Bush: “Is that Sam Donaldson?”

I like reading the quotes in the U.S. News & World Reports. You find people saying all sorts of interesting things. In the August 14-21, 2006 edition, we have the following Bush quote:

“Is that Sam Donaldson? Forget it. You’re a has-been. We don’t have to answer has-beens’ questions.”

The caption under it says, “President Bush, at a ceremony to close the old pressroom for renovation during which past media and White House press personalities like Donaldson, who shouted a question, appeared.”

My first thought was, “What was the question?”

The question appears to have been, “Should Mel Gibson be forgiven for claiming that the Jews start all the wars?” (Source: The Raw Story and YouTube)

My second thought was, “How could a President treat such a distinguished reporter that way? And he may not have to answer ‘has-beens” questions, but he need to answer Citizens’ questions, and Sam is a citizen.”

Well, thanks to the power of the Internet, I was able to see a live video recording of the event on YouTube The entire event was a funny event with the President calling himself a “Crackpot from Texas”. Based upon the video, everything was said in jest.  I do not even think that Sam was asking a serious question but rather just going along with the mood.  Yet, that is not what was communicated by the U.S. News & World Report blurb.

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