Volume II. No. 41
 04-15-04
 No Apology
 { An Ineffective President Faces The Media }
 author: Vance Cureton
 © Copyright 2004
 

  George W. Bush finally made his appearance in front of the television
 cameras Tuesday night. And to no one's surprise { especially those
 American patriots on the left } the President engaged in a wasteful hour 
 -- smack in the middle of primetime -- that yielded absolutely nothing
 of interest. Perhaps because there really was no way to put a positive
 spin on the disaster that has become Iraq 2004.

 The President's press conference was funereal in tone. Bush seemed
 somewhat distracted, at a loss for words at times, and his facial expression
 was pained in response to some questions. As if he finally realizes he 
 is in the midst of a horrible circumstance of his own making, that may 
 well cost him his job. 

 This was the night when the President of The United States could once 
 again have become the leader of the Free World. { emphasis on the word 
 "leader" } The most powerful politician on the planet, a man confident 
 enough to admit that some bad mistakes were made prior to 9/11. In other 
 words, intelligence information that should have travelled up through
 the ranks to his desk, but never did. Bush could have admitted that he 
 was not as engaged - in touch - with his subordinates as he should have 
 been. { that failing isn't a secret, anyway... } Perhaps because of the structure 
 of his staff, as well as his personal style of governance. But similarly to 
 Condoleeza Rice's sometimes blank stare at the 9/11 Commission hearings, 
 humility just does not come easily to this man.

 The President was asked point blank if he owned the nation an apology.
 He never directly answerered, instead rambling incoherently about the 
 pain of the victim's familes, before stating bluntly that Usama Bin Laden 
 was responsible for 9/11.  It was a particularly odd moment -- in that the 
 question was about "him" personally. Not the Al Qaeda leader.

 Again, this was a distracted, less confident Bush. A man in search of the 
 perfect word for the moment. A man apparently with his eye on November 
 2004. And thus, unwilling to show even the slightest lack of resolve.
 Bush, in other than an election year, might have answered some of the 
 questions posed to him in a more forthright - and less formulaic manner.

 Meanwhile in the quagmire that is Iraq, more foreigners have been taken 
 as hostages. Bush no doubt, would describe these actions by insurgent
 forces as mere bumps on the road to Iraqi freedom come June 30th. As if
 the actual hosting-taking wasn't bad enough, Al Jazeera television today 
 claimed to have a graphic tape of the execution of one of four Italian citizens 
 who were captured just recently. 

 Al Jazeera did not air the tape claiming that it was too bloody to show. In 
 time this appalling video will travel along Western intelligence channels 
 -- maybe even all the way to the White House!

 Will anyone in the Bush Administration dare have a look?

 Probably not. Afterall, what you don't know. You can't be blamed for.
 

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