To a silver spoon elitist frat boy like Bush, everyone’s just around for his amusement. Even the leader of Germany.
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“US President George W. Bush in the G-8 meeting(?) in Saint Peter castle.
From behind, he slinks cunning up to chancellor Angela Merkel (Christian Democratic Union) surprises it with a Blitz(flash?)-massage.
How the chancellor reacted to Bush’s “dear-attack” , you see here…”
Its been six years since I have lived in Germany but it is the best I can translate.
Bush uses profanity, bitches about how long everyone talks too long, Jabs at Putin and when Putin responds… Bush replies…”Just wait!”. Talking with his mouth full.(I know my Dad would reem me if I did that at a function)Not to mention the Decider’s back rub. Germans wanting it rough is just a stereotype Mr. Bush.
Seriously,
I am not one to coddle our president like the ankle-biting cons on this site, but he is either drunk or as Jon Stewart suggested “You gotta crush up the Ritalin in the food or he won’t take it:)”
I am so embarassed that this idiot represents our country.
Here’s a bit more.
I have no doubt out local cons will shrug this off as another nothing, but I’d invite them to consider what the reaction would be if, say, this were Jaques Chirac getting friendly with Condi Rice…
Oliver, love your site.
German culture, although not exactly prudish, is definitely not demonstrative. Neither is most of mainstream North American culture, but Germans have on average an even sharper sense of privacy and reserve than most North Americans, especially North Germans like Chancellor Merkel. Kind of like the stereotype of flinty New England Yankees, times 3. So giving a shoulder massage to a married German woman not his wife… who happens to be the head of government of a foreign power… this makes Germans wince. As Merkel winced. And made me wince to see it.
If a French president did that to a woman President of the U.S., wingnuts would want to flatten Paris.
For the first time, I actually hate our President. I wish him misery, boils, piles. When can this national embarrassment end??
Bush, Merkel And The Summer Slump…
There s not much going on these days in Germany, because it s holiday time and the nation has to recover from the exhausting World Cup. For the newspapers this is always a very difficult time of the year when there are no breaking news to w…
Jay C -
I don’t think any of us need “get a life” sermons from somebody who trolls a liberal blog day in and day out.
I am so embarassed that this idiot represents our country.
Get a life already.
All of you.
The very fact that you guys sit there and piss and moan, piss and moan, piss and moan all the time about the smallest things this President does is pathetic. You’re like those old farts in barbershops and coffee shops where they gather every day to do nothing but complain and bitch all day long about everything. It’s like you’re not happy unless you have something to gripe about.
ah yes, american liberals…..the terminally indignent.
For a group that considers themselves laid back and tolerant, it is amazing how little of those two characteristics you actually display.
There are in fact people who believe you should take your job seriously, but that you don’t have to be a stuffed shirt to do it.
Stand by for pictures of Bush holding the door for the Chancellor, and the lefties beating him up for his paternalism…..
BD – Give it a rest with the ‘trolling’ nonsense. I’ve been bantering with Oliver on his blog for some time now. A ‘troll’ does nothing but stir up trouble and usually does it anonymously. Since I’ve stopped political blogging, it’s pretty much the only political outlet I have and thankfully, Oliver doesn’t attract (for the most part) the kind of left wing freaks that mill around Atrios and Kos’s blogs.
What I don’t do (and where I differ from that crowd that needs a life) is obsess over such things to the point where I’m despairing about things in a public forum, behaving like a teenage girl that just got dumped by her boyfriend.
I’d be okay with him being a creep if he were also competent. Being a creep *and* an empty suit is unforgivable. You cons are going to be remembered in the history books as the dumbest people in American history for your support of this jackass.
Jay C,
I just want some proffesionalism from our president. You fail to respond if the situation was reversed(Chirac massages Condi Rice), and you deflect the fact that Mr. Bush is infallible to the Cons on this site. Would you behave in this matter? If I were to represent my family or my nation, I would like my actions to mirror what others think about me or my country. I can understand why you think this is nitpicking. Saying “shit” is not going to stop the world. The problem I have is Bush is that he is not serious or professional with our countries foriegn policy and that is what is so embarrassing. If caring how our president represents our country is pissing and moaning, I am gladly part of that group. This is precisely why we don’t need an unintelligent, uncouth, and aloof president. We have sunk so low..
I am so embarassed this idiot represents our country.
I can see how Pedro and JayC don’t see a problem with this behavior. I’m sure it’s exactly how they act around the women in their lives – Sneaking up from behind for a stealthy chokehold on a female co-worker is just old hat for these pervs.
Hey, who *doesn’t* need a little massage. Plus, she was askin’ for it right? That sexy little power-suit!
Pedro,
I would love him to hold open a door for Merkel. There is nothing wrong with being a Southern gentleman, but his behavior is not gentleman-like. Being “laid-back” doesn’t give you a right to be inappropriate and pointing out bad behavior is not “intolerance”. You are avoiding the issue worse than Jay-C, but I normally expect that to happen. You fail to address Rhienhards example if Condi were getting the massage by Chirac and how his behavior is exceptable. You prove my point right that this president is infallible in your eyes. For a person who claims liberals “hate” (By my definition, hate is so radical that you are willing to kill, and I haven’t met a person yet that fits that description and can’t ever see it ever happening.) Bush, you certianly love this man like a God.
