Avoiding Media at All Costs

    In Fortress Bush, writer Ken Auletta illustrates the resistance George W. Bush and his Administration had towards being transparent and cooperative with the press.  Past White House regimes, such as Reagan and Clinton, embraced the press and aimed to established likable relations with the press in order to obtain positive media coverage.  However, Bush’s relations with media have been intentionally strained and distant.  Disdainful and distrustful of press, Bush dismissed the notion that reporters are a representative source or vessel for public opinion.  Therefore, the Bush staff strategically avoids their questions and gives answers that convey predisposed messages.

            One such tactic includes the Bush Administration’s attempt to focus on speaking “with one voice” to convey the same “talking points” so that the staff transmits the same response to media questions.  The Administration also held daily “pulse check” meetings to reassure that everyone was staying “on message.” Believing that less is more, President Bush became known to respond to public questions with vague, fabricated answers which stick to “the message.”

            In another attempt to avoid the media, the president only held eleven solo press conferences during his first presidency by January 1, 2004, a significantly small number in comparison with prior presidents.  This was done in order to help Bush dodge being in the media spotlight in uncontrolled, formal settings.  Bush representatives, such as Ari Fleischer, a former press secretary, have also been found to avoid questions through humor and giving repetitive remarks.

Through data and observation, Ken Auletta reveals the Bush Administration’s tactics in keeping the press at a controlled distance.  From this evidence, I feel the Bush Administration misled the public by lubricating the whole truth and the facts they wish to deny.

Bush as Media Ringleader

On March 9th of 2003, USA Today's Peter Johnson reported on a news conference that former U.S. President George W. Bush held during prime time. Many local networks and cable stations broadcasted the conference that Bush held in order to answer questions regarding America's stance with Iraq.

After the interview took place, there was a variety in opinions from several journalists who were present at the conference. Some felt as though they were in grammar school once again, by the way the question and answer segment was structured.

" Bush called on reporters from a predetermined list assembled by White House press secretary Ari Fleischer."

Although many questions concerning the war in Iraq may have gone unanswered, the limited contact with Bush, made several journalists feel as though the government was attempting to impose fear and intimidation on the media. White House press secretary Ari Fleischer disagrees with many of the comments made from journalists and said:

"The president just thinks it is actually a more orderly news conference, rather than to have the usual cacophony of everybody screaming, where the person who gets called on is the person who has the loudest voice. ... Reporters were called from all over."

Fleischer makes a valid point in stating that the list enables an orderly news conference, especially because of the nature of what was being addressed at the time. I believe there should be some form of moderation between the distribution of information, along with how far the media should push for information. After learning about what can happen from giving too much or too little of something, (i.e. Vietnam war Coverage, Gulf War Coverage) it is a lot more difficult to find a fine line where both sides can come to an agreement.