(no subject)

[den]

Why is Bush avoiding the Australian media? Don't ask

Good Onya Mr President. Piss off one of the few friendly Press Corps.

Comments

[charles.livejournal.com]

Bush avoids any encounter with the media he can't control. He's given one TV interview that I know of since becoming President, and that was for Fox, the journalistic equivalent of being hit with a wet paper bag.

There was a great interview on Denton's "Enough Rope" with Helen Thomas, who has been in the White House press corps since the Kennedy era. She had this to say about Bush (http://www.abc.net.au/enoughrope/stories/s941661.htm):

Andrew Denton: Can you give an example?

Helen Thomas: Well, I think that a president should always hold news conferences, because under our system of government, it's the only forum in our society, the only institution where a president can be questioned. It's not like the British system where the prime minister goes before the House of Commons on a regular basis and is questioned. We're the only pipeline to the American people. And if a president isn't questioned, he could be a king, he could be a dictator, he could rule by executive order, and that's not good.

Andrew Denton: How many press conferences has this current President held?

Helen Thomas: Only nine so far.

As for the "friendly Press Corps" here in Australia, the SMH is probably the most left-wing of our major newspapers. It was certainly the only one that allowed any real criticism of Bush or the war in Iraq. I doubt the position of the Murdoch papers is going to change much just because Bush won't talk directly to them: their boss already has his ear.