ABC Bashes Bush for Turning ‘Cold Shoulder’ to Vermont

Photo of Scott Whitlock.

On Friday’s "Good Morning America," reporter David Wright sought out a socialist, a liberal activist and a Democrat to bash President Bush for failing, thus far, to visit Vermont during his two terms in office. However, he didn’t discuss how President Clinton similarly neglected Nebraska for nearly eight years. Following up on a CNN report about Bush’s "snub," co-host Robin Roberts began the segment by asking why the Commander in Chief was giving the state a "cold shoulder." An ABC graphic continued the complaining, it read, "Vermont Feeling Left Out: Why Won’t The President Visit?

While Wright found time to note that the northern state is "eco-smart and gay-friendly," he managed to ignore the fact that Bill Clinton didn’t visit Nebraska until a little over a month before his term ended. (In its report, CNN did mention this point.) The ABC correspondent spent much of his segment discussing Bush’s absence with Vermont Senators Bernie Sanders and Patrick Leahy, one a Democrat, the other a self-described socialist, and also Ben Cohen, a liberal activist and founder of Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream.

Story Continues Below Ad ↓

Additionally, Wright took a snarky, sarcastic tone throughout the piece. He mentioned that the President "told reporters he'd even consider vacationing in France if his new friend, the French president, invited him." Then, after playing a clip of Bush stating he would like to go mountain biking in France, Wright appeared to treat this as an excuse. He observed, "Vermont is famous for its mountain biking. And it's close enough that the President could ride his bike here from Kennebunkport, Maine."

A transcript of the segment, which aired at 7:18am on August 24, follows:

Robin Roberts: "We’re going to turn now to the great state of Vermont. It has cheese. It has maple syrup and some of the Northeast’s best skiing. What the Green Mountain State does not have? A visit from the President. And the people who live there, none to pleased about getting the cold shoulder from the leader of the free world. Here’s ABC’s David Wright."

ABC Graphic: "Vermont Feeling Left Out: Why Won’t The President Visit?"

David Wright: "If Air Force One gave frequent flier miles, President Bush would have a platinum card. In six years, he's been to 62 countries, some of them more than once. He's been to 49 of the 50 states, many of them more than once."

Howard Dean [Clip from famous "Dean Scream" speech]: "We're going to South Carolina and Oklahoma and–"

Wright: "The President’s been to all the places Howard Dean wanted to go and then some, but never to Dean's home state. But never here?"

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont): "Never here."

Wright: "Why not?"

Sanders: "Well, I think he understands that the people of the state of Vermont have very strong disagreements with his views."

Wright: ‘Vermonters tend to be eco-smart and gay-friendly. They proudly wear Birkenstocks, not cowboy boots. But per capita, Vermont has lost more sons in Iraq than any other state. This month, the President told reporters he'd even consider vacationing in France if his new friend, the French president, invited him."

President George W. Bush: "Of course I would go. Absolutely. Absolutely. Particularly if he could find a place for me to ride my mountain bike."

Wright: "Vermont is famous for its mountain biking. And it's close enough that the President could ride his bike here from Kennebunkport, Maine."

Senator Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont): "We’ve got some of the greatest places for mountain biking you can find. Certainly it would be more challenging than some of the flatlands of Texas."

Wright: "We sought out Ben Cohen, the Ben of Ben & Jerry's. He served up an array of ice cream sundaes to entice a presidential visit."

Ben Cohen (Ben & Jerry’s): "The Delegation Elation, Two Scoops on the Left, One Scoop on the Extreme Left. And that one is Rocky Rove."

Wright: "The reaction in Crawford?"

Gordon Johndroe (White House deputy press secretary): "President Bush loves ice cream. His favorite is bluebell ice cream from Texas."

Wright: "Perhaps the President just doesn't know what he's missing. For ‘Good Morning America,’ David Wright, ABC News, Burlington, Vermont."

Roberts: [Off the video of David Wright eating ice cream.] "David's enjoying it."

Chris Cuomo: "I know. Everything has to be taken seriously. There’s a comment about the ice cream."

