Bush Almost Approved Pull-out Bill
By James T. Moore (05/04/07)
No matter where you live, what newspapers you read, or what TV news channel you watch, a monumental faux pas was almost made. It’s impossible to tell where the confusion began or who started it; the media got a message all right, but it could have been dead wrong.
What you read or heard was this: Bush Vetoes Iraq Pullout Bill. As the media explained, in only the second veto in his presidency: George W. Bush vetoed legislation to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq in a historic showdown with Congress. “This is a prescription for chaos and confusion and we must not impose this on our troops," Bush said in a nationally broadcast statement from the White House.
THAT is what the White House said, and THAT is what the media reported. But that was what the media almost DIDN’T report. What the media almost reported by mistake was this: “George W. Bush approves of the legislation to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq in a historic showdown with Congress. This is a prescription for peace in the Middle East and a vehicle for bringing home our troops to protect our own borders,” Bush said in a nationally broadcast statement from the White House.
When the President got wind of these two opposing reports, he went livid and immediately called Ron Eeger, chief of his press corps, and Vice President Dick Cheney, into the Oval Office, and demanded a full and complete explanation of this mixup.
Fortunately---or unfortunately, as some may see it--- a transcript of what was said in the Oval Office was leaked to a few members of the press, and one member, a close cousin of mine, managed to see that I got one.
Here’s what was said:
BUSH: You mean to tell me, Ron, that you almost released a statement to the mainstream media about getting the troops home?
RON: But up until publication, it was arbitrary, was it not, Mr. President?
BUSH: What the hell do you mean by that?
RON: With all due respect, sir, up until the last minute, you were still undecided on whether you would veto the bill or not.
BUSH: I wasn’t undecided. Vice President Cheney was the one arguing for approval of the bill,
CHENEY: I had my reasons, Mr. President.
BUSH: Yeah, and your reason almost made me look like an jackass.
CHENEY: If you will allow me, sir, I’ll explain.
BUSH: Explain. And it better be good.
CHENEY: You never did plan any troop reduction, did you?
BUSH: No.
CHENEY: And your “surge” was just another ploy to keep the public on the string, right?
BUSH: Right.
CHENEY: And your presidential rating is now at a new low all over America. 70% of the population is disgusted and want us out of the war, correct?
BUSH: Something like that.
CHENEY: So I decided that if the media announced that you had approved of the troop reduction, instead of the veto, three things would happen.
BUSH: YOU decided? Well Dick, I know one thing that will happen if your explanation doesn’t cut it.
CHENEY: I’ll live with that. I figured there were four benefits to you, sir.
BUSH: Let’s hear ‘em.
CHENEY: One, people will now see that you really are cooperating with the Congress like they were hoping you’d do.
BUSH: And...
CHENEY: Second, your ratings would immediately go up because the American public would think that you had finally decided to listen to why they voted Democratic.
BUSH: How so?
CHENEY: It would look like you changed our foreign policy, and are eager to bring the troops home, just like the people want, according to the polls.
BUSH: Hmmm. You mentioned four benefits.
CHENEY: This is the really good part: Even if you approved bringing the troops home, you know, sir, that the troops still wouldn’t be coming home anytime soon. That would buy us some time to determine exactly what date to bomb hell out of Iran. That way, Mr. President, you’ll never have to bring the troops home at all. And you would still come off looking like a peace-loving president.
BUSH: Not bad, Dick, not bad at all. So Ron, what do you say about that?
RON: Well, Mr. President, to be on the safe side I had both scenarios written. When it was clear that you had turned down Vice President Cheney’s argument, and that you would veto the bill, I rushed that version to the media.
CHENEY: I’ll save my version, just in case.
BUSH: Okay, Dick. But I’m afraid you still don’t understand the nature of presidential politics.
James T. Moore
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