The White House and Mr Bush are in a major slump. More than half the American citizens have recognized him for the pathological liar that he is. There is a very popular theme running through the offices and hallways of America: George Bush only lies when he opens his mouth. (I’ve heard this four times in the last 2 work days.)

Recognizing that truth has slowly been catching up with the Bu$h malAdministration, Karl Rove has initiated a new campaign to insure that the WH Press Corps remains solidly on its knees, mouths open obligingly:

President Bush has been holding informal off-the-record sessions with major news organizations over the last several days.

Starting Thursday, he began meeting with groups of about a half-dozen reporters from newspapers, television, news agencies and magazines. They have discussed a variety of issues including the war in Iraq, said a reporter who attended a session.

The meetings, which the journalists have agreed not to describe publicly, have been in the White House residence. They come as several news organizations have assigned new reporters, who had no relationship with Mr. Bush, to cover the White House.

It has been well understood that Mr Bush, who shows nothing but arrogance and contempt for poor and middle class Americans, and for traditional American ideals of Democracy, can be very engaging and pleasant in a one-on-one basis. Meetings of this sort show him to be the charmer that all conmen and snake oil sales men are. And, of course, the WH Press Corps are among the simplest or all American simpletons. They have been serially lied to by every Bu$hCo representative trotted out in front of them, and yet they still can’t help themselves. They are incapable to asking a serious question. Other than for a very few remarkable patriots like Helen Thomas and David Gregory, they don’t have the courage to call “bullshit.” They lap up the lies, murmur “Thank you” like good little boys and girls and then spread the fertilizer around the American landscape, stupidly expecting to see flowers bloom.

A terminally cynical White House knows how to play the levers of obfuscation. The lust for “access” in Corporate media is so all-consuming that even mid-level bureau chiefs are susceptible to the bullshit:

David Bohrman, the Washington bureau chief for CNN, one of whose reporters attended a session, said they were a good idea. "Most of the time, the environments that our reporters deal with the president in are very structured, very managed, and they rarely get to just kick back and have a conversation," he said. "I think there's a lot of value in it for both sides."

He also said he did not see the sessions as compromising. "If something pops up in there that someone wants to follow, they are free to follow up on it," he said.

Let’s stop and think for a second. George Bush is at his best playing “jes’ plain ole folks,” a role he’s been so successful with he should own the copyright on the ploy. And Mr Bohrman is so out of the reality loop that he honestly believes something of substance occurs during these little chat sessions.

Nonsense.

He also said he did not see the sessions as compromising. "If something pops up in there that someone wants to follow, they are free to follow up on it," he said.

Surprisingly, the NY Times, which has been in harsh competition with the WaPo for the last five years over who is the best enabler of Bu$hCo’s crimes, has declined to participate.

The New York Times, which was invited to attend a session today, has declined to participate.

Philip Taubman, the Washington bureau chief for The Times, said in a statement last night: "The Times has declined this opportunity after weighing the potential benefits to our readers against the prospect of withholding information from them about the discussion with Mr. Bush. As a matter of policy and practice, we would prefer when possible to conduct on-the-record interviews with public officials."
Times editors and reporters have participated in such unreported sessions with several presidents, including Mr. Bush, over the years. These have involved both social situations and substantive discussions.

The lads are trotted in, George leaps up from behind his always-empty desk, rushes around the side to stand on the famous yellow carpet they pretend his wife Laura picked out, and smiles, yelling out in a jocular tone, “Hey! Nice to see you guys!” And if any of them have been previously blessed with the ultimate insider’s stamp of approval, a Presidential nickname, George invariably remembers it. Everyone sits around in comfy chairs, has a cup of coffee or two and just shoots the breeze. Since this is informal, naturally it’s all “off the record” which is meaningless, because anything that George Bush says to you today could quite likely be denied tomorrow. Then the lads are oh so very reluctantly asked to leave because Presidenting is hard work, and a few more fools are ushered out, stars in their eyes.

I can see it now: One of these dopey collaborator “journalists” gets home that night and tells his wife: “Honey! It’s so exciting! I got to speak with President Bush today in the Oval Office! He gave me a nickname! I am his for life.”

And yet another nail has been driven into the coffin of American democracy. One more convert turned away from Truth and Justice.

Mission Accomplished