04/08/2002 Archived Entry: "Heckling Bush"
From the net:
Three hecklers were led away during the speech, including one who shouted anti-war slogans.
What began as a quest for justice after the Sept. 11 attacks has turned into "a free floating. Permanent global war against any group that our government defines as terrorist," said Maurizio Conti of Knoxville Area Coalition for Compassion, Justice and Peace.
Hecklers repeatedly interrupted Bush's speech at the Knoxville Civic Auditorium; he watched as authorities removed them, but didn't change his standard address on the war against terrorism. The demonstrators shouted: "We won't fight your racist war!"
Bush had to yell at one point as counter-hecklers shouted the protesters down.
The hecklers were escorted from the auditorium by police. They were questioned by Secret Service agents and then released.
Said Bush, "The best way to fight evil is to do some good. Let me qualify that -- the best way to fight evil at home is to do some good. The best way to fight them abroad is to unleash the military."
Additional groups represented at the protest included People Against Animal Cruelty and Torture, Food Not Bombs, Justice-Peace-Integrity of Creation, Katuah Earth First!, Local Alliance for Mid-East Peace, the Oak Ridge Environmental Peace Alliance, Tennessee Citizens Against State Killing.
Replies: 1 Comment
"You don't correct the president."
But the White House does. Both goofs, and accompanying laughter, were stricken from the record -- deus ex machina -- in the official White House transcripts.
A similar sanitizing occurred the day before, in Knoxville, Tenn., when Bush was interrupted by hecklers shouting about Enron and the counterterrorism campaign -- an unusual occurrence noted in news accounts of the speech. Federal News Service, a private organization, transcribed the boos, shouts and cheers, along with the president's struggle to deliver his lines:
[PRESIDENT BUSH]: I've come to highlight what works, so others around the country, if they're interested in --
MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE: (Chanting.) (Inaudible.)
PRESIDENT BUSH: -- if you're interested --
MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE: (Chanting.) (Inaudible.)
PRESIDENT BUSH: -- if you're interested in doing what is right to encourage your citizens to become involved -- (chanting continues from the audience) -- and so I want to thank the city of Knoxville, Tennessee, for showing Americans -- (chanting continues from the audience) -- for showing Americans how best to help their communities. (Cheers, applause.)
The official White House transcript made no mention of the hecklers or Bush's false starts.
The opposition sees a Soviet-style move to airbrush infelicitous phrases. "These transcripts are done for near-term history as well as long-term history and it's a real problem if they start rewriting them," said Joe Lockhart, a former press secretary for President Bill Clinton. "The White House is rewriting history."
Posted by myDD @ 04/16/2002 10:37 AM PST
