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New fallout over president's open mic comment with Russia

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    Is there a double standard?

  • Duration 10:45
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One new fallout now over that opened my comment.

President Obama speaking with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.

About a disputed American missile shield in Europe overheard saying he'll have more flexibility to deal with this issue which is controversial -- in Russia.

After his election.

And it raises the question.

What President Bush had been caught doing that.

Joining me now Dana Perino former white house Press Secretary and cohost of the five right here on FNC Press Secretary to president George W.

Bush.

Andy card former White House chief of staff.

Under President George Bush.

And Ed Gillespie former RNC chair and former counselor to president George W.

Bush so this -- and we're so looking forward -- this hasn't who better to ask -- you three.

And I know also you Dana.

That it's been it's been like fingernails on a -- for you to watch how the media reacts.

To President Obama making and -- you know having his open might comments.

When President Bush got very different treatment after he had and let's just play it the following open Mike comment.

With Russia watch President Bush.

But coming.

-- he he dropped an S bomb.

And when he discovered very differently.

-- certainly was I was deputy Press Secretary on the trip I remember the press -- went crazy because the president said the S word and did he know that he was on an open -- But listen -- what he's said he was talking about getting Hezbollah Syria to help us get Hezbollah to stop attacking innocent people.

To me that is very different than whispering sweet nothings into this.

And -- Dmitry Medvedev.

On an open -- right after a press session.

I can understand why some people think it was intentional -- personally down.

Yesterday the front page of the New York Times sort of reference this.

But.

Obama's hot Mike moment was on page fourteen Washington Post page eleven when that happened with President Bush it was everywhere and even imagine that it -- another way around.

Though I think it was President Bush would have been delivering a very different sort of message.

To but -- -- Dmitry Medvedev if you had a chance I.

And in you know did for President Bush have been suggesting you know you -- wait until I get reelected and things are gonna change they ensure they are times would have raised some eyebrows at at that India wanna ask you about.

Something that's have been.

Rather controversial.

In some circles but the question is whether it would have been a lot more controversial if -- former boss -- done.

That this administration has said it's OK to kill American terrorists if they deem it proper.

Without you know -- hearing without trial and we are all lucky got drone strikes to death.

And our attorney general said the following in justifying let's -- Eric Holder.

Some have argued that the president is required to get permission from me federal court.

Before taking action against the United States citizen -- -- senior operational leader of al-Qaeda.

Or associated forces.

This is simply.

Not actually.

Then they refused to make public the legal justification for that decision can you imagine John Ashcroft had done that.

Well quite frankly there are a lot of in decisions that the president is making right now.

That -- inconsistent with what he would have challenged President Bush to do when he was in the United States senate so I think there's -- there's a big difference between being a president and a senator I'm actually sympathetic to a president using all of the authority in article two of the constitution.

But Barack Obama President Obama has not done a good job of living up to the expectations of the people who were to my left.

He has I think recognize that the role of president is pretty tough.

He's got to make some tough decisions and I support a strong article to interpretation.

Of course you do -- here here I'm sure you're behind that decision by attorney general Eric all of but the question is.

Would it would be a New York Times would the left the far left have been making a bigger deal about this if it was your guy who said that if it was Ashcroft or if it was Gonzales.

There was -- Khazei who said then said mr.

holder.

There's not a doubt that there's a double standard the left leaning media has given President Obama -- -- would they didn't give.

President Bush any slack.

And I just think it's -- -- -- but.

I do want a strong president I want the president to keep his oath of office and to.

The -- to the responsibility he has I also want the media to recognize that being presents a tough job.

And I don't think that the second guessing that when on when Senator Obama was senator rather than president.

Would have been -- the way that it -- criticisms of mass today.

But the Obama reelection campaign is really targeted them.

If President Bush had done the same to George Soros.

Or some other big a left leaning donors what do you think the folks what -- -- about it.

Other would have been outrage and the fact that someone in the White House actually put out confidential tax information from the -- companies.

How did they get it there would be a you know the New York Times -- -- Having foyer request the wanted to know how -- the White House come across confidential tax information then why did they make it public -- even hear anything about this story and you know -- on the on the story about the open Mike -- -- thing is you we saw the contrast in terms of the coverage or relative to President Bush.

-- Dana rightly pointed out the placement of this story but also note that the context of the story the context of the story as.

