Another Press Conference - Punk Rumors Confirmed

Forcing news out of the president

By Bill Schneider
CNN Political Unit
Friday, August 1, 2003 Posted: 5:51 PM EDT (2151 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In the battle
between President Bush and the
Washington press corps, the president
usually wins.

But every now and then, the press gets its way.
When that happens, it just might be the political
Play of the Week.

President Bush is not too fond of formal news
conferences. White House Press Secretary Ari
Fleischer said on July 14, "These grand news
conferences of the past are designed for a little
more theatre than they are for information."

The president's press conference on March 6 was
stiff and formal -- and, apparently, scripted.

Nearly five months later, the Washington press
corps was clamoring for access to the president.

What about a news conference, clamored The
Washington Post.

What about a news conference, clamored reporters.

By this time in their respective presidencies, Bush's father had held 61 news conferences and Bill
Clinton had held 33.

This president? A mere eight.

So on Wednesday, the White House held a news conference -- at 10:30 in the morning, when
everybody's at work.

The president showed up, on time as usual, sounding kind of chipper. There were some Bush
moments.

When the president tried to talk about al Qaeda operatives, he said, "Kjhalid Sheikh Mohammed.
Abu Zubaida. Ramzi, Ramzi Alshibh, or whatever the guy's name was ... Sorry Ramzi, if I got it
wrong."

And there was an interesting challenge.

One reporter asked, "Mr. President, with no opponent, how can you spend $170 million dollars or
more on your primary campaign?"

Bush responded, "Just watch."

Despite everything, news managed to break out.

On the discredited statement in the State of the Union speech concerning Saddam Hussein's effort
to acquire uranium, the president said, "I take personal responsibility for everything I say, of
course."

And one piece of news the president made to a question he wasn't really asked. He said about gay
marriage, "I believe marriage is between a man and a woman. And I think we ought to codify that
one way or the other. And we've got lawyers looking at the best way to do that."

The press corps forces this president to make news. Man bites dog, and it's the political Play of the
Week.

Most viewers have no idea how frustrating it is for the press corps to be embedded in the White
House, week after week, with no access to the person they're covering.

That's why they're often reduced to shouting questions and sounding rude.