George Bush Had a Listening Device Under His Jacket During His Debates With John Kerry–Unproven!
Summary of eRumor:
There was an unexplainable bulge under the back of President Bush’s coat during his debates with John Kerry that some observers say was an electronic device that allowed Bush to be prompted with information during the debate.
The Truth:
After his first debate on 9/30/04 with John Kerry during the 2004 presidential campaign, an article on Salon.com speculated about what appeared to be a rectangular object visible under the presidents suit coat in TV shots that looked over his shoulder at moderator Jim Lehrer.
Other pictures of Bush’s back during the following two debates tend to suggest that there is something there, but the question is what is it?
Some electronic gismo experts say it is a communications device.
Other experts say that’s hogwash because if the president wanted to hear prompts from off stage, there are much smaller and less detectible devices that could be used.
Other observers have wondered whether it’s a bullet-proof vest.
In a 10/9/04 article in the Detroit Free Press, the president’s tailor, Georges de Paris, said the picture form the first debate was merely showing a “pucker along a seam.”
In the same article, Mark McKinnon, the media director for the Bush campaign, is quoted as saying the president has never been assisted by any audio signal.
One of the many rules for the debate agreed upon by the candidates was that no notes or other helps could be brought into the debate.
Having any kind of electronic help or prompts would have violated that agreement.
updated 10/16/04