Bush on the SPP

As Chet mentioned yesterday, Bush is up in Canada meeting with Canadian PM Stephen Harper and Mexican President Felipe Calderon, who are also meeting as a group with "a council of corporate executives from each of the countries" which is advocating "broader coordination across North America, from regulatory standards to emergency planning."

Bush was asked specifically about the SPP, and the "growing number of people in each of your countries who have expressed concern about the Security and Prosperity Partnership." His response was to treat it all like a big conspiracy theory and note that he was "amused by" and finds "quite comical" the disparity between "reality and what some people are taking on TV about."


Question: As you three leaders meet here, there are a growing number of people in each of your countries who have expressed concern about the Security and Prosperity Partnership. This is addressed to all three of you. Can you say today that this is not a prelude to a North American union, similar to a European Union? Are there plans to build some kind of superhighway connecting all three countries? And do you believe all of these theories about a possible erosion of national identity stem from a lack of transparency from this partnership?

Bush: [inaudible] We respect, um, each other's sovereignty, um—you know, there are some who would like to frighten our fellow citizens into believing that, um, relations, um, between us are harmful for our respective peoples. I just believe they're wrong. I believe it's in our interests to trade; I believe it's in our interests to dialogue; I believe it's in our interests to work out common problems [condescending chuckle] for the good of our people. And I-I'm amused by some of the, some of the speculation, uh, some of the old, uh, you can call 'em political scare tactics—you been in politics as long as I have, you get used to that kinda technique, where you lay out a conspiracy and then force people to try to prove it doesn't exist. That's just the way some people operate. Um, I'm here representin' my nation, I feel strongly, uh, that the United States, um, is a force for good. And I feel strongly that, uh, by working with our neighbors we can be a stronger force for good. And, um, so I appreciate that question, I-I-I-I'm amused by the difference between what actually takes place in the meetings and what some are trying to say takes place. It's quite comical, actually. When you realize the difference between reality and what some people are talking on TV about.

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Hmm. I can't imagine where he acquired his familiarity with "political scare tactics."

Someone who's "been in politics as long as" he has ought to also know by now that "speculation" and "conspiracy" are inevitable when government operates in secrecy. But, strangely, it hasn't made him any more inclined toward openness. Huh. Figure that.

I'd also like to note that there were hundreds of demonstrators protesting the meeting, who were tear-gassed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. And upon hearing about the protests, PM Harper's response was: "A couple hundred? It's sad."

Birds of a feather.

[Thanks to Petulant for the video.]