I am so embarrassed that this idiot represents our country but more embarassing is how Cons worship this man like a Golden Calf.
Jay C,
You misunderstand me:) It is not about appearance, but rather your actions speaking to your character. I don’t suggest Bush start kissing ass now (he is too far-gone now) because he would only come off as disingenuous. Part of having OUR interest at heart is being able to articulate and work with others to achieve our goals. I somehow fail to see “Syria needs to stop this shit” is an articulate policy. If you are soo concerned about 9-11 then you would be hounding Bush for not getting Osama and the 9-11 terrorists. Your actions speak to your character. I could care less about his “appearance” because it would suggest that he should persuade others to judge him on his look and stature, which is proposterous. These simple facts remain:
Cons love this man like the Golden Calf in the Bible.
Your actions speak to your character
Bush is the most embarrasing idiot to ever represent this country.
So Whale, what you’re essentially saying is appearances are more important than anything else.
You know what I want from the President? To know that first and foremost, the interests of our nation and our people come before anybody else. And if that means pissing off the world, I don’t give a crap. You may think it is more important for us to be liked around the world. All that got us was close to a half a dozen terrorist attacks aimed at our country and our installations around the world and allowing one to be planned that killed 3000 people almost 5 years ago.
As long as we’re stopping plots and preventing things like that from happening again, I could care less if our President talks with his mouth full, curses, or scratches his balls in public.
Jay C -
How is being hated around the world going to make us any safer in the long run?
Your mentality sounds not only pre 9/11, but pre-airplane. The world has become too small and too close together to assume that our interests aren’t interconnected with everybody else’s in some way, and that pissing off the entire world isn’t going to end up backfiring on us eventually.
I don’t care if we’re liked either. I do care if we have influence around the world, though. And in every region of the world, Bush has made us a weaker, less influential nation. Bush has made us more vulnerable, and that is why he and his lickspittle followers should be reviled by all true patriots.
How is being hated around the world going to make us any safer in the long run?
How was being adored making us any safer? It didn’t. Not even close.
Your mentality sounds not only pre 9/11, but pre-airplane. The world has become too small and too close together to assume that our interests aren t interconnected with everybody else s in some way, and that pissing off the entire world isn t going to end up backfiring on us eventually.
No. Your mentality sounds pre 9/11, wherein our ’status’ around the world was more important than our safety. You hold the dangerous view that says not pissing somebody off takes precedence over the ability for us to protect ourselves. It’s that kind of thinking that led to 9/11.
I do care if we have influence around the world, though. And in every region of the world, Bush has made us a weaker, less influential nation.
That’s horseshit. Our influence has been greatly strengthened around the world. Many countries don’t like us, but they fear us and that’s a good thing.
The only ones who should be reviled are the likes of those ‘patriots’ who think having France sucking up to us is more important than keeping terrorists from attacking our country.
And White Whale, you’re the one with a problem. This isn’t about how I feel about Bush, but about you feel about him. Bush Derangement Syndrome is a real thing. And you know it’s real when those who are afflicted by it don’t want to admit their obsession. Only those with such an obsession would carry on about the President talking with his mouth full or saying the word “shit.”
No curmudgeon, that is how we act among friends. I would be totally with you if he ripped her shirt off and broke out the hot oil…but he squeezed her shoulders.
Whale it is funny to me, and the irony remains lost on the liberals, that you claim this huge level of tolerance for other cultures and respect for individuals, yet touching this womens shoulders is “inappropriate”?
You aren’t willing to denounce muslims for keeping their women as chattel, but if Bush touches a friends shoulders, he is inappropriate?
Think of it as a cultural difference between a conservative from texas among friends demonstrating his grand sense of bonhomie. Perhaps that will up your tolerance level a little.
“No. Your mentality sounds pre 9/11, wherein our status around the world was more important than our safety.”
Um, so you don’t think our status around the world has anything to do with our safety? You think the best way to keep ourselves safe is to piss people off?
…um… wouldnt it be considered sexual harrassment if it were in a workplace? If, apropos of nothing, one manager just walked behind another manager and started giving a backrub that, from how it seems in the photos, is unwelcome?
Oh wait, I forgot that only Democrats are capable of sexual harrassment, havent I? More fool me then.
Its interesting though that the issue is still being deflected here and not even addressed I think. You’d think they’d even come up with some defense against it by now if it were defensible. Presodent goes to a diplomatic function, and is, by basic standards of social behaviour to say nothing of what we might expect of the chief US representative, just plain rude. Or should we just come to expect he’ll be a self-important dick to our allies now since he’s clearly got too much arrogance built up to devote solely to our enemies?
You know what, I know whatever grander question I might ask here wont get answered anyway, so let me just ask a simple one: Not stopping your meal to hold a conversation, swearing, and, well lets call it unwelcome physical contact, are these things rude or not? Would it be okay for you to behave this way? Would you think it okay for someone to behave this way to you? Why is it okay for the Presodent then?
Why isn’t Bush smiling or laughing in *any* of the photos of the incident? I mean, if it was such a playful gesture, why does he look like he just killed someone?
For me, the body language of both individuals speaks volumes.
No, she looks suprised. And if you look at the 6th picture (conveniently left off of Americablog) and read the caption, she took it with the humor with which it was intended.
By the way, the German Chancellor clearly looks disturbed by it. So, maybe they aren’t as chummy as Bush thinks, eh?
