Posted on 09/15/2005 1:27:32 PM PDT by Uncle Joe Cannon
Reuters Says Bush Photo Not 'Malicious,' Reports Wide Interest In it
By E&P Staff
Published: September 15, 2005 4:30 PM ET
NEW YORK With confirmation today that an accidental photo of President Bush at the United Nations on Wednesday, writing a note to Secretary of State Condeezza Rice about a “bathroom break,” was indeed real, newspapers around the U.S. and abroad are now planning to run it widely. But many, it seems, will treat it as something more than a joke.
A source at the Washington Post tells E&P that the paper is considering it for prominent play tomorrow morning, in the context that, at least in some minds, it raises questions about overall perception of the U.S. at the United Nations, right or wrong. Reuters reports extremely strong interest in the photo today.
The fact is, according to Reuters--and this has not been widely reported--President Bush did indeed take a bathroom break after passing the note to Rice.
This apparently raised some eyebrows around the room, because American representatives (among others) have a reputation for suddenly bolting, though normally for a far different reason than this latest one.
Since the photo first appeared on the Web late yesterday, speculation has centered on whether the bathroom break reference was just a silly joke and who had written and passed the note.
Gary Hershorn, news editor-photos for the Americas at Reuters, told E&P today that the photographer, Rick Wilking, informed him yesterday afternoon that he had observed Bush pass the note to Rice, and a little later, rise from his seat, leave the room, and then return.
And while some have suggested that Wilking, a well-known photographer just back from taking some of the most gripping images in New Orleans, was out to embarrass the president, Hershorn said that the photog had no idea what Bush was writing on the paper. Wilking assumed the president was taking notes on what some other official was saying.
“Rick had no idea what he was shooting, or what Bush was writing,” Heeshorn said. “If Rick knew what he was writing we'd have 25 pictures of this, not two.”
The photo was taken at 12:08 PM and it was Hershorn, about three hours later, who took the trouble to examine the photo closely, noticed the writing, and decided to put it on the wire after 4 o'clock.
The photo, as E&P observed last night in the first story about the incident, shows Bush scribbling in pencil on a note that already holds the words: "I think I may need a bathroom break? Is this possible." Wilking is a veteran Washington photographer who has long covered Bush campaigns and the White House.
As for transmitting the photo, Hershorn says, "There was no malicious intent. That's not what we do."
There's a simple explanation, even a serious one, for all of this, he adds. Bush, he points out, is not used to attending meetings at the U.N. and probably did not know what the protocol was for exiting a room and returning. His question to Rice was “proper” and not all that surprising, “asking someone with more experience there about protocol,” he said.
When Al Gore leaves a meeting, missing an important discussion about possible fund raising violations (iced tea-gate)it's played by the MSM as a defense. When Bush leaves a meeting for the same reason, it's a crime. Am I missing something?
Why would Bush have a pencil-paper conversation with a woman about his need for micturition. It would be inappropriate and out of character for him to do this. I don't believe this is real.
News is no longer TRUTH!
No wonder FNC ratings are going through the roof!
Once again, on display, one of the reasons I love FR....always a witty remark, a funny joke to be had.
I wish I had thought of that one!!! :)
Reuters and the MSM just can't keep their heads out of the toilet, bobbing for turds.....
Where was their interest in "toilet humor" when the great insinkerator was in the White House?
F'em all.
Semper Fi
As has been said here before, Liberals are the biggest racists in America. Black liberals are racists, but white liberals are the worst. If the dims ever got into real power, they'd cast off the minorities as fast as they could.
The latest from Reuters is that the note is authentic and was not meant to be malicious. Speculation is that Bush's "Is that possible?" was a query about just what the protocol at the UN is for leaving for a bit.
Can anyone post the pictures?
Me too!
Technically, Bush didn't lie. During the campaign, whenever reporters pressed him on the question of whether or not he ever took potty breaks, he always deftly changed the subject. This, of course, prompted John Kerry to claim that he had to pee frequently and was immensely proud of the fact. However, many of the men he served with in Vietnam claimed that he had never actually been seen using the latrine in the entire time he was there.
When I heard about this in the morning my first thought was that they had snuck into the restroom and actually photographed the act. Then I learned it was just a photograph of the note mentioning where he was going. All in all, Reuter's could sink lower..and probably will given the opportunity.
I doubt Americans think less of the President. I would wager they are more disgusted at the press about now.
Now the Uncle Teddy gang will be after Bush for urinating, how low can these sore losing Hate Filled idiots go.
http://redburtt.blogspot.com/
What other bits of information or notes are they photographing unbeknownst to the United States?
Maps, secret plans, code words?
And .. the democrats continue their descent into more and more sleeze. I guess they really don't have any plans for winning any elections in 2006 or 2008 - which is fine with me.
"it was 'no big deal' when Clinton masturbated into the Oval Office sink"
She was still a human being...a human being I tell you!
O, the humanity!...
I remeber during Clinton's first Ignaural Parade the mikes caught him saying while in a receiving line that he had to go
Bush can pee farther than Kerry.
Does Hilda ever go to the bathroom?
TinkleGate??
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