Open Mike Catches Bush Blaming Syria for Hezbollah Escalation

http://www.truthdig.com/avbooth/item/20060717_open_mic_bush/

Posted on Jul 17, 2006

At the G8 summit for world leaders, President Bush was caught on a live microphone telling Tony Blair that he held Syria accountable for Hezbollah’s actions against Israel.
“What they need to do is get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit and it’s over,” Bush told Blair while chewing on a buttered roll.
Important: This is not a hypocrisy alert. Bush’s unguarded statements were for the most part consistent with his public ones. But it’s still a fascinating glimpse into his manner of interaction with America’s closest ally.

Article

Best video/audio/transcript combo: CNN.com (The video link “The sh_t hear ‘round the world” in the center of the page—not linkable)

Blogger reaction:

The Carpetbagger Report: “The president often comes across as an unsophisticated simpleton in public…but incidents like this…suggest Bush is even less impressive in private.

Juan Cole: Bush’s comments “astonishingly simple-minded”

Washington Post:

ST. PETERSBURG, July 17—President Bush should know that in Russia, someone is always listening. In this case, it was the rest of the world.

During a lunch with other leaders at the Group of Eight summit on Monday, Bush was caught on a live microphone talking in tough, occasionally profane terms with British Prime Minister Tony Blair about the latest conflict in the Middle East. Bush criticized the position taken by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, and said he would soon send Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to the region.

“What they need to do is get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit and it’s over,” Bush says with his mouth full as he buttered a piece of bread.

“Who, Syria?” asked Blair, standing next to the seated Bush.

“Right,” Bush said. Within an hour, the remarks were broadcast on television stations, radio stations and websites around the world.

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