Yes, Pedro, it is inappropriate to grope the Chancellor of Germany at a meeting of the biggest nations on the planet. And there is no indication that they are that close as “friends” as you suggest. This was not a barbecue down in Crawford, y’know.
I’m willing to denounce the muslim faith for keeping their women as chattle, so STFU. (That was a bad straw man argument, but nice try).
Jay
Being liked and being respected sometimes go hand in hand. Sometimes they don’t. but it seems to me you get more respect from being civil and respectful than by being a dickhead. Bush’s antics at the G8 summit, essentially playing the court jester, does nothing for his credability abroad and reflects poorly on the rest of us. If you guys are so blinded by your Bush-love, you can’t see that, I feel pity for you.
You guys seem awfully defensive about this, though.
Jay C asserted: “Our influence has been greatly strengthened around the world.”
In fact, since 2002 in every region of the world, our enemies have been emboldened, and our allies are disheartened and more estranged from us. It doesn’t matter whether you’re talking about east Asia, south Asia, Europe, Latin America, Africa, or the Middle East. It’s the sad, plain truth that we have less influence on both our friends and enemies, be they Mexico, Israel, the UK, or China, Pakistan, or North Korea. Only you dead-enders with your heads in the sand refuse to admit what’s obvious to every serious observer of foreign affairs. Because This president is a foreign policy failure.
She is laughing in the final photo. We can’t see what he does after the 6th photo. Don’t most people keep a straight face during a gag? We don’t know the entire context beyond the 6 instances of time frozen by those photos. The German news treats it like it was a joke.
Talk about ignoring the elephant in the room (Oliver’s favorite concept). Wasn’t Clinton derided by the Right as utterly lacking in character, that he demeaned the office of the President? Now Bush fumbles about, looking inept and crass on the world stage and completely reinforcing the world opinion that he, and by extension America, is incompetent and dangerous and all the Bush humpers develop amnesia. At least Clinton’s stupidity was restricted to his personal affairs.
Wow, then you must hate Bush. If cons honestly think that we were attacked for being too likable, then honestly, it’s no wonder you can’t be swayed by common sense and reality. Christ, just ignore our proxy wars against the Soviets in Afghanistan and against Iran with Iraq (back when Saddam the evil tyrant was useful to us), our support for autocratic regimes like the Saudis (who, if Bush was serious about fighting terrorism, would be getting their asses kicked), our blind allegiance and massive military support for Israel, right or wrong, and so on. Nope, we get atacked because we are just so darn huggable.
Like the European governments cooperating with our requests in the SWIFT program? Oh, wait…who ruined that again?
Check this one out: [Pic]
He’s such a fucking psychopath.
No, you see it is just the opposite.
Oh, I see. Acting the fool in front of the most powerful people on the planet actually increases our credability abroad, right?
ooooh-kay, then. Thanks for clearing that up.
I think this BDS bullshit works both ways. You say those who don’t like Bush, or his job performance, are deranged. I could say the same thing to those who still support him. You know, that 30% of the population.
Try acting like an idiot at your next staff meeting witht eh head of the company, see how much credability you get.
Again& none of us know the context of the event.
Come now JWG, don’t be such a fool. Of course they know. Which is why they pontificate about such trivial things over and over again. They know that Bush is nothing but a creepy frat boy drunk cowboy who causes embarassment to those here who despise him.
Bush s antics at the G8 summit, essentially playing the court jester, does nothing for his credability abroad and reflects poorly on the rest of us. If you guys are so blinded by your Bush-love, you can t see that, I feel pity for you.
No, you see it is just the opposite. That’s BDS for you. Something like this has nothing credibility and doesn’t reflect on us at all. It’s practically a non-issue, but you guys want it to be a major issue.
If cons honestly think that we were attacked for being too likable, then honestly, it s no wonder you can t be swayed by common sense and reality
There isn’t a ‘con’ here who said such a thing and only a ‘lib’ with a small mind could come to such a conclusion.
JWG, a loose business acquaintence whom you are not very close to has just walked behind you and tickled you in your armpits or wherever. The shock of this action, which is intrusive and uncomfortable itself, causes to you smile weirdly in bewilderment, perhaps going “ha” in the process. (I’m not going by photos here but by the video available on the german site OW links to) So, because you laughed, smiling when the gag was over, it was perfectly acceptable for this person, whom, again, youre not very close to and have only met through your work, to have done this?
Follow-up, what else would she have done in that situation? Snap her fingers, get a few hired goons to take him out back and rough him up a little?
Thanks for this Classic:
You know what I want from the President? To know that first and foremost, the interests of our nation and our people come before anybody else. And if that means pissing off the world, I don t give a crap.>>
It’s such a great principle, every leader on earth should take this fine advice to heart. Come to think of it, the Israeli prime minister already is.
& um& wouldnt it be considered sexual harrassment if it were in a workplace?
I don’t know if your question was meant to be rhetorical or not, but yes, that would be sexual harassment in a workplace setting. I had to watch a video about sexual harassment during an orientation for my internship last week, and a back rub was one of the examples.
However, knowing the cons, they believe sexual harassment is just a scam for women to screw over men for no apparant reason.
BTW, I just rewatched the video several times. Pay attention to the very end. She is looking at Bush and laughing. Again…none of us know the context of the event.
Sexual Harassment
Oh, I see. Acting the fool in front of the most powerful people on the planet actually increases our credability abroad, right?
ooooh-kay, then. Thanks for clearing that up.
