Sorry if I'm behind the tide -- Did * really flip off reporters?

[DaveJ]

I haven't been keeping up too well. How could I? Something like this now seems to be happening daily. Did Bu$h really flip off reporters while walking into a CAFTA meeting? That would be the same thing as flipping of the public who he works for.

[wakeme2008]

1. yes

[DaveJ]

3. Ok

To me this is even bigger than the Bolton issue. If he is going to flip off the public I don't see how he's fit to serve.

[Deja Q]

6. He's got a well practiced hand, doesn't he?

:evilgrin:

[TomPainesBones]

10. No

Bush was giving the thumbs up in response to a reporters question on which way CAFTA was gonna go for him.

The fact that Bush has given the finger before on camera, combined with the mental suggestion from Jay Leno on the Tonight Show, led many to believe otherwise.

[IdaBriggs]

2. Yup. He did. There was some "controversy" over whether it was

a "pen" or his "thumb" but someone took a screen shot, blew it up, and it was DEFINITELY his middle finger. So far his Press Secretary seems to assume everyone is blind as well as stupid, but there doesn't seem to be any real fall-out from it -- per usual.

[Kingshakabobo]

4. I don't think so.

I watched it over and over on my Tivo and the way his arm swings out and up it looks like his thumb.......that's just me.

[noamnety]

5. Yes and No

There is a very clear video of him doing that, that's old.

The more recent incident, while looking much like his middle finger, is his thumb - and according to Keith Olbermann, who wouldn't lie to me, every reporter that was there says it was a thumbs up.

[DaveJ]

7. But they are at least denying it

that's good.

[Captain Hilts]

8. Wasn't that Audie Murphy's unit insignia? (nt)

[noamnety]

9. you mean my avatar?

That's the pattern on a tie that the DU KOEB sent to Olbermann. :D

[Captain Hilts]

11. Yeah. I'm sure it's also Murphy's unit insignia. (nt)

[Lexingtonian]

12. metaphorically, he does it every day

and they still like it, somewhat.

Literally, I think that 'incident' doesn't show anything of the sort.

It's really just a detail of the press starting to feel the hold on their political leashes becoming weaker.

The larger picture is Republican power fraying/diminishing, showing up as a starting to lose hold and confidence of and ability to bully various elements of the lesser political establishments. The judiciary and law establishments left them due to the Schiavo affair. The press has left them over the Gannon and Plame (Rove, Miller) affairs. The military brass has left them over Iraq. The conservative religious establishments are wavering and the business establishments are Frankly Worried.