Communicating the Message - President Bush needs a new press team for his second term.

nationalreview.com ^ | November 22, 2004, 8:21 a.m. | Deroy Murdock

[Robert A Cook PE]

A new "press office" isn't needed in the White House:

It's a new national press corpse in the news orifices outside the White House that's the source of biased, misleading, blatantly false, and redundant repeats of past false charges.

[pissant]

Laurie Dhue

[princess leah]

How about Ann Coulter as Press Secretary?

[pissant]

Ann Coulter, Laura Ingraham, Laurie Dhue, or Monica Crowley. At least the male populataion would pay more attention.

[livius]

I agree whole-heartedly with this. I think the current team has not done very well in getting the Prez' message out, or in responding rapidly and forcefully enough to events. If anything, the press is going to be even more hostile in the second term.

Candidates, anyone?

[YaYa123]

I"ve often been perplexed that McClellan wasn't more forceful with reporters, and that this White House is slow to respond to the lies, spit, and spin from the left... but that's my problem. McClellan's demeanor mirrors his boss.

This President's word is good, even when we think it would be helpful for him to lash out, fight back, and attack his attackers, especially those in the White House Press Corps. He ain't gonna do it. He promised to restore civility to Washington, and he's doing his part.

[livius]

It's true, Bush is rather low key. Although he seems to have become more aggressive lately, I've noticed.

Still, I think a good press secretary should be sort of an attack dog, ready to sally forth and bite the reporters before they bite his boss. Or her boss? Has there ever been a female press secretary?

[wayoverontheright]

Oh please, just give us ONE mouthpiece who, when hearing the words "tax cut for the rich", retorts with....."you sir (madam), are referring to our nation's employers, entrepreneurs and investors".

Just one.

[iopscusa]

Right on-the President's press corp. are absolutely worthless....there is plenty of good news and none coming from that group.

[uncbob]

"This media team has no vision, no guts, and no instincts," complains one Bush insider. "This election should have been a blowout of Reaganesque proportions. Instead, it was a nail biter. There's only one place to point the finger: at the press staff."

I agree as an incumbent with a good economy and fighting a war on terrorism Bush should have been at 54-55% minimum

If it wasn't for the Swifthies he probably would have lost

[uncbob]

I should add this is probably a result of Rove's Compassionate Conservatism and playing Nice Nice

Let's hope he and Bush come to their senses

[bankwalker]

Candidates, anyone?

Mark Levin

[YaYa123]

"Has there ever been a female press secretary?" LOL that you don't remember Dee Dee Myers. She was canned pretty quick.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/clinton/interviews/myers3.html

[counterpunch]

I couldn't agree with Deroy Murdock more.
This has been the most incompetent press office in modern history. At times they were so bad I felt ashamed to be a Bush supporter.

Murdock's PR suggestions were pitch perfect, and I would like to add one of my own.
When Cuban refugees showed up off the coast of Florida in a boat fashioned from a 51 Chevy in July of 2003, President Bush should have immediately granted them amnesty and brought them and their Chevy to the White house for a rose garden press conference. He could have used the opportunity to denounce Castro and speak more broadly about his belief that all people desire to live in freedom.

[Bonaparte]

Too bad Don Rumsfeld has other plans.

[mtntop3]

Affirmative on this NRO article. Bush's initial Press Secretary (?) was first-class; but after his departure, things weren't the same. McClellan is a good man, but he lacked the assertiveness needed to respond to the media's daily attacks.

[livius]

Yer right! A bad one! Of course, with a boss like Clinton...

[livius]

I nominate counterpunch (see post just above yours).

[freedom4me]

"Candidates, anyone?"

We need a Mary Matalin-type person who can handle the press. As much as I detest the Clintonistas, they sure knew how to run a War Room. Bush's people are too "nice". They need to learn to play hardball with the press and learn to get out in front of stories. Unfortunately, they now issue statements after the Prez has been bashed for about a week or so.