I was referring to your comment about Bush-love.
You say those who don t like Bush, or his job performance, are deranged.
No, I say that those who go apeshit over every tiny little thing the man does are deranged. Only those with BDS would get their panties in such a wad over something like this. Only those with BDS would get their panties in another bunch about Bush saying the word “shit.” Unless of course you want to tell me that getting worked up over such miniscule things is common and completely normal.
Try acting like an idiot at your next staff meeting witht eh head of the company, see how much credability you get.
Well, playfully joking around at a staff meeting would look like idiocy to the guy who sits there looking like he has starch in his underwear. Those with some personality will have fun along with everybody else.
Those with some personality will have fun along with everybody else.
Well, maybe I’m not being clear. Or maybe you’re just being obtuse on purpose. Sure, at a staff meeting where everybody knows each other, etc, there is some camraderie and “bonhommie”-ness, but there is a time and a place for such things.
I’m not upset with the President using adult language in an adult situation, especially when he believes his conversation is private. Not at all. And I don’t “go apeshit” over every little thing. Stopped doing that in 2003. Now I just shake my head and wonder. I wonder why guys like you can’t see the ridiculousness of the situation. This man represents this country. He is a buffoon. Way to pick ‘em.
The sad fact that his supporters can’t (or won’t) see the man behind the curtain and can’t even admit that he doesn’t know how to conduct himself in an important setting, well….
*speechless*
I go apeshit over his mammoth strategic blunder, his weakening of our country’s ability to secure our interests, and his betrayal of our basic ideals and values. But if you want to persist in your BDS “critique,” more power to you.
What about “Is our children learning to put food on their families where our wings take dream, subliminably”?
Bush is a clown.
Oh god, stop it, please!!
“I’ve reminded the prime minister the American people, Mr. Prime Minister, over the past months that it was not always a given that the United States and America would have a close relationship.” Washington, D.C., June 29, 2006
http://www.slate.com/id/76886/
So that’s what this summit was about: Bush having fun and “entertaining” the rest of the world’s leaders, sorta like the two-year old that entertains all of the adults at a party. Glad we cleared that up.
My vote is for “wont,” since it seems that evidence of him being an inconsiderate arrogant twit is self-evident (a point I’m gathering since nobody seems to be arguing that his actions are generally acceptable) but that its alright for him to be one. Thats why you get stuff like “Its a good thing that Bush is inconsiderate to foreign dignitaries because Clinton tried to appease Osama and thats what made 9/11 happen during Bush’s term” kind of crap from above. Its also why Nuculer and Internets are really very good things because it shows the world at large that he’s really just a friendly good ol’ boy with his own foibles, and the fact that he refuses to pronounce the words correctly has nothing to do with an obdurate unwillingness to admit mistakes and learn. And its a very good thing that Anthony set those curtains on fire, isnt it Uncle Walt? I mean we never did like those curtains, what a wonderful thing it is that he did that!
I volley back with this
en garde
“I think tide turning see, as I remember I was raised in the desert, but tides kind of it’s easy to see a tide turn did I say those words?” Washington, D.C., June 14, 2006
Its also why Nuculer and Internets….
URRRRGGGHHH! Ok, I will freely admit to having BDS just for those two things alone.
I would hope for a cure, but the administration has cut the funding for research.
Hm, a recent one too… an excellent example as well, though that is more indicitave of absentmindedness then outright beliggerant stupidity, and so forthwith I counter with “I thought you were going to ask about the pig” – 7/13/06 Response to reporter’s question: “There’s a concern that the Beruit airport has been bombed, and do you see a risk of triggering a wider war, and on Iran, they have so far refused to respond. Is it too far past a deadline or do they still have time to respond?”
Son of a bee-sting… should have linked “Touche” to that bit last month where he’s being a twit to that blind reporter for wearing sunglasses when theres no sun out…
http://www.thecarpetbaggerreport.com/archives/7369.html
*Rex is slain! Duros gains 420 money and 69 experience*
…touche, sir.
My personal favorite was a couple years ago when Bush mispronounced the word “dissemble” to the press corps even as he was condescendingly providing them with the definition: “to disassemble means to lie.” Uh, no.
I had noticed that dissemble was also that day’s dictionary.com word of the day, and have always wondered if it was a coincidence!
Careful, Al! Keep saying stuff like that, and you’ll get yourself called “deranged”!
I eagerly await drpedro’s “it’s merely George’s ‘plainspokeness’” defense.
Indeed, Rex, indeed. I will cut him some slack for that one, though. He may not have known the guy was blind.
However, it doesn’t compare to saying to the guy ina wheelchair (after he didn’t rise upon the President’s entrance) “You look mighty comfortable.”
Sorry I don’t have a link.
He’s a man-child. Certainly an endearing quality in some twenty-something scamp who plays video games, fucks alot and wears jeans to a job interview.
Not the sort of quality one would want in the leader of the free world, however.
Can you just picture the cons reaction if it had been Clinton “massaging” the Chancellor of Germany?
Makes me giddy.
