When was the last Bush press conference? Two months, three days and counting

It has been two months and three days since President Bush has held a full-scale press conference.

Since then, both major political parties have named their candidates to replace him, his administration has embarked on the sort of corporate bailouts that are anathema to Republican philosophy, stocks have spiraled downward, and hurricanes have lashed the Atlantic and Gulf coasts.

White House Press Secretary Dana Perino notes that Bush has taken a couple of questions from reporters here and there since that July 15 news conference.

"I'm sure he misses you all greatly," she said Wednesday, offering a sure signal that a press conference was not imminent.

It's all about the election, she explained.

"I mean, every time that I would think about maybe having a press conference, the news of the day would be such that we might be talking about lipstick on a pig, and the president is just not going to get involved in it."

As for the president's own thoughts on the subject, an attempt was made to elicit them.

Deb Riechmann, an Associated Press White House correspondent, tried at the end of an Oval Office photo session Wednesday with Bush and President Martin Torrijos of Panama.

It went like this, as noted by Ken Herman of Cox Newspapers:

"With all due respect," she said, "you haven't taken any questions since Aug. 6."

"I can't hear what you said," Bush responded.

"This way please, through the Rose Garden," a White House press aide said, trying to cut off the dialogue. 

The president added: "You got to speak with a louder voice. I can't hear you. I'm old."

Here's Herman's video of the encounter:

-- James Gerstenzang

Comments

[EdwinG]

This President should be impeached or recalled immediately together with his VP. For his ineptness and clueless, taxpayers will be shouldering another hundred of billions from Wall Street to Baghdad to the CEO's and political corruption of lobbyist in the highest order.

Our fellow Americans lost money on their 401K's lifetime savings, lost their home on empty promises, lost their jobs due to greediness of people in the top need to be represented from all these bailouts. Election is still three months away, every second counts at Stock Market, every second counts to the people of New Orleans, Galveston, Houston and other towns that suffered from Hurricane Ike. We need a new FEMA and also another financial FEMA or New Sherrif in Town to resuscitate Wall Street.

[Mark]

Yeah, now the reporters want to get tough. Where were you guys 4 years ago when everyone then knew he was worthless??? Why bother getting tough now when in 3 months he's history? There are many reporters that should be jailed for not doing their job as well. Maybe we can fit them and Bush and Co all in the same cell.

[John]

Sometimes I laugh at this president and sometimes I cry because of him. I know in the afterlife he will get it right back to him.. From all the lives he personally destroyed with his own vile hand.

[Kelly]

You all are ridiculous. This man has protected our country from terrorism after the attacks on 9/11 that were certainly not due to his wrongful actions. Why would he get involved during the election? He is doing his job, which is leading our country. Like it or not, you can't blame the economy or the war on one person. This is America. He is a great president and will be appreciated years after his term ends, just like all the other presidents. All of the negative nancies in the media and on these blogs are the ones causing cynicism in our country. Stand up and do something if you feel so entitled.

[Sense]

Impeach Bush? Wahhhhhh. Oh let me cry about it. He was re-elected, deal with it. No, he's not smart or articulate. But that's the kind a person the average American can relate with. Both McCain and Obama both try to claim the other is an elitist. Dumb isn't illegal.

[Travis]

Kelly,
Are you serious? If you're that blind to the government's ineptness, and especially our worthless wonder of a leader, ole' Georgie, then you belong right there with him in all the shame and disgrace that comes with the profound tyranny he's inflicted upon this country and world. Shame on you.

[Gary B]

another member of the 29% or less club heard from

"I can't hear you i am old"
OMG

yukko the clown could do better than that!!

[Louis]

At John @ September 18, 2008 at 01:28 PM -

I once thought like you did, but then I was taught that incompetence does not mean malevolence.

[Brian]

Kelly, you must be living in an alternate universe. I guess your only source of information is FOX news.
Lets hope as soon as he leaves office, some District Attorney try's Mr Bush for the murder of one his/her local citizens that died because of his illegal war. The World wants and deserves justice. God Bless America.

[Proud liberal... sick of Bush and his]

To Kelly.... how do sleep at night believing that Bush is a "great president?" Have you been asleep for the last 8 years? What is great about the war in Iraq that he waged b/c of so called WMDs? What is great about the his budget cuts for Education and Healthcare? What is great about the housing crisis? What is great about the unemployment rate? What is great about his refusal to acknowledge global warning? What is great about his response to Katrina and his oversight of FEMA? What is great about America's reputation throughout the world that has significantly declined since Bush took office? Our country is suffering b/c of he was "doing his job!" What is great about Bush?

[Rams]

Kelly:

"This man has protected our country from terrorism after the attacks on 9/11"
After? Why didn't 'he' protect us from the 9/11 attack itself? By the way, that is part of his job as COMMANDER IN CHEIF. Is it not?

"Like it or not, you can't blame the economy or the war on one person."
True, but you can blame his administration whom are suppose to lead this here 'free' world. (Lead as in forward not backwards)

"This is America"
Exactly!

"He is a great president..."
WOW.

"...and will be appreciated years after his term ends, just like all the other presidents."
Unfortunately, history proves you to be right on this one.
It seems "this" country suffers from short term memory loss.

It's almost unpatriotic to think with your emotions, and leave common sense out of the equation. Shame on you.

[moj]

Kelly, you need to educate yourself. Please --pick up a few other newspapers, listen to BBC and KPFK.ORG - Go on line and read --You are truly clueless - and it's your ignorance that has given these people such power. Peace

[Mark]

With all due respect to Kelly - yes, you can blame it on one man. Bush lied about the war. With deceit he led us into a bottomless conflict and looked the other way as enormous war profiteering took place. We are in danger of losing Afghanistan, which is the war we must win, because troops are either exhausted or spread too thin.
If Wall Street “got drunk” it was he and his party that bought the alcohol and provided the glasses. Bush has got to be totally amoral. The other possible option is just too dark. Either way, he’ll be out of office soon but in the following years we’ll probably hear from him occasionally stating how great everything was on his watch. Sorry, memories aren’t that short.
Right now he’s more concerned with hiring his personal-image PR firm than he is in Galveston, the war (s) or the economy.

[Hugh Briss]

So, if we are to believe Bush, the big fitness freak is now is too old (62) to hear a question from a reporter.

Then why would anyone think it is wise to vote for McCain who at 72 is already showing signs of senile dementia?

The last President to play the "I can't hear you!" game with the press was Reagan, and look how that worked out: he had Alzheimer's in the Oval Office!

[Mike]

If you really, honestly are one of the 20% of people in this country who believe that Bush has been a wonderful president who has done great things, all I can say is I feel very, very sorry for you.

The only people who speak in glowing terms about how wonderful Bush is are either unbelievably ignorant or certifiably insane. While it's true that no one single person can take all of the responsibility, there's also no question that Bush has done more than any other single individual to erode our freedom, destroy our economy, ruin our reputation with the rest of the world, and basically do everything possible to run the country completely into the ground. If you can't accept that a lot of the responsibility for that is his, then you are simply delusional.

[Whys]

President Bush is doing everything he can to duck out of his remaining term before this economic disaster becomes a part of his legacy. USA Today has polls showing that people don't expect their vote for president to be affected by the Wall Street melt down. But what those respondents don't currently realize is today's melt down is tomorrows pink-slips. The next jobs report will look bleak, and the longer term outlook could be rather dire. Mr. Bush is reaching for his executive "golden-parachute", passing out as many bailouts to friends as he can before the whole thing crashes and burns.

[J.J.]

