Almost five hours after the blackout began, the television networks finally broadcast the taped remarks of the president.
Taped remarks after five hours? You mean to tell me that the POTUS could not avail himself to a live broadcast within an hour or two of the start of the blackout, if only to calm any potential jitters of a terrorist act? No, the campaign trail was more important.
The remarks? He had no speech prepared and carried no notes with him. His speech was cluttered, cumbersome and repetitive. He stumbled and fumbled to the point the point he was at a loss not only for words, but thinking capacity as well. Clearly, without minders to prep him, without notes or even a speech written for him, Bush is no communicator at even a basic level.
I think this shows the POTUS in his true colors. An inept moron who when faced with an extemporanous moment, fails fucking miserably.
I say heads are a-gonna roll in the media-prep team. Anyway why the heck did he have to go on tv to say ANYTHING? A simple “the Prez trusts the State authorities to be on top of this and will offer any aid required” by the PS would have sufficed.
I, for one, never once got terror jitters: upon hearing the news, I just figured “heck, someone at ConEd had to leave the control room for a smoke at just the wrong time”.
Well, yes, not very much of a speech, or much of a fireside chat, either. Quite frankly, I was embarrassed for the man. His discomfort with the whole thing was apparent, but he may be uncomfortable speaking impromptu, without a briefing, without coaching and no Teleprompter. I refuse to believe that our President’s inability to concisely and articulately express a thought means he is not an good and experienced thinker. It is just that he is not a natural public speaker. As awkward as the thing may have been, somehow he managed to say the things he needed to say–just not very well.
My lovely American friends, take note of Prime Ministers Tony Blair and John Howard. On average, at least 5 times a week, those two guys cop an absolute grilling from their “Opposition” ministers over a huge range of topics. In the Westminster system, it’s known as “Question Time” and it’s governed under pretty strict rules of combat - but geez it’s a good thing.
Sometimes, it’s a very good thing to see your nation’s leader squirm under discomforting questions. On other occasions, it’s a great thing to see your leader go on “the attack” too - sometimes with a noble oratory, other times with just sheer political street fighting.
Whatever, it’s a very, VERY healthy way of forcing your nation’s leader to have to show his true mettle - and often too. He has to think on his feet, he has to use wit when necessary, and most importantly of all, you can guauge the sincerity of his commitment to his ideals.
In US politics, one of the bummers for me regarding the separation of the Executive Branch away from both the Congress and the Senate is that a regular “Question Time” doesn’t exist. As a result, the President is often cocooned and groomed to within an inch of his life. I like my leaders to have a bit of street-brawler in them. Assuming they know when to also mix it up with graciousness and magnanimity, it’s a better way to go about things in my opinion.
Oh, come on! This is incredibly weak for a roasting of the prez and/or the news media. AFAIK, the prez was already involved in giving some speech on a military base at the time the event happened. As fas as the roasting of the news media goes, that’s just silly–they were, after all, covering the actual newsworthy event itself.
Now, for a real roasting of the prez, y’all should go for the jugular. Isn’t he saying that the federal government will give those states affected whatever help they need? Those states are mighty lucky California didn’t get a blackout also. Remember his stance on our energy situation not so long ago?
I was expecting this thread to be about how it was stupid for W to even say anything. WTF can he do about it?
Are people so insecure that they need him to comfort them, like a parent? What comforts me is hearing that the power company is working on it. It would make as much sense to hear from Ronald McDonald when McD’s is out of fries. Neither one is actually gonna fix the problem.
You DO realize he is in Calif, right. Which actually surprises me mucho. Last I heard he was still bitter cause we didn’t support him for that election thingy he did a few years back. Plus supposedly he is not supporting any of our million candidates for governor yet here he is traveling around the area, probably tying up traffic, pissing off potential voters.
So I would like to start a conspiracy. The Country is only allowed a major blackout when the president is visiting the correct coast.
The guy needs to attend Toastmasters. Not only can they teach him how to speak in public but also how to do it impromptu.
And such speaking does reflect on his thinking abilities. That he cannot speak impromptu, and he is in his third year as president, indicates he cannot admit he doesn’t know how to speak properly.
Our Toastmasters club has beginning members who can speak, even impromptu, light years ahead of Bush.
Right, because making a typo on an internet bulletin board is so very much like the leader of the most powerful nation on Earth addressing a national crisis.
Ahhh, Question Time. One of my pet dreams for American Government. Thank God for cspan. It’s wonderful to see these people think on their feet. And even better, when an MP asks a question strictly for the record and benefit of his or her constituency, the PM merely says, “I refer the honorable gentleman to the answer given previously.”
Is that the fault of Bush or the media that decided when to show his comments, while they were vulturing above the crowds praying for riots or something (I personally could almost feel the press begging for something violent in all the crowds to happen).
And if he was reading from notes he would be being crucified for not speaking his own words but what other people prepared. As a president you can never win with half the people.
Some of the smartest people I have ever known are absolutely incapable of public speaking. A friend and co-worker of mine has 7 masters degrees as well as an abundance of common/street sense, but in a group of over 5 people stutters like a madman.
Whether or not it was the most eloquent thing you ever heard, did you not understand anything that was said? If not, I think this says more about you than the speaker. If you did, then obviously the speaker communicated, at least at your level.
Besides obviously not impressing you with a flowing speech to ignite your inner being, failed at what?
I’m a very good public speaker, but I’ve had to do impromptu addresses without preparation, and in some cases, without knowing anything about the topic. In a classroom or a “learn public speaking” exercise it isn’t a big deal. In a situation that is actually important, I mean really important, it isn’t easy, I don’t care who you are. I’m not defending the president’s address at all. He has certainly done better. But this is a pretty pathetic reason for yet another “Bush Sucks Because” speeches. I was more upset that he was actually making a comment on the subject, and I voted for the guy. This didn’t require presidential attention. This was something that he “had to do” because of what I would hope is obvious reasons. Had he not said anything, the guy would be under fire for not “comforting” the people who don’t believe anything he says in the first place.
A republican president will rarely do anything good in the eyes of the basic, rabid dems and vice versa.
I’m a republican who hated Clinton, but I don’t think I have ever resorted to such whiny crap as this.