Fraters Libertas

Snappy Answers to Stupid Questions

Here's the link featuring the complete transcript of the Bush-Blair press conference I referenced yesterday. The British reporter's remarks look even worse in context, which is a rarity when I get to cutting and pasting or remembering something I half heard on radio.

Bush responds with typical Texan plain spoken grace and exposes the reporter's question as the fraudulent shibboleth it was. Notice how the reporter starts by blaming Tony Blair for the Istanbul bombing. After such an embarrassing performance on an international stage, how does this guy show his face at future press conferences? Let me guess, he has no shame. And neither do his editors.

QUESTION: (to Blair) What do you say to people who today conclude that British people have died and been maimed as a result of you appearing here today, shoulder-to-shoulder with a controversial American President?

And, Mr. President, if I could ask you, with thousands on the street - with thousands marching on the streets today here in London, a free nation, what is your conclusion as to why apparently so many free citizens fear you and even hate you?

BUSH: I'd say freedom is beautiful. It's a fantastic thing to come to a country where people are able to express their views.

QUESTION: Why do they hate you, Mr. President? Why do they hate you in such numbers?

BUSH: I don't know that they do. All I know is that it's - that people in Baghdad, for example, weren't allowed to do this up until recent history. They're not spending a lot of time in North Korea protesting the current leadership. Freedom is a wonderful thing, and I respect that. I fully understand people don't agree with war. But I hope they agree with peace and freedom and liberty. I hope they care deeply about the fact that when we find suffering and torture and mass graves, we weep for the citizens that are being brutalized by tyrants.

And, finally, the Prime Minister and I have a solemn duty to protect our people. And that's exactly what I intend to do as the President of the United States, protect the people of my country.

And that, you ink stained wanker, is why they hate him.

(It's exactly that type of irresponsible rhetoric that's going to keep me out of the White House.)