Ideally, how often should a President hold press conferences?

[elperromagico]

[whistle]

1. This president, George Bush, judging from yet another poor....

...showing, I would say probably not another one until he says good-bye to America or announces that he is resigning. Others, every couple of months.

[brainshrub]

2. Forget press-conferences; We should do what the British do:

Force the head-of-state to a regular grilling from the congress.

[JPZenger]

3. The More Bush Talks, the More Confused He appears.

I wish Bush would hold press conferences every day. The more he talks without a script, the more confused he appears.

After watching his press conference last night, a guy I know who is a strong Bush supporter said that Bush looks like an idiot when he answers questions at a press conference.

[CottonBear]

6. Not only does he look like an idiot, he IS an idiot.

:evilgrin:

[CottonBear]

4. Prime Minister's Questions is one of my favorite C-Span shows.

I don't always agree with Blair but the man can think on his feet.

No way could Bush 1 or 2 or Reagan have ever been grilled like that.

Now, Carter, Clinton, Ford and Nixon could probably have done fine.
LBJ would have been a real treat.

[elperromagico]

8. "I put it to the President that the Gulf of Tonkin incident was a lie."

"Wall, uh, y'see... dahminoes and ahwl that. One of 'um falls, and the rest jest... fahla alowng."

Yes, LBJ encountering a hostile Congress would have been interesting.

[brainshrub]

12. I think pre-1990 Reagan would have done okay.

Bush Sr, I'm not to sure.

[elperromagico]

5. Easier to do in Britain,

as the PM is actually a member of the House.

I do get your point however and I agree with you. The President should have to answer tough questions from the legislative branch.

[CottonBear]

7. Has the Congress ever directly questioned a president?

I am woefully uninformed about Congressional; history and proceure.

[elperromagico]

9. I don't think so.

One of the major differences between our system and the British system is in the way the country's leader is chosen. We elect ours - or used to elect ours - separately. That's a separation you don't see in British politics.

I have no idea how well-versed you are in British politics, but the PM is the equivalent of the House Leader. If the Leader's party becomes the controlling party in the House, he becomes PM.

In other words: Imagine if Tom DeLay were President. :puke:

[CottonBear]

11. I'm familiar with the British Parliament.

I cannot imagine Delay being president. That would actually be worse than Bu$h.

Who do you think will win the upcoming British election? Labour or Lib Dems?

[Rambis]

10. I Don't want to puke once a week

he is unwatchable and his picture already makes me angry and queasy enough.

[paineinthearse]

13. In a parliamentary system, what is the frequency of

"prime minister questions"?

I believe weekly.

Could you envision * being grilled in the well by the likes of Boxer, Sanders, Conyers, Waxman, Kerry and Kucinich?

His head would :nuke: