George W. Bush Invigorating Ameria's Youth

March 31, 2004 2:17 PM

George W. Bush Invigorating Ameria's Youth On Monday David Letterman aired video footage [Real] of an "obviously bored silly" 14-year-old kid goofing off while standing on stage behind the president during a speech. [more inside]
posted by kirkaracha (34 comments total)

According to the Late Show recap:

Last night we showed a clip of the President giving a speech. Behind him stood a lad who was obviously bored silly. The 14-year-old or so yawned, scratched, yawned, yawned, checked his watch, bent over, stared at the ceiling, and then fell asleep during the President's speech. It was very funny. So funny, in fact, that CNN replayed the clip Tuesday during their broadcasts. But, but, but, the first time is was shown, CNN anchorwoman Daryn Kagan reported that the White House said the clip was a total fake, it was merely the Late Show having fun with their ability to edit and do TV tricks. Dave says what the CNN reporter said was an out and out 100% lie. A couple hours later, CNN anchor person Kyra Phillips reported that the kid was at the speech but not where the Late Show had him. Dave again makes the claim, "That's an out and out absolute 100% lie. That kid was exactly where we said he was." It's true. The speech was at a Florida Rally on March 20th at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. Dave is irked that the White House was trying to make him look like a jerk. But he's glad he got his side of the story out in the open.

Here's Dave's commentary [Real].
posted by kirkaracha at 2:21 PM on March 31, 2004

I hadn't seen that, thank you! That was absolutely completely entirely 100% entertaining and hilariously true.

This child represents all of America, watching our watch, yawning. (the only difference being we're also anxious about him destroying the planet, ha - ugh)

Great link, thank you.
posted by Peter H at 2:33 PM on March 31, 2004

we're also anxious about him destroying the planet

'him' being Bush, that is. Not the kid.
posted by Peter H at 2:35 PM on March 31, 2004

There is a disease affecting the White House. Anyone remember Nixon? They were all out to get him, all of them, all the liars out there. . .
posted by the fire you left me at 2:36 PM on March 31, 2004

Hilarious and Letterman will pursue this and it will bring down the Bush Administration (BOREDGATE).

Reminds me of (correct me if I'm wrong) one of Guiliani's inaugural speeches where his child was standing beside him mouthing the speech, word for word complete with arm waving dramatics. Anyone know where to find footage of it?
posted by m@ at 2:39 PM on March 31, 2004

The only really newsworthy thing here is that CNN is calling Letterman a liar and a faker. Why? Who's pushing their buttons to make them do this?

Um, oh yeah, nevermind.

How soon is November?
posted by fenriq at 2:49 PM on March 31, 2004

So maybe this stuff about the Bush Admin telling lies really is true after all. . .

Naaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh.

Just an isolated anomaly, I am sure.
posted by BentPenguin at 2:51 PM on March 31, 2004

This is not the first time I've seen the White House accuse others of manipulating the press. It seems the White House is very sensitive of, aware of and defensive to press manipulation. Wonder why.
posted by stbalbach at 2:52 PM on March 31, 2004

The White House seems to be a tad touchy these days. It would far better serve its own interests to ignore the whole light-hearted episode. Instead, it draws attention to its own hyper-aggressive media-managing zeal.
posted by smrtsch at 2:57 PM on March 31, 2004

Metafilter - absolutely completely entirely 100% entertaining and hilariously true.
posted by Blue Stone at 2:59 PM on March 31, 2004

my ex's little sister was caught on camera yawning behind clinton while her class was visiting him making a weekly radio address. picture made the front page of the WP and LA Times the next day.
posted by whoshotwho at 3:16 PM on March 31, 2004

I'd drag out my failed catch-phrase (you know the one, it starts "Wait a minute..."), but it's just not funny any more (if it ever was).

And I'm still pissed.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 3:16 PM on March 31, 2004

That's some funny shit.
posted by ColdChef at 3:19 PM on March 31, 2004

Read that recap. Later on in the show, CNN contacted them and accepted responsibility for accusing Letterman of making it up, and said that the Whitehouse had nothing to do with it.
posted by John Shaft at 3:20 PM on March 31, 2004

Careful! Also from the recap (further down the page):

During the viewing of that clip, Dave is handed a note. CNN just phoned. The note reads that CNN claims the anchorwoman misspoke. CNN never got a comment from the White House. It was CNN's mistake. Hmmmm. Something's fishy here. Dave is unhappy. He's already called the White House liars and now it's too late to take it back. Uh oh. Dave feels it's only a matter of time before he's taken away in handcuffs and doing the perp walk. Dang you, CNN.

and

Back from commercial, Dave admits to making two egregious errors earlier in the show. 1. He believed that we had enough Schick Quattros for everyone in the audience. Instead the audience will be receiving a razor or candy. And 2. Dave made the statement that the White House had lied to us. We found out during the show that the White House had nothing to do with it.

