Sunday, November 21, 2004

It ain't over yet... More BULGE news and developments!

THE OFFICIAL BUSH WIRED PHOTO GALLERY View The Evidence! (Recent News and other links are at the end of this post)
• Also visit: CURRENT BULGE NEWS -- BUSH WIRED ARCHIVE -- BULGE ART GALLERY -- TAKE ACTION
• GET THE WHOLE BULGE STORY... THE BULGE HISTORY
• Site contact: c.shaw@mac.com

The Bulge mystery, surprisingly, has not completely disappeared in the weeks following the election. Odd and conflicting statements continue to come forward from official sources, meanwhile, the media still needs to question the issue. I have my doubts that the press will ever demand an answer, or even ask any serious questions on the topic. Bush Wired is still receiving quite a bit of Bulge Mail, with new photos, info, and other developments... as long as people still care this important story will not die.

Some current Bulge developments:

• - Several readers have forwarded numerous recent photos of George W. Bush's back taken in Chile. I do not see any definitive Bulges in the photos, although better resolution images would help with any analysis. Reports state that Bush was wearing a bulletproof vest in Chile, the "boxy" look of Bush's torso seems to support these reports. Perhaps what is most interesting about these photos is that they can be used in comparison to "actual Bulge" photos. There is no bulletproof vest "strap" visible in the new photos, no wire and no obvious Bulge. These new photos simply show that whatever the Bulge is (clearly seen on Bush's back during the debates), it is somewhat unique, and not part of the President's everyday wardrobe.
VIEW THE CHILE PHOTOS HERE and compare to the Bulge photos HERE

• - The New York Times is now denying that a Bulge story was written and "killed' in the days before the election. I don't believe a word of it, as many "inside" sources have detailed this story with the Times and were quite specific, even naming the story's authors, William Broad and John Schwartz. The following is an excerpt of correspondence with the Times' Public editor Daniel Okrent ( as submitted by a reader)... If anyone wishes to help the Times figure out the names and dates, write 'em! ...public@nytimes.com

 "" You are one among several readers who have mentioned Dave Lindorff's story about the mysterious bulge on President Bush's back. Although I admire much of Mr. Lindorff's work, without names or attributions I just don't have enough to go on to enable me to find out whether, much less why, The Times "pulled" a piece on the subject. Nor can I accept, without much closer review than I am able to provide -- independent analysis, better understanding of digital photo technology, etc. --  that Robert M. Nelson's findings constitute "100% evidence," as one reader put it, "that Bush was cheating in the debates."
        Thanks for writing; if someone can give me names and dates, I'll certainly look into it.
Yours sincerely,

Daniel Okrent
Public Editor
The New York Times""

• - The Bulge is also referenced in current reviews about remake of the classic film "The Manchurian Candidate"... I won't post all the links, but the Bulge has come up in several reviews, for obvious reasons.

Bulge stories from the last week or two...
• --> An excellent, in-depth, discussion of the Bulge. From FREEZERBOX.COM
• --> THE NEW YORK TIMES covers this story again, and proclaims that the tailor, Georges de Paris, is "off the hook" and not responsible for the pesky bulge. It was nice that the hapless tailor tried to take the fall, but his theory didn't hold water. Mr. de Paris is "devastated" by all the fuss. The above artricle also refutes the recent story by THE HILL that the bulge was simply a bulletproof vest, but makes no mention of the NASA analysis.
• --> "Nothing was under his jacket,". This statement comes from none other than Karl Rove, in a new AP story.
• --> Karl Rove shows his love for mocking the Bulge (from Newsweek).
• --> Elisabeth Bumiller's story in the International Herald Tribune
• --> Dan Froomkin's BULGE WATCH Section in the White House Briefing column (Washington Post). Discusses recent bulge news (all the way at the bottom).

CURRENT BULGE NEWS ...updated as it happens!
BUSH WIRED ARCHIVE ...News, Photos, Video and links to other sites!
THE BULGE ART GALLERY
TAKE ACTION write a letter to the press!
• Site contact: send submissions/ private comments/tips/ etc. to: c.shaw@mac.com

BULGE HISTORY... the story.

THE OFFICIAL BUSH WIRED PHOTO GALLERY View The Evidence! (Recent News and other links are at the end of this post)
• Also visit: CURRENT BULGE NEWS -- BUSH WIRED ARCHIVE -- BULGE ART GALLERY -- TAKE ACTION
• Site contact: c.shaw@mac.com

-- THE BULGE STORY --

Is the BULGE news? Or will it simply fade away into the lore of pop-culture as a strange mystery never to be solved?

We may never get a real answer to the simple question asked well over a month ago: "What is that BULGE on President Bush's back?". It seems like a proper question to ask, especially when millions of people saw this "Mystery Bulge" in all three Presidential debates. When speculation on possible cheating during the debates arose, and with the possible use of a "coaching" device, the question seemed even more pertinent. As official, ridiculous denials were offered and more "evidence" of the Bulge, devices, and possible theories came into the spotlight, important questions were asked.

