Bush should announce he meant exactly what he said and would say it again if he believes it to be true. No one ever got into trouble with the public for dissing the press. It even worked to President Bush's advantage when he once stood up to Dan Rather and challenged the CBS News anchor for walking off the set to protest coverage of a tennis match that ran long and deprived him of precious air time. The press likes to think it is above reproach in its reporting and beyond accountability for its bias and errors. If a president or a candidate doesn't like a reporter, he ought to be free to say so and tell why.
Reporters get to say and do whatever they wish.
Only their editors can hold them accountable and how likely is that, given that editors, like the reporters, are mostly liberal and vote Democrat. Adam Clymer, the New York Times reporter Bush compared to a human orifice, reportedly unleashed a string of profanities at a Capitol Hill police officer in 1997 after the officer denied him access to a roped-off area near the Senate floor. Two weeks ago, while I traveled with Bush, NBC's David Gregory got into an argument with Bush communications director Karen Hughes. Gregory virtually called Hughes a liar as they debated what Bush had agreed to about debates. Hughes stormed back into the Bush cabin and told Bush what had happened.