Not a bulletproof vest...

Daily Kos Staff

Sunday October 10, 2004 · 10:08 AM PDT

2004/10/10 · 10:08

Well, the "bulge" on Bush's back is officially leaving tinfoil hat territory, as the White House fails to explain it properly to the NYT.

When the online magazine Salon published an article about the rumors on Friday, the speculation reached such a pitch that White House and campaign officials were inundated with calls.

First they said that pictures showing the bulge might have been doctored. But then, when the bulge turned out to be clearly visible in the television footage of the evening, they offered a different explanation.

"There was nothing under his suit jacket," said Nicolle Devenish, a campaign spokeswoman.

"It was most likely a rumpling of that portion of his suit jacket, or a wrinkle in the fabric."

Ms. Devenish could not say why the "rumpling" was rectangular.

Nor was the bulge from a bulletproof vest, according to campaign and White House officials; they said Mr. Bush was not wearing one.

My money is still with a kevlar vest. For security reasons, I doubt the Secret Service would want to advertise that Bush is wearing a bulletproof vest. Or maybe it's a back brace. Or some speculate it's a "handle" to allow the secret service to easily grab their charge in the midst of an attack. Of course, Kerry would have the same bulge as well, and he didn't. Hmmm....

A receiver would explain the "let me finish!" he yelled in the midst of an answer, despite silence from both Kerry and the moderator, and having plenty of time on the clock. Not to mention the D-Day broadcast in which CNN viewers heard Bush's lines fed to him.

The mystery deepens.

Not a bulletproof vest...

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