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Thumping and Jumping Talking Him DownBy Rick Horowitz Click. " -- who's been tracking a developing story for us at the White House. David, what can you tell us?" "Well, Brian, we've got a situation here that has officials quite alarmed. Apparently President Bush has climbed out onto the ledge of the Truman Balcony, and he's threatening to jump." "David, I want to make sure we understand you correctly. You're saying that the president of the United States is -- " "That's what we're hearing, Brian. We haven't yet been able to confirm the specific threat -- " "The jumping." " -- but that he's out on the ledge of the balcony, yes. We can see him from our position here. And he's holding something in his arms. We're being told that he's holding American security and American prestige in his arms." "Hostages?!"
"Well, it's -- they're being very cautious here in how they're describing it. They're not using that word, and in fact, they're saying that if the president has American security and American prestige in his arms, it's only to protect them, and certainly not to do them any harm." "But of course, if he jumps off the balcony, they go with him." "That's certainly a concern, yes." "David, any information on why he's doing this? Obviously, the president and his party suffered quite a defeat on Election Day -- he himself described it as a 'thumping' -- but was there any indication that he'd taken it quite this hard?" "Not really, Brian. The president's people have described him as 'disappointed' in the results, which is a perfectly natural reaction under the circumstances -- losing the House, losing the Senate. And they've said he's concerned about what it means for his foreign policy." "Iraq." "Specifically Iraq, but his overall approach as well. More and more people -- including some fellow Republicans, as you know -- have been quite critical of his overall approach lately. That may have taken its toll on -- hold on a minute, Brian." "What is it?" "We're -- we're getting word now that -- yes, I can see it. A large black minivan has driven onto the South Lawn, and it's pulling up right under the Truman Balcony, and -- yes, the doors of the van are opening, and a number of people are spilling out. I can't -- " "A SWAT team?" "A study group. I'm being told it's a study group, Brian. The Iraq Study Group." "The Iraq -- " "Exactly. I can recognize Lee Hamilton, the former congressman who's co-chair of the group, and -- and, yes, there's James Baker, the chairman. You've got the chair and co-chair of the Iraq Study Group, and what seem to be at least several other -- " "So Jim Baker is going to try to talk the president down from the ledge." "Apparently." "With a report." "That seems to be the plan, Brian -- find some face-saving way to get him down from there without doing any more damage. And it's really a roll of the dice, given the very complicated relationship between the two men." "Baker, of course, one of the senior Bush's closest advisers." "But he's been important to the current president as well, Brian, as you know. It was Baker, for instance, in charge of the famous Florida recount after the 2000 election, so in some ways, you could even say the president owes him his job." "But reminding him of that...?" "A real risk, under the circumstances. The last thing this president wants is to seem dependent on his father, or on his father's people, to bail him out of a crisis." "It's not like he has a lot of other options at the moment." "Also true." "Sounds as if it's going to take all of James Baker's considerable diplomatic skills to pull this one off, David. So what time can we expect this report?" "Well, that's the other thing, Brian -- not for weeks. They're still talking to people, still coming up with their recommendations." "So the president's going to be out there on the ledge until they're done?" "It beats the alternative, Bri -- " Click. Posted 11/15/06.
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Rick Horowitz
