TV images keep heat on Bush

[leftchick]

<snip>

But so far, the only clear winner of the recent battle of images is the lethal, inanimate force of nature named Katrina.

On Thursday, President Bush stood before a bank of television cameras--American flags arrayed behind him--to announce financial aid and other assistance for victims of Hurricane Katrina. But broadcast alongside that announcement were images from New Orleans and reports that more than a dozen bodies were being removed from a hospital.

It has been that kind of communications battle for the president and the army of Cabinet officers who have been deployed. Vice President Dick Cheney made his first trip to the Gulf Coast area Thursday, sleeves rolled up, concern on his face, empathy in his voice.

But a ceremonial visit is not enough. The difficulty so far for the administration has been making the images and words match the reality that people are seeing on their screens.

"There's no question that these sorts of television images have a big impact on people and in many respects shape reactions to the White House," said historian Robert Dallek. "But at some point it's the reality that bites.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/chitribts/20050909/ts_chicagotrib/tvimageskeepheatonbush

[jobycom]

1. Remember when they used to report news

rather than reporting how well the president's PR campaign was working and what challenges faced his image management?

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

17. No.

Seriously.

[Mountainman]

2. It is the media that is giving people their view of reality and it was the

media that for 5 years has blocked the view of reality. We all knew that when the administration's rhetoric became in conflict with what people knew to be the truth it would be all over for them.

It is hard for me to understand those who have bought the media's portrayal of Bush for so long.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

3. Additionally, Passing Bicyclists Ad Lib Provocative Comments

Additionally, they were caught unprepared when a passing bicyclist told Cheney several times to perform an anatomically difficult act of auto-erotic stimulation.

[Judi Lynn]

4. Oh, please! Someone shoot me. Put me out of my misery!

From the article:

Last Friday, when the president first visited with disaster victims in Mississippi, he hugged and kissed victims alongside scenes of relief trucks arriving.

That was perhaps his best moment so far.....
(snip/...)

Oh, THAT was epic, wasn't it? Hugging and kissing some plants. People all over the world were scratching their heads about that one.

It's a miracle he didn't bring along some delegates, from the last Republican convention, wearing their Purple Heart Bandaids, so they would show the worshipful adoration and groveling for him he believes he richly deserves.

[Pithy Cherub]

5. Let the people see, then they will feel

a need to do something and then the monumental shift begins. More than anything that is what the bush buzzards fear, that the pictures will stay awful for an extended time frame thereby permanently damaging Dimson and his cronies. There is not an authentic person in the White House. Prior to Katrina, The WH has all been dressed up as a Hollywood set complete with adoring media idiots that enabled the * administration's bad behavior.

[snippy]

6. This TV image of Bush correctly describes him.

[yellowcanine]

8. Heh. Oops. Do you think that was an accident or is there a DU mole there?

[belle]

12. Ha!

[Tesibria]

15. I LUV LUV LUV THIS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! nt

[u4ic]

19. LOL!

:rofl:

Taint it the truth...

[Laelth]

20. Bush: One of the Worst Disasters to Hit the U.S.

That's priceless!

:rofl:

Thanks for the laugh!

-Laelth

[yellowcanine]

7. How about the image of Bush doing a "drive-by" ghetto survey in AF 1?

Now there's an image for you.
(Does someone have the link?)

[xxqqqzme]

9. being picky but I

noticed on TDS clip of unca dick that his sleeves were not rolled up. I recalled his pig farm 95 degree 94% humidity photo op in the jacket. Obviously this man has some very serious circulatory problems.

Who was the porn king lookin' guy strolling around w/ him?

[leftchick]

10. I think he was the Mayor

yep something is up with dickies arms. I bet he has a permanent IV pumping essential meds into him to keep his blacked shriveled little heart beating.

[0007]

11. Is junior a human being?

junior let several days pass before it donned on him to visit the devastated Gulf Coast. junior failed to produce a strong image of a national leader. As yet, he has not even given a nationally televised prime-time address to Americans about his plan for dealing with the disaster. junior said that the initial response was "unacceptable" and vowed to investigate.

Let's not play the blame game, because we need to get on with the business of caring for people as dead bodies float by as if in a parade.

[stanwyck]

13. The Bush team has lost their moorings

at some point, Uncle Karl lost his mojo. The whole team has been listing badly since. This latest fiasco...the slow-motion reaction to the greatest natural disaster of our time...highlights how badly they're stumbling.
The Kool-Aid drinkers won't give up. Too many of them are stubborn and just can't face how wrong they've been.
But Bush's bizarre reactions to Katrina can hardly be hidden. He made jokes, while people were dying, about enjoying "hurricanes" (alcoholic version) in New Orleans...enjoying New Orleans "a little too much". And rebuilding Trent Lott's house...and "sitting on the porch" while people hadn't had food or water for days.
There's a big disconnect and now it's glaring. We've known it was there. But our media did their best to vaseline the lense so the viewers wouldn't see.
I guess they got tired of covering for these guys. Either that, or they know they'll be gone soon and they don't feel as servile as before.

[cliss]

16. You're right. I just couldn't believe the news

after the storm had hit. Bush was on vacation. Cheney was on vacation (I think Colorado?). RumsFailed was at a Padres baseball game. Condiment Rice was shopping for shoes at Ferragamo's.

Brownie Butt-kisser was catatonic. Chartoff was indisposed.

I mean, this is unbelievable. Even by THEIR standards. I was wondering: are they all on drugs? Or are they all drunk?

[leftchick]

18. I missed all of the Network News programs this evening

I have been looking for some threads and have found nada. Any feedback would be great cliss!

:hi:

[cliss]

21. Oh - sorry. My TV is gone.

Bush did it.

I usually get my news right here at the DU. But for great opinion pieces, I go to:

http://www.counterpunch.com/ (note, they're not particularly dem-friendly. They don't like either one. But - whew do they have good articles).

http://www.fromthewilderness.com/ This web site is mostly about Peak Oil and any oil-related news.

[yellowdoggess]

14. If only Terri Shaivo had lived in New Orleans or the Gulf Coast

maybe he would have cut his vacation short? Wish I could take credit, but read this on campusprogress.org. Too good not to share!

[Straight Shooter]

22. "empathy in his voice" is a subjective interpretation, not journalism

I hate to read tripe like that. "Concern on his face and empathy in his voice" :wtf: