I've been reading the transcript of President Bush's Wednesday press conference, in which he, among other things, announces his intentions to restrict the legal definition of marriage, making the term applicable only for heterosexuals and ensuring that same-sex couples can't be legally married (which probably thrilled Vice-President Cheney' lesbian daughter and her partner, and even Cheney himself, who had said just the opposite in a past debate). And what struck me about the question that provoked Bush's typically deplorable, small-minded response is the incongruity of it, given that the press conference up to that point had dealt entirely with the Middle East, and Iraq specifically. Given the circumstances, "What's your view on homosexuality?" is so ridiculously off-topic that it feels like a planted question whose only purpose was to get the ball rolling on this whole heterosexual marriage thing. And it certainly did get that ball rolling, with the Vatican releasing a twelve-page condemnation of homosexuality, gay marriage, and gay adoption the very next day. It's been a banner week for bigoted hypocritical assholes, in other words, and I shudder to think of where that ball's rolling next.
Anyway. Back at the press conference, someone asked a good question that's been kind of lost in the shuffle since:
QUESTION: Mr. President, with no opponent, how can you spend $170 million or more on your primary campaign?
BUSH: Just watch. Keep going.
QUESTION: And with 15 fund-raisers scheduled for the summer months, do you worry about the perception that you're unduly attentive to the interests of people who can afford to spend $2,000 to see you?
BUSH: I think American people, now that they've realized I'm going to seek re-election, expect me to seek re-election. They expect me to actually do what candidates do. And so you're right, I'll be spending some time going out and asking the American people to support me. But most of my time, as I say in my speeches — as I'm sure you've been bored to tears listening to — is that there's a time for politics, and that's going to be later on. I've got a lot to do and I will continue doing my job. And my job will be to work to make America more secure. Steve asked the question about this al-Qaeda possible attack. Every day I am reminded that our nation is still vulnerable. Every day I'm reminded about what 9-11 means to America. That's a lesson, by the way, I'll never forget, the lesson of 9-11, because, and I remember right after 9-11 saying that this will be a different kind of war, but it's a war. And sometimes there'll be action and sometimes there won't, but we're still threatened. And I see that almost every day. And therefore, that is a major part of my job. And the other part of my job that I talked about is, you know, the economic security of the American people. And I spend a lot of time on the economy, going out and talking to the American people about the economy, and will continue to do so. But, no, listen, since I've made the decision to run of course I'm going to do what candidates do. And we're having pretty good success. It's kind of an interesting barometer, early barometer about the support we're garnering.
What do the events of September 11th have to do with Bush blowing $170 million on his political well-being? Absolutely nothing, of course, but it's a great example of his ability to neutralize a potentially damaging issue by changing the topic of conversation to one in which he's portrayed in a better light. And people DO fall for this, believe me. Joe Shmoe sitting at home in Podunk, Iowa, watching the press conference (if anyone even watches those things anymore), won't remember the $170 million...he'll remember the "Lesson of 9-11." Which is, in a nutshell, "Follow the leader and don't think too much."
Don't mind me, I'm just a bit disgusted. If you are, too, go here and download some fliers and post 'em up. They're designed by my talented and swell co-worker Ari, and maybe it'll make you feel better.
