Bush learned of Haditha deaths from press

[johnnie]

"WASHINGTON - President Bush learned of reports that U.S. Marines killed two dozen unarmed Iraqi civilians only after reporters began asking questions, the White House said Tuesday.

Asked when Bush was first briefed about the events in Haditha, an insurgent stronghold in western
Iraq, White House press secretary Tony Snow replied Tuesday: "When a Time reporter first made the call."

More:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060530/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_iraqi_civilians_1


Do they tell this guy *anything*? What an uninformed idiot bush is. It always seems like he is the last to know about what is going on in the country he is the big bad leader of. But hey, at least he is having a private screening of that 9/11 movie. I can't imagine how many knew things he will learn that happened in front of his face while he didn't realize it.

[paparush]

1. Bush** staff insulates him better than an Igloo cooler

[Roland99]

17. The similarites between him and Saddam grow more numerous each day.

[liberal N proud]

2. Does anyone brief this little piss ant?

[johnnie]

4. I guess they figure it is a waste of time

The August 2001 "briefing" obviously did no one any good.

[warrens]

6. Yeah, but they have great deniability

The pinhead can't remember his own name without constant reminders.

[Che_Nuevara]

3. Did it occur to you that by claiming he didn't know about it

he can't be held responsible for it? That is, "I didn't say they could, and I didn't condone it ... hell, I didn't even know! *wink wink*"

[Buzz Clik]

8. bingo. n/t

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

"Plausible Deniability"

His daddy worshipped at the altar of it.

[Supersedeas]

32. Chimps who see nothing, know nothing, hear nothing and do nothing

[johnnie]

11. Oh it occurred to me

Every single time he has proclaimed not to know anything about anything in the last 6 years.

[Imalittleteapot]

27. Exactly. Which is worse,

a President who doesn't know or a President who lies about what he doesn't know?

[madmom]

29. whether he knew about it or not, he is still responsible for what

happens on his watch. After all he is commander in chief, like he likes to remind us all the time.

[Che_Nuevara]

34. That's not actually true.

Because of the custom of Plausible Deniability, the President is responsible for very little of what he actually ADMITS to doing, let alone things he denies doing or even knowing about.

[Buzz Clik]

5. bullshit.

He says that about everything because everyone is willing to believe it and it gives him plausible deniability.

[XOKCowboy]

7. Heck I knew about it since March!

What a total buffoon.

[xxqqqzme]

9. the movie has probably been pre-screened

by staff and edited 2 fit the emperor's knowledge sphere.

[Marnieworld]

10. But this happened in November

If this is an isolated incident wouldn't you think that he would have been told? I guess it's the whole plausible deniability factor they are attempting. As if it matters.

[951-Riverside]

12. THAT LYING PIECE OF SHIT!

Thats his excuse every single time, from sept 11th to Katrina and now this! :mad:

[Marnieworld]

16. As much as I smile at that picture..

I just don't believe it. I mean I know the emperor has no clothes thing is happening but could there be a moment when the emperor has pee-pee pants on and no one says anything? That's a big ol stain there. I envision him pissing himself and daring anyone to say anything. He is that arrogant. Yet would anyone pose for a picture in that state? C'mon you big silly!

[Virginia Dare]

23. Bar flunked at potty training too apparently...n/t

[Nikki Stone1]

13. Yeah. Bush gets everything from the papers...and I'm the Queen of England

We are not amused.

:evilgrin:

[TayTay]

14. Did they make him a DVD?

Like with Katrina? Perhaps they sat him down with his favorite teddy bear and with Laura nearby so that he could look at Mommy for reassurance during the difficult moments. Sigh! Perhaps something with subtitles?

[TriSec]

15. That's surprising....

Hasn't the "president" famously remarked that he doesn't read the newspapers?

[maxsolomon]

19. he reads the front page

and he hears the voices.

what do you want? he's a busy guy!

[symbolman]

18. As usual

He's stated that he DOESN'T READ NEWSPAPERS.. he has people that Brief him..

NOW we hear that he heard about it from reporter..

Okay then, how about FIRING the asshole that was SUPPOSED to tell you?

Or you could FIRE Brownie again, he won't mind, really :)

I'd feel a lot better if SOMEONE accepted SOME responsibility at SOME point in this "Era of Responsibility" (his words)

[Jim__]

20. Why would they tell him?

Would you expect him to do anything?

[Jacobin]

21. I don't find it surprising at all

And, for once, I believe him.

The fools surrounding him are afraid to give him anything but "good news" and he blows up at anyone who doesn't live in his alternative reality of "happy times in Iraq".

Rumsfart was busy trying to cover it up so he wouldn't have to tell Smirky, and the lid got blown off and now they're going to have to deal with it.

Dysfunctional at all levels.

[Ganja Ninja]

22. Same old tired story.

"I was out of the loop." "I wasn't aware." "I didn't know." The time honored Republican/Corporate CEO catch all excuse.

I sure wish we had a leader that knew what was going on and worked tirelessly to keep himself informed instead of a slacker that just mails it in every day.

[Virginia Dare]

24. Ah, yes, the Kenny-boy Lay defense...

plead incompetence, take no responsibility.

Didn't work for Kenny-boy apparently.

[The_Casual_Observer]

25. The fair weather commander. He's only the "leader"

when he wants to be.

[bullimiami]

26. more like bull and shit. he knew. just wait a year or 2.

it will trickle out. oh we briefed him but he didnt 'know', oh he knew but 'not the details', oh he knew all about it but couldnt say anything ongoing investigation and all that...

[Arkansas Granny]

28. This just reinforces my belief that Bush is president in name only.

He isn't the one making decision, he's just the face that goes before the public.

The people who voted for George W. Bush have been punked!

[otherlander]

35. The smiling face on the evil machine?

Yes, it's true, he's not even part of the PNAC, but Rumsfeld and Cheney are.

[rodeodance]

30. Snow also said Bush did not know anything of FBI raid till afterwards.

[newyawker99]

31. I don't believe it. He knew.

[DemoTex]

33. All the more reason to fire Rumsfeld.

It is Rumsfeld's job to brief the president. If Rummy did his job, then Tony Snow is lying. If Tony Snow is telling the truth, then Rummy should be fired tomorrow. It's that simple.

[NastyRiffraff]

36. Two possibilities...

Either he knew, did nothing, and lied about not knowing....

Or he actually DIDN'T know, because he's incompetent and everyone in his administration knows it. Why bother briefing this nincompoop?

Nobody's saying whether or not Cheney knew.

[Faryn Balyncd]

37. I've been reading about it for months before Time reported it

Does he believe the commander-in-chief should have any idea what's going on?


(But then again, lying about wiretaps is the way to protect national security, lying about whether the Secretary of the Treasury has discussed resignation is the way to "protect the markets", so is there any subject on which the president's word can be trausted?)