We did receive some answers, strange ones, but answers nonetheless. However, strangely absent were hard questions asked by the media. One must ask WHY? Lets retrace the steps in this mystery.

The Bulge was originally spotted during the first Presidential debate, Sept 30, 2004. It was unmistakable, millions of viewers raised their eyebrows after seeing this strange "hump" on President Bush's back. Immediately, internet blogs began to ask the question that the mainstream press would not ask, "What is it?" Theories and conjecture flowed in from around the world, rumors of coaching devices, bulletproof vests, Secret Service devices, medical devices and numerous other theories circulated freely on the "internets".

On Oct. 8th, Dave Lindorff, a writer for Salon.com, picked up the issue and wrote a story on the Bulge that received widespread attention. Suddenly, the Bulge became news... or more specifically, the rumors became news. The story was carried by the New York Times, the Washington Post, the BBC, the AP and countless other media outlets. The Bulge rumor and speculation of the President cheating broke into the mainstream.

Nobody expected the Bulge to be seen again, but in the second debate it was again easily visible, despite few shots of the candidates from the rear.

The White House initially denied the Bulge's existence as a "doctored" photo. When it was shown that the Bulge was clearly seen in the raw footage from the debate, the White House backed away from this assertion. The New York Times asked if it was a bulletproof vest ( a logical assumption at the time), and the White House went on-record stating that the President didn't wear such protection during the debates. However, trying to laugh off the topic, Bush/Cheney campaign spokesman Scott Stanzel said it was all ridiculous, and mentioned something about Elvis moderating the debates. This was a great sound-bite which was also widely reported in the media, but it only fueled the debate raging on the web.

Several web-sites and blogs (including Bush Wired) were firmly established by this time and created an open forum for the discussion of the Bulge and all the theories. These sites received millions of hits from curious web-surfers. Then, a funny thing happened... the wired theory began to gain credibility as links, tips, photos and information were exchanged between people worldwide. Some other "evidence" popped up supporting theories of medical and Secret Service devices (among others). However, the wired theory continued to be the main subject of speculation.

Several wireless "prompting" devices were found that closely resembled the shape and contour of the Bulge. Numerous people reported that instances of wireless "coaching" were seen in the past, and had been taped by the media. A few Washington journalists stated that it was "widely known" that Bush used a prompting device during big speeches and press conferences. A somewhat dubious tape turned up of President Bush and Jaques Chirac at a press conference in France, where some sort of "ghost voice" was heard on the audio, apparently feeding the President lines. This video was widely circulated and the discussion of coaching expanded. (It was later reported that the Chirac tape could have been the result of an unexplained audio problem, but nobody really knows for sure.)

Dozens of Bulge photos captured during the debates, and even found on the White House website were posted online and seen by millions. Besides pictures of the telltale hump, a photo of an actual wire under the President's tie, seen during the second debate, was captured. The President's odd eye movements and speech patterns were closely analyzed, they too supported the allegation of debate prompting. The President spoke with long pauses and would speak out sentences one at at time.Bush would also stare blankly for a few seconds after being asked a question then answer with a flood of words and "talking points". These observations are consistent with prompting. At one point during the debate Bush even exclaimed, "Let me finish!" although nobody was speaking.

As serious questions were being asked and the circumstantial evidence mounted, many people refused to believe that this could happen.

Yet, the Bulge was real, and very obvious, people everywhere were still wondering what it was. The White House then stated that the Bulge was a simple wrinkle. While nobody accepted this explanation, it was the first time that the Bulge was "officially" admitted to be something.

By Oct. 12th the Bulge media coverage hit a fevered pitch. Late night talk shows devoted several nights to Bulge jokes including a hilarious Top-Ten on Letterman. Vice-Presidential candidate John Edwards joked about the Bulge on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, this in itself made news. Newspapers, TV, and radio continued to discuss the bulge rumor, but strangely, nobody seriously asked what it was. Most coverage was in a humorous light, or simply discussed the internet debate... the absence of the media asking real questions about this possibly serious issue became very apparent.

Salon.com published its second story on the Bulge Oct. 13th, the day of the third debate. It showed more unmistakable images of the Bulge and quoted a technical expert, laying out a very good case for further investigation. The possibility of Bush being wired during the debate while still speculative, became even more of a possibility.

Bulge-watchers around the world tuned in for the third debate. There was a contest offering money to the first person to send in a clear Bulge photo on Democrats.com. Nobody thought the Bulge would make a third appearance... but all eyes were on Bush's back. Again, few shots of the president's back were broadcast during the debate, but at the end, when the candidates met, the world was stunned to see the Bulge again. This time it was clear and absolutely not a wrinkle. In fact, it looked as though whatever was under Bush's jacket was still there, but padded, or covered by something thus making an even bigger bulge. Adding fuel to the fire, it appeared that John Kerry tried to give Bush an informal pat-down when the two shook hands. When Kerry's hand reached out to Bush's back, the President quickly moved away.

