Oy Gevalt!

[dcseain]

Mr. President tries to give Angela Merkel a massage. This is all over the European news, brought to my attention by a friend in Amsterdam. As if we needed anything more to be embarrassed about from this administration.

Comments

[melted-snowball.livejournal.com]

This was in Germany, not in Russia, right? Because were it in St. Petersburg, it might have been even more aggravating, given that it would have that "when her husband is away" vibe, too. (Chancellor Merkel's husband hates diplomatic events and stayed home on the G8 trip.)

[dcseain.livejournal.com]

Nope, at the G8 meeting in Saint Pete: US-Präsident George W. Bush beim G-8-Gipfel in Sankt Petersburg.

[benhill.livejournal.com]

If it had been in Russian, maybe Bush would have tried to kiss Putin's belly.





A few weeks ago, Putin for no apparent reason kissed a little boy on the belly at a public event. It was caught on TV, very odd.

[melted-snowball.livejournal.com]

Yummy.

[dcseain.livejournal.com]

At 13:40 (GMT-4) today, as it turns out.

[dcseain.livejournal.com]

Oops, Russian time. my bad.

[selki.livejournal.com]

English-language articles:
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-fg-preen17jul17,1,2442410.story?coll=la-news-a_section
LA times says she smiled, but that doesn't seem to match the picture.

The Raw Story seems to give a more accurate review of events:
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2006/Bush_massages_German_Chancellor_Merkel_at_0718.html

Argh.

[darrenzieger.livejournal.com]

Oy, indeed.

You know, I'm used to Bush spouting lies and nonsense, and generally being evil, or at least being Evil's meat-puppet; but this is just baffling. I'm sure Dubya's handlers are all out of hair to tear out by this point in his G8 trip.

It's just a reminder that underneath the distractions of the posturing and bluster and room-temperature IQ, this is a guy who also has the social maturity level of a teenager.

What the *^$%^ was he thinking? Even if he and Merkel were best buddies and that kind of contact was a normal part of their private social life -- which of course is not the case -- in that setting it's completely inappropriate. How in the *(&%! could he not realise that? How could he be so completely oblivious to where he was?

I think there's also some sexism involved here. I don't think GW is capable of taking a powerful woman seriously. That or, when presented with an undenialbly powerful woman, his insecurities drive him to do something to diminish her. He probably figured, on some subconscious level, that a massage would be easier to explain than a nice, condescending pat on the head.

Point to Condoleeza Rice if you wish, but I think she proves the theory: she's a crony with no qualifications for her current or previous positions in the administration. A truly accomplished, independent woman would never make anywhere near GW's cabinet.

Just pathetic.