—Scott Whitlock is a news analyst for the Media Research Center.


Comments Policy

All comments are owned by whoever posted them and are subject to our terms of use. They should not be assumed to represent the views of NewsBusters.

Viewing options

Select your preferred way to display the comments and click "Save settings" to activate your changes.

hmmmm...

Vermont's still a state?

I thought we let them secede two years ago.

Who knew?!

 

<insert witty signature here>

Stay out

62 foreign countries are enough for one president to visit. Stay out of Vermont.

Left out

What about legal public nudity? Imagine protesters...

JDW

News media: Scoreboard for terrorists

 

Never in Nebraska

As I recall, President Clinton did not visit Nebraska. Where was the uproar?

Allen, Yeah, I mentioned

Allen,

Yeah, I mentioned that in the blog. ABC skipped that fact, while CNN, in their "snub" piece did note, in passing, Nebraska being ignored by Clinton.

Glad ABC Straightened me out....

I didn't realize there was a requirement for Presidents to visit every state.

No RINOs in '08

I didn't realize there was a requirement for Presidents to visit

Funny how the MSM will find any reason to bash the Bushster.

You know, come to think of it, I don't think I've seen Bush march in any gay pride parades! What's up?... does the Pres have something against fags?

"There are two types of people in this country; those who provide freedom and those who enjoy it." MM says...

Yea, I am a little pissed to

Yea, I am a little pissed to find out he went to a few other states

lion's den

Considering the drivel that has spewed forth from Vermont over the last 3 years why would any Republican go into the lion's den without a very good reason.  No matter what Bush did or said in Vermont the Government and the media would attempt to humilate his efforts.

So by Sanders' own

So by Sanders' own statement, Vermonters don't like Bush and disagree with his positions, have no reason to see him...so why is Bush a bad guy for not visiting?  What's the upside for Bush or Vermont?

So, one of

So, one of the least-significant, inconsequential states is screaming the loudest because it demands to be heard?

Quite an analogy for one of Newsbusters' own, isn't it?

 

Maybe they should do some navel gazing

This is a state that keeps electing Leaky Leahy every six years, and if I remember right, voted for Gore and Kerry...

But now they've shot themselves in the foot; he can't go there now, not without looking like he's just doing it because some people are whining about it.

This is just typical...they'll find anything to make Bush look like a cold, mean snob while they run cover for true meanies like The Rapist, Madame Hillary, Mr. Chappaquiddick and any number of other evil Lefties....but what else can you expect from a bunch of brain-washed Liberal propagandists?

I seem to remeber this little story about vermont...

http://newsbusters.org/node/13198#comments

Are they stupid? 

"I hate you!"

"Why wont you love me..?"

Crazy people. 

The American Revolution Continued

Why would one visit someone

Why would one visit someone or someplace where you know it's going to be a bad time, the hosts will be rude and you may have the frightful experience of seeing a bunch of unattractive naked people?  Oh well, these leftists wouldn't visit IN or any other of the "fly over" states because they don't understand the good folks that live there.  VT used to be a nice place to visit but not anymore, it's like visiting SF and I won't spend any more of my hard-earned cash in that place either. 

Vermont? The question

Vermont? The question should be, "If I were president, would I visit Vermont?" No. I wouldent. Nor Boston, not LA, nor SanFran, nor NYC, (the NY country side, yes, but never the half eaten apple).

Save a SeAL, club a liberal!!

Vermont

  I heard they want to secede from the Union.  Where to I send my donation, to help them on their way?

www.goodriddancevermont.com

www.goodriddancevermont.com

"There are two types of people in this country; those who provide freedom and those who enjoy it." MM says...

Actually, Dubyah should try

Actually, Dubyah should try Ben and Jerry's new flavor, which is called "Willie Nelson's Southern Peach Cobbler". No word as to whether it has flecks of marijuana in it...

Despite living less than 2 hours from the Ben and Jerry ice cream factory, we rarely buy the stuff. That's because we can get Gifford's from Maine for half the price. And they make Wild Maine Blueberry ice cream, which is worth waiting for.