Internet speculation now turned into widespread demands for further investigation by the press. People wanted to know what was going on! Rev. Jesse Jackson and others publicly called for an investigation of the bulge, whatever it was. The mainstream press began to show an obvious distaste for this story, and apparently would not look into it further. Several poll results were released showing that the majority of viewers who had seen the Bulge thought it was a wireless coaching device. This fact was used by the media as a reason why the issue should NOT be covered. Their reasoning was that the story, true or not, brought out deep feelings of distrust in Americans and coverage of the story would be detrimental to the election process without solid evidence of wrongdoing. This was a somewhat flawed analysis of the situation when one keeps in mind that the media wouldn't investigate the story on its own, or find its own facts.

Farhad Manjoo wrote an exceptional article for Salon.com (Oct. 15th) on the Bulge. The theories were discussed and weighed against each other, the Bulge story was covered in detail. A professional de-bugger who had worked for the White House, stated on-record that coaching and prompting were widely used, not only by the President, but by members of the cabinet! He stated that he not only witnessed such coaching, but had recordings of such instances archived. The world waited for these tapes to be brought forward... and we're still waiting, No further statements were made by this person.

The Bush and Kerry election campaigns were in full momentum as the "evidence" and conjecture continued to snowball. Official discrediting of the Bulge story switched into high gear. While there still was no thorough investigation of the Bulge by the mainstream media, reporters continuously asked, simply, "What is it?". Ken Mehlman, the Bush/Cheney campaign manager was quoted on Meet The Press (Oct 17th), stating that the Bulge was a device used by the President to communicate with Mars, and that the President himself was an ALIEN! Another great sound-bite that received worldwide media coverage, and again only served to fuel the rumors on the internet.

This is where the story takes its first strange turn. The "official" position on the Bulge was simply, that it didn't exist, its just a wrinkle, and the issue should be laughed at. Meanwhile, the mood on the internet again turned from speculation to an outright call-to-arms. Upset because of the lack of media coverage on an issue as important as cheating during the debates, the internet community yet again called on the press to investigate, this time in a relatively organized effort. Web sites and blogs urged viewers to contact the media and provided contact information and form letters addressed to every media outlet imaginable. America demanded an answer.

The letter writing effort resulted in a few new Bulge stories being broadcast on TV, most notably by CNN's Paula Zahn. The segment lasted a few minutes and was surprisingly in-depth, but offered nothing more than continued coverage of the internet speculation, the photos, and web sites devoted to the topic. No independent investigation was offered, and it seemed that CNN did not even contact the White House or the campaign for a statement. All the media would do is ask the familiar question, "What is it?", but no plausible answer was demanded.

In a new development echoing the feelings on the web, Dave Lindorff again covered the Bulge and asked why the story was not being investigated in the media. Why were serious questions not being asked? Lindorff mentioned that the Bulge topic was being covered seriously overseas, even by CNN, but not in America. Previous overseas reports had examined Bush's speech patterns and also concluded that his odd behavior during the debates and in press conferences could be explained by coaching. Statements refuting the "wrinkle" excuse were debunked by a noted tailor. Experts in the spy-ware industry stated that the bulge indeed appeared to be a wireless device.

New information that Bush was also "wired" during his 9/11 Commission testimony came into the limelight. This assertion had been previously covered many months before the debates as the circumstances revolving the 9/11 testimony were "fishy" at best. Coincidentally, at the time it was also reported that it was widely known that Bush used a prompting device. Photos of Bush taken immediately following his press conference clearly showed the Bulge. Later, enhancement would show this Bulge to be very similar to the debate Bulge.

With Bulge speculation still running rampant everywhere, the Bush/Cheney campaign was continually asked about the bulge, but never gave any sort of realistic answer. They were also wasting valuable press conference time rebutting the Bulge, and it appeared that their humorous assertions were not working well. It was time for serious Bulge "spin control". Further explanations of the Bulge being a simple wrinkle were offered. It could be said that the Bulge was now officially recognized as a pesky campaign side-issue. White House Chief of Staff Andrew card told the New York Times that the Bulge was a "poorly tailored suit". Does the President really wear expensive but poorly tailored suits?

Enter the Presidential tailor, Georges de Paris, who worked for every President since Lyndon Johnson. As the Bulge was now being laughed off as a wrinkle, Mr. de Paris was repeatedly asked about his handiwork. On October 20th, The Hill (a newspaper for and about Congress) ran a story quoting Mr. de Paris saying the White House had previously asked him not to comment on the issue. The hapless tailor, perhaps bravely, decided to "take the fall", at the behest of the administration. Mr. de Paris then demonstrated that the Bulge was a wrinkle, or more specifically, a "pucker". Oddly, the photo only proved that the Bulge was NOT a such a wrinkle... the picture could not have looked more different from the 'real' bulge.

