Tuesday, April 18, 2006
"All options" means all options
Just so we're clear about the meaning, there was an explicit exchange on this subject today:
Q Sir, when you talk about Iran, and you talk about how you have diplomatic efforts, you also say all options are on the table. Does that include the possibility of a nuclear strike? Is that something that your administration will plan for?One thing to note about that quaint expression, "on the table." Something can't be "on the table" unless there are actual plans for it. Which pretty much refutes his claim that articles mentioning such plans constitute "wild speculation."
THE PRESIDENT: All options are on the table.
While we're at this "press availability," we have to take note of the fact that Bush is paying much more attention to what's going on in the world than he did previously:
"I have strong confidence in Don Rumsfeld. I hear the voices, and I read the front page, and I know the speculation."As you'll remember, he has previously denied reading newspapers at all. Now he's progressed as far as the front page.
