AP's Tom Raum on Bush's upcoming speech and using the military as a prop

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

http://www.michaelmoore.com/words/index.php?id=3127

President Bush is casting about for ways to turn the tide of public opinion on Iraq. He is running into a growing level of skepticism, new strains in Republican unity and more frequent comparisons to the Vietnam conflict of almost four decades ago. A new stepped-up public relations effort has yet to show results. The next event is a prime-time speech on Tuesday at Fort Bragg, N.C., with U.S. troops as his backdrop.

Bush administration officials see the speech as a chance for the president to clearly spell out his goals _ and the stakes _ of a continued U.S. military presence in Iraq. But analysts suggest it will take more than a finely honed speech to revive flagging public support or to reverse an alarming slide in military recruitment.

"I don't think anybody will be able to watch that speech without wondering where is the banner saying `Mission Accomplished,'" said Anthony H. Cordesman, an Iraq expert and former Pentagon intelligence official. A banner hung on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, where Bush, wearing a flight suit, proclaimed an end to major combat in Iraq in May 2003.

Rather than using those in the military as a prop, Bush should "sit down, present a substantive picture of what we are going to do in Iraq, and then have that backed up in detail by members of the Cabinet and by the senior military. Otherwise, the most you can do is to persuade the already converted," said Cordesman, a defense analyst with the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

[6000eliot]

1. I don't understand

why the media didn't call him on this years ago!

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

3. Here's what Chris Matthews said right after "Mission Accomplished"

Weekend of May 3 - 4, 2003

http://www.msnbc.com/modules/chrismatthews/050303.asp?0cb=-s1W109515

MATTHEWS: Let's go to this sub--what happened to this week, which was to me was astounding as a student of politics, like all of us. Lights, camera, action. This week the president landed the best photo op in a very long time. Other great visuals: Ronald Reagan at the D-Day cemetery in Normandy, Bill Clinton on horseback in Wyoming. Nothing compared to this, I've got to say.

Katty, for visual, the president of the United States arriving in an F-18, looking like he flew it in himself. The GIs, the women on--onboard that ship loved this guy.

Ms. KAY: He looked great. Look, I'm not a Bush man. I mean, he doesn't do it for me personally, especially not when he's in a suit, but he arrived there...

MATTHEWS: No one would call you a Bush man, by the way.

Ms. KAY: ...he arrived there in his flight suit, in a jumpsuit. He should wear that all the time. Why doesn't he do all his campaign speeches in that jumpsuit? He just looks so great.

MATTHEWS: I want him to wa--I want to see him debate somebody like John Kerry or Lieberman or somebody wearing that jumpsuit.

Mr. DOBBS: Well, it was just--I can't think of any, any stunt by the White House--and I'll call it a stunt--that has come close. I mean, this is not only a home run; the ball is still flying out beyond the park.

MATTHEWS: Well, you know what, it was like throwing that strike in Yankee Stadium a while back after 9/11. It's not a stunt if it works and it's real. And I felt the faces of those guys--I thought most of our guys were looking up like they were looking at Bob Hope and John Wayne combined on that ship.

Mr. GIGOT: The reason it works is because of--the reason it works is because Bush looks authentic and he felt that he--you could feel the connection with the troops. He looked like he was sincere. People trust him. That's what he has going for him.

MATTHEWS: Fareed, you're watching that from--say you were over in the Middle East watching the president of the United States on this humongous aircraft carrier. It looks like it could take down Syria just one boat, right, and the president of the United States is pointing a finger and saying, `You people with the weapons of mass destruction, you people backing terrorism, look out. We're coming.' Do you think that picture mattered over there?

Mr. ZAKARIA: Oh yeah. Look, this is a part of the war where we have not--we've allowed a lot of states to do some very nasty stuff, traffic with nasty people and nasty material, and I think it's time to tell them, you know what, `You're going to be help accountable for this.'

MATTHEWS: Well, it was a powerful statement and picture as well.

[LightningFlash]

4. The corporate shills talking....

Tweedy the hypocrite talking about Bushitler!

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Look how they've taken back their comments......Trying to save any credability left.

[6000eliot]

6. Disgusting

And these idiots wonder why nobody wants to listen to what they have to say anymore.

[kster]

2. A message to the military people

in the back drop, ARREST HIM AND TAKE HIM IN TO CUSTODY !

[RobertSeattle]

5. Also provides for a "heckle free" audience

Bubble Boy Bush can't stand to hear any heckles or boos - thus the military as a prop.

[OKDem08]

7. well scripted

I am sure he will be well-scripted for the Tues. night speech..doubt it will do much good, though.

[Hekate]

8. Right you are -- the troops are forced to be polite to his face

Individuals would be in a world of hurt if they broke discipline -- which is no doubt the way this penny ante Banana Republican generalissimo truly wishes it would be for American civilians as well.

By the way, the pictures posted in this thread are the first close-ups I've seen that showed the Famous Flight-Suit Codpiece! I missed the original newscast that showed him "landing the aircraft" and striding across the flight deck. Pretty impressive falsies there, Chimpy.

Hekate

[magellan]

9. Well, let those of us who won't be watching know how it goes down

I'd rather be covered with fire ants while having my fingernails slowly ripped off by Jerry Falwell wearing a thong and proselytizing than subject myself to the hell on earth that comes with listening to Bush** smirk his way through one of his self-congratulary speeches from the heart of the Matrix.

Seriously.