10.11.2004
Democrats.com Accuses Bush of Prompting
There's an excellent debate going on about whether President Bush is wired during the debates. Debate one drew a modest response to the "T" shaped crease in his back. My roommate, House, even noticed it, but I played it off as a "conspiracy theory" and flat out told him he was wrong. Then, debate two came. Now, I haven't watched it in it's entirety yet(busy weekend), but I've seen some of it. But what I've seen most is the picture that's the talk of the internet. This one:
President Bush seems to be housing a skateboard in his suit. The picture here came from the democrats.com message board. They've posted a number of links to sites about the issue. First up, isbushwired.com(site down at time of post) insists the device is a receiver to let Bush get information and talking points from, most likely, Karl Rove. However, there are other theories, albeit mostly crazy ones that I don't put much faith in. Talking Points Memo said that it might be a medical device of some sort. Other conspiracy theorists out there even claim that it might be body armor. I still stick with the story broken by Salon and covered by the New York Times(sub required) in this article:
What was that bulge in the back of President Bush's suit jacket at the presidential debate in Miami last week?
According to rumors racing across the Internet this week, the rectangular bulge visible between Mr. Bush's shoulder blades was a radio receiver, getting answers from an offstage counselor into a hidden presidential earpiece. The prime suspect was Karl Rove, Mr. Bush's powerful political adviser.
When the online magazine Salon published an article about the rumors on Friday, the speculation reached such a pitch that White House and campaign officials were inundated with calls.
First they said that pictures showing the bulge might have been doctored. But then, when the bulge turned out to be clearly visible in the television footage of the evening, they offered a different explanation.
"There was nothing under his suit jacket," said Nicolle Devenish, a campaign spokeswoman.
"It was most likely a rumpling of that portion of his suit jacket, or a wrinkle in the fabric."
Ms. Devenish could not say why the "rumpling" was rectangular.
Nor was the bulge from a bulletproof vest, according to campaign and White House officials; they said Mr. Bush was not wearing one.
How many strategists talking into an earpiece does it take to win a debate? The world may never know.
President Bush seems to be housing a skateboard in his suit. The picture here came from the democrats.com message board. They've posted a number of links to sites about the issue. First up, isbushwired.com(site down at time of post) insists the device is a receiver to let Bush get information and talking points from, most likely, Karl Rove. However, there are other theories, albeit mostly crazy ones that I don't put much faith in. Talking Points Memo said that it might be a medical device of some sort. Other conspiracy theorists out there even claim that it might be body armor. I still stick with the story broken by Salon and covered by the New York Times(sub required) in this article:
What was that bulge in the back of President Bush's suit jacket at the presidential debate in Miami last week?
According to rumors racing across the Internet this week, the rectangular bulge visible between Mr. Bush's shoulder blades was a radio receiver, getting answers from an offstage counselor into a hidden presidential earpiece. The prime suspect was Karl Rove, Mr. Bush's powerful political adviser.
When the online magazine Salon published an article about the rumors on Friday, the speculation reached such a pitch that White House and campaign officials were inundated with calls.
First they said that pictures showing the bulge might have been doctored. But then, when the bulge turned out to be clearly visible in the television footage of the evening, they offered a different explanation.
"There was nothing under his suit jacket," said Nicolle Devenish, a campaign spokeswoman.
"It was most likely a rumpling of that portion of his suit jacket, or a wrinkle in the fabric."
Ms. Devenish could not say why the "rumpling" was rectangular.
Nor was the bulge from a bulletproof vest, according to campaign and White House officials; they said Mr. Bush was not wearing one.
How many strategists talking into an earpiece does it take to win a debate? The world may never know.