The tailor's assertion was immediately debunked on the internet which was again going crazy over the Bulge topic. People wondered if they were supposed to be so gullible as to accept this explanation. Was there a cover-up? Why was this story so strange? Nothing seemed to add up. Meanwhile, the media widely carried the Tailor's story but seemed to accept the ridiculous "pucker" explanation.

In the following week, editorial columnists continued to remark on the story but little fresh Bulge news came forward. Rumors of the Bulge being an "October Surprise" circulated. Online, the main Bulge issue (Bush cheating during the debate) seemed to be drowned out by criticism of the media's non-coverage.

The "internets" continued to be a lively forum for the Bulge. People were still digging deep for answers, more web sites were founded, and all continued to receive amazing hit counts. The story was being ignored by the media but it was absolutely not dead. The comic strip Doonesbury ran several strips about the Bulge, and helped popular interest increase again.

October 26th, the Bulge story takes its second strange twist. With previous explanations of the Bulge as a jacket wrinkle debunked and flatly dismissed online, President Bush himself went on-record. During an interview on Good Morning America, Bush told Charles Gibson that the Bulge was NOT a jacket wrinkle, but a poorly tailored SHIRT! Again, eyebrows were raised and people everywhere scratched their heads in disbelief. The story was carried worldwide in hundreds of newspapers as well as the televised media, the mystery was deemed "solved". On the internet, people asked why Bush would wear the same badly tailored shirt in all 3 debates, especially since it created so much controversy and trouble for his campaign. (For the record, Bush wears expensive, hand sewn shirts that have been personally fitted by Georges de Paris.)

While media criticism hit an all-time high online, nobody knew that the New York Times was working on a big story about the Bulge, written by William Broad and John Schwartz. Tips to Bush Wired stated that this story was serious, thorough, and properly fact-checked, also bringing forward some new information on the matter. The story was set to run six days before the election but was "killed" at the last moment. (Reportedly by Times executive editor Bill Keller.) Apparently, the story was not run because the Times did not want to influence the election. It could also be argued that the Times influenced the election by NOT running the story. People asked, When did the news media begin to dictate to the public what was, and was not, NEWS? Are viewers so easily influenced that they cannot make their own opinions on an issue? What is the Bulge?

The next strange twist in this meandering story came as both Salon.com and Mother Jones published a story a few days before the election offering irrefutable evidence that the Bulge was not a wrinkle. While this news came too late for widespread pre-election coverage, the amazing truth is that the media did not cover this important development at all.

Dr. Robert M. Nelson, a senior researcher and respected photo analyst for NASA and JPL in Pasadena, Ca, applied his expertise on the bulge photos. Dr. Nelson is an international authority on image analysis. His enhanced photos were stunning, but not a big surprise to anyone following the Bulge. What his analysis proved was that the Bulge was absolutely not a question of ill-fitting clothing, but rather, a clearly seen object with a long wire strapped onto the President's back. If this was the smoking gun, someone must have used a silencer.

Dr. Nelson was willing to risk his prestigious scientific reputation on his analysis saying that not only is the bulge an object but it is also consistent with a coaching device. The scientist's story is interesting. Dr. Nelson approached several major news outlets with his photos since early October, nobody would agree to cover the story. The press wasn't about to take a chance on this story, despite ample (though circumstantial) evidence, including the new enhanced photos. Bob Woodward of the Washington Post called Nelson personally, suggesting that he bring the photos to Salon.com because he would have a hard time clearing them with his editors. Reports have surfaced of pressure being applied to Dr. Nelson's higher-ups at JPL forcing Dr. Nelson to keep quiet. The scientist has not made further statements elaborating on the issue, or offered any additional photos.

It was obvious that something wasn't right about the Bulge and the media, and the official bad shirt story.

So, with definitive proof of an OBJECT under Bush's jacket, and the President going on-record and lying about its existence, the press continued to ignore this story. A source told Bush Wired that there were numerous reporters at the Times aghast over the killing of the Bulge story. It was obvious that the Bulge mystery would not be solved before the election. Rumors of a huge story to break after the election made the rounds on the internet.

After the election, despite the rumors of a breaking story, everyone figured the Bulge had died with Bush's re-election. Hits to internet sites dropped steeply, but there was still significant interest in the Bulge. Karl Rove mocked the Bulge by pretending to speak to the President remotely. An occasional mention of the "Mystery of the Bulge" popped up in the press. While the story seemed to stall, it didn't fade away.

And then we have the latest weird twist in the story. Nov. 4th, The Hill published another article on the Bulge. This time they refuted their own wrinkle story, citing Dr. Nelson's analysis. ( I have yet to see anyone question Nelson's results.) However, citing anonymous sources, The Hill claimed that the Bulge was now the strap of a bulletproof vest.