Looks like the screw up was all CNN.
posted by onlyconnect at 3:24 PM on March 31, 2004

Jinx!
posted by onlyconnect at 3:25 PM on March 31, 2004

Don't blame Bush. Kids are asses. This kid probably was up late at night watching reruns of the Clarke testimony and did not get sufficient sleep. Or his Ritlin level too high. Or he is an excessive self abuser. Leave no wanker behind.
posted by Postroad at 3:26 PM on March 31, 2004

who owns CNN again?
posted by muppetboy at 4:09 PM on March 31, 2004

Last night it looked more like he was calling CNN liars.
The fact is both anchor women made the mistake so it wasnt some slip of the tongue from the first one.
It was written down , said and then corrected before being denied.
Also how the hell did CNN know what was going on the Letterman show while it was being taped. Do they have a live feed of the taping or something ?
posted by stuartmm at 4:15 PM on March 31, 2004

That kid and William Hung should go on tour together.
posted by CrazyJub at 4:20 PM on March 31, 2004

I love it. And what the hell is wrong with CNN? Christ...
posted by Space Coyote at 4:21 PM on March 31, 2004

that kid's not an ass

that shit is boring
posted by Satapher at 5:09 PM on March 31, 2004

I don't believe CNN would accidentally say the White House did it, and I think they lied when they took the blame. Oh, and the kid appears in C-SPAN's footage [Real] of the rally.
posted by kirkaracha at 5:16 PM on March 31, 2004

I bet even as we speak John Ashcroft is desperately trying to find something to charge that kid with...
posted by kaemaril at 6:08 PM on March 31, 2004

What is wrong with CNN? If it is so quick to assume Dave's video was doctored, what about the other stuff it reports? If it was the White House, WTF?

It is sad when you come to trust Letterman and the Daily Show's "fake" news more than "real" news.
posted by birdherder at 6:27 PM on March 31, 2004

Also how the hell did CNN know what was going on the Letterman show while it was being taped. Do they have a live feed of the taping or something ?

That's the strangest part.
posted by Ignatius J. Reilly at 6:45 PM on March 31, 2004

CNN I have no comment on. It just one of the many things I expect from cable news networks. They don't wait to see if something actually is news, they just jump on something and then make it as sensational as they possibly can ... in case it does become a big story (or maybe even to attempt to make it a big story).

Now as far as Letterman goes. He has said that the kid was at the rally. True. He has said that the kid was standing exactly where he is depicted in the video. True (as far as I can tell). What he hasn't admitted to was that the kid was doing everything exactly the way he is depicted or that the video he presented hadn't been altered in any way. I don't doubt that the kid was yawning and rolling his head around, and well ... being a kid at a political rally listening to an adult talk about stuff they don't care about. But has anyone considered that Letterman may have altered it in some way to exaggerate the effect? Some of it does look suspiciously odd. David likes to wiggle around and say things without saying admitting anything.

Personally, I think CNN and the Letterman Show are working together to boost their ratings, but then I'm in an extremely cynical mood today.
posted by Orb at 6:48 PM on March 31, 2004

Looks like the screw up was all CNN.

I don't buy it. I think that CNN was called by the White House, but then had to take the fall and admit to screwing up, because blaming the white house would have resulted in some punishment from Scott McClellan when it came to CNN's White House access.

There's no confirmable evidence the White House called CNN, other than CNN's word. The White House could easily deny they ever said such a thing and publicly claim that CNN was lying. So CNN simply offers a public "mea culpa," and the White House doesn't have to deal with public embarassment and denials. In exchange, the White House promises not to cut CNN off from "the leak of the day." Everyone's happy. Except the public, which has been told a convenient, but made up fable.
posted by deanc at 7:44 PM on March 31, 2004

There's no confirmable evidence the White House called CNN, other than CNN's word.

Release the phone records!
posted by crawl at 8:21 PM on March 31, 2004

Not a bad idea, and it may come to that if more people pay attention and apply some simple logic. Two anchorwomen "misspoke"? Right. Let's see who was talkin' to CNN right before the "misspeaking."
posted by soyjoy at 8:38 PM on March 31, 2004

Tonight Dave said that he has it "on good authority" that it was the White House that called CNN and said the video was doctored.

He then joked that he'll probably end up in the trunk of a rental car.
posted by birdherder at 9:18 PM on March 31, 2004

This child represents all of America, watching our watch, yawning. (the only difference being we're also anxious about him destroying the planet, ha - ugh)

All of america? Try half peter, according to the latest polls. Remember, metafilter does not necessarily represent the american population. It's a very small slice.

This and air america! I am just loving it. Randi Rhodes just chewed out Nader too!

Remember the good times skallas so it will be easier to take when it fails.
posted by Dennis Murphy at 9:27 PM on March 31, 2004

YAWNGATE!

I say impeach the lot of them.

Lying about foreign policy and war is one thing. Lying about Dave is criminal.
posted by geekhorde at 9:36 PM on March 31, 2004

Remember the good times skallas so it will be easier to take when it fails.

Bush Approval Ratings

Zing!
posted by y2karl at 11:13 PM on March 31, 2004