WASHINGTON, March 29, 2007
Bush Pokes Fun At Himself At Media Dinner
Acknowledges Low Approval Rating, Attorneys Flap, Other Washington Foibles
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Play CBS Video Video MC Rove Drops It Like It's Hot CBS News RAW: Karl Rove, adviser to President Bush, put on an unusual display of rhythm, rap and beat-boxing during the Radio and Television Correspondents' dinner in Washington, D.C.
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Video Bush Memoir A Pop-Up Book? CBS News RAW: President Bush poked fun at himself and his administration during an annual dinner with the Radio and Television Correspondents' Association in Washington, D.C.
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Video Bush, Rove Take To The Stage President Bush got off some great one-liners that kept audiences laughing, while his top political adviser, Karl Rove chose to rap at the Radio and TV Correspondents Dinner. Katie Couric reports.
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President Bush speaking at the Radio and Television Correspondents Association dinner, March 28, 2007. (AP)
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White House Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove performs a rap song at the Radio and Television Correspondents Association dinner, March 28, 2007. (AP)
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Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and President Bush during the Radio and Television Correspondents Association Dinner, March 28, 2007. (AFP/Getty)
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Interactive Bush Presidency The president's agenda, plus facts, figures, major events and key personalities.
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Interactive History Of Press Freedom Follow the evolving struggles over press freedom in the United States.
"A year ago my approval rating was in the 30s, my nominee for the Supreme Court had just withdrawn, and my vice president had shot someone," Mr. Bush said at the Radio and Television Correspondents' Association dinner Wednesday.
"Ah," he said, "those were the good ol' days."
"That really kind of sums up where this president is right now," CBS News chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer said on CBS News' The Early Show.
The president thanked the association for providing the dinner, "and I'd like to thank Senator Webb for providing security."
Virginia's new Democratic senator, Jim Webb, had to explain this week why an aide was carrying a loaded handgun as he tried to enter a Capitol complex building.
Noting that Vice President Dick Cheney was not in attendance at the event at a Washington hotel, President Bush said: "He's had a rough few weeks. To be honest, his feelings were kind of hurt. He said he was going on vacation to Afghanistan, where people like him."
Cheney's recent trip to Afghanistan was marked by a bombing near where he was meeting with officials.
On the controversy over the Justice Department's firing of eight federal prosecutors, Mr. Bush said: "I have to admit we really blew the way we let those attorneys go. You know you've botched it when people sympathize with lawyers."
Acknowledging Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi at the head table, the president said some had wondered how he'd get along with her. "Some say she's bossy, she's opinionated, she's not to be crossed," he said. "Hey, I get along with my mother."
Looking ahead to life after leaving the White House, Mr. Bush said he might follow President Bill Clinton's lead and produce a memoir.
"I'm thinking of something really fun and creative for mine," he said. "You know, maybe a pop-up book."
Possible titles: "How W. Got His Groove Back," "Who Moved My Presidency?" and "Tuesday with Cheney."
Mr. Bush noted that another person missing from the audience of broadcast journalists was Sen. Barack Obama, the Illinois Democrat running for president.
"Not enough press," the president cracked.
But there was an undercurrent amid the jokes.
"I'd call it 'a bittersweet night,'" says CBS News White House correspondent Peter Maer. "The emotional presence of the late David Bloom's young daughters to help present an award named for their dad provoked many tears among his colleagues. Also hanging over the dinner and a major topic of conversation: the absence of the ailing Tony Snow," the White House press secretary.
On April 6, 2003, David Bloom, 39, an American journalist for NBC television, embedded with U.S. troops in Iraq, died from an apparent blood clot near Baghdad.
Comics from the TV show "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" provided the professional humor. Among other things, they persuaded Bush political adviser Karl Rove to participate in an improvised rap song.
The black-tie dinner, the group's 63rd annual gathering of journalists, politicians and their guests, features political and topical humor.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
More From Politics
Add a Comment See all 108 Comments
- me4prezz,
I couldn't agree more about Kerry. I quess those skull & bones boys live for their vacations because they both take too many.
I believe Kerry fought valiantly in Vietnam. If only he had fought as valiantly for the White House.
It's an emotional topic for me because I'm from Ohio and the fraud there and in Florida and New Mexico was so blatant.After 2000, it would've been nice to have a candidate who would fight them harder. Aside from ending this tragic war, the most important thing the Democratic Congress can do is outlaw all but paper ballots and now! - Reply to this comment
- President Bush and Sanjaya Malakar.. Gee.. I wonder what makes them tick ?? ;)
- Reply to this comment
- The Chairman of GE/NBC ordered his anchor to retract. The exit polls clearly showed that Gore in 2000 & Kerry in 2004 had won.There's more but I'll stop.
Posted by realpatriot1 at 08:34 PM : Mar 29, 2007
I was hoping for Gore, but I am not sure which is worse, Bush or Kerry. Both need some serious psychotherapy. Perhaps Monica could get another internship...... - Reply to this comment
- No he was not elected by the process we have in place.
Voters were intimidated,polls were purposely closed with voters still in line who arrived during poll open hours were turned away, votes were disqualified for highly dubious reasons.
Republicans mobs showed up to intimidate vote counters. The Supreme Court stopped the vote count with no Constitutional grounds for doing so. Subsequently, boxes of viable ballots have been discovered in the Florida swamp. Poll workers in Cuyahoga County, Ohio(the most highly Democratic county in America)have been convicted for supressing more votes than Bush won the state by.When NBC declared Florida for Gore, Bush went on tv to say that his bro "promised him Florida".