The bulletproof vest theory was dissected in detail in the early days of the Bulge. This latest excuse for the Bulge is almost as laughable as their story on the wrinkle. Nobody has been able to show any bulletproof vest that would create a hump or object as it was detailed in Dr. Nelsons photos. The long WIRE also observed doesn't help for a good match with vests. Further, President Bush only appeared to wear this "vest" at debates, testimony, important press conferences, and speeches. He didn't appear to wear this certain bulletproof vest in public or while campaigning. There was no bulge seen when Bush took his jacket off during campaign stumping.

The New York Times again covered the Bulge on Nov. 8th. They proclaimed that the tailor was "off the hook" for the Bulge. Georges de Paris, apparently devastated by criticism of his life's work, decided that HE THOUGHT the Bulge was a bulletproof vest as well, and... so it was. Back to the bulletproof vest, except for one problem, the White House sticks to its original story that the President did not wear a vest at the debates. Meanwhile, Karl Rove has recently been quoted as saying that the Bulge doesn't exist at all.

Still no investigation by the media, and the press has yet to ask any serious questions about the Bulge.

And so the Bulge story stands, after doing a complete circle, the Bulge now fades away, back into the depths of the internet. Rumors still persist of "big news, breaking at any moment". Some have said that this story is bigger than Watergate, others wonder why anyone still cares. Most Bulge sites have shut down or no longer post regularly. The story again seems to have died and replaced by debate raging on the web over election results.

This story has spoken volumes about how the media operates in America. It raises questions about about the debates, the election, and the President. The Bulge speaks about the power of the internet and it's new role in our culture. But in the end, all we are left with is the original question, "What is that BULGE on President Bush's back?"

Perhaps we'll never know.

11/11/04

Recent news posts 11/14/04:
• -->NEW BULGE ARTICLE: An excellent, in-depth, discussion of the Bulge. From FREEZERBOX.COM
• --> THE NEW YORK TIMES covers this story again, and proclaims that the tailor, Georges de Paris, is "off the hook" and not responsible for the pesky bulge. It was nice that the hapless tailor tried to take the fall, but his theory didn't hold water. Mr. de Paris is "devastated" by all the fuss. The above artricle also refutes the recent story by THE HILL that the bulge was simply a bulletproof vest, but makes no mention of the NASA analysis.
• --> "Nothing was under his jacket,". This statement comes from none other than Karl Rove, in a new AP story.
• --> Karl Rove shows his love for mocking the Bulge (from Newsweek).
• --> Elisabeth Bumiller's story in the International Herald Tribune
• --> Dan Froomkin's BULGE WATCH Section in the White House Briefing column (Washington Post). Discusses recent bulge news (all the way at the bottom).

CURRENT BULGE NEWS ...updated as it happens!
BUSH WIRED ARCHIVE ...News, Photos, Video and links to other sites!
THE BULGE ART GALLERY
TAKE ACTION write a letter to the press!
• Site contact: send submissions/ private comments/tips/ etc. to: c.shaw@mac.com

Monday, November 08, 2004

NEW!!! Twists and turns in the BULGE story... it gets stranger every day!

THE OFFICIAL BUSH WIRED PHOTO GALLERY View The Evidence! (more news/archive links below)

This story is schizophrenic. Now, according to Karl Rove, the Bulge is NOTHING. We're back to square-one! So, after all the other official explanations ranging from a fabric "pucker", to a device for communicating with aliens... after an esteemed expert photo analyst says that indeed, IT IS something, Mr. Rove has now decided that the Bulge is nothing! Well, I guess I can forget all the pictures I've seen because my eyes have been playing tricks on me!

Wait! Just the other day I read in THE HILL that the bulge was a bulletproof vest! Sounded like a possible, but fishy explanation, but again, The White House sticks to its story that the Bulge WAS NOT a bulletproof vest.

So, no answer today folks... keep holding your breath! Remember that this story has its roots in allegations of cheating during the debates, and possible "coached testimony by Bush at the 9/11 Commission hearings. Read down this site for more info.

Now that we've done a complete 360 on this story... when will the media begin to ask the REAL questions? Isn't somebody questioning the all the fishy explanations and official backpeddaling? If the BULGE is truly nothing... then what's been going on for the last month?

• NEW!! --> THE NEW YORK TIMES covers this story again, and proclaims that the tailor, Georges de Paris, is "off the hook" and not responsible for the pesky bulge. It was nice that the hapless tailor tried to take the fall, but his theory didn't hold water. Mr. de Paris is "devastated" by all the fuss. The above artricle also refutes the recent story by THE HILL that the bulge was simply a bulletproof vest, but makes no mention of the NASA analysis.
• NEW!! --> "Nothing was under his jacket,". This statement comes from none other than Karl Rove, in a new AP story.
• NEW!! --> Karl Rove shows his love for mocking the Bulge (from Newsweek).
• NEW!! --> Elisabeth Bumiller's story in the International Herald Tribune
• NEW!! --> Dan Froomkin's BULGE WATCH Section in the White House Briefing column (Washington Post). Discusses recent bulge news (all the way at the bottom).