Jeez! I am gone three hours and Jay, Pedro etc… are not only reading my mind, putting words, beliefs and arguments in my mouth but they can also judge my feelings!?! Maybe three hours is not enough to actually address substance of an argument. It is hard to listen when you guys choose to deflect the issue and justify his behavior with generalizations. JWG did try to state what sexual harrasment is, but sadly it speaks of nothing to the appropriatness of the situation. I don’t care if she said “Mehr, mehr, Herr President!” , his actions were innapropriate. If I am deranged for wanting our president to act appropriately, at least you can take pills for derangment. Twisted love is something modern medicine can’t solve. The Manson family would be proud of your nigh-invunerable love for this president
Rex, Other have said before me, I like your style.
“I thought Europeans were a bit more touchy-feely blah blah”
Actually, nobody has a better, more nuanced, whiny sense of their own victimhood and persecution than conservatives. “Can’t you feel our pain as we’re so TREASONOUSLY stabbed in the back by the liberal media, the educational system, the liberal voters, the blue states, the events of the day, even though we only control the government, whine whine whine!” The only thing that makes you feel better are your masturbatory fantasies of killing New York Times editors. Get a therapist, Monitor.
MM
You do know that none of those trailer skanks are Chancellors of Germany, right?
I think if any of us did what he did to the Chancellor’s shoulders, in our workplaces we’d be canned.
It’s surely “old boy” behavior, and not appropriate for a big summit.
I can’t get “outraged” by it. It’s just plain “weird” behavior.
I think he’s acting weird lately.
JK
**ding!**
I thought Europeans were a bit more touchy-feely than us Americans? Hey, Bush was just being culturally sensitive! Lay off!
But in regards to the Clinton thing….I think Bill has the edge on creepiness for sure.
Paula Jones, Gennifer Flowers, Monica Lewinsky…..
That man did in fact perfect being creepy, for sure!
I love it. Incessant jabbering back and forth about ignorant Bush this and that. Guess what? A few years back, you guys got the sharpest minds on the left together, picked the absolutely sharpest guy you collectively could, ‘the cream of the progressive crop’, and then frat boy Bush kicked his progressive butt.
Dugger
yes, i know this duros.
and if you had a 22 yr. old daughter, and some 50-something yr. old man was boning her after already being sued by other women for sexual harrassment, what would you think of the guy?
I’m guessing creepy would be mild.
It would for me.
And furthermore, if you are saying that bush should be canned because he (gasp) touched the chancellor, are you saying that the women Clinton used are nothing more than trash that ought to be thrown away when you called them trailer trash?
Way to stand up for the “little guy,” my liberal friends.
Now where would so many Americans get the idea that libs are a tad elitist? Sheesh. Who knows, right?
sexually harrass average women? Eh. Screw’em! They’re skanks!
touch the almighty chancellor? Oh my god! Impeach him!
You guys are a friggin’ riot, I swear.
(the only people makin’ a stink of this are liberals with Bush Derangement Syndrome. maybe some of you folks in here should look into getting treated for this condition. It was an innocent and benign gesture. Reasonable people know this. Seriously, go get a life)
So what does that say about the Right, dug? Is GWB the sharpest knife in the proverbial conservative drawer? God, I hope not.
Moreover, what does it say about the voters? Brand recognition, that’s all that was. People would vote for Ryna Seacrest because they heard his name before.
The cons are this site are as stupid as Our National Embarrassment. The thing that struck me the most in the very first Gore.v.Bush debate was how Bush looked like a deer in headlights. I could sense that this man was a slackard and incapable of being a world-class leader.
It’s hard to blame Bush for being what he is – a dry drunk, former coke snorting whoremongering fratboy – after all he is as blue-blooded as they come. He reminds me of Spaulding in “Caddyshack”. I blame the assholes that voted for him. Including certain annoying rightards that frequent this site.
The ironic thing is that conservatives are always talking about personal responsibility but they’re the first ones to blame someone else when they screw up.
And this proves what exactly Dugger? That because the American people elected the sitting president over an ineffectual public speaker who was slandered as a war criminal, that proves that Bush is actually, what, smart? That he must be intelligent because thats what the people look for when perpetually kept in a state of worry? That there actually are multiple Internets and its officially pronounced nuculer now?
Or perhaps, just perhaps, what you really hope it proves is that a staggeringly unpopular presodent who is rudely arrogant to his friends and belligerant to his enemies, who seems and by all accounts is stunningly ignorant of the world around him, and who doesnt show any signs of improving in any of these respects, is still the best man for the job in spite of, no, because of all his numerous failings?
Kicked what butt, Dugger?
I’m the master of low expectations.
George W. Bush
Aboard Air Force One, June 2003
Nobody has said that Bush should be impeached because he touched the Chancellor. You are pretending that that is the argument so that you can call it ridiculous and pretend youre winning a fight that you started yourself against an opponent that does not exist. This is called a StrawMan logical fallacy, and your use of it shows how inconsequential your opinion is. Your need to misrepresent your opposition should be an embarassment to you, but given that you are a homosexual communist dog-raping serial-killing multi-headed demon who lives beneath the sea, I suppose we cannot expect any better.
Uh..Moonbat,
It’s one thing to ball a dumb 24 year old Intern when you think that nobody’s watching.
It’s quite another, to physically “massage” the leader of the one of the most powerfull nations on earth, at a G8 SUMMIT, when you KNOW the cameras are on you, in an era when even the slightest gesture in the corporate universe, can be construed as “harrassment.”
In my workplace, physical touching is grounds for a possible harrassment charge.
Again, it’s creepy. And it speaks to Bush’s serious lack of decorum, and judgement. But it’s not impeachable.
