As Congress returned from a two-week break yesterday, the President held a press conference to scold Democrats for not getting the people’s business done. The President’s advisers had adopted the old “bully pulpit” game plan. They had scheduled another press conference today for the President to repeat his attack on the “do-nothing” Democratic Congress. That story line became moot with the release of the intelligence report. Rather than forcefully browbeating Congress, the President was caught in the media crosshairs.
On the Iranian report, Bush was reduced to muttering:
“I view this report as a warning signal that they had the program, they halted the program. The reason why it’s a warning signal is they could restart it.”That is a sharp contrast to the assertive Bush of Oct. 17, who warned the globe of a potential World War III., a conflict triggered by Iran's nuclear ambitions.
The intelligence report provides the White House a golden opportunity to tone down the rhetoric. Countering past practices, the Administration should embrace the intelligence findings and establish a dialog with the Iranians. Old dogs really can be taught new tricks.
Winding down the occupation of Iraq and forging a working relationship with the Iran would be a great way for the President to spend its last year in office. It would be Bush’s legacy.
The President held 25 press conferences during the first nine-months of this year. That compares to 16 for his first four years in office. The openness policy stems directly from the loss of Congress to the Democrats. Following the rough treatment today, one hopes the President doesn’t revert to his old press-avoidance ways.
A press conference needs to be a two-way street. If Bush thinks he can use the media day-after-day to bash the opposition, he is in for a big disappointment because that gets old real soon. The last thing the White House press corps wants is to be viewed as a pawn of the President.