CURRENT BULGE NEWS ...updated as it happens!
BUSH WIRED ARCHIVE ...News, Photos, Video and links to other sites!
THE BULGE ART GALLERY
TAKE ACTION write a letter to the press!
• Site contact: send submissions/ private comments/tips/ etc. to: c.shaw@mac.com

Friday, November 05, 2004

NY TIMES killing of bulge story expands! "Fishy" official explanation for the BULGE questioned.

George Bush won this election, bulge or no bulge. But the real point of this page was to simply ask... WHAT IS IT? Perhaps we'll get an answer, perhaps not. This has been a strange and crazy story... something inside me says it's not over yet! Check back here for updates as they happen!

The recent news...
RADIO INTERVIEW Dave Lindorff discusses the Media's coverage of the BULGE, including the killing of the story by the Washington Post, as well as the NY Times. Download the mp3, bulge topic starts at about 17:25.
BALTIMORE CHRONICLE covers the story.

Yet another OFFICIAL explanation:
FROM THE HILL ... from the same guys who brought us the wrinkle excuse. Coincidentally, this comes only after the earlier explanation has been refuted by a NASA expert on photo analysis. (NOTE: While this is the first somewhat believable explanation to the BULGE, keep in mind that these "straps" for the bulletproof vest only appeared during the debates, and at the 9/11 testimony. These straps have not been conclusively seen at other occasions or when Bush takes his jacket off. This latest explanation is "fishy" at best... see the photo gallery and make up your own mind.)
• Rumor persists that there will be more revelations forthcoming, including further details on the New York Times coverage and subsequent "killing" of the story.

THE OFFICIAL BUSH WIRED PHOTO GALLERY VIEW THE EVIDENCE!
CURRENT BULGE NEWS ...updated as it happens!
BUSH WIRED ARCHIVE ...News, Photos, Video and links to other sites!
THE BULGE ART GALLERY
TAKE ACTION write a letter to the press!
• Site contact: send submissions/ private comments/tips/ etc. to: c.shaw@mac.com

Tuesday, November 02, 2004

NY TIMES kills BULGE story!

A reliable tip to Bush Wired has confirmed that the New York Times killed a big story on the BULGE that was set to run last Thursday. Word has it that there are some very upset writers who want to know WHY? Where is the pressure coming from?
Bill Keller, executive editor of the Times goes on record about breaking pre-election news and contradicts the decision by the Times. Write the Times and ask why they would kill this important story! (See Take Action below.)

Monday, November 01, 2004

We all know THE BULGE exists... when will we get some ANSWERS???

(Todays BULGE news posts are below, please CLICK HERE FOR NEW NEWS or scroll down.)
• -->THE BUSH WIRED PHOTO GALLERY ...view the evidence!
• --> GO HERE, take action, and write a letter!
• --> Send submissions/comments/tips to: c.shaw@mac.com

"'Nothing about the bulge is going to run here before the election.' -The Wall Street Journal.

I've seen enough! There is really no more need to debate the existence of the BULGE... its there, easily seen and not a bulletproof vest. The big question remains. What is so important that it was worn to all 3 debates,the 9/11 Commission testimony, and worthy of an obvious effort to deny its existence? Why has the President and his campaign continued to "laugh off' this blatent FACT and directly LIE to the world under the guise of "bad tailoring"? Its offensive! There are enough links to news and supporting evidence of this BULGE (HERE, or scroll down) to keep any skeptic busy for hours. Don't want to read? Look at the PHOTOS! Where is the "mainstream" press on this issue? Why is this important FACT, and its ramifications, not being seriously questioned and addressed?

The breaking story: In the last 2 days, both Salon.com and Mother Jones have published stories offering expert photo analysis by a respected NASA scientist... the BULGE exists! (No big surprise!) There is also ample evidence (although still circumstantial) that the BULGE could very well be a wireless receiver. Why would President Bush need to wear such a device at all 3 debates? Was he being coached for answers? What was the BULGE seen after his 9/11 Commission testimony? These questions need to be asked and answered... BEFORE the election.

I urge all readers to contact the press. It is not the job of the press to decide the news, it is their duty to ask the questions and demand plausible answers. GO HERE, take action and write a letter
America deserves ANSWERS, not LIES!

NEW!!! BULGE NEWS: Mother Jones article -NEW PHOTO- and BUSH WIRED commentary!

