Monday, January 15, 2007

Thomas Grills POTUS

Saturday night's plenary featured an unscheduled visit from George W. Bush, the President of the United States of America.


POTUS
After brief introductory remarks on plans to "stay the course in Iraq ... no matter where it may change," the Commander in Chief took questions from veteran White House correspondent Helen Thomas.

>> Watch it on YouTube

HT: You have enthusiastically supported the mergers of the largest media companies. Why do you support letting big media get even bigger?

GWB
: We live in the biggest country in the world and one of the most powerful. That means we have to have a media that's as big as this beautiful country. If we lived in Canada or France we would have a smaller media. But the way the world works is that there are always new folks being born ... And when new folks is being born they need to have louder things talking to them so they have the same understandings.

HT: You have mentioned the problem of the "media filter." What is the media filter and why is it a problem?

GWB
: The "media filter" is what is in-between me and truth. Let me explain to you how the media works. There's a level you have here that is … uhh ... POTUS ... After POTUS you have Congress where my laws go to. Then after that there is a message, and the message has to get out there. Then there is the media filter. After the "media filter" there is a drip funnel.HT: You said in the past that you don't read newspapers. Has that changed in the last few months ... What are you reading now?

GWB
: I been reading a lot lately. Last summer I read three Shakespeares and a Camus. Right now I'm reading the Constitution. It's pretty good so far. There's a couple of things I'd change. ... I have always believed that the future remains in front. But now with the help of these new medias, we no longer have to get to the future by reading.

HT: What do you say to those who claim that your presidency has amounted to a giveaway to this country's wealthy citizens and corporations?

GWB
: What do I say to those people? I say, 'get a job.' And then I say the word freedom over and over again.

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