Bianca, Come Out & Play

[journalist3072]

Bianca. Nobody named Bianca? Well, sorry Bianca's not here. I'll be glad to answer her question.

Q I'll follow up.

THE PRESIDENT: No, that's fine. (Laughter.) Thank you though, appreciate it. Just trying to spread around the joy of asking a question.

Q How is the strategy outlined today by General Casey different from what the United States was doing in the past? What lessons would you say have been incorporated in it? And based on that, how much closer do you think we are to being able to turn over full control of the security situation?

THE PRESIDENT: It's going to be a while to turn over full control. Full control says that the Iraqis are capable of moving around the country and sharing intelligence and they got a command control system that works like ours, and that's going to be a while. Turning over some control to Iraqis is now taking place. As I told you, there are more Iraqis in the lead -- Iraqis are in the lead in this mission for the first time on a major operation.

What General Casey briefed us on was how our strategy of cleaning out the terrorists out of a city and being able to fill in behind, or leave behind Iraqi forces, is beginning to pay off. And what hadn't happened in the past was the capacity to fill that void with a capable force that would prevent the terrorists from coming back in.

Q Mr. President, could we talk more about --

THE PRESIDENT: Are you Bianca?

Q No, I'm not. Anita -- Fox News.

THE PRESIDENT: Okay.

Q Just a quick question --

THE PRESIDENT: Okay. I was looking for Bianca. I'm sorry.


http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/09/20050922.html

[cwydro]

1. the scariest part of that quote

is where he says "a command control system that works like ours"....

Be afraid, be VERY afraid.

[Marie26]

2. Bianca revealed

Wonkette's blog has an explanation for who "Bianca" is - Bianca Davie of Bloomberg News. She was there, but didn't hear the question because she had headphones on. Why was Bush so eager to call on her? Beats me. *shrug*

(www.wonkette.com)

[journalist3072]

4. Thanks for the link. Now, the real question is...

WHY did Bush call on her? Had he been assured by someone (like McClellen) that she could be counted on for the softball questions?

[Marie26]

5. Weird

It's a little odd, because I don't think she is one of the White House correspondents for Bloomberg.( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/administration/whbriefing/correspondents.html) I sort of wonder if she ever even asked a question before: Her name doesn't appear on transcripts of the White House press briefings. (or at all really, except on an univeristy alumni site). The fact that she had on radio headphones seems to suggest that she was a producer or observer, not someone who was expecting to ask a question, like a press corps reporter would. I dunno. Maybe he actually got the wrong name?

[journalist3072]

7. The new Jeff Gannon maybe?? eom

[Marie26]

8. Yeah, but wouldn't a plant be ready & willing to ask the question? (eom)

[FreedomAngel82]

12. I don't think so

He seemed pretty confident in her name.

[Beelzebud]

3. It's hard work, loving Bianca as best I can.

[dooner]

11. funny n/t

[Blue_In_AK]

6. Oh, Lord, he sounds stupid.

It's almost more painful to read than to watch.

[BringEmOn]

9. Bianca's the one in the back of the room wearing leather and chains and a

strap-on.

[FreedomAngel82]

10. What a whiney baby

He said he wanted to spread the love of answering a question but then turned around and wouldn't answer a reporters question. What a dumbass. Malloy made a good point on how Bianca is probably another Jeff Gannon.
Wonder what happened to her.