Bush’s Slips in TV Talk Indicate He Used a Script

WASHINGTON —  President Bush has shown delight in a free-wheeling, bantering style in meetings with reporters, but it turns out that in some other question-and-answer situations he follows a carefully prepared script.

He had just finished a chat, via satellite-TV hookup, with an Anaheim convention of teachers in Christian schools Tuesday when he complained about a technical foul-up. In doing so he hinted that the questions, and his answers, had been prepared in advance.

“The questions--we have got to get this sorted out. It happened last week, too. Something has gone awry here,” Bush said, referring to technical glitches that occurred during the question-and-answer session.

“I mean, if I can just listen to the questions, I can answer whatever it is. But if I think it is going to be on here, I don’t listen to the question--I just look at this,” he said, apparently referring to a sheet of prepared responses.

An aide explained to him that someone at the convention had “flip-flopped the questions.”

Because an audio link remained in place after the television hookup ended, their conversation could be heard over the audio system used by broadcast reporters at the White House.

Judy Smith, White House deputy press secretary, said afterward that when Bush talks to groups with particular interests, questions and answers intended to deal with those interests are prepared for him.

“The questions were scripted in terms of particular issues (audiences) are interested in, and answers were prepared,” she said.

During his talk with the teachers, Bush reiterated his support of a constitutional amendment to allow prayer in schools, and said he hoped the voucher system, intended to help a student’s family meet the cost of tuition should they prefer private schooling would not result in a sea of red tape for the schools.