Bush press conference: Fugue for Correspondents

Like clockwork about two minutes before a presidential press conference, the cacaphony begins: First one network correspondent, then another, then a third--maybe even a fourth and fifth--turn away from the presidential lectern. Facing cameras in the back of the White House press briefing room, each begins talking loudly, taking cues from distant control rooms and responding to studio-bound anchors.

In firm, authoritative voice, they forecast what President Bush is about to say. The audience watching on television generally sees only one correspondent. High quality microphones mostly block out the sound of the rival reporters inches away.

But that is not what it looks like, or the way it sounds, in the press room.

Ken Herman, White House correspondent of Cox newspapers, sat quietly in the briefing room's third row on Tuesday, recording the scene--and sounds--of the run-up to Bush's arrival, as Brett Baer of FOXNews Channel, John Yang of NBC and Bill Plante of CBS chimed in, one by one. Until....

....Until they sounded like a modern-day version of a famous opening Broadway scene--Fugue for Tinhorns, in Guys and Dolls.

--James Gerstenzang

Comments

[Wayne]

No post about Bush claiming executive privilege on the CIA leak case today in the face of a Congressional subpoena?

He's morphed into Dick Nixon and not a peep about it here?

Sigh.