Life in a Bubble

According to the following article, President Bush does not in fact live in a bubble. He lives in the White House, silly.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S.
President George W. Bush said on Monday that he does not live "in a bubble" and that he is well aware of what is going on outside the White House, rejecting critics' claims that he is out of touch with public opinion.

"I don't feel in a bubble," Bush said in an interview on "NBC Nightly News."

"I feel like I'm getting really good advice from very capable people, and that people from all walks of life ("Cheney, Rummy, and Condi are completely different people") have informed me and informed those who advise me. And I feel very comfortable that I'm very aware of what's going on," Bush said.

But Bush did acknowledge the bubble of security that prevents him from enjoying ordinary experiences.

"I mean you feel in a bubble in the sense that I can't go walking out the front gate and you know, go shopping, like I'd love to do for my wife," he said.

Asked how much television news and newspapers he regularly consumes, Bush moved to dispel a myth that grew a few years ago after he told an interviewer that he does not read newspapers ("I said it, I just didn't mean it. No, that is not a flip flop").

"Every morning I look at the newspaper ("Laura leaves a copy next to the can")," Bush told NBC. "I can't say I've read every single article in the newspaper ("That Beetle Bailey sure does crack me up"). But, I definitely know what's in the news."

"Occasionally, I watch television ("I love it when Chris Berman says, 'He...could...go...all...the...way!'"). I don't want to hurt your feelings. But it's occasionally (Laura limits my telly time)," Bush said jokingly.

"But I'm very aware of what's in the news ("I watch SNL. Boy, I sure am glad that Ferrell guy isn't on anymore"). I'm aware because I see clips. I see summaries," he said. Bush added that staffers also brief him daily on what's brewing on domestic and international issues.

"Frankly, it is probably part of my own fault for needling people ("Uhhh, I wasn't refering to torture there. Torture's bad.") but it's a myth to think I don't know what's going on," Bush said. "And it's a myth to think that I'm not aware that there (are) opinions that don't agree with mine. Because I'm fully aware of that ("Well, yeah. It took five years, but I figured it out")."