Republicans jumped on president Obama's comments so it's a process story.

About Republicans.

You know playing politics as opposed to the substance of what the president said which is pretty striking.

-- why why is it this way because we have left leaning mainstream media.

I I struggle with this because.

It's it's hard to explain especially if you expect fairness and you go up.

In a family that demanded fairness and treated everybody fairly.

But one of the great things that I learned from President Bush and also friend Andy card and -- Gillespie who helped guide mean during those times as Press Secretary is that.

As a conservative -- a Republican you have to try so much harder.

And you have to expect that those stories are going to be.

Not -- that is not going to be spared you remember Megan when President Bush was in China and he tried to go out of the -- of the door was locked in half okay.

The next day in front on the front page of the New York Times there -- five photographs above the fold the of the different moments of the freeze frames of those moments.

President Obama has had a a few doozies like I navy corps men and speaking Austrian -- and has -- -- languages German.

And the media just -- it got what I.

I actually don't understand -- I don't know whether they think that they're being fair and that.

They just don't recognize it does it -- -- you -- when you watch things like I think the the different coverage of the gas.

Or even of the golf that's been an issue that some have raise -- president Obama's been out on the links.

I don't know what this statistic is something like 99.

Right the presidency -- that.

Ehlers President Bush -- -- -- golf or -- what because saying he didn't feel right doing it and we are in the midst of war does it gall you to see that double standard.

It does call me to see the double standard in the double standard is there and we we it's not not deny a -- they are practicing a double standard.

But I'm also troubled by president Obama's statement to the president of Russia.

Because it appears that he's planning to do things he doesn't want to talk about with the American people and the American people deserve to be part of the policy debate that the presence gonna present.

During his reelection campaign and he's saying don't worry I'll be very different after I get a second -- that I appear to the public while I'm trying to earn that second turn and I don't think that was a a good good response to him at all -- and was kind of cheating us of the democracy that we're expecting from our president.

What do you make is very -- what are your recollections in terms of how is President Bush had a lot of incoming and -- and -- -- -- -- about this privately as well he did a lot of incoming.

It did did he have to have a thick skin and for what he faced as any president and does this president.

President Bush did have a thick skin in need -- -- leave it to history to have to judges presidents I think to be judged very well for his accomplishments.

But from what I understand President Obama has a very thin skin and if you do you know talk to reporters in the media.

You know the way they're treated -- this -- -- that's another thing that never would have happened in the bush white -- in the media never what is stood for the kind of treatment they get frankly I mean you know.

They they stood strong for themselves and for their you know their their fourth estate status and in other curled up like little puppy dogs the -- of of this White House it's it's kind of sad.

To see and in some ways.

-- your thoughts on -- well I do think there's been some changes over at figures -- in the press briefing room where you had a lot is additional knowledge and some of the reporters -- covered multiple administrations and moved on with the changing media.

All I know was that an early on it right after we left the White House Ed and I had this idea.

To via website domain if bush had done that dot com could imagine how popular this website would be today but we should've done it at the back up is.

Through the the thing though is that.

-- can I can I make one other point just real quick start I didn't think -- you know the the White House is telegraphing today.

In a story that if the Supreme Court rules against them on obamacare.

That -- laying the ground work for an attack on the court on the Supreme Court that it's a political court that it's you know partisan.

That it's not legitimate.

Which is really remarkable it's not surprising given that President Obama in a state of the union attacked the Supreme Court in the chamber of the legislative branch.

And -- -- state just recent court ruling 90 over the ministerial exception.

Over his administration's policies and yet I guarantee you I'm willing to predict right here right now.

That that will be the -- -- it will not be that -- constitutional lawyer president of the United States was overturned on his signature legislation.

By the Supreme Court of the United States.

They are laying out a story line that it is because the Supreme Court.

As unfortunate become a partisan entity.

And any -- -- today and let's just watch to see how the media narrative plays out if that's the way the result comes -- -- -- -- know -- know the answer to that I know a lot of bush had done that if bush had done that I know it -- it would plug.

What do bush -- -- -- so watch out book all of you right now on the air when we had a ruling on health care we see with the reaction is one where the other.

Come back it is great to be with friends thanks Megan thank you all so much for being here you.

Right how how often -- together I thought that was very interesting.

What did you think let me know on Twitter at Megyn Kelly.

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