Live Blog of President Bush's December 4 News Conference

December 4th, 2007 10:05 AM

I'll be live-blogging the press conference (mostly just the questions from the journalists as we're focused on the bias) and if a video update is warranted, we'll post one shortly after the conference concludes:

10:44 closes press conference, leaves podium.

10:41: Mark Silva, Chicago Tribune, says reading Bush's body language he can tell he's "somewhat dispirited." Then he says "the facts have failed you" on things he's telling the American people. Quotes Harry Reid. "Are you feeling troubled... credibility gap?"

10:37: unid'd reporter "Wolf" asks about if Bush's personal relationship with the Democrats in Congress is affecting getting legislation through.

10:35: another unid'd reporter named "Wolf" asks Bush to react to 2008 U.S. presidential race

10:35: reporter asks if he discussed Russian elections with Putin

10:33: unidentified reporter asks Bush if in his conversation with Putin if he asked him to not sell uranium to Iran.

10:30: Baier, Fox News: "What does the vote in Venezuela mean for the U.S.? .... What's your reaction to Chavez opponents winning?"

10:28: Bret Baier, Fox News, "Will this NIE not lead to a change in U.S. policy towards Iran or a shift in focus?"

10:25: Unidentified reporter: "Are you setting a different standard in this case" on Iran since the non-proliferation treaty doesn't bar countries have knowledge related to nuclear weaponry

10:23: Ed Chen, L.A. Times, "was the govt. too slow to recognize the subprime mortgage problem" and what steps would he take to address a slowing economy.

10:20: John McKinnon, Wall Street Journal asks if there's anything beyond mortgage payment assistance that Bush administration might be considering.

10:20, Henry, CNN asks a followup to prior question.

10:19: Ed Henry, CNN, asks about Saudi Arabian court sentencing rape victim to 200 lashes. "Did you press them on this case.... If not, did you give them a pass?"

10:18: Raddatz, ABC News, "Why should you trust this intelligence.... Why should you trust it any more?"

10:16: Martha Raddatz, ABC News, "The rest of the world is going to see the lede is that the nuclear weapons program was halted in 2003... weren't you angry?.... How can you possibly think the rest of the world is going to... continue to rally around you and your intelligence?"

10:13: Jim Axelrod, CBS News, asks if at any point anyone in Bush's administration asked him to "back down a bit" on his rhetoric about Iran as a threat.

10:09: David Gregory, NBC News: "When it came to Iran you...warned about the prospect of World War III...Can't you be accused of hyping this threat and don't you worry that that undermines U.S. credibility?"

10:07: Toby Zakaria, Reuters, asks President Bush if he thinks the United States is seen as "the boy who cried wolf" since Iraq had no WMD and Iran halted its nuclear program in 2003.

10:05: Terence Hunt, Associated Press cites new intelligence report showing Iran halted nuclear program in 2003. "Do the new findings take the military option that you talked about off the table?"

10:02: President Bush gives his opening statement, hitting congressional inaction on Iraq war funding, inaction on renewing a law regarding intelligence gathering, inaction on tax to address the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). Bush also mentions that 11 of 12 appropriations bills remain unpassed. "Holidays are approaching, the clock is ticking for the United States Congress..."