January 23, 2004
THE LARRY ANDERSEN PRESIDENCY (via Timothy):
Remarks by the President to the Press Pool (Nothin' Fancy Cafe, Roswell, New Mexico, 1/22/04)
11:25 A.M. MSTTHE PRESIDENT: I need some ribs.
Q Mr. President, how are you?
THE PRESIDENT: I'm hungry and I'm going to order some ribs.
Q What would you like?
THE PRESIDENT: Whatever you think I'd like.
Q Sir, on homeland security, critics would say you simply haven't spent enough to keep the country secure.
THE PRESIDENT: My job is to secure the homeland and that's exactly what we're going to do. But I'm here to take somebody's order. That would be you, Stretch -- what would you like? Put some of your high-priced money right here to try to help the local economy. You get paid a lot of money, you ought to be buying some food here. It's part of how the economy grows. You've got plenty of money in your pocket, and when you spend it, it drives the economy forward. So what would you like to eat?
Q Right behind you, whatever you order.
THE PRESIDENT: I'm ordering ribs. David, do you need a rib?
Q But Mr. President --
THE PRESIDENT: Stretch, thank you, this is not a press conference. This is my chance to help this lady put some money in her pocket. Let me explain how the economy works. When you spend money to buy food it helps this lady's business. It makes it more likely somebody is going to find work. So instead of asking questions, answer mine: are you going to buy some food?
Q Yes.
THE PRESIDENT: Okay, good. What would you like?
Q Ribs.
THE PRESIDENT: Ribs? Good. Let's order up some ribs.
Q What do you think of the democratic field, sir?
THE PRESIDENT: See, his job is to ask questions, he thinks my job is to answer every question he asks. I'm here to help this restaurant by buying some food. Terry, would you like something?
Q An answer.
Q Can we buy some questions?
THE PRESIDENT: Obviously these people -- they make a lot of money and they're not going to spend much. I'm not saying they're overpaid, they're just not spending any money.
Q Do you think it's all going to come down to national security, sir, this election?
THE PRESIDENT: One of the things David does, he asks a lot of questions, and they're good, generally.
END 11:29 A.M. MST
The most revealing aspect of the transcript is that the White House posted it.
MORE:
Many touched, motivated by Bush's 'optimism' (Meghan R. Musante, Jan 23, 2004, Alamogordo News)
It was Nuthin’ Fancy lunchtime Thursday for President George W. Bush as he approached the counter of a Roswell restaurant, ordered more than $60 worth of ribs and mingled with local patrons after his speech on the War on Terror at the Roswell Convention and Civic Center.Posted by Orrin Judd at January 23, 2004 02:49 PMBush and other officials were escorted by motorcade to “Nuthin’ Fancy” after his remarks were well-received by a large group of New Mexico Military Institute cadets, Holloman Air Force Base and White Sands Missile Range personnel and other guests from around the state.
A small group of people were inside the restaurant when the President and other representatives walked in and ordered some lunch to go.
Bush visited with the patrons for about 35 minutes, taking the time to pose for pictures and discuss issues, Rep. Steve Pearce said.
“People were just walking in and you could see they were just stunned,” Pearce said.
Normally, government officials remain separated from the public by an invisible line, Pearce explained.
But being able to introduce District 2 constituents was just awesome, he said. “And he just loves people and that shows in everything that he does.”
Bush arrived in town on Air Force One at about 9:40 a.m. and made his way down Main Street to the civic center.
He was greeted by loud applause and anxious faces in what Sen. Pete V. Domenici called a historic moment for New Mexico and the entire nation.
Alamogordo resident Sgt. Stephen Miller, currently serving a one-year National Guard assignment at Holloman, was so excited Wednesday night that he couldn’t fall asleep.
Airman Dallas Bowman, also of Holloman, went so far as to call home to West Virginia to brag about her upcoming day.
“I called home and was like ‘Guess what I’m going to do,’” she said.
“It’s not something you do everyday,” Holloman Airman Sonrisa Espinoza said.
Were some of the Democratic candidates to visit Roswell, they would likely have opted for the downtown UFO museum over the rib joint.
Posted by: at January 23, 2004 03:07 PMThe most revealing part is that David Gregory sounds like a zombie. And I'll bet he would have liked the ribs, if he would have just opened his mouth to eat them.
Posted by: jim hamlen at January 23, 2004 03:15 PMGreat stuff. And I believe he paid for it out of his own pocket, unlike some other famous political figures of past and present.
Posted by: Rick T. at January 23, 2004 04:00 PMI swear he gets asked these same questions every day. No wonder he's sick of answering them.
Eat some freakin' ribs guys, and don't forget to leave tip!
Posted by: NKR at January 23, 2004 04:16 PMOh..... My ..... God.
That is rich. I get hacked sometimes, but there are times I just really like this guy.
And I am so glad to see a President forthrightly state that just because I (and anyone else) have the right to ask him (or anyone else) a question, that does not mean that he (or anyone else) is under some absolute obligation to answer it.
Posted by: Andrew X at January 23, 2004 04:43 PMThis is terrific. Bush the Texan Zen master. Whether or not you like his politics, this exchange pretty much puts paid to that hoary old "dumbest President" cliche.
Posted by: R.W. at January 24, 2004 01:20 AMI just blasted Bush on immigration, but I have to admit that I like the man. That so many can despise him so fiercely is just another example of our society's wierd insanity.
Posted by: Paul Cella at January 24, 2004 09:47 AMI'd love to see the reaction from the Euro-philes if Bush were to address President Chirac as "Stretch".
Posted by: Robert D at January 24, 2004 08:28 PMI find it interesting that Oliver Willis posted this exact same exchange as an indictment of President Bush, to show that he really is an idiot. There's a cultural divide for you.
Posted by: Annoying Old Guy at January 25, 2004 12:19 PM