Reflections on a Presidential press conference- No. 2


O.K., enough praising the President. The question following the question about the Dalai Lama and mainland China was posed by NBC's David Gregory about the Israeli air attack upon a partly-constructed nuclear reactor in Syria, which was criticized by exactly two countries- Syria and North Korea. Here was the exchange:


Q There's a report today from Israel Army Radio indicating that the Syrians have confirmed that the Israelis struck a nuclear site in their country. You wouldn't comment on that before, and I'm wondering if now, on the general question, you think it's appropriate for Israel to take such action if it feels that there is mortal danger being posed to the state?

THE PRESIDENT: David, my position hadn't changed. You can ask me another question.

Q Can I ask you whether -- did you support Israel's strike in 1981 on the Iraqi reactor outside Baghdad?

THE PRESIDENT: You know, Dave, I don't remember what I was doing in 1980 -- let's see, I was living in Midland, Texas; I don't remember my reaction that far back.

Q Well, but as you look at it as President now --

THE PRESIDENT: -- private citizen back there in 1981 in Midland, Texas, trying to make a living for my family and --

Q But you're a careful -- someone who studies history --

THE PRESIDENT: Student of history? I do, yes. No, I don't remember my reaction, to be frank with you.

Q But I'm asking you now, as you look back at it, do you think it was the right action for Israel to take?

THE PRESIDENT: David, I'm not going to comment on the subject that you're trying to get me to comment on.

Q Why won't you? But isn't it a fair question to say, is it -- given all the talk about Iran and the potential threat, whether it would be appropriate for Israel to act --

THE PRESIDENT: Hey, Dave -- Dave --

Q -- in self-defense --

THE PRESIDENT: I understand --

Q -- if Iran were to --

THE PRESIDENT: -- I understand where you're trying to take --

Q -- develop nuclear weapons?

THE PRESIDENT: I understand where you're trying to take. It's a clever ruse to get me to comment on it, but I'm not going to. Thank you.

Q Well, I'm just wondering why you think it's not appropriate to make that judgment, when it's a -- it is a real-world scenario, as we know, since they apparently took this action against Syria --

THE PRESIDENT: Dave. Welcome back. (Laughter.)


Several comments are in order:

- "David, my position hasn't changed. You can ask me another question." Leaving aside the obvious arrogance, what of "my position hasn't changed?" What is his position and why isn't the President letting us in on the secret?

- David Gregory could have asked the President, "Do you support an air attack without explanation by one nation upon another sovereign nation?" Sure, ascribing such legitimacy to inarguably one (Syria) of the world's foremost terrorist states of the late 20th and early 21st century would be ludicrous. but it would have boxed Mr. Bush into a corner. Instead, Gregory asked whether it would be "appropriate for Israel to take such action if it feels that there is mortal danger being posed to the state?" Wordly thusly, this is a softball. The answer can only be: "yes."

- The President said that he "didn't remember what I was doing in 1980." Yes, we know about Mr. Bush and the 1980's. This may have been uncharacteristic honesty.

- David asks "given all the talk about Iran and the potential threat, whether it would be appropriate for Israel to act..." Yes, it's appropriate, especially because the President has been eager to tout this threat, at this very press conference and elsewhere.

- Another softball: whether Mr. Bush supports "Israel's strike in 1981 on the Iraqi reactor outside Baghdad." Since then, we have fought two wars against Saddam Hussein's Iraq, one in response to his invasion of an independent nation (Kuwait) and the other in part because of his alleged possession of "weapons of mass destruction." The only true weapon of "mass destruction" currently is nuclear, raising the specter of the "mushroom cloud" which Bush, Cheney, and Rice would invoke. No nuclear program, no mushroom cloud- except without the Israeli attack in 1981 there may have been an active nuclear program established by Saddam Hussein. Yet, the President was unable to answer the question in the only way possible: "yes."