...apparently when he can't have a scripted one, like he does here. Haven't seen this diaried anywhere (perhaps because you all already know about it?). But felt it was important, and really didn't need much explanation...so (parts) of the article are below the fold...
During his trip to Germany on Wednesday, the main highlight of George W. Bush's trip was meant to be a "town hall"-style meeting with average Germans. But with the German government unwilling to permit a scripted event with questions approved in advance, the White House has quietly put the event on ice. Was Bush afraid the event might focus on prickly questions about Iraq and Iran rather than the rosy future he's been touting in Europe this week?
SNIP
But on Wednesday, that town hall meeting will be nowhere on the agenda -- it's been cancelled. Neither the White House nor the German Foreign Ministry has offered any official explanation, but Foreign Ministry sources say the town hall meeting has been nixed for scheduling reasons -- a typical development for a visit like this with many ideas but very little time. That, at least, is the diplomats' line. Behind the scenes, there appears to be another explanation: the White House got cold feet. Bush's strategists felt an uncontrolled encounter with the German public would be too unpredictable.
To avoid that messy scenario, the White House requested that rules similar to those applied during Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit two weeks ago also be used in Mainz. Before meeting with students at Paris's Institute of Political Sciences, which preens the country's elite youth for future roles in government, Rice's staff insisted on screening and approving any questions to be asked by students. One question rejected was that of Benjamin Barnier, the 24-year-old son of France's foreign minister, who wanted to ask: "George Bush is not particularly well perceived in the world, particularly in the Middle East. Can you do something to change that?" Instead, the only question of Barnier's that got approval was the question of whether Iraq's Shiite Muslim majority might create a theocratic government based on the Iranian model?
So instead, George is having a meeting with a small group of handpicked "young leaders." This meeting, I might add, is closed to journalists.
Here's the full story - check it out
It seems to me that BushCo thought they could get away with this because it was happening in Europe (and old Europe, at that!) and wouldn't be covered by the MSM here in the US. And they were right, unfortunately.
Instead we get hard-hitting stories like CNN's Bush, in Europe, to urge support for Iraq . Um...yeah? Duh.
PS - this is my first diary, so be nice. However, constructive criticism is welcomed.