Whatever happened to manners?

I was in the truck yesterday when the President's press conference was on, so I listened to part of it. I was blown away at how many times the reporters interrrupted President Bush. Several times he said, "I'm not finished with my answer" or "Can I have a second, please, to finish?"

Okay, so reporters don't like Mr. Bush. Whatever happened to respect for the office of President? This is the highest office in our land. Whether you like the person filling it, whether you respect the person filling it, you owe respect to the office.

When I was a kid, no one in my acquaintance ever called the President by his first or last name. (Okay, I know there was Ike -- before my time -- but that was an affectionate nickname.) Even if they didn't agree with his politics, even if they thought he was a worthless human being, they still gave the office the respect it deserved.

No longer.

Let's set aside that interrupting anyone is rude, or that doing so in private is just as rude as doing it in public. Interrupting the President of the United States in a nationally-broadcast press conference, not because you're arguing with him or want to clarify the question you asked, but because you apparently don't feel his answer is worth finishing, goes far beyond rude.

If I had raised any one of those reporters, I'd sntach him bald. Rachel9:09 AM