THE OFFICIAL BUSH WIRED PHOTO GALLERY VIEW THE EVIDENCE! ...updated
• --> Send submissions/comments/tips to: c.shaw@mac.com
• For ARCHIVE: (news, links & OTHER BULGE SITES) CLICK HERE The archive contains all collected news, video, photo, and theory links

CURRENT NEWS!!! Nov. 7th-->
• NEW!! --> THE NEW YORK TIMES covers this story again, and proclaims that the tailor, Georges de Paris, is "off the hook" and not responsible for the pesky bulge. The above artricle also refutes the recent story by THE HILL that the bulge was simply a bulletproof vest, but makes no mention of the NASA analysis.
• NEW!! --> "Nothing was under his jacket,". This statement comes from none other than Karl Rove, in a new AP story.
• NEW!! --> Karl Rove shows his love for mocking the Bulge (from Newsweek).
RADIO INTERVIEW Dave Lindorff discusses the Media's coverage of the BULGE, including the killing of the story by the Washington Post, as well as the NY Times. Download the mp3, bulge topic starts at about 17:25.
BALTIMORE CHRONICLE covers the story.
• Yet another OFFICIAL explanation: FROM THE HILL ... from the same guys who brought us the wrinkle excuse.


• --> NASA photo analyst INTERVIEW Listen to part 2!!!
• --> ROVE mockes the "bulge" ...from the International Herald Tribune
• --> NY Times article ...on secrecy in the Bush Administration. Mentions the "bulge".
• --> a Fresh Story out of Australia, discussion of the Bulge (registration req'd).

• SEE THIS --> DAVE LINDORFF'S ARTICLE IN MOTHER JONES The evidence grows stronger and the questions remain unanswered. "'Nothing about the bulge is going to run here before the election.' -The Wall Street Journal." (story excerpt)! A MUST SEE! Another new Lindorff piece .
• SEE THIS --> NEW SALON.COM STORY NASA ANALYST says the bulge EXISTS. New photo enhancement. Story text is posted in the comments section HERE.
• NEW!! --> NEW 9/11 Bulge - Enhanced Photos in the Photo Gallery! Amazing!
• NEW!! --> NEW BULGE PHOTO!!! From White House Site! (also in photo gallery)
• --> SF CHRONICLE discusses BULGES and SPYWARE!
• --> Why the MEDIA WILL NOT COVER THE BULGE Interesting! From radio/transcript.
• --> LINK TO SPECS for the new receiver/earpiece photo go to the PHOTO GALLERY.
• --> THE WEBSITE for the above device.
• --> ASSOCIATED PRESS story on the recent DOONESBURY comic strip. Saturday's strip is causing controversy due to "profanity" and the Bulge subject.
• Doonesbury: Strip #1,... Strip #2, ... Strip #3 ... Strip #4 ... Strip #5 ... Strip #6 The controversial one!
• --> NEW STORY on today's admission by the Bush campaign that they have doctored a photo and used it in an TV ad. It speaks volumes as to how far the Bush campaign will go to stretch the truth. and change facts. Think: Wrinkle or Bad Tailoring?
• --> CONSERVATIVE WEBSITE comments on Bulge. Its not new, I just missed it previously.
• For ARCHIVE: (news, links & OTHER BULGE SITES) CLICK HERE

I have had several requests for my comments and opinion on THE BULGE over the last weeks. Generally, I have left my opinions off of this page. As the election draws near, I have decided to put my two-cents worth into the debate:

What is THE BULGE? Who CARES? These are the questions that I have been asked repeatedly over the last 3 weeks. The answer to the questions are simple.. WE DON'T KNOW, and, MILLIONS CARE!

A larger and more complicated question is WHY DO WE CARE?

Personally, I care because the BULGE is a strange and odd story without any real answers. I also care because the speculation and theories about the source of the Bulge relate to some very serious issues.

WHAT WE KNOW: We know that the BULGE EXISTS, conclusively. We know that the BULGE was not a bulletproof vest (the White House denied that he was wearing one SEVERAL TIMES). We know that millions have seen this BULGE as it was apparent in all three Presidential debates, AND, after Bush's 9/11 Commission testimony. We know that the "official" explanations offered by the White House and the Bush/Cheney campaign are utterly ridiculous.

The "official" statements have ranged from the simple answer that the BULGE does not exist, to a BADLY TAILORED JACKET!., a BADLY TAILORED SHIRT, and even that the President is an ALIEN! It seems to me that the Bush/Cheney campaign would love to dispose of this "thorn in their side" and spend their time talking about campaign issues instead of repeatedly answering questions on an "internet rumor". If they would make a simple, believable, factual statement it seems to me that this issue may simply fade away. The fact that they won't make that type of simple statement causes concern to many, and actually is what fuels this debate.

The main and most accepted theory on the BULGE is that it is a wireless receiver of some sort. This is wholly speculation, but there has been a lot of supporting "evidence" brought forward to bolster this theory. The recent photo analysis by a NASA ANALYST has done a lot to convince people that there is SOMETHING under the jacket. The President's speech patterns, odd pauses, stammering, and blurting out of seemingly unrelated phrases lends credence to the theory that he was "coached" during the debates and in some press conferences. Coaching or prompting during the debates or in 9/11 Commission testimony is a very serious matter, and potentially illegal. Technically speaking, this theory holds water. There are numerous devices ( DEVICE #1 , DEVICE #2 ) that could have been used for "prompting" that also match the size, shape, and contour of the BULGE.