You guys….look, it’s one thing that 99% of you are simply not that smart. It’s who you are, and will always be. Not particularly bright thinkers.
On slam dunk stuff like this, if you have to defend the guy for groping a female world leader in front of the world, then I sort of feel very sorry for you.
JK
Rex
the fact that people here are making a big deal out of it is what I find ridiculous.
And the fact that the cameras were on should have let everyone know that he had no perverted intentions, unlike his predecessor, who knew what he was doing was wrong, several times, and then tried to lie and get away with it.
Bush isn’t half the snake Clinton is.
And when you bring up this “harrassment” crap…do you really think the almighty Chancellor is going to file suit against Bush or something after cameras capture a completely benign “massage?”
Puhhhleeassse!
Run along now and go get treated for BDS.
**sidenote rex – you said to me: “you are a homosexual communist dog-raping serial-killing multi-headed demon who lives beneath the sea, I suppose we cannot expect any better.”
First, I’m wondering how I’d rape a dog if I lived beneath the sea. And secondly, if you’re such a tolerant lib, why use the terms homosexual or communist as insults to anyone? You guys on the left are all about income redistribution, supressing free speech through political correctness, and gay sex as well, aren’t you? Third, I’ve never seen a multi-headed demon. If you have, then really, go see a doctor because you need help.
Very tacky and childish, Rex.
Your arms are too short to box with me son!
the fact that people here are making a big deal out of it is what I find ridiculous.
Tomorrow, when you go to work (assuming you have a job), I DARE you to give a neck massage to one of your female co-workers, see how well that goes.*
And the fact that the cameras were on should have let everyone know that he had no perverted intentions,
So…cameras have the magical power to make people not do bad things, even if they aren’t aware of the camera’s existance? And even assuming that his intentions were pure *snicker*, that doesn’t give him the right to touch someone without permission.
unlike his predecessor, who knew what he was doing was wrong, several times, and then tried to lie and get away with it.
So…consentual sex is worse than unconsentual touching…got it. Besides, what Clinton did and didn’t do doesn’t excuse Bush’s actions, unless you believe that Clinton possessed Bush with occult magic or something.**
Run along now and go get treated for BDS.
Heaven forbid that we think that an immature, idiotic, pathological liar is unfit to be the leader of the free word! Heaven for-****ing-bid!
You guys on the left are all about income redistribution, supressing free speech through political correctness, and gay sex as well, aren t you?
Just as much as you guys on the right are all about abolishing the middle class, suppressing free speach though threats of terrorism, and giving the government eminent domain over our genetelia (that’s a…unique mental image…).
Third, I ve never seen a multi-headed demon.
You’ve never heard of Cerberus?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerberus
Your arms are too short to box with me son!
That reminds me, I need to add you to my list of trolls that I crush on a daily basis. Frank_D, Save_Ferris, mrpedro, Dugger, say hello to the newest member.
Zython:45, Frank_D, Save_Ferris, mrpedro, Dugger, & moonbat: 0
Also, does the word “moonbat” even mean anything? I guess the right wing pundits you worship have yet to realize that words have to carry an intrinsic meaning with them, or else they’re just random sounds/symbols. You too will understand that once you learn how to communicate with the outside world.
*To answer your pending question, the answer is no. “Some guy on the internet dared me to” is not a valid legal defense.
**Crap, I just created another ‘Pub talking point.
Ok, see, I explained to you how use used nonexistant strawmen to try and bolster your ridiculous argument, and how such are usually used to misrepresent the opposition. Then I, in what I thought was an obvious farce, call you a bunch of names that not only am I certain none of them could apply to you in the real world, but could not even logistically prove even if they were. You fail to grasp my intentional example of ridiculous logical fallacy, and attack me for my little jape, presuming I would actually believe such ridiculous things, and in the process again misrepresenting your opposition as gay-sex-loving communists, which, in effect, only serves to bolster my point about your inability to correctly apply logic. Did I miss anything there or have I accurately explained to the towering intellect of moonbat “Puhhhleeassse!” monitor over here?
Oh wait, I forgot to address your repeated distortion of the issue. First by comparing Bush to Clinton in a selective way that, in fact, has nothing to do with Bush’s behaviour. Then you try to suggest that we (or rather your StrawMen version of us) are suggesting the chancellor file a sexual harassment suit, when we’re not saying that at all, of course. Sexual Harrasment was brought up as a sort of comparative rubric to evaluate the apropriateness of the Presodents actions, which, I feel it necessary to point out yet again, nobody is even trying to argue were appropriate, but rather trying to deflect charges of their being inappropriate by saying “it doesnt matter cause he didnt stick a finger in” or “it doesnt matter because clinton was Worse” or “it doesnt matter because I really really hope it doesnt so there” and suchlike.
There, I think that basically addresses all your “points” and privides thorough analysis and rebuttal, What say you?
Well I tell you what I say…
Incidentally, how exactly do I get treated for this BDS disease that youve completely made up to try and make anyone who disagrees with you seem silly? Is there an actual cure? Is it covered by my HMO? Is your response going to be anything more than something along the lines of “just think exactly the way I do” I wonder?
“…IF that individual had previously asked that it NOT be done.”
“Oh gee, I didn’t realize you didn’t want me to grope you. You should have verbalized that early.”
Man you guys are thick….
