Meet the Press

Last night’s press conference was, to be kind, a disaster. The press actually asked some questions vaguely resembling hardballs (although I dearly wanted someone to take the opportunity to ask Bush about Tom DeLay after he asserted he is “proud of [his] party,” but perhaps that’s expecting too much of sleepy bears coming out of their cozy hibernation). The president dodged the toughies, although not terribly adeptly, and was clearly agitated, even as he repeatedly said he “appreciated” various questions. (I began to wonder if “I appreciate that question” was some sort of codespeak for “Karl Rove, please have this reporter killed.”)

Perhaps my favorite part of the entire thing was Bush’s patent refusal to endorse the “judicial filibusters are an attack against people of faith” storyline.

I think people are opposing my nominees because they don't like the judicial philosophy of the people I've nominated.

[…]

I view religion as a personal matter. I think a person ought to be judged on how he or she lives his life, or lives her life. And that's how I've tried to live my life, through example. Faith-based is an important part of my life, individually, but I don't -- I don't ascribe a person's opposing my nominations to an issue of faith.

[…]

The great thing about America, David, is that you should be allowed to worship any way you want, and if you choose not to worship, you're equally as patriotic as somebody who does worship. And if you choose to worship, you're equally American if you're a Christian, a Jew, a Muslim. That's the wonderful thing about our country, and that's the way it should be.

Got that, Bill First? Got that, Dobson? Got that, Freepers?

That last paragraph sounds like something I’d say. I question whether the president believes in the sentiment quite as passionately as I do, but I’m sure glad he said it nonetheless. The dominionists must be stewing in their own juices at that one—hoo boy!

Salon’s War Room also reports today that the mainstream press seems to finally be catching on that this guy isn’t real popular anymore:

Forget the analysis pieces, almost all of which focus on the sorry shape of the president's second-term agenda; notice the hostile tone in the straight news stories today.

Under a front-page headline that reads, "Bush Cites Plan That Would Cut Social Security Benefits," the Times says Bush's press conference "represented an effort to regain control of the national dialogue at a time when Mr. Bush is struggling to push his Social Security plan ahead on Capitol Hill, his approval ratings are falling, the economy is showing signs of slowing and Democrats have become more combative."

The Washington Post leads with the headline, "Bush Social Security Plan Would Cut Future Benefits," and its main news story describes a president clamoring for relevance. The press conference "came at a time of uncertainty for a president facing sagging poll numbers, a slowing economy and general unease about his domestic agenda," the Post says, citing White House aides who say Bush is "concerned his agenda is being eclipsed by congressional bickering."

The Boston Globe says Bush met the press "amid an array of problems, including the stalled nomination of some of his judicial nominees, and of John Bolton to become US ambassador to the United Nations, ethics questions surrounding a key ally, House majority leader Tom DeLay, a sliding stock market, continuing violence in Iraq, and record energy prices."

And the Los Angeles Times headlines its coverage, "Bush Recasts Message on Social Security," then ticks off a litany of problems for which the president apparently has no plan: "The nation's economic growth has slowed. . . . The price of gasoline has soared. . . . Bush's overall popularity has sagged in public opinion polls. . . . The president acknowledged no anxiety over those trends, beyond his concern over gas prices and the economy. 'I'm an optimistic fellow,' he said."

If Bush continues to get coverage like this, he'd better be.

Ouch. I gotta tell ya, Bush looked like a half-cooked goose last night. When the only major policy that is regarded as even remotely successful (No Child Left Behind) is brought up in a question about a teachers’ union filing a lawsuit against it because of its massive funding problems, you know he’s a done tom turkey. (Forgive the mixed fowl metaphors.)

As a side note, the lively discussion in the Big Brass Blog chat room last night was fun. Thanks to Pam for moderating throughout the press conference, and for everyone who joined in. We’ll have to do that more often.