When Bush gives a press conference......

[matt66]

when Bush enters the room to give a press conference he is announced ...Ladies and gentlemen the president of the united states. the assembled gathering stand up when he makes an entrance. This is almost the law in the USA. now the questions.
1)What happens if anyone in the crowd refuses to stand.
2) When Blair does his monthly press conference in the UK do the scribes stand up when he enters the room?

[andy-hughes]

It's highly unlikely that anyone would refuse - all present are accredited journalists working for various media, and such an apparent lack of respect for the position - even if not the current encumbent - would result in accreditation being withdrawn, and no professional journalist with White House access would risk that.

I would guess the UK scribes stand - again for respect of the office of PM - if not for Mr Blair himself.

[jno]

Bush is head of state rather than just head of government, so his position is more like that of the queen - who is Britain's head of state - though with a lot more political power. What happens to people who don't stand for the queen? I suppose the Tower of London still has spare rooms.

andy-hughes is quite right to point out that the respect is for the office rather than the person - in fact, that's why the announcement is 'the president of the United States' rather than 'heeere's Georgie!'

[matt66]

Do the journalsist stand in the UK when the PM arrives for his monthly press conference....dont think so.

[rojash]

Love that image, jno, perhaps they could introduce the Queen's speech with "Heeere's Queenie!"