Laura Bush Discusses Jenna's Wedding During Myanmar Press Conference

A White House press conference given by First Lady Laura Bush took a bizarre and insensitive twist when the focus of the conference, the devastation wrought by a powerful cyclone in Myanmar, switched to Jenna Bush's upcoming wedding. While the reporters and the First Lady bantered back and forth about Jenna's wedding details, MSNBC left up their chyron, saying "First Lady Talks About Deadly Cyclone In Myanmar." They also continued to show images of the devastation in Myanmar while Mrs. Bush offered more information about the wedding, including the "Texas limestone altar" built by her husband.

Watch footage of the press conference below.

Comments

[CocteausTwin]

I guess that is how the rich think. Oh and the dumb@ss media. One would have to wonder if we have any country left to be revived. A Pox on their house!

[editor]

www.therealnews.com

[Bertie1227]

This was a real bizarre press conference. I thought it was about the looming massive humanitarian disaster about to occur in an impoverished nation whose people have been victimised by the military government and by the holier-than-thou - but well meaning - governments in the West. The people needs help. Mrs Bush spent a few words on the disaster and the rest of her speech was a lecture on the sins of the Burmese government. While we all agree that these guys are monsters, is this the appropriate venue for such a tirade? The Burmese people are waiting to hear what the richest country in the world is going to do for them. How about some humility - so that the junta could be persuaded to accept American aid? Is this too much of a sacrifice to be asked of the Bush administration? Here is a note from a Burmese reporter in Thailand:

"The United States, which has led a drive for economic sanctions against Myanmar’s repressive regime, said it would also provide aid, but only if an American disaster team was invited into the country.
The policy was presented by Laura Bush at a press conference.
"This is a cheap shot," said Aung Nain Oo, a Burmese political analyst who is based in Thailand. "The people are dying. This is no time for a political message to be aired. This is a time for relief. No one is asking for anything like this except the United States."

[flanardiente]

Laura Bush doesn't give a rat's ass about dead Burmese, why should she? What do they have to do with anything in her life? I think she's kind of vapid, but harmless in that fluttery Southern-belle mode that seems to define femininity to the permanently adolescent right wing. More to be condemned are the lazy morons who clutter up our TV screens with split screens and streamers and chyrons and can't be bothered to monitor what's going on. And especially those sad little shills filling out the seats that used to belong to real reporters. Laura Bush is a nit. They turn my stomach.

[jaschrod]

And I thought the ignorance was confined to George. Silly me.

[gorgol]

The mere fact that we're going to have to "witness and read about" their daughters wedding..w­hile US soldiers are dying..get­ting maimed..fo­r life....wa­lking with prosthetic­s...soldie­r suicides at record numbers because of this FAMILY FROM HELL., and no, lets not forget all the Iraqi men, women and children killed and maimed because of Bush's incompeten­ce.. .well, the idea makes me want to VOMIT...Ho­w many daughters don't have fathers because of "Bush and Laura"...a­nd yes..I blame her too....she should have run screaming from that White House years ago...

[windyindie41]

C'mon, this is the woman who married G.W. Bush. She lives in the land of denial.

What I can't wait is to see how she is depicted in Oliver Stone's upcomming movie. Since she and her husband were well know drug dealers for many years, and were so out of control that George's parents practically disowned them, and they refused to see them for YEARS.

[snarkopolitan]

The best choice would have been to say thank you for your interest, but this isn't the time. If the First Lady were a more serious, reflective type, she'd have done that. But that person wouldn't likely have been First Lady---not George Bush's, anyway.
What's really worth getting worked up about--- how about the shallow, obsequious, celebrity-wedding addled White House press corps?

[ErnestineBass]

I found it telling that Georgie Boy trotted the little lady out to lambast Myanmar's ruling junta for IT'S failures before and after the storm.

What a cowardly act on the part of the Preznut.

[ExPatriot70]

give her a break, she is a perfect Stepford Wife,

[Dendera]

The fault lies with the news producer who was not paying attention.

Now,I don't like the Bushes, but this can hardly be her fault -- she wa answering the questions put to her. MSNBC are at fault for lazy producing.

[HatingTheGame]

Or insightful, doing their job, showing America how disconnected we are from top to bottom to the world's ills and travails.

Think about it. Or not, if you prefer.

I just think her medication hadn't kicked in, and she went off on a tangent unaware that the real world could give a damn.

Don't worry though, the MSM will make it up to her. They'll endless play clips of the wedding, showing happy, shiny faces, drinking champage, with George trying to hide the fact he's drunk with a shit eating grin on his face.

Meanwhile 1000s more will die in some other part of the world, but America couldn't give a damn.

After all, we have a joyous wedding to celebrate.

[NickCatal]

Exactly

The first lady's job is NOT to handle issues of worldly importance. It is to talk about her daughters wedding and how excited everyone is, and then let the elected/appointed people do their work.

[dadw5boys]

She is there to provide a distraction from Bush's bad press thats all!

[brijit]

Are you saying that being a first lady doesn't qualify you to be president?

[coexistor]

Jsomerville and Nickcatal, that is BS! A woman in her position should recognize when it is appropriate to deflect questions like this and tell them she would talk about it later. A gazillion people died, and she's going on about some limestone altar! Disgusting.

[jsomerville5]

I would tend to give her a break here. She was asked the question and she answered it. The wedding is just 4 days from now. A wedding is a big deal for any mother.

[jaschrod]

I do not know which country we are going to borrow money from in order to help the people in need. She never touched on that issue. Probably won't be Russia, since we already owe them over 500 billion. Probably won't be Japan, since we owe them more than we owe Russia.Pro­bably won't be Mexico, since we already owe them over 60 billion. Maybe we can borrow from Cuba.

[MrMilesLong]

One thing about Laura Bush: she's one good-looking lady -- with bosoms til Tuesday!

[1differentdrummer]

To each his own.

[4wehttam]

My sentiments exactly.

[cartach]

Which is yours,the left one or the right one?

[Rog49Thomas]

Yes, indeed, this is what passes in our country for controversy.

But once again the really substantive issue was ignored by the MSM, where in God's name was her flag lapel pin? And what about the girl in her senior class who returned a book late to the library? What sort of First Lady would have friends (well, OK classmates) like that?

Any adults out there?

Just one?

[Maya2008]

How very strange. It's really rather sad. That these type of people are in power.

[TNT2008]

I couldn't agree more!

[jaschrod]

Who put them there?

[ejay579]

Actually, I found Laura's handling of the press very engaging. And, in fairness to her I believe she said she would take one more question on topic,which she did, and was trying to leave when asked about her daughter's wedding My opinion - at least one civil Bush.

[goodtomeetyou]

"Don't be so hard on her. What were you expecting her to say......R­eally guys as much as I'd like to talk about that wonderful day, this is just not the appropriate forum.....­.maybe a later date." ...posted by ann1 I agree.

[HatingTheGame]

Uh, yes. That would have been, how you say, appropriate.

But that's beyond the pale.

[tjwdraws]

"appropriate" behavior is not a bush family trait.

[bella]

I dont care too much for Mrs. Bush myself, but really folks...ge­t a grip. If she didnt answer the reporters question you'd all be calling her a bitc* for not responding to the question. Just say'n.

[HatingTheGame]

I wouldn't. I'd call her appropriate, in tune with the tragedies of the day.