The reply that was made by Kelly stated that Bush protected us since 9\11. Bull. The Bush administration has only taken actions that result in the enrichment of his friends and corporate sponsors. Bush Sr, the Presidents father, is a weapon salesman for the Carlyle Group. Perpetual war is very good for the Bush Family Fortunes. After all, Prescott Bush was indicted and had his companies shut down under the "Trading With the Enemy Act" during WWII. He was a huge supporter of the third Reich. Karl Rove's Grandfather was the actual head of the Nazi party during the same time period. This is public knowledge, and is easily verified. Bush doesn't give a damn about anything but money. The only thing W. will be remembered for is bringing America down to it's knees in eight short years. Anyone who supports this man is either on his payroll, or just plain STUPID. Here is another task for the readers.... Do a search on financial downturns and recessions, then match up the Presidents who were in charge. Republicans were in charge most of the time. Look at the Savings and Loan bailouts at the end of the Regan/Bush era. Look at the gas prices during the fuel shortage in the 70's when Nixon was in office. Republicans are bad for America, bad for the economy, and bad for the citizens. I ask all of you Republicans out there, do you actually LIKE what is happening in this country right now? Your side won't let anything worthwhile pass Congress without a Filibuster or a Veto. America is suffering, folks. And the GOP is the cause. Six years of GOP President, GOP majority in Congress, and GOP majority in Senate. That combination deregulated energy, (Enron, $4 a gallon gas) Deregulated mortgages (sub-prime situation) and now they have a war that they never want to end, because they have a vested interest in selling the tools of War. Will the Last True American Please Take Down The Flag And Turn Off The Lights? Because MY America is dead. We now live in Republika, All Hail George W. the First, Lord Master Disemboweler. Yea, Verily, shall we walk through streets of oil, and it shall soothe us....

[EyesWideOpen]

I propose all the anti-American collaboraters who voted for HIM in the last eight years should be permently disenfranchised. Their right to vote should be stripped from them forever. They've proven they don't deserve the right to vote. You'd probably see more humanity in the votes of convicted felons then most of these sociopaths exhibited. And don't say "They didn't know what they were doing up the road in Bergen-Belsen or in Git-mo" it doesn't work. These clowns made no bones about the fact that they were torturing human beings. The people who, knowing this, still voted for them knew exactly what they were doing. Just like the Germans knew. And wait till you hear what the REALLY were doing, how bad it really got. Wait till your children learn of the truly vile, disgusting methods they employed to torture people. They are going to ask you how you could have voted for these animals. But, the real juicy bits will have to wait till after the election to come out. Just wait. You are going to hear all about the Horror...the Horror. Yep, you ain't heard nothing yet, it's all going to come out. So, the ones who voted for them. The ones who voted my nation into the hands of torturers. These supporters of torture, should be publicly reviled, have their heads shaven right on the street, like the French did to their own collaboraters with Evil immediately following WW2. Oiling my clippers right now ...Nuremberg here we come!! God bless America!

[ken benobi]

well it's sure glad to hear/see an American Electorate that is alive and kicking wrt to the state of "democracy" in this democracy. Don't be too mad at ole "Kelly". She's obviously not in pain in any of the ways so many of us are (you know... a shredded constitution, a worthless dollar, a gone/wounded serviceperson, no job, no retirement and no faith in the govt).

Maybe it just hasn't hit her yet. But it will. When it hits her kids. Or her grandkids. Or theirs. Don't worry. It'll happen.

[terry]

The reporter did not understand how get Mr. Bush’s attention. He needed to hold up a sign stating “mission accomplished”. I do not blame him for being in hiding for over 2 months. He is most likely the only sitting president that no one in his own party wants to have campaign for him. Not even a Republican dog catcher with no opposition could win with his help. So now he hides away pouting. The real sign of a leader.

I though that he would only have one record ( the worst President in US history) for his legacy. He continues to surprise me. I’m wondering if he will try to get a triple play. Maybe he will try to take away Bill Clintons record for pardoning the most sleazebags before he leaves office. I know he has got a large list of cronies that only he and God could forgive. Gods reason would be compassion Bush would be profit.

[Gary b]

ignorance surrenders power..................
come on folks let's try to spin this past 8 years in a positive
the bush years are almost past us and I have to say I feel better already
the sun is getting brighter every day...

send in the clowns LOL

anybody but bush

:)

[kgatling]

Kelly is a moron, i think she should go back to school and get an education so she can understand that you don't want a dumb president. God it's people like KELLY who really need a reality check and an education