***SWANSONG***

You must all have seen the footage of Grace Slick in Germany, giving what would be her final performance with Jefferson Airplane. A deeply inebriated Slick lectured her audience on the war, then proceded to deliver the worst imaginable performance she was capable of.

Tonight we have seen another such historical event, this time on the stage of world politics. The moment of crescendo was when Bush was asked what his worst mistake was following September 11th, and reminded that once, some time back, he had said that trading away Sammy Sosa was his greatest regret. First he paused, then indicated that he wished he had received the question beforehand so as to better prepare an answer (indicating the scripted nature of THIS news conference). That was bad enough. But it was his answer, in essence, "Give me a minute and maybe something will pop into my head," which put the knife in. Then the knife turned. As Bush grimaced, trying desperately to formulate a passable response under pressure, the microphone picked up the sound of hundreds of cameras recording that presidential grimace of indecision, frustration and despair for all time.

Remember this moment. Although the media are already in furious spin mode, I believe that the true nature of this man has been revealed for all to see. All now know that he is superficial, indecisive, incapable, and that Daddy will not be able to bail him out this time. Watch the polls. Trust the ones that show Bush slipping into the 30s, and eschew the ones that give him a "bounce." Stick the fork in him. He's done.

of silence will be remembered for a long time to come.

Sweet, Sweet Vengeance! The DU'ers were better than any commentator could possibly have been. He thought he'd blob for sure. But the raw aggression was even better for democratic purposes.

The media whores will make him sound like Einstein before the evening is done.

They are shameless, these whores.

Tweety and Fineman are nauseating. I had a stomach ache before and now it's worse. I knew I should have watched Law&Order.

Fineman nearly ripped shrub a new one and Matthews basically said, "Theres your president folks." What do you expect them to do while remaining credible. A performance like that truly needs no help from the media. He looked like a guy who gave up drinking last night and is already not feeling either well or friendly.

is to summon up something better than what Dan Rather said: that the president was (and I quote) "steady, confident, forceful."

Mother of god! What kind of heavy-duty meds is that man on??

When shrub went off on one of his self serving rants it felt very similar to watching Johnson answer a Vietnam question. Only Johnson was a better liar. If that wasn't shrub's last ride, some folks must be waiting for him to drop trou and urinate on his "audience".

... and seems to cow more to the "liberal media" crap than your average bear.

because to think this man is our president makes me want to cry. It really defies the limits of my understanding that superficial, indecisive, incapable, is the best this country can produce.

That was one of the best questions asked because it took away his expected and glib response, "trading Sammy Sosa," and left Bush having to actually think and make up a response live.

I swear I saw beads of sweat on his brow....

http://bushspeaks.com/home.asp?did=132

> That was one of the best questions asked because it took
> away his expected and glib response, "trading Sammy Sosa,"

Excellent point. That *was* rather deft of the reporter.

Koppel over on Nightline also pointed out how David Gregory asked a followup question to one asked by Terry Moran, something which apparently (and amazingly!) isn't done very often.

Is this the best we can do?

Is anyone else terrified by the complete and utter certainty of someone who can't name their worst mistake in two and a half years? I can name mine for the last two weeks without even having to try that hard.

Clinton could have answered that question with a lot of humility and humanity, and even Bush 41. Maybe even Reagan, and certainly Carter, or even Nixon. I'm not old enough to really remember Johnson or Kennedy, but I'd have expected a lot more. We deserve better.

Yes, many other Presidents would have fared better, but just imagine trying to come up with a harmless response that seemed credible with any ONE of the following screaming at your consciousness:

- 3,000 dead on 11 September, 2001
- 680 US military deaths
- 103 other Coalition forces killed
- 8,000+ Iraqi civilians killed
- Iraq spiraling toward civil war
- Afghanistan destabilizing and reverting to warlord and
Taliban control, women and girls again facing horrifying
abuse and repression.
- 40% of term spent away from White House
- nearly 3 million lost jobs
- growing, record gap between rich and poor

et frickin' cetera

If I were him, I throw the election the other way!

It was embarrassing. Rice was practically looking at the floor.

I cannot imagine how anyone could defend such a performance. Why would any American of any party want a continuation of that kind of "leadership?"

Notice how FOX threw him a question that helped him and NPR threw the final dagger!

and G.W. has to prove himself better.

The press will pretend it didn't happen and soon, even the people who watched Shrub instead of switching to the Food Channel or the Lawnmower Channel will doubt they really saw it.

Between A$hcroft's strong showing at the 9/11 commission today (lies, I know .. but good TV for the masses) and Bu$h's relatively sober performance (again: I know, I know!), Bu$h's numbers will enjoy a an upswing over the next week (temporary, I hope). Lookit: you know the PC was scripted, I know it was scripted, and Bu$h even admitted to reporter #13 (John with a blue tie) that it was scripted. I bet Bu$h gets a big pass in the mainstream tomorrow. Why not? They played his fucking game tonight.

On a less serious note: Of the 15 reporters recognized by Bu$h tonight (13 men and two women), five men wore blue ties and six wore red ties. One (the last) wore a pink and gray tie. One woman (Ann) wore a bright red dress.

He's so completely fucking clueless. Let's hope the rest of this nation doesn't fall for it.

Many will fall for it. Hook, line, and sinker. Mark my words. But he showed his hand vis-a-vis his campaign. He will campaign on a war and terror platform. I did not see a full-house or royal flush. Not even four-of-a-kind. Tonight might have been Bu$h's Aces-Over-Eights game. It got Wild Bill Hickok. It could get Bu$h.

He coulda smirked through that one sooooo easy.

...for us, I mean. Such a devil-may-care attitude by way of his signature smirk would have shown his obvious lack of concern for those doing the fighting and dying. At least the way he did do it left some wiggle room for interpretation in the minds (?) of those still desperately trying to support him.

of just that question and answer...