Squeezing someones shoulder COULD be interpreted as sexual harrassment, IF that individual had previously asked that it NOT be done.
Getting a hummer from someone who WORKS FOR YOU and is half your age is ABSOLUTELY sexual harrasment. If Clenis was the CEO of IBM he would be writing a big check. You see, there is no such thing as “consensual” when you have that big a power disparity and an employer/employee relationship. Unfortunately, that other wholly owned subsidiary of the democratic party were all in the ladies room (females room?) together and seemed to miss that part of the story.
Here guys try this….. see what happens if the boss gets a hummer from the 20 year old summer intern at work…..
Oh for chrissake pedro WE GET THAT IT PROBABLY WASNT ACTUALLY TECHNICALLY LEGALLY SEXUAL HARASSMENT you freaking dolt! I only brought that up (and sweet zombie Jesus am I sorry I ever did) for purposes of comparison when the discussion was still over whether or not doing it just out of the blue, along with numerous points about his lack of consideration to, ostensibly, his allies of all people, and what effect his jackassery might have on the larger scale. Why, please dear god tell me WHY you all cant get over it and actually address the main point?! WHY is there this obdurate insistance on tackling the REPEATEDLY acknowledged non-issue of sexual harassment when it was only brought up as a point of Context!?! Is it medical or something? Do you just have this clinical need to attack Clinton once a week for shit that happened a decade ago or else your skull goes Scanners or something? Is your need to avoid the issue so deeply inborn that you need to niggle about an unrelated point of comarison to be able to avoid having to engage in honest debate about the actual godsdamn point?!
*grabs paper bag, breaths in and out of it heavily for a few minutes*
Randi Rhodes says the most devastating thing anyone has ever said about Bush. She says he doesn’t even have the moves.
It s hard to blame Bush for being what he is – a dry drunk, former coke snorting whoremongering fratboy – after all…
Interesting you should say that. My fiance runs a dry homeless shelter and deals with addictions every day. She has often said that Bush’s actions resemble those of an addict in recovery
oh, I get it now Rex….In other words, the question is, why would Bush do something that Rex might not approve of…..
Well that is a much simpler answer. Because he doesn’t care. He has a “hail-fellow well met” sort of personality, and “f’em if they can’t take a joke”. It is funny to me how angry you get when I have to explain to paul what sexual harrassment actually is, but you seem to ignore all the other posts about it too, but, whatever.
And Duros your fiance is a brilliant lady: Bush is an addict in recovery, that explains his behavior….
“… when I have to explain to paul what sexual harrassment actually is …”
Um, are you talking about me? Because never suggested what Bush did was sexual harrassment. Even so, could you please tell where a woman has to explicitly tell her male co-workers that she doesn’t want to be touched, groped, whistled at etc. before those actions become sexual harrassment? Remember pedro, you wrote this:
“Squeezing someones shoulder COULD be interpreted as sexual harrassment, IF that individual had previously asked that it NOT be done.”
Show me any court case or law in which prior express refusal was required before an action could be declared sexual harrassment. That logic would suggest that every male co-worker has one “free pass” at grabbing, groping or otherwise inappropriately touching a colleague. So go ahead, prove your point.
For any addict, there’s a difference between simply being abstinent (worthy as it is) and being in recovery.
*breaths harder into bag, wich eventually bursts, flaming*
No, doctor, in fact the question isnt why he would behave rudely (a point which is still frankly unchallenged, as the focus has been more “sure he’s rude, thats why I love him”), since everyone already has their own answer. For me its because he’s a swaggering dick that doesnt care about making an ass of himself in front of his business associates, and for you its because he’s a wonderful person who has seen fit to grace this mortal earth with his divine presence and who are we to question his swearing with his mouth full. But whatever, still a great job of misrepresenting my point again. Looks like fun, reading unrelated things into what someone is saying. Ooh, let me try…
Oh my God! I cant believe you would do that to your own mother with a broom handle! Have you no decency? And why all holes? Couldnt you have left the ear unviolated!? My god, and to admit to it publically on this message board in the sentence that you admit to being a card carrying member of Al Qaeda, Nambla and Communist Party, well I’m just frankly stunned. It explains alot about you that you would do such a thing, and is no wonder why you think the way you do.
Rex Mundane, it just isn’t worth attempting reasonable discourse with drpedro. Can you imagine how inane and off topic this discussion thread would be at this point if drpedro AND Frank_D were contributing to it?
There is nothing The Decider can do wrong in drpedro’s rose colored, very distorted vision. The Decider and his administration have taught the world that there is no such state as “too low” for expectations.
I’m the master of low expectations.
George W. Bush
Aboard Air Force One, June 2003
I would argue that Bush’s neck massage had nothing to do with sexual harassment (not that massages can’t be sexual, but it’s not like he got the hot oil out) and has everything to do with treating people (esp. women, and especially women who are leaders of another country) with respect in the workplace. I mean, can you imagine Bush walking up behind Blair (Yo Blair!) and rubbing his shoulders!? It simply would never happen. It’s also incredibly disrespectful to the people of Germany, which, for some of the people who comment on this blog, may be a bit too complicated an idea to grasp. Way to go W! Way to continue to make Americans look like primitive, childish, insensitive asses.
I have to say though, the look of fear in Bush’s eyes after Merkel shrugged him off almost makes the whole thing worth it.
