So leave … like you promised to do months ago.

but since those aren’t actually the choices, it is meaningless.

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…..

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.

I say not.

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)?

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…

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?

Loosen your birkenstocks and lighten up francis….

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.

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.

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.

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

oh, I get it now Rex& .In other words, the question is, why would Bush do something that Rex might not approve of…..

*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…

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.

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.

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.

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….

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