I love how Wolf Blitzer and CNN can take you inside a story. They give us a perspective unmatched by the other networks. No wonder they are # 2 in the ratings.

I think it's sad he has to sit and listen to people read him the speech in his earpiece and say it before actually doing it. I mean, yes I practice my speeches, but not when I'm at the podium with the microphone a foot from my mouth and the crowd is looking at me and I don't even have a teleprompter or an earpiece!

Come on, if normal people like mwa can do a speech from memory and a few cliff notes the President shouldn't need to rehearse a speech that is on a teleprompter and coming through his ear piece seconds before the speech is to be given.

Originally posted by Yumi
Come on, if normal people like mwa can do a speech from memory and a few cliff notes the President shouldn't need to rehearse a speech that is on a teleprompter and coming through his ear piece seconds before the speech is to be given.

A presidential speech is a big deal. There is a lot "riding" on a speech by a president. Ever since the famous Nixon-Kennedy debates of the sixties, presidents realized the power of the televised medium but it works both ways. In the sixties, Nixon simply did not "look good" on television whereas Kennedy was photogenic and his personal charisma translated very well on TV.

In this case, I won't say that Bush is the most photogenic president we've ever had. I would expect that he'd practice his speech and I certainly wouldn't fault him for doing so. He's dealing with a press corps that would jump at every mistake. Like any actor, the president -- any president -- needs to rehearse a major speech and I certainly wouldn't fault George W. Bush for doing this.

Yes, "normal" people give speeches all of the time without the benefit of teleprompters and cues given over ear pieces but, face it, the president -- any president -- aren't like "normal" people. Few, if any, "normal" people have the power over life and death, over waging war or making public policies that affect the lives of millions as does a president.

Yes, but when I give speeches I don't, unlike the President, have an ear piece and a teleprompter.

Like I said it is ok to practice a speech, just not while standing on the podium with the microphone a foot from my mouth and the board staring at me. Or in Bush's case practicing with the cameras in your face and the nation watching.

The speech was not meant for the cameras. The cameras cut in inadvertantly. The press corps errored. That is, the CNN cameras accidently began the broadcast while the president was still practicing. This is not all that unusual. It's happened before.

Likewise, you sometimes can get the feed for CNN and some other news shows if you have some sattelite reception systems. You can often see experienced anchors practicing or even asking how some words are pronounced. It's television ...where the audience number in the millions not simply an audience of a hundred or even a thousand. It's television where mistakes "on air" are not received well by an audience, especially when they are made by a sitting president.

Didn't your President say iraq had WMDs on TV? Why is there no upset over that?

And why are these people saying CNN is after Bush because they cut in early?

wow Yumi, you sure sound smart. Why aren't you the president if you can give such good speeches? Meat head!

If you are French you won't understand the relationship between CNN and the President. No need for me to explain.

bwahahha his a dope. Anyone know where i can watch cnns 'X' mark over cheney's face?????

Originally posted by Low Orbit
wow Yumi, you sure sound smart. Why aren't you the president if you can give such good speeches? Meat head!

If you are French you won't understand the relationship between CNN and the President. No need for me to explain.

English is not my first language I think I do quite well. The whole reason I am in America is because my company needed someone with English skills. Your President was born in America and went to your best colleges, what is his problem?

Originally posted by kiMMii
bwahahha his a dope. Anyone know where i can watch cnns 'X' mark over cheney's face?????

As I said earlier in this thread, with CNN's distinct perspective on politics no wonder they are #2 in the ratings.