“On a day when he trumpeted democracy, President Bush noted the vital nature of a free press. Then he got a laugh when the press got stiffed,” the AP reports in a wire story.
Bush joined Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek and President Vaclav Klaus on Tuesday for a joint statement at Prague Castle. They stood at podiums, in a grand hall, before the media.
A Czech moderator quickly kept reporters’ expectations in check.
”This press conference is going to be without questions,” he said. ”Thank you for your understanding.”
That brought a hearty chuckle from Bush, who gave a mock apologetic shrug toward the U.S. press corps.
At the microphone, Bush ticked through a host of international topics. Then he thanked his hosts for ”a chance to discuss these issues with the media” _ apparently a one-way discussion.
Bush did have other chances to field queries. He turned them down.
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