Another theory on the source of the BULGE is that it is a medical device of some sort, specifically, a wearable defibrillator called a "Life Vest" . The "evidence" on the medical theory is spotty at best, but also has some decent circumstantial "proof" . If the President was hiding some sort of secret medical condition, the American people deserve to know before this important election. President Bush's refusal to take his annual medical exam this fall has also fueled this theory.

In fairness, I wish to discuss a third theory, that the BULGE is a device used by the Secret Service. This theory is also entirely plausible, although it has rarely been thoroughly debated online. Reports state that the Secret Service requires the President to be "wired" with a tracking device or a receiver of some sort. For the record, and by policy, the Secret Service will not discuss anything regarding the President's security. However, it seems odd that the Bush/Cheney campaign has NOT stated that the BULGE is simply some sort of Presidential security device. Details would not need to be made public. Again, this would do a lot to dispel the rumors, and allow them to spend their time on campaign issues.

As I have commented previously, the BULGE "phenomenon" also brings to light some important issues concerning the media, and the way the internet has influenced politics during this election. When there is no concrete evidence of cheating, should the media cover this issue? Should it investigate? When does a story itself become news ?

Many media outlets have refused to thoroughly discuss the BULGE issue, but have instead covered the story of the rumor, and not the questions raised. The bulge has been covered both humorously and seriously in the "major" media (CNN, the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the BBC among others), but always without further investigation. Some journalists have stated that the BULGE issue is the type of story that is very incendiary... that is, that the BULGE brings out strong negative feelings among readers/viewers that are harmful to the President, without concrete evidence, full coverage of this story would be unfair and careless. Several polls tend to back this up: an unscientific CNN poll showed that 88% of respondents thought that the BULGE was an electronic device. A scientific POLL by The Economist showed that 49% of the people who saw the BULGE image thought it was a wireless receiver.

My opinion is that this simply shows that many Americans don't trust the President, or his administration, perhaps for good reason. People seem quite ready to believe that the President and his administration would simply lie to the public and cheat during a debate. This is an important topic for sure, and honestly, it doesn't make me feel good. The Weapons of Mass Destruction evidence/arguments which brought us to the Iraq War are the most likely cause for this underlying distrust.

What about media bias and the political "blogging" on the internet? Obviously the media is, and always has been biased in many ways. From the media's self-censorship in the 50's, to the current "managed" coverage of the Iraq War by embedded reporters, the our modern media shows bias to certain ideas, and to our society. What is relatively new is the numerous networks and newspapers that offer opinions and coverage of news that fits their agenda, politically or otherwise. FOX News, CBS, and the New York Times have all been accused of deliberate bias, among others. I can't argue with that, it seems quite obvious. What remains is the need for people to get the facts as they exist, without the "spin". Enter the internet, an immense uncontrolled of forum for any kind of diverse idea imaginable. Easily searchable, the internet allows any user to "home-in" on specific terms, news, ideas, and websites from a multitude of sources and opinions. A truly "fair and balanced" news source. Users simply decide what they want, or don't want to see... and find out more.

More importantly, the internet also allows individuals or organizations instant and free exposure to the world and millions of potential viewers, BUSH WIRED being a prime example. Despite Orwellian arguments to the contrary, free speech is alive and well in America. Perhaps not on Fox News, but the internet-enabled now possess clear and powerful access to ALL ideas. No longer are we subject to news coming from a few tightly controlled sources. We need to acknowledge this fact, protect it closely, keep an open mind, and always take any idea with a grain of salt.

Blogs have allowed just about anyone to create an open forum for the exchange of ideas, usually for free. During this years' ugly election landscape, blogs have emerged as a new and important venue for debate and fact-checking, often doing the job previously left to the mainstream press. The recent exposure of CBS's forged documents (Rathergate) came form blogs, as was the "instant" revelation that Dick Cheney and Sen. Edwards had indeed met previously (despite Cheney's debate claims to the contrary). A few reporters covering an issue simply cannot beat fact-checking by millions of concerned people. In essence, the internet allows us to act as a single computer, with millions of independent processors.

This brings us back to the BULGE. The BULGE controversy began on the internet, and despite a few "leaks" into the mainstream press it remains largely an internet phenomenon. I feel this story is a very important one and needs to be discussed and investigated by the media. There is enough supporting (though circumstantial) evidence to warrant a closer look by the "major" media. The BULGE is real and very apparent, questions need to be answered, especially before the election. As long as the "official" responses to this BULGE are ludicrous and utterly ridiculous, this will remain a serious topic for debate.

I never knew a digital soapbox would allow me to speak so loudly.

-Chris
BUSH WIRED
THE OFFICIAL BUSH WIRED PHOTO GALLERY VIEW THE EVIDENCE!
• For ARCHIVE: (news, links & OTHER BULGE SITES) CLICK HERE