WP: Photo Op Bites Back

[Bumblebee]

Photo Op Bites Back

By Dan Froomkin
Special to washingtonpost.com
Tuesday, October 11, 2005; 1:15 PM

It was such a lovely photo op -- President Bush and his wife joining the volunteers building a house in Louisiana. The perfect backdrop for an upbeat interview, live on NBC's Today Show.

But then Matt Lauer had to go and pull back the curtain and ask: Isn't this all just a empty photo op?

What ensued was an unusually testy interview, with Bush waving off more questions than he answered, chiding Lauer for quoting too many Democrats in his windups and making it clear that he would have been much happier fielding questions about the charitable nature of the American people than about politics.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/blog/2005/10/11/BL2005101100909_pf.html

[Sanity Claws]

1. Lauer asked real questions?

I can see why **** was surprised. He was expecting a cheerleader.

[hvn_nbr_2]

24. Matt Lauer was the reason I stopped watching "Today" years ago

I just couldn't stomach him. My first realization about the nature of the corporate media whores, and the first one I swore off because of that.

[SteppingRazor]

2. Wait... Matt Lauer did this?

Hmm... apparently our secret plan to kidnap conservative and/or credulous journalists and replace them with progressive clones has been put into play.
Good to see it's working out.

[Bumblebee]

4. that means that there is a definite perception out there that the WH ship

is sinking fast.

[msanthrope]

20. Rats off the ship...oh yeah. No one wants any memories of being

associated with USS Bush. Mattie would like us to forget his golfing with the prez....

[Supersedeas]

21. oh, but it was tastefully done...so as not to offend the Church ladies

[MaineDem]

3. In the tiny bit I saw Laura admitted it was a photo op

Lauer asked why they were doing a photo op and she said if it gives Americans the opportunity to contribute it's worth it. Or words to that effect.

[TrogL]

23. Huh??

if it gives Americans the opportunity to contribute it's worth it

:wtf: does that mean??

Were they running around with a little cup taking donations for refugees?

[hvn_nbr_2]

25. Donations for refugees?

Were they running around with a little cup taking donations for refugees?

More likely that they were asking refugees to donate to rebuilding Trent Lott's porch.

[Hobarticus]

5. Even Matt Lauer can't stomach tossing softball questions anymore...

Could the MSM be getting a spine?

Oh, I crack myself up.

[Caoimhe]

6. I saw it

It was one of the better interviews of the Chimp. Lauer should have pushed harder on the question about why people in Iraq don't have to pay back loans for rebuilding their country but people in the path of Katrina/Rita do.

Also loved the "photo op" question, but I wish he had included something about the cost of each of these cheesy photo ops. Someone on DU had a price tag but I forget. I believe it's a few million each time Chimp picks up a hammer and tries to look like he's working HARDDDD.

[NJCher]

7. here's my description of it

What happened when Matt Lauer asked "isn't this just a photo op?"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=109&topic_id=23302&mesg_id=23302




Cher

[nadinbrzezinski]

8. Are we leaving the twilight zone?

is the ship sinking THAT FAST?

[MadisonProgressive]

9. Does everyone in Texas pronounce important - impor-dent??

[displacedtexan]

16. No! We don't.

Only the most pig ignorant pronounce it that way.

I'm glad you called attention to that.

[MadisonProgressive]

18. Well, then Laura is pig ignorant!

[Angry Girl]

10. I love Dan Froomkin's stuff!

Bush....what a stupid, pathetic, empty little excuse of a man.

[Bumblebee]

11. I do too -- and he brought up Coleman's interview as well

Flashback to Another Testy Interview

It was more than a year ago when plucky Irish TV reporter Carole Coleman mixed it up with a clearly peeved Bush in a one-on-one interview .

"Testy, Testy, Testy," I wrote in my June 25, 2004 column -- with follow-ups on June 28 and July 1 .

Well, in this weekend's Sunday Times, Coleman herself revisits her ten minutes with Bush and writes that at one point she felt like slapping him.

It's an extraordinarily revealing piece, exposing the manipulation and choreography behind a Bush interview.

[Angry Girl]

13. I know, I loved that!

I'd just read that Coleman interview this weekend and it was great to see that quote:

"It's an extraordinarily revealing piece, exposing the manipulation and choreography behind a Bush interview."

Go, Froomkin! :-)

[mshasta]

12. but still the media..

still inside *'s ass...
it was so fucking obvious that is a fucking a retard photo op! ...witch the repukes love to swallow no matter what ..

[No Exit]

14. Why is Bush in COVINGTON instead of New Orleans? I'll tell you-

Because Covington is a white, republican, upper-middle-class area, whereas New Orleans is a black area with a lot of lower class people.

Bush favors those who support him, even when common humanity (not to mention Christianity) asks that one love thine "enemy".

And New Orleans was hit much harder than was Covington. Covington is north of the lake (Pontchartrain) and is yuppie central. New Orleans is south of the lake.

I feel sure that 99% of the homeowners in Covington had homeowners insurance and flood insurance. So they're covered. So why would THEY need Habitat for Humanity to build them new houses?

[wildeyed]

15. Was that really Matt Lauer?

Go Matt. He was such an administration ass kisser on the lead up to the 2004 election, too.

What is wrong with Bush's neck? did he have an accident? His head was dramatically tilted over to the left for the entire interview. It also looks like he had a minor stroke. The left half of his face was kind of droopy. I dunno, maybe it was just the poor video quality, but he looks unwell.

[MetaTrope]

17. Could have all been scripted...

Just to give the appearance of a "liberal media", without actually broaching any of the really damning questions, like how Bush intends to deploy the military to place U.S. cities under quarantine.

[bluedawg12]

19. Wow- matt grew some big 'uns!

The little prince balked?

no.

[ArkySue]

22. Interesting tidbit

My husband watched the interview on NBC this morning....W said (among other things) that he didn't know any of the 'volunteers' working on the project. Standing right behind him was Janet Huckabee, wife of Repub Gov of Arkansas Mike Huckabee (who thinks he actually has a chance to run for prez...give me a break!!).

[Arugula Latte]

26. Uh-oh! What if Poppy Bush doesn't golf with Lil' Matty anymore? nt