(Sigh)
Here Paulie boy…
“b. Individuals who believe they have been sexually harassed
are encouraged to address their concerns or objections regarding
the incident directly with the person demonstrating the harassing
behavior. Persons who are subjected to or observe objectionable
behavior should promptly notify the chain of command if:
(1) the objectionable behavior does not stop; or
(2) the situation is not resolved;”
SECNAVINST 5300.26C
Since we are talking about a shoulder rub, not giving the Chancellor a “shocker”, it is not obviously criminal. So in cases like this, the guidance is for the agrieved individual to let people know they are uncomfortable with the behavior.
I just went to the instructions that I know, from the Navy.
As for the rest of the terminally indignent….you all need to relax a little. If I had the energy, I would go find some clip of bush rubbing the shoulder of a male world leader too.
It is this ridiculous propensity of liberals to blow things out of proportion that is making our language and culture worthless. When you start in with the idea that bush is disprespecting women because he touched one, you lessen the women who are REALLY disrespected.
If I had the energy, I would go find some clip of bush rubbing the shoulder of a male world leader too.
That still wouldn’t make it right.
As for the rest of the terminally indignent& .you all need to relax a little.
It’s no big deal that the PotUS embarassed himself and, by extention, the entire country in front of the rest of the world* yet again! It’s no big deal that the leader of the free world can’t act in a manner befitting a civilized human being.
No, it may not technically be sexual harassment, but it’s rude, uncivilized, and certainly not a way the leader of this (or any) country should behave. End of story.
in your close-minded, “liberal” (HA!) opinion.
Loosen your birkenstocks and lighten up francis….
pedro, citing an institution’s general policy on how to report harrassing behavior is not the same thing as proving that sexual harrassment can only legally said to have occurred only if the victim has already expressly rejected certain behavior.
If you were to grab a co-worker’s breast, she could sue you for sexual harrassment right then and there. She wouldn’t have to first tel you that it was inapprpriate then wait to see if you did it again. Jesus, are you that fucking stupid?
So go ahead, prove your point. Says paulie (frameone)
I will leave it up to our distinguished readers to decide whether or not my point is proven.
Paul, seriously, you are an idiot.
Are you still in your Phd program, or did you drop out yet? Just curious…
Hey Captain Hyperbole (I mean drpedro),
What exactly is your point? I don’t think anyone is seriously arguing that Bush’s actions constituted sexual harassment (as several people have pointed out, already). Someone may have suggested out that in another context it could have been considered as such, and I don’t think that’s totally out of line. That being said, what did you expect CHANCELLOR Merkel to do, turn around and tell her boss Bush was making her “uncomfortable”? She is the freaking boss! And she doesn’t need some dude walking up behind her and giving her a neck-rub in a public forum.
Humorous or not (I would argue, not) it’s a thinly veiled expression of Bush’s “I can do whatever I want” attitude, and it’s insulting. Do you know any successful women? Most of the ones I know would not welcome that sort of behavior, at all, especially in front of their peers. That being said, Merkel handled the event very diplomatically, because apparently she, unlike Bush, understands the meaning of the word.
And finally, you’re the one who needs to lighten up– if you can’t see this event as embarassing and (darkly) comic, instead of trying to defend it as if it’s totally normal behavior, I think you may be the one who’s opinion here is out of touch with rational thought.
And finally, I supported Clinton, and I even thought he did a decent job, but that doesn’t mean I supported every single thing he did… why does it seem like people who like Bush can’t admit the man ever makes a mistake (like vetoing today’s stem cell research bill)?
drpedro Jul 20th, 2006 at 12:10 am
I will leave it up to our distinguished readers to decide whether or not my point is proven.
I say not.
I will leave it up to our distinguished readers to decide whether or not my point is proven.
Not. Even. Close.
I’ll bet Pedro is real popular at the nurse’s station.
The Presodent was rude, out of line, and inappropriate to the situation.
Why can’t you guys simply admit that? That is all we are trying to say here. Not sexual harrasment, not Clinton-equivalence, nothing like that.
As a dry-drunk, he has no boundaries. Besides, Germans are notoriously un-funny, so trying to say it was all in fun falls flat.
Oh, and moonbat?
and if you had a 22 yr. old daughter, and some 50-something yr. old man was boning her after already being sued by other women for sexual harrassment, what would you think of the guy?
I m guessing creepy would be mild.
If my 22 year old (24, whatever) was boning the 50-year old leader of the free world, I would say she had made a pretty big error in judgement. Stop defending the women here as poor, helpless souls who were victimized by a sexual predator. Power is a pretty powerful aphrodisiac for some people. Maybe some of Clinton’s advances were unwelcome. I would say not many, but maybe some.
Not stop it. There is no comparison.
Sorry trust me, you aren’t reading my posts.
I disagree with GWB on a boatload of stuff, and agreed with Clinton on a boat load of stuff. In fact, as a president, I think clinton did a pretty good job and was darned conservative when it came right down to it, I also thought he was a slimeball with the ethics of a hammer-head shark.
I spoke out against the presidents stem cell veto as well…..
So, for the record, which is better?
a) an effective leader who has no moral compass?
or
b)a moral leader who has no effectiveness?
a.
but since those aren’t actually the choices, it is meaningless.
drpedro Jul 20th, 2006 at 1:23 pm
Sorry trust me, you aren t reading my posts.
So leave … like you promised to do months ago.