Dan Froomkin of the Washington Post usually cranks out a pretty good product. With both the Cheney meltdown yesterday, and now a Bush implosion today, Dan's having himself a good old time. Lots of testy, testy, testy words to read here.
If you're video minded, make sure that you click on the link that features an Irish TV interview with an incredibly snarky Dubya. Here's an excerpt from Froomkin's column:
Shawn Pogatchnik writes for the Associated Press: "President Bush defended his decision to invade Iraq and insisted most of Europe backed the move during a tense interview Thursday on Irish television.Carole Coleman pulled no punches in this 15 minute interview. This begs the question: why we don't have any Carole Coleman's working for networks on this side of the pond?
"On several occasions during the 15-minute interview, Bush asked RTE correspondent Carole Coleman not to interrupt him.
"When Coleman said most Irish people thought the world was more dangerous today than before the Iraq invasion, Bush disagreed and responded, 'What was it like Sept. 11th, 2001?' "
Here's the video of the interview with Coleman in the Map Room. Irish television viewers saw it prefaced by a report about how much Europe hates Bush, the "Toxic Texan."
Bush's remark about "this fella Allawi" is precious - and later he proclaims, "You've got democracy in Turkey, you've got a democracy emerging in Afghanistan, you've got a democracy in Pakistan..." Can you find the untruths in that prolaimation?
Seriously speaking, I think Bush's handlers keep him wrapped in such a tight bubble, that the guy doesn't even realize the depth to which many people actually despise him. After watching the interview with Ms. Coleman, you'll perhaps understand more fully how the rest of the world sees our fearless leader.
He's not only snarky, he's scary. This is a side of George W. Bush that you don't see on American TV, because no journalist working for American network television will challenge him like Ms. Coleman.
At the risk of being repetatively repetative, I urge you to watch this interview. The flat out disdain for reality and disrespect for anyone who challenges him should be of grave concern every American.
Update, 2:05AM - for those of you who can't or don't wish to view the interview, a transcript is available on the White House website at http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/06/20040625-2.html (I'm not hot linking to it on purpose; you'll have to cut and paste the url). Tip of the hat to Doug at Whiskey Bar for the pointer. But really, try to watch the actual video of the interview if you can. This is one of those things that you actually have to see to get the tone and nuance.
Picture, 1000 words, yada yada yada.
