Reading The Pictures: <em> Apparently, "W" Still The Bomb </em>

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At some point, we have to ask when enough is (visually) enough.

On Tuesday, George Bush ventured to Cleveland to present a completely incoherent defense of his impotent war. From the looks of the small, otherwise friendly Cleveland Chamber of Commerce audience, Bush caused these everyday Americans to become visibly disturbed during the Iraq portion of his speech. In spite of the live, human reaction, however, the newswire was filled with propaganda visuals like this one, effectively sealing the media-plated conclusion that Bush not only sold his pitch for (still) more time for his so-called policy, but that the President, in Cleveland, is somehow still the bomb.

And then, the shot ABC ran yesterday, keyed to the Cleveland remarks, is almost Orwellian.

I don't go too much for the Freudian, but how -- just at the point where Bush and his recycled war rationalizations have grown completely prostrate -- could ABC feed us such a propaganda protrusion? This late in the game, the way Bush has abused his role as Commander-In-Chief, you would think any reality-loving news organization would think twice before colluding in even one more glad-handed, military-exploiting, power-presuming photo-op such as this.

White House Cleveland transcript and video here.

For more of the visual, visit BAGnewsNotes.com.

(image: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP. Andrews Air Force Base, Md., Tuesday, July 10, 2007.)