*Ø* Blogmanac | How Bush shuns the media

"Americans can see their president on television almost every day. From policy speeches to White House meetings to photo opportunities on the road with selected groups, the sight of George W Bush is anything but a rarity. But opportunities for the nation's press to question the leader are far less common. Mr Bush holds far fewer briefings than his predecessors.

"He will make comments before or after events - such as paying tribute to the late comedian Bob Hope - and he takes two questions after meeting visiting foreign leaders like Israel's Ariel Sharon.

"Yet the White House can let months go by without giving the press any extended opportunity to ask questions of the president."

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