them to not be needed. Most people I encounter assume I have some sort of vision/eye problem and don't say anything or politely ask. Bush is clearly socially retarded and does not know how to behave in public as has been proven time and again. That, however, does not necessarily make someone a bad leader, or even worthy news.

Leave that to the fact Rumsfeld is still around, the immigration issue, corporations running amuck abusing consumers and employees, etc.

[dagobert]

After all, he gets all his marching orders directly from "god".

Nah. Herfed with god last week; he don't knew him.

__________________________________________________ __________________________________

Weekend trip planning in heaven.
1st offer: Bethlehem. But Maria denied - bad hotels over there, no place to sleep.
2nd offer: Jerusalem. But Jesus denied - don't like this place. Very bad experiences.
3rd offer: Washington D.C. No comments at all. Then god said: "Hmmmm, sounds interesting. Never was over there..."

[Shelby07]

You know, I don't mind honest criticism of anyone, but c'mon fellas, this one is ridiculous. It's not worthy of building a platform around. Discussions on Iraq, immigration, fuel prices, etc., those are things that affect us all. Bush fucked up with a comment? I don't care. So have I, and probably so have many of you. Sometimes I'm not funny, but I don't stop trying. The same people who accepted Clinton's apology for his shenanigans are the ones who now say that they don't accept Bush's apology for what is obviously a stupid but honest mistake. And the same is true when the "other side" screws up. That alone says something about our culture. It seems we look at our political parties more like football teams than as governing bodies.

It's amazing how some of us are ok to look the other way when a POTUS desecrates a good cigar in the oval office, but can't overlook something as trivial as this. It shows how polarized we have become. In the interest of full disclosure, I do align myself with republican ideals and philosophies, and no, I don't think Bush is the best man for the job. I am fully aware that "my side" is not always right and the "other side" is not always wrong. I align myself with philosophies, not people and I will bend when something in my philosophy is obviously not right in a particular situation. I do blame talk radio and the mainstream news media for polarizing this country (both sides.) I hate the idea that we are to the point where people "hate" each other for differing philosophies. No, I don't like the current situation where both sides (Republicans AND Democrats) will grab onto any little non-significant thing, spin it in all sorts of convoluted ways and make it a major rallying point, nor do I like the fact that the media will grab onto anything they can to draw an audience of what seems to be an ever growing polarized culture that can't seem to discuss things without attacking people or each other. These mindless, pointless, non-productive "news stories" that are designed to get a better rating for their network will never fit into the category of "news," and it's why so many of us are beginning to despise the news media. There are no more newscasts in this country. The news is a "product" and it is designed for one purpose only; to draw audience. But what I really hate is how easily people get sucked into it. It's back to the football game. Root for your team and hate the other, no matter how the penalty was drawn.

Like them or hate them, no one can honestly say that Bush, Clinton, Reagan or any other POTUS is an idiot or stupid. They are all intelligent people. Bush is nowhere near as charismatic as Clinton is and sometimes he has trouble finding the right words, but that doesn't make him an idiot. There's a big difference between hating a person's ideals and hating the person. Attack his ideals and policies all you want, but don't try to take a trivial event and use it to support your position.

Remember, a President is not the end-all to decision making in this country and he doesn't have absolute power or set policy all by himself. Our two party system prevents that from happening. That's how it was designed to work.

[dagobert]

Sorry, Shelby. But imho. the last people who get direct orders from the lord are dead for probably 2000 years. If a president is telling such BS, it should be legal to call him stupid.

Or what would you say, if this will happen with your neigbor? I would tell him, that he had too many drinks...

It's like Schroeder in Germany; He was intelligent in some areas, but primitive and stupid as a chancellor. The best sample was his last TV Interview after the elections. Seems he was totally drunk. The only he was interested in, was his own benefit out of the position.
The only Bush is interested in, is his private "crusade" against the "anticrist". Both politics were not and are not interested in the peoples problems.

Bush is simply not the right man for the job. That's my opinion. Such a country should be representated by a integer man, not by ex-actors or president-sons. There are millions of them in US. But they haven't the money to win (or buy?) a election.

It's a pity, isn't it?

[WhiteWidow]

I have decided that he is doing a good job because with all of the fucked up shit going on, my life has not significantly changed. I can still smoke cigars, fuck my girlfriend, and do pretty much whatever I want.

[SuperChuck]

By show of hands, who is taking this seriously?

It seems a few people (psst, shelby and jaewing) are getting really defensive over a couple "tee-hee, the president's a twit" comments...

I think it was a pretty boneheaded comment, but I don't blame him for it. This president jokes around with the press corps pretty regularly, which I happen to think is one of his more redeeming qualities.

We're becoming far too sensitive to ballbusting...
The president busted this guy's balls
Everyone else is busting the president's balls in return

Bust balls, not bunkers!

Our two party system prevents that from happening.

Ahem *cough* um... TWO party system?

