Was Bush Wired Up During The Debate? I Report, You Decide.

This story seems to be spreading on the net right now and there hasn't been any conclusive proof yet as to whether its true or not. Personally, if he was I find it incredibly lame. The whole point of a debate is to match wits with your opponent on a myriad of topics. Its supposed to show your command of the facts and your ability to articulate your points.

I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt until, and if, the story is proved true or false. But if anyone needed to be wired up it would be Bush being the elegant speaker he is.

But if he was, it certainly didn't help him any!

Oct. 8, 2004 | Was President Bush literally channeling Karl Rove in his first debate with John Kerry? That's the latest rumor flooding the Internet, unleashed last week in the wake of an image caught by a television camera during the Miami debate. The image shows a large solid object between Bush's shoulder blades as he leans over the lectern and faces moderator Jim Lehrer.

The president is not known to wear a back brace, and it's safe to say he wasn't packing. So was the bulge under his well-tailored jacket a hidden receiver, picking up transmissions from someone offstage feeding the president answers through a hidden earpiece? Did the device explain why the normally ramrod-straight president seemed hunched over during much of the debate?

Bloggers are burning up their keyboards with speculation. Check out the president's peculiar behavior during the debate, they say. On several occasions, the president simply stopped speaking for an uncomfortably long time and stared ahead with an odd expression on his face. Was he listening to someone helping him with his response to a question? Even weirder was the president's strange outburst. In a peeved rejoinder to Kerry, he said, "As the politics change, his positions change. And that's not how a commander in chief acts. I, I, uh -- Let me finish -- The intelligence I looked at was the same intelligence my opponent looked at." It must be said that Bush pointed toward Lehrer as he declared "Let me finish." The green warning light was lit, signaling he had 30 seconds to, well, finish.

Hot on the conspiracy trail, I tried to track down the source of the photo. None of the Bush-is-wired bloggers, however, seemed to know where the photo came from. Was it possible the bulge had been Photoshopped onto Bush's back by a lone conspiracy buff? It turns out that all of the video of the debate was recorded and sent out by Fox News, the pool broadcaster for the event. Fox sent feeds from multiple cameras to the other networks, which did their own on-air presentations and editing.

salon.com...

When you said "wired up" I initially thought you were referring to his bizarre facial expressions and water chuggage. I was thinking you implying that he was "wired up" on a stimulant medication.

However, the photo is very interesting because it spanks of a theory posted in another thread about Bush having an earpiece.

This is certainly evidence that initially appears to support that theory. However, a review of the source material would need to occur before validating or invalidating the evidence.

I wonder if any of our "professional googlers" can locate the source material on a major network website?

MK

Some say a bullet proof vest, but why would kevlar form a "T" like that?

Well, if he was wired up, nobody did him any favors. I cant wait for the debate tomorrow, I love a good side show.

Why does this matter any more than Kerry having a "cheat sheet" ? Silly stuff again that means nothing!

Someone should check ears and pockets as the presidential hopefuls go on stage. Then let the fun begin

Why does this matter any more than Kerry having a "cheat sheet" ? Silly stuff again that means nothing!

Neither one has been proven.

MK

Originally posted by LadyV
Why does this matter any more than Kerry having a "cheat sheet" ? Silly stuff again that means nothing!

For me anyway, in no way I'm I implying that Bush cheated or had an ear piece. I want to differentiate myself from those nuts at the "Kerry - Cheat sheet" thread. I'm just genuinely curious what that "T" is.

It Could Be a Bra


But hey its Bush, The Dude Cheated 4 years ago on the election what makes you think he won't cheat on this one?

Originally posted by LadyV
Why does this matter any more than Kerry having a "cheat sheet" ? Silly stuff again that means nothing!

Having crib notes is one thing, but to have a transmitter attached that gives one opponent a 'lifeline' seems a bit unethical to me. What's the point of having a debate between two people if it ends up being a debate between one person and two?

Again, this is assuming the story is true.

[edit on 113131p://444 by Weller]

That's a great picture Weller...I enchanced it a little here....I think the evidence for being wired is clear...I noticed that during the debate, but never actually saw the wire cascading up his collar...



[edit on 10/7/2004 by EnronOutrunHomerun]

Spock, you're right, but wearing an ear piece didnt do anything for him except confuse him even more (if thats possible). Let him wear the ear piece- When he looks off into the distance tomorrow, utters some nonsense and tells whoever is transmitting to him to "shut up" or can you repeat that, it will just make him look all the more foolish and cause a bigger embarassement to his party.

Originally posted by EnronOutrunHomerun
That's a great picture Weller...I enchanced it a little here....I think the evidence for being wired is clear...I noticed that during the debate, but never actually saw the wire cascading up his collar...

Thanks for the blow up EnronOutrunHomerun. Yeah, it seems pretty obvious to me now too. If it wasn't expressly forbidden in the pre-debate rules I guess he didn't technically do anything wrong, but I feel its lame no matter what.

I've been looking for official debate rules but haven't found anything yet. I think the rules are pretty fluid from debate to debate, meaning different during each Presidential campaign with nothing set in stone as a form of blanket rules. I'm still looking though.

[edit on 113131p://444 by Weller]

Why would it be on his right ear, in view of Kerry? I would think you would want it away from him, if this is the case.

I've been looking for official debate rules but haven't found anything yet. I think the rules are pretty fluid from debate to debate, meaning different during each Presidential campaign with nothing set in stone as a form of blanket rules. I'm still looking though.

Debate rules, PDF file:


Memorandum of Understanding

Ya know....it's funny now that I think about it - I remember during the debate Bush was answering a question - then seemingly from out of the blue said rather harshly "now let me finish"

I wonder if he slipped up and spoke to the people in his earpiece instead of addressing the question at hand....

Is it possible that both candidates were wearing ear pieces? I have been interviewed on local tv news in studio (a long time ago as the mascot for college) and I had to wear an earpiece in order to hear the questions.

If not, don't you think steps would have been taken to prevent a candidate from "cheating" like this. Not that it helped.

Originally posted by dannia

I've been looking for official debate rules but haven't found anything yet. I think the rules are pretty fluid from debate to debate, meaning different during each Presidential campaign with nothing set in stone as a form of blanket rules. I'm still looking though.

Debate rules, PDF file:


Memorandum of Understanding

Thanks dannia!

Originally posted by TrickmastertricK
Why would it be on his right ear, in view of Kerry? I would think you would want it away from him, if this is the case.

I would think it was placed there to keep it from view of the audience and moderator.

Originally posted by dcgolf
Is it possible that both candidates were wearing ear pieces? I have been interviewed on local tv news in studio (a long time ago as the mascot for college) and I had to wear an earpiece in order to hear the questions.

If not, don't you think steps would have been taken to prevent a candidate from "cheating" like this. Not that it helped.

Good point, we don't know this for sure.

The only thing I found in the official rules was that no audience member shall participate in the proceedings, but of course that could relate to the audience present, not ones watching on TV somewhere. Who knows.

Taken from the memornadum of understanding...

"No props, notes, charts, diagrams, or other writings or tangible things may be brought into the debate by any candidate. Neither candidate may reference or cite any specific individual sitting in a debate auidence at any time during a debate."

This seems somewhat clear to me...if anyone was reading George Bush his lines (which, as someone stated earler, wasn't noticed in his lack-luster performence) then they would have to be in his immediate vicinity...in the auidence...

Of course, I'm sure there's a loophole in the word "tangible."