Is the President out of touch with reality, and is it his fault?

fly

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Oct 1, 2004
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For those that don't know, he had a press conference with 12 soldiers the other day, which is all well and good, except film crews caught a White House staffer prepping the soldiers on what to do and say.

Are things like this why he is so out of touch with what happens in the real world? Is it his fault that his staff is sugar coating things for him? Are they doing it cause he demands it, or because they don't think he can handle it?

For a full "neutral:fly:" report, click here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4957379

All Things Considered, October 13, 2005 · President Bush's administration has been marked by a savvy use of technology and media strategy. From staging optimal photo-ops to conjuring message-appropriate backdrops at speeches, the president's staff has been diligent in its work.

That work has never been more important than now, with the president's polling numbers slipping and an election in Iraq looming. And so it was early Thursday, with President Bush slated to chat with soldiers stationed in Iraq, that his staff ran through his opening remarks -- and some questions -- without the commander-in-chief being present.

While it's common to use a trial run to ensure things go smoothly when the president arrives, the event, recorded by NPR, offered some insights into the meticulous nature of advance work.

Later, the president, speaking from the Eisenhower Executive Office Building adjacent to the White House, asked members of the 42nd Infantry Division (Mechanized) National Guard unit about their work in Tikrit, and answered questions from the soldiers.
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Of course, anyone in his position is vastly out of touch with reality.

Both because of what the staff does to shelter them, and their upbringing and lifestyle before even going into office.

Not really much different from any other exceedingly rich person :fly:


:p I recall Bush Sr. being AMAZED by the laser price scanning devices in a supermarket, because he had never been in one. My old bosses were like that, and didn't find that funny......
 
fly said:
For those that don't know, he had a press conference with 12 soldiers the other day, which is all well and good, except film crews caught a White House staffer prepping the soldiers on what to do and say.

Are things like this why he is so out of touch with what happens in the real world? Is it his fault that his staff is sugar coating things for him? Are they doing it cause he demands it, or because they don't think he can handle it?

For a full "neutral:fly:" report, click here: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4957379
Click to expand...

I heard this on the radio driving home yesterday (yes, I am an NPR geek). I wasn't surprised that the soldiers were given scripted answers to the scripted questions Bush asked. What really made an impression was how very, very badly the president was at reading his lines.

For example, they played a clip of the lady in charge of the event going through some of the scripted material. She reads a question like, "How would you say the rebuilding efforts are going in Tikrit?" or something like that. Then they played the president asking the same question, and it was like, "How... uhhhhh... the rebuilding... uhh... <8 second pause> efforts.... how would you say.... uhh..... <4 second pause> in Tikrit... it's happening."

The man sounded like I do after swilling a fifth of burbon and a twelve-pack! I mean, goddamn! Where the fuck are his public speaking skills?

Also:

I got the impression that Bush was not very happy about having to go through his scripted questions. Maybe he earnestly wanted to just have a casual chat with the soldiers but his handlers wouldn't let him? I dunno, but I actually felt kinda bad for the guy.
 
All the president's for the past few decades has done this.

Bush sucks for not doing something about his old buddies and tons of other stuff but all the canidates that ran the last few times has sucked.
 
His handlers don't want a guy like Bush being "candid" on national t.v. Every time he tries that he says something that is only vaguely English. If we had a president who could communicate efficiently, I'm sure that same president would also be intelligent enough to tell his "handlers" to go fuck themselves. Motivated, confident leaders do what they want in situations like this. Take Eisenhower for example. He'd not only be talking to those men, but he'd be doing it in Tikrit, "Iraqi insurgents be damned." I miss leaders like that.

Bush is too simple. He doesn't carry complex thoughts, he can't convey what thoughts he does have through speech, and his speechwriters use language that is far too complex for him to be believable. He inevitably flubs and looks stupid, because it's not how he would naturally talk.

If Wesley Clark hadn't joined the Democratic ticket and stayed independent, I probably would have voted for him. A good looking, charismatic ex-general who can not only speak, but compel people to agree with what he's speaking about. Kind of like Eisenhower in that regard. I miss having an actual leader, as opposed to a politician posing as a leader.
 
b_sinning said:
All the president's for the past few decades has done this.

Bush sucks for not doing something about his old buddies and tons of other stuff but all the canidates that ran the last few times has sucked.
Click to expand...
Does that make it okay?
 
fly said:
Does that make it okay?
Click to expand...

No not at all. But as long as we willing tie ourselves to a two party system then we are someone to blame.

You can argue that we have all these other politicals parties but until one of them has a president elected them don't mean crap.
 
A spacecraft, a flying saucer landed on earth, and out of it marched down a silver robot, a hundred feet tall, and said “I come in peace”, adding after a long moment of grinding, “take me to your Lizards”.
An experienced extra-terrestrial, Ford, explained this strange request: “The robot comes from a very ancient democracy, you see”.
“You mean, it comes from a world of lizards?”
“No,” said Ford, “Nothing so simple. On its world, the people are people. The leaders are lizards. The people hate the lizards and the lizards rule the people.”
“I thought you said it was a democracy.”
“I did, “said Ford. “It is.”
“You mean they actually vote for the lizards?”
“Oh yes, “said Ford, “Of course!”
“Why?”
“Because if they did not vote for a lizard,” said Ford, “the wrong lizard might get in. Some people say that the lizards are the best thing that ever happened to them. They're completely wrong of course, but someone's got to say it.”
-- Douglas Adams, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
 
From what I understand GW is not very nice to those who bring him bad news. So its a kind of a feedback thing in this Whitehouse, bring bad news get your ass chewed, so people learn real quick to only keep it cheery for the pres. Hearsay maybe?

Now for more factual as to why he could considered out of touch is this: By his own admission the President does not like to read.
On why he rarely reads the newspaper:
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/143851_thomas15.html

So he's out of touch, by choice it would seem.
 
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