# Bush video chat with soldiers was scripted/rehearsed. **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 14, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-video-chat-with-soldiers-was-scripted-rehearsed/326276 "2005-10-14T20:03:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-video-chat-with-soldiers-was-scripted-rehearsed/326276/1 "2005-10-14T20:03:38Z")
[Link](http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051014/REPOSITORY/510140358/1013/NEWS03) > [@](#): > > WASHINGTON - President Bush sought yesterday to rally U.S. troops behind his Iraq strategy - and he and his aides left little to chance. > > Before the president spoke via a video link, his event planners hand-picked 10 soldiers from the Army’s 42nd Infantry and one Iraqi soldier, told them what topics the president would ask about, and watched them briefly rehearse their presentations before going live. > > The soldiers did not disappoint. Each one praised the president, the war and the progress in training Iraqi troops. > \ > This isn’t a new technique for Bush; his White House has perfected the strategy of holding scripted events featuring the president’s supporters. Earlier this year, when Bush traveled the country to discuss his Social Security plan, aides stacked the audience with Republicans and tutored participants in town hall events on what to say. I know Bush’s scripted appearances and hand picked audiences are not news, but I’m still getting weary of being jerked around like this. These people think we’re morons. It bugs me that I can’t trust the White House to give us any kind of honest picture of Iraq or of the troops in Iraq or of the Iraqis themselves. They just see as a marks. These staged news events have turned into nothing but infomercials. I only wish that the television media would start calling these fuckers on this bullshit on the spot and quit covering it. Is there anyone left who still buys these performances as being legitimate news events? is anyone all fired up by the assurances made by this carefully selected and rehearsed group of soldiers? Is it possible that the news media will ever tell the WH that they aren’t going to cover these phony events anymore? When’s the last time Bush ventured out in front of an unvetted audience? I notice we haven’t seen him throwing out any pitches at baseball games lately. There’s a reason for that. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-video-chat-with-soldiers-was-scripted-rehearsed/326276/2 "2005-10-14T20:12:38Z")
Here’s a [longer article](http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051014/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_iraq) on the same subject. Really, the man lives in a bubble of fantasy; almost everything he sees is prescripted. It’s not surprising he makes bad decisions; he’s a stupid, ignorant, irrational man who’s isolated himself from reality. Yes they do treat us like morons, because so many of us _act_ like morons. That’s why he’s in office, after all. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-video-chat-with-soldiers-was-scripted-rehearsed/326276/3 "2005-10-14T20:22:21Z")
I read the transcript and watched the video of the press conference yesterday with Scotty defefending this. I’ll admit I was quite surprised they posted it on the site. I figured anything with them getting them bashed might be accidently “left off”. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-video-chat-with-soldiers-was-scripted-rehearsed/326276/4 "2005-10-14T20:33:17Z")
Clinton staged events. Remember his strolling along the beach at Normandy and pausing to create a cross out of stones laying on the sand? That was completely staged. Politicians’ events are going to be choreographed. The junior senator from New York is an expert in this area. The mistake here was pretending they are not. But of course, those of you so eager to jump on the least little thing President Bush does will disregard that this is not news. Go ahead, have your feeding frenzy. I’m going to be busy writing my congressmen about the hideous non-recommendations of the Tax Reform Panel. You know…something _important_. ---
**Author:** ![5que](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/3bc359/32.png) [@5que](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5que)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-video-chat-with-soldiers-was-scripted-rehearsed/326276/5 "2005-10-14T20:35:12Z")
_Countdown_ with Keith Olbermann last night was priceless – they showed the “chat” and then the troops being prepared beforehand. Then they showed Scotty getting pounded about it. Video of Keith’s piece is [here](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/). > [@Keith Olbermann on Countdown](#): > > It went from “Worse” to “Hide Under a Table”. ---
**Author:** ![5que](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/3bc359/32.png) [@5que](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5que)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-video-chat-with-soldiers-was-scripted-rehearsed/326276/6 "2005-10-14T20:37:53Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Clinton staged events. Remember his strolling along the beach at Normandy and pausing to create a cross out of stones laying on the sand? That was completely staged. So, did the Clinton White house (1) claim the event was completely unscripted, and (2) provide the press with a video feed of the pre-staging being **done**?? ---
**Author:** ![Slacker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6bbea6/32.png) [@Slacker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slacker)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-video-chat-with-soldiers-was-scripted-rehearsed/326276/7 "2005-10-14T20:39:28Z")
“OH YEAH?!? BUT CLINTON…” response coming in 5…4…3… Oh wait, there it is already. Carry on. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-video-chat-with-soldiers-was-scripted-rehearsed/326276/8 "2005-10-14T20:45:39Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Clinton staged events. Remember his strolling along the beach at Normandy and pausing to create a cross out of stones laying on the sand? That was completely staged. > > Politicians’ events are going to be choreographed. The junior senator from New York is an expert in this area. The mistake here was pretending they are not. First, virtually _everything_ Bush does appears to be staged; he doesn’t appear to be capable of normal human interaction. Second, Clinton was more than appearances; he accomplished things. All Bush does is fail and lie. Third, this is something that people have been pointing out for years; the man is all surface. Since his apologists aren’t listening, we in the “reality based community” should yell louder. Being nice and polite hasn’t worked very well, has it ? ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-video-chat-with-soldiers-was-scripted-rehearsed/326276/9 "2005-10-14T20:52:48Z")
