Q & A
There has been quite a bit of buzz because Helen Thomas, a veteran White House reporter who has been black listed by the current administration, finally got to ask George W. Bush a question.
The question she asked was this:
“Q: I'd like to ask you, Mr. President, your decision to invade Iraq has caused the deaths of thousands of Americans and Iraqis, wounds of Americans and Iraqis for a lifetime. Every reason given, publicly at least, has turned out not to be true. My question is, why did you really want to go to war? From the moment you stepped into the White House, from your Cabinet -- your Cabinet officers, intelligence people, and so forth -- what was your real reason? You have said it wasn't oil -- quest for oil, it hasn't been Israel, or anything else. What was it?”
The President’s answer—more of the same:
“A: I think your premise -- in all due respect to your question and to you as a lifelong journalist -- is that -- I didn't want war. To assume I wanted war is just flat wrong, Helen, in all due respect –“
“My question is, WHY DID YOU REALLY WANT TO GO TO WAR?”
The amazing thing shouldn’t be that Helen Thomas asked this question.
The amazing thing shouldn’t be that any reporter asked this question.
The amazing thing is that hundreds and thousands of reporters have not asked this question repeatedly for that last five years.
The amazing thing is that the major media organizations in this country have been asleep at the wheel on this issue. (Note: My appologies to the few reporters that have been asking questions. I know you are out there. It is just depressing that I can count you on my fingers and that you don't get any serious air time.)
The amazing thing is that the American People (that's you and me folks) haven't been asking the questions ourselves, since it is obvious were are not being represented by our "elected representatives" or by the corporate news media.
Q: Every reason given has been proved false, Mr. President. So why did you really want to go to war?
A: Uh...
Q: Every reason given has been proved false, Mr./Ms. Reporter. So why haven’t you been asking the President WHY?
A: Uh...
Q: Why?
A: [insert cricket chirps here]
The question she asked was this:
“Q: I'd like to ask you, Mr. President, your decision to invade Iraq has caused the deaths of thousands of Americans and Iraqis, wounds of Americans and Iraqis for a lifetime. Every reason given, publicly at least, has turned out not to be true. My question is, why did you really want to go to war? From the moment you stepped into the White House, from your Cabinet -- your Cabinet officers, intelligence people, and so forth -- what was your real reason? You have said it wasn't oil -- quest for oil, it hasn't been Israel, or anything else. What was it?”
The President’s answer—more of the same:
“A: I think your premise -- in all due respect to your question and to you as a lifelong journalist -- is that -- I didn't want war. To assume I wanted war is just flat wrong, Helen, in all due respect –“
“My question is, WHY DID YOU REALLY WANT TO GO TO WAR?”
The amazing thing shouldn’t be that Helen Thomas asked this question.
The amazing thing shouldn’t be that any reporter asked this question.
The amazing thing is that hundreds and thousands of reporters have not asked this question repeatedly for that last five years.
The amazing thing is that the major media organizations in this country have been asleep at the wheel on this issue. (Note: My appologies to the few reporters that have been asking questions. I know you are out there. It is just depressing that I can count you on my fingers and that you don't get any serious air time.)
The amazing thing is that the American People (that's you and me folks) haven't been asking the questions ourselves, since it is obvious were are not being represented by our "elected representatives" or by the corporate news media.
Q: Every reason given has been proved false, Mr. President. So why did you really want to go to war?
A: Uh...
Q: Every reason given has been proved false, Mr./Ms. Reporter. So why haven’t you been asking the President WHY?
A: Uh...
Q: Why?
A: [insert cricket chirps here]
posted by Jay Larsen at 11:34 AM
1 Comments:
Besides that answer (or non-answer) by Bush, his comment that when troops are pulled out would be the decision of a future president is just such a cop out.
"Not my mess, not my concern. My successor will inherit this mess - it will be his/her responsibility."
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