The Chairman of GE/NBC ordered his anchor to retract. The exit polls clearly showed that Gore in 2000 & Kerry in 2004 had won.There's more but I'll stop.
This is how the process works in tin pot dictatorships, not how it's supposed to in America! - Reply to this comment
- "If we really do think the President that WE all have elected is not qualified..."
Unless you've been living in a cave, you know that Bush lost the popular vote in 2000. He won by a narrow margin in 2004. He's hardly the president that "we all have elected." Nevertheless, he was elected by the process in place and therefore deserves as much respect as his character and behavior dictates so...
Posted by huskerarmy at 03:28 PM : Mar 29, 2007
1. I didn't vote for him. My husband didn't vote for him. My parents didn't vote for him. You get the drift.
2. The first round, he was elected by a technicality. Who knew the Floridians couldn't figure out the voting machines? I voted for Gore.
3. He deserves the same amount of respect he is giving the American people of which he swore to uphold and protect....which is nothing at all. - Reply to this comment
- ha ha ha
...and in today's news, 100 dead in Iraq...
Posted by inventagod at 05:37 PM : Mar 29, 2007
Ah but they weren't "real" people like good ole Texans or Christians! To Bush and his right-wing christian supporters Iraqis are not human beings, they are some sort of sub-human. The same way the look at Palestinians. They care about them only slightly less then they care about our troops who they see as just numbers, but again, not as "real" people. They are missing the compassion portion of their brains. - Reply to this comment
- ha ha ha
...and in today's news, 100 dead in Iraq... - Reply to this comment
- The real embarrassment to Americans are people like you that daily make fun of OUR President. If we really do think the President that WE all have elected is not qualified, shouldn't the jokes be pointed towards you and me (the voters)?
Posted by Patrolmt at 03:12 PM : Mar 29, 2007
He is not MY president. Never was and never will be. I disavow any allegiance to him or his regime. During my life there have been presidents I liked (Clinton, Carter, Kennedy, etc) and presidents I couldn't stand (Reagan, Bush 1, and esp that as*shole Nixon!), but I always said they were my president anyway. Not this as*shole. He is not now, never was and never will be MY president! - Reply to this comment
- "Yes,he was elected by the process WE have put in place to elect our President and therefore deserves my respect because his character and behavior dictates so...
Posted by Patrolmt"
He was put in place by the process, true. And I can respect that process (ie., "democracy"). But that doesn't mean I need to respect the choice. There's a difference. And regarding his character? The guy's an *** so there's nothing to respect there. - Reply to this comment
- Yes,he was elected by the process WE have put in place to elect our President and therefore deserves my respect because his character and behavior dictates so...
- Reply to this comment
- "The real embarrassment to Americans are people like you that daily make fun of OUR President. If we really do think the President that WE all have elected is not qualified, shouldn't the jokes be pointed towards you and me (the voters)?
Posted by Patrolmt"
Um.
We ALL didn't elect Bush.
Just like we ALL didn't elect Clinton. - Reply to this comment
- "If we really do think the President that WE all have elected is not qualified..."
Unless you've been living in a cave, you know that Bush lost the popular vote in 2000. He won by a narrow margin in 2004. He's hardly the president that "we all have elected." Nevertheless, he was elected by the process in place and therefore deserves as much respect as his character and behavior dictates so... - Reply to this comment
Patrolmt
Bush is funniest when he's not trying to be:
"I think -- tide turning -- see, as I remember -- I was raised in the desert, but tides kind of -- it's easy to see a tide turn -- did I say those words?" --George W. Bush, asked if the tide was turning in Iraq, Washington, D.C., June 14, 2006
- Reply to this comment
- "That's the problem with the French... They don't have a word for entrepreneur."
- Reply to this comment
- I like Bush, I really respect him and I like his humor.
This world would be boring if everyone was the same. - Reply to this comment
Bushism:
"Too many good docs are getting out of the business. Too many OB-GYNs aren't able to practice their love with women all across this country." %u2014Poplar Bluff, Mo., Sept. 6, 2004
Bush showing his deep understanding of the complexities problems with the our healhcare system.
Patrolmt
This is one of my favorites. Do you have a favorite?- Reply to this comment
- Must be a paid neocon blitz today.
Didn't the jokes written for George go over well? I admit I laughed but then I appreciate good satire and he can unwittingly provide a lot of it. As an independent I prefer either a good laugh or just the facts.
Some of the rude comments are just sad. In a debate the guy that can't back his facts and succumbs to anger or name calling is usually declared the loser but this is real life.
We all have opinions like a certain part of our anatomy. Let's keep it civil. - Reply to this comment
- Patrolmt,,, Make fun of the President ????
He's only been wrong 99% of the time,,, especially his 5 1/2 yeare War on Terror & Iraq's War of Roses.... Not to mention Trade & Domestic issues, military & Natioal Security as well. - Reply to this comment
- The real embarrassment to Americans are people like you that daily make fun of OUR President. If we really do think the President that WE all have elected is not qualified, shouldn't the jokes be pointed towards you and me (the voters)?
- Reply to this comment
- Here's some interesting un-biased news for those who wish to keep up to date.
5 1/2 Years Later - Bush's 'War on Terror' draws fire as misguided venture.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/2
0070329/ts_nm/security_usa_dc;_ylt=Anh
Zo
9K9Gdbz2XCIfdGX6vnMWM0F - Reply to this comment
Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
