Monday, December 19, 2005

Osadamma, oh don't you cry for me One advantage of reading transcripts of Bush appearances is that you don't have to put up with that simian countenance and the museum of nervous tics and mannerisms that he has become.  But the disadvantage is that his slips and malapropisms usually get cleaned up by the press -- as in this CNN transcript of this morning's press conference: Let me give you an example about my concerns about letting the enemy know what may or may not be happening. In the late 1990s, our government was following Osama bin Laden because he was using a certain type of telephone. And then the fact that we were following Osama bin Laden because he was using a certain type of telephone made it into the press as the result of a leak. And guess what happened. Osama bin Laden changed his behavior. He began to change how he communicated. But what Bush actually said was (soundbite transcribed by me from broadcast, italics added): And guess what happened. Saddam -- Osama bin Laden changed his behavior. He began to change how he communicated. You don't have to be Dr. Freud to figure out what that one means. It's reassuring to know that one person who will never change how he communicates is Bush.  He'll always be truculent, petulant, arrogant, ignorant and mendacious. 1:07:44 PM    comment []