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Friday, October 26, 2007

Journalists’ group urges Bush to talk to Congo president about attacks on press

By Ken Herman | Friday, October 26, 2007, 12:10 PM

President Bush and Congo President Joseph Kabila met today at the White House to discuss a variety of topics of mutual interest and concern.

The Committee to Protect Journalists wanted Bush and Kabila to talk about ending attacks on journalists in Congo.

“On Monday, Higher Education Minister Sylvain Ngabu ordered police in his office to beat two journalists of the private Horizon 33 TV station, according to local journalists and news reports,” CPJ said in a letter to Bush. “Last week, Information Minister Toussaint Tshilombo summarily banned 22 private television channels and 16 radio stations for alleged noncompliance to national media laws. The decision came without notice or legal hearing, as is guaranteed by the Congolese transitional constitution, according to local journalists.”

See the letter here.

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And please tip your waitresses

By Ken Herman | Friday, October 26, 2007, 09:51 AM

White House Deputy Press Secretary Tony Fratto was ready with the A material at his morning briefing with reporters.

The topic was congressional Democrats’ determination to pass another children’s health insurance bill despite another White House promise to veto it if it does not meet President Bush’s standards.

The Democrats, lead by Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel, says Fratto, are just trying to score political points, not standing on principle, as they claim.

And now here it comes…

“It’s not based on principle,” says Fratto, setting up his zinger. “I think the last principal Rahm Emanuel knew was in his high school.”

Stay up late coming up with that one Tony?

“It just came to me,” he insisted.

Didn’t take long for Emanuel to respond.

“I’ll gladly see my high school principal if President Bush will allow 10 million kids to see a pediatrician,” he said in a statement. “And by the way, after I helped negotiate the bill to create SCHIP, Governor Bush was second to last in enrolling kids in SCHIP, but I do appreciate the lecture.”

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