> [@5que](#): > > _Countdown_ with Keith Olbermann last night was priceless – they showed the “chat” and then the troops being prepared beforehand. Then they showed Scotty getting pounded about it. Video of Keith’s piece is [here](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/). That is classic. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-video-chat-with-soldiers-was-scripted-rehearsed/326276/10 "2005-10-14T20:55:46Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > These people think we’re morons. Not quite true. They know that some of us are lost to them, and can’t be fooled. They just think that the ones likely to actually vote for them are morons, a position that i can’t work up the energy to disagree with. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-video-chat-with-soldiers-was-scripted-rehearsed/326276/11 "2005-10-14T20:58:04Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Clinton staged events. Remember his strolling along the beach at Normandy and pausing to create a cross out of stones laying on the sand? That was completely staged. Actually, I don’t remember it. Googling turns up a number of righty blogs that accuse Clinton of staging the event but no actual news stories to that effect. Regardless, I hope you can see that there’s an enormous qualitative difference between arranging a few stones on a beach and choreographing dozens or hundreds of people for phony “town ahll meetings” and the like. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-video-chat-with-soldiers-was-scripted-rehearsed/326276/12 "2005-10-14T21:07:02Z")
> [@5que](#): > > Video of Keith’s piece is [here](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/). That is absolutely hilarious. Highly recommended viewing. ---
**Author:** ![aamco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@aamco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aamco)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-video-chat-with-soldiers-was-scripted-rehearsed/326276/13 "2005-10-14T21:14:25Z")
> [@Otto](#): > > I hope you can see that there’s an enormous qualitative difference between arranging a few stones on a beach and choreographing dozens or hundreds of people for phony “town ahll meetings” and the like. Moreover, Clinton didn’t base national policy on scripted cross memorials. This isn’t about a scripted event. This is about the Bush Administration pretending (at the very least) or lying about (at worst) the situtation in Iraq being better than it actually is. Squelching contrary opinions and accusing critical reporters of being pro-terrorist are simply evidences of a larger sickness. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-video-chat-with-soldiers-was-scripted-rehearsed/326276/14 "2005-10-14T21:33:30Z")
> [@5que](#): > > _Countdown_ with Keith Olbermann last night was priceless – they showed the “chat” and then the troops being prepared beforehand. Then they showed Scotty getting pounded about it. Video of Keith’s piece is [here](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036677/). Does anybody remember Iraq’s Minister of, I think, Information. The “those are not bombs you hear in the streets!” and “We will beat you with shoes!” guy. Did McClellen kind of remind you of him in that? ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-video-chat-with-soldiers-was-scripted-rehearsed/326276/15 "2005-10-14T21:36:17Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Does anybody remember Iraq’s Minister of, I think, Information. The “those are not bombs you hear in the streets!” and “We will beat you with shoes!” guy. Did McClellen kind of remind you of him in that? Bagdad Bob. ---
**Author:** ![you\_with\_the\_face](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/ecccb3/32.png) [@you\_with\_the\_face](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/you_with_the_face)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-video-chat-with-soldiers-was-scripted-rehearsed/326276/16 "2005-10-14T21:53:46Z")
Even in a scripted meeting, Bush was awkward and fumbling. (Like, what was all that going on with his earpiece?) I couldn’t help wincing every time he attempted to make a funny. And when the soldiers answered his questions, he never acted like he was listening to what was being said. I guess because he knew it already, but good GAWD man, at least pretend like this is the first time you’re hearing the bullshit! The soldiers needed much better coaching, too. The soldier who kept passing the microphone to everyone else should have been told to wait until each person noticeably volunteered to answer. The whole production came off like a kindergarten play where the teacher pushes each kid on stage when its their turn. Even without the damning footage, the phoniness of it all was obvious. ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-video-chat-with-soldiers-was-scripted-rehearsed/326276/17 "2005-10-14T21:58:56Z")
Sweet jebus, the last three minutes of that video clip… It’s like a marx brothers movie gone horribly, horribly awry. The chaos… Wow. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-video-chat-with-soldiers-was-scripted-rehearsed/326276/18 "2005-10-14T22:01:58Z")
> [@you with the face](#): > > The soldiers needed much better coaching, too. The soldier who kept passing the microphone to everyone else should have been told to wait until each person noticeably volunteered to answer. The whole production came off like a kindergarten play where the teacher pushes each kid on stage when its their turn. I guess Bush’s mistake was in using actual soldiers, instead of actors or animatronic puppets. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-video-chat-with-soldiers-was-scripted-rehearsed/326276/19 "2005-10-14T22:18:48Z")
Has Scott McClellan ever, in his entire tenure as Press Sec, actually answered the question that was asked instead of spinning an answer that has nothing to do with said question? Every time I watch a briefing, it seems like the only answers he gives are ones that he’s already been told to give. He spins questions about one event or policy so far around that the answer he gives has absolutely nothing to do with the question. I know it’s his job to spin, but isn’t spin supposed to be subtle? Or is that an outmoded technique now? The question asked in that video clip to McClellan: Do you think that Harriet Miers might drop out of the nomination rather than face a rough hearing? The answer that McClellan gave at least four times in that video clip: We believe that Harriet Miers’ nomination should be decided on qualifications, not side issues like religion or previous experience. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2005, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-video-chat-with-soldiers-was-scripted-rehearsed/326276/20 "2005-10-14T22:30:43Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > The question asked in that video clip to McClellan: > > Do you think that Harriet Miers might drop out of the nomination rather than face a rough hearing? > > The answer that McClellan gave at least four times in that video clip: > > We believe that Harriet Miers’ nomination should be decided on qualifications, not side issues like religion or previous experience. > > 😕 Odd, since [Religion was a factor in her selection](http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/10/13/miers.nomination/index.html) > [@](#): > > And Bush fueled the issue Wednesday by suggesting that Miers’ evangelical Christian beliefs played a role in his decision to nominate her. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-video-chat-with-soldiers-was-scripted-rehearsed/326276.md?page=2)