[SuperChuck]

I have decided that he is doing a good job because with all of the fucked up shit going on, my life has not significantly changed. I can still smoke cigars, fuck my girlfriend, and do pretty much whatever I want.

Just don't make a phone call...

[Shelby07]

Sorry, Shelby. But imho. the last people who get direct orders from the lord are dead for probably 2000 years. If a president is telling such BS, it should be legal to call him stupid.

Or what would you say, if this will happen with your neigbor? I would tell him, that he had too many drinks...

It's like Schroeder in Germany; He was intelligent in some areas, but primitive and stupid as a chancellor. The best sample was his last TV Interview after the elections. Seems he was totally drunk. The only he was interested in, was his own benefit out of the position.
The only Bush is interested in, is his private "crusade" against the "anticrist". Both politics were not and are not interested in the peoples problems.

Bush is simply not the right man for the job. That's my opinion. Such a country should be representated by a integer man, not by ex-actors or president-sons. There are millions of them in US. But they haven't the money to win (or buy?) a election.

It's a pity, isn't it?

Your opinion is noted and respected and I can agree with some of it, but please explain to me how making a mistake with a reporter supports it.

[Stryprod]

Your opinion is noted and respected and I can agree with some of it, but please explain to me how making a mistake with a reporter supports it.

Thats what I am sayin but Im too new to get involved... have fun guys!

[Stryprod]

Rose garden is outside...

Good Eye, ehhh.. get it!!!

[Shelby07]

By show of hands, who is taking this seriously?

It seems a few people (psst, shelby and jaewing) are getting really defensive over a couple "tee-hee, the president's a twit" comments...

I think it was a pretty boneheaded comment, but I don't blame him for it. This president jokes around with the press corps pretty regularly, which I happen to think is one of his more redeeming qualities.

We're becoming far too sensitive to ballbusting...
The president busted this guy's balls
Everyone else is busting the president's balls in return

Bust balls, not bunkers!


Ahem *cough* um... TWO party system?

I think you'd be surprised at just how many will take this seriously. Apparantly the "news" media thought so. And talk radio had a field day with it.

BTW - nothing defensive here. I think the whole thing is stupid but, as usual, blown out of proportion by the media. And that was the point of the post, not to defend Bush. Even as a Republican, I ain't that good.

[WhiteWidow]

I have decided that he is doing a good job because with all of the fucked up shit going on, my life has not significantly changed. I can still smoke cigars, fuck my girlfriend, and do pretty much whatever I want.

My point is we aren't rationing anything, and don't have to plant victory gardens, and we've lost less people probably than in any other war. Our lives are bascially the same which is amazing in the wake of something like the wtc.

[Newfie]

Hey people, just thought I'd throw my $0.02 out there.

I live close to the Border with the US, so we get radio and TV from Detroit, Toledo, etc and every day we all see several people with Detroit newspapers, which probably seel more in this area than the Canadian ones.

Every time I see how someone in US politics is getting slammed for something he said, did, or should have done or said, I think about our Canadian politicians and think:

"Man, those people SOTB have alot smarter people in Government than we have". And that ain't no friggin' lie!!

I agree with many of the statements above and almost everyone make good points, especially Shelby, Dag and BPP, but the fact is (and I don't remember who said it here) the Dude ain't funny, and he should stop trying.

Isn't shitting on politicians a national passtime in almost every Democracy in the world?? Cripes, imagine if you lived in England during the "Maggie" years!!! I'll bet there's a few members of this board who could tell you some freaky stories.

Peace guys, all in fun!!

Have a great weekend.

[jaewing]

By show of hands, who is taking this seriously?

It seems a few people (psst, shelby and jaewing) are getting really defensive over a couple "tee-hee, the president's a twit" comments...

I think it was a pretty boneheaded comment, but I don't blame him for it. This president jokes around with the press corps pretty regularly, which I happen to think is one of his more redeeming qualities.

We're becoming far too sensitive to ballbusting...
The president busted this guy's balls
Everyone else is busting the president's balls in return

Bust balls, not bunkers!


Ahem *cough* um... TWO party system?

No I had a smiley. I had a smiley. I try not to get too serious in political discussions . . . especially on the internet. Whiel I am sure my argument is superior and position the correct one you would be astonished at the stubborn bone heads one meets on an internet BB or chat room!

- Jason

p.s. - that was sarcasm and not serious in case the black and white text of this post fails to show my inflection, emotion and facial expression.

[SuperChuck]

I think you'd be surprised at just how many will take this seriously. Apparantly the "news" media thought so. And talk radio had a field day with it.

Well, that's just dumb. (The only talk radio I've been listening to is BBC, Playboy, and NFL, so I'm behind on American faux news).

I'm all for president-bashing (that's the best part about being an independent), but something like this needs to be relegated to the "teehee column"...

I find it odd that the general public always seems more offended than the individuals involved. I imagine this reporter is over it. The president obviously didn't know the kid had a real issue. He saw someone wearing sunglasses on a cloudy day and starting poking fun at him for it.