Bush joined Czech President Klaus and Czech Prime Minister Topolanek for a media event this morning in Prague, where each read pleasant statements about friendly relationship between the Czech Republic and the United States. The assembled journalists seemed to be on the leaders’ minds.
Topolanek, for example, mentioned that security, human rights, and peacekeeping missions tend to be “what the media has been paying most attention to.” He added that he’s heard “media speculation” about the visa waiver issue. After thanking Klaus and Topolanek for their hospitality, Bush said, “I thank you for your important discussions, and thanks for giving me a chance to discuss these issues with the media.”
Except, he didn’t discuss anything with the media.
On a day when he trumpeted democracy, President Bush noted the vital nature of a free press. Then he got a laugh when the press got stiffed. […]
A Czech moderator quickly kept reporters’ expectations in check. “This press conference is going to be without questions,” he said. “Thank you for your understanding.”
That brought a hearty chuckle from Bush, who gave a mock apologetic shrug toward the U.S. press corps.
Maybe it’s a problem with translation, but if the reporters aren’t allowed to ask questions, then it really isn’t a “press conference.”
What about informal questions? Dan Froomkin said they weren’t allowed either. As pool reporter Sheryl Gay Stolberg wrote to her colleagues: “POTUS declined twice to answer questions from the ever-helpful David Gregory of NBC, about whether the US is on the brink of another Cold War. Gregory, spurred on by shorter colleagues who were obscured by aggressive Czech photographers, made two valiant attempts during separate photo ops, but POTUS would not engage.”
Typical.