Bush Meets the Press

On Tuesday morning, President Bush held his second press conference of 2006.

Overall, the President was very impressive, confident and strong and straight-talking.

The press was true to form. That means some reporters were buffoonish and disrespectful.

Transcript

Something that I want to highlight came in the President's opening statement.

"Here at home, I'm also encouraged by the strength of our economy. Last year our economy grew at a healthy 3.5 percent. Over the past two-and-a-half years, the economy has added nearly 5 million new jobs -- that's more than Japan and the 25 nations of the European Union combined. The national unemployment rate is 4.8 percent -- that's lower than the average rate of the 1970s, the 1980s and the 1990s. Productivity is strong. Inflation is contained. Household net worth is at an all-time high. Real after-tax income is up more than 8 percent per person since the beginning of 2001. The growing economy is a result of the hard work of the American people and good policies here in Washington."

Wow. I like that. One more time--

"Here at home, I'm also encouraged by the strength of our economy. Last year our economy grew at a healthy 3.5 percent. Over the past two-and-a-half years, the economy has added nearly 5 million new jobs -- that's more than Japan and the 25 nations of the European Union combined. The national unemployment rate is 4.8 percent -- that's lower than the average rate of the 1970s, the 1980s and the 1990s. Productivity is strong. Inflation is contained. Household net worth is at an all-time high. Real after-tax income is up more than 8 percent per person since the beginning of 2001. The growing economy is a result of the hard work of the American people and good policies here in Washington."

If you listen to the Dems or watch the lib media exclusively, this information is no doubt news to you.

As the President responded to the range of questions tossed out by the press, some hardball and some idiotic, I was thinking of how terribly unfair his critics are when they so negatively evaluate Bush's intelligence and his ability to lead.

No, he's not slick, a la Bill Clinton. I view that as a very good thing.

He doesn't drone on and on, a la John Kerry, flip-flopping two or three times before pausing to take a breath.

Bush is clear and concise. I find that refreshing, especially since so many politicians avoid giving direct answers like the plague.

Much has been said about the President's exchange with Helen Thomas, and rightly so. The woman is not a journalist. She's a liberal activist.

Watch the press conference. You have to see and hear it to believe it.

Thomas was the third person to ask a question. Well, she didn't ask a question. She gave a speech AND she kept interrupting the President and talking over him as he tried to respond. It was absolutely disgraceful.

Why must the President and the nation be subjected to this woman?!?

THOMAS DOES NOT KNOW HOW TO CONDUCT HERSELF APPROPRIATELY, AND THEREFORE HER WHITE HOUSE PRESS CREDENTIALS SHOULD BE WITHDRAWN.

Yes, I am calling for the immediate withdrawal of Helen Thomas from the White House press corps AND a resolution of censure.

Speaking of censure, this was the first time the President directly responded to Feingold's lame resolution.

Q -- ...[T]here have been now three sponsors to a measure to censure you for the implementation of that program. The primary sponsor, Russ Feingold, has suggested that impeachment is not out of the question. And on Sunday, the number two Democrat in the Senate refused to rule that out pending an investigation. What, sir, do you think the impact of the discussion of impeachment and censure does to you and this office, and to the nation during a time of war, and in the context of the election?

THE PRESIDENT: I think during these difficult times -- and they are difficult when we're at war -- the American people expect there to be a honest and open debate without needless partisanship. And that's how I view it. I did notice that nobody from the Democrat Party has actually stood up and called for getting rid of the terrorist surveillance program. You know, if that's what they believe, if people in the party believe that, then they ought to stand up and say it. They ought to stand up and say the tools we're using to protect the American people shouldn't be used. They ought to take their message to the people and say, vote for me, I promise we're not going to have a terrorist surveillance program. That's what they ought to be doing. That's part of what is an open and honest debate.

I did notice that, at one point in time, they didn't think the Patriot Act ought to be reauthorized -- "they" being at least the Minority Leader in the Senate. He openly said, as I understand -- I don't want to misquote him -- something along the lines that, "We killed the Patriot Act." And if that's what the party believes, they ought to go around the country saying we shouldn't give the people on the front line of protecting us the tools necessary to do so. That's a debate I think the country ought to have.

Great answer.

I love this part:

They ought to stand up and say the tools we're using to protect the American people shouldn't be used. They ought to take their message to the people and say, vote for me, I promise we're not going to have a terrorist surveillance program.

...And if that's what the party believes, they ought to go around the country saying we shouldn't give the people on the front line of protecting us the tools necessary to do so.

PERFECT.