Wednesday, July 19, 2006

President Bush strikes from behind.

Your President, Leader of the Free World, continues to act like a drunken frat boy. He's escalated from foul language to bad touch. Reports said that the German chancellor "smiled" but it looks to me like this was unwanted contact verging on sexual harrassment. I find myself once again pondering the question: Was he drunk or just stupid?

6 comments:

DrHeimlich said...

The Daily Show covered this last night too. Jon Stewart called particular attention to the German Chancellor raising up her hands within moments of Bush touching her, saying something to the effect of: "wow, she used her anti-RAPE training to get out of this!"

I don't think it shows stupidity OR drunkenness myself. I think it shows sexism, pure and simple. Bottom line: does ANYONE think that Bush would EVER have done this to Tony Blair, or Vladimir Putin, or ANY other MALE world leader?

Anonymous said...

From one of the articles you link to above...

Hoover Institution research fellow Bill Whalen, a former adviser to former Gov. Pete Wilson, says the generous coverage of Bush's backrub and his open mike comments fully illustrates the power -- and occasional "goofiness" of the Internet in its ability to turn quotes and images into major events for what he calls the "get-a-life contingent.''

Shocho said...

Mr. Whalen needs to read a little about what the press in other countries are saying. I realize that to many of his constituents, this is just another example of "good ol' boy" Texas (um, Massachusetts) Georgie acting like a regular guy. In the eyes of many others, he is perceived as a churlish fool. Whalen is wrong.

Major Rakal said...

I'm with Dr.H. It's sexist behavior (though that's arguably 'stupidity' too). Of course he would never do anything like that to another male world leader.

Now picture a female president deciding to give a backrub to Tony Blair or Vladimir Putin. What kind of a reaction would that get?

Shocho said...

Exactly, Major, the Old Switcheroo always shows the truth. Hell, it bugs me that male/female heads of state kiss on the cheek instead of shaking hands.

Trundling Grunt said...

or in the case of Vladimir Putin kissing their stomach. I'd pay for a video clip if he did that to Dubya