I must admit, there really was something strange about President Bush's final news conference on Monday. Really. Christopher Frizzelle asks the pertinent question: Can I ask a delicate question? Is the president drinking? .... .... Speaking one word very softly and the next extemely loudly (like the way he says "AFRICA!" at the 0:35 point, the way he says "aggressively" at 31:58); slurring slightly, slipping, sliding through his own obviously rehearsed lines (he slips on the pronunciation of "misunderestimated" when he tries to joke, at 1:02, "Sometimes you misunderestimated me"—gah!); talking over people in the middle of answering a question he's asked them... These are all iterations of tics we've already seen, but time has only amplified them, and this is his last press conference. He has been doing this so, so long. Yet it seems like parody, on the verge of being overacted. How about when he gets suddenly mocking, hot, and accusational at 33:30, out of nowhere, like a drunk old man, and goes, "You know, it's kinda like, 'Why meeee? Why did the financial collapse have to happen on my watch? It's just—it's PATHETIC, iddinit? Self-pity?'" with the sort of angry directness alcohol coaxes out of people? (Seriously, jump to 33:30—it's stunning.) Or his weird yelling, at 39:20, about Hurricane Katrina, defending (yes!) the federal response to the storm (we plucked people off roofs! what more do you fucking want, people? there were people on their roofs and we grabbed them!) .... To be fair, he wasn't yelling about Hurricane Katrina. But it's true that President Bush seemed to be in something of a strange mood throughout. A couple that Frizzelle didn't point out: At 40.53, Bush says, "But there's still work to—there's always gonna be work to do to deal with people's hearts." And it is a strange manner. And for the next question, he calls on Mike Allen, and it's absolutely bizarre: "Michael. Allen, yeah. Michael Allen." The reporter begins to ask his question, and Bush interrupts him to say, "Would be you." And in answering his question, Bush calls himself a "type-A personality", cracks a joke, and then notes, almost as an aside, "Particularly since I quit drinkin'." Now, two things to say in Bush's defense here: First, part of it is that Bush may simply be unwinding, and that's understandable. What makes his behavior seem so bizarre is that while his delivery is halting and arrhythmic, he's much more physically dynamic, and considerably less wooden. Second, Frizzelle suggests, "Maybe he's not drunk. Maybe he's only had a shot or two." And you know what? If he did, I can't really fault him. If I was president I'd probably arrange for a couple of kind bong hits before I went out for my last press conference; especially if I was finishing such disastrous terms. Still, though, it is only in his final press conference that we see a seemingly natural and somewhat comfortable demeanor. It's a strange contrast to the prior eight years in this last chapter of W's presidency. ____________________ Notes: Frizzelle, Christopher. "Apropos of Midnight (or, Drinking with the President)". Slog. January 13, 2009. http://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2009/01/13/apropos_of_midnight_or_drink
There is nothing 'natural' about Bush. He and Cheney should be worrying about going to prison. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090113/ap_on_go_pr_wh/democrats_bush
To bad, we won't be hearing anymore bad jokes about Bush. What kind of jokes will Obama bring us? . Why won’t Obama laugh at himself? A. Because it would be racist. Q. How can you tell when Obama has been smoking dope? A. He answers the door when the phone rings. Q. Why did Obama think that he had campaigned in 57 states? A. His heavy pot use has left him a brownie short of a full pan. Like any experienced Chicago politician, Obama would go the cemetary to register voters. One night he came across a grave so old and worn that he couldn't make out the name on the tombstone. The staffer holding the flashlight got impatient and suggested they just move on to the next plot. Obama angrily exclaimed, "This person has a much right to vote as anyone else here!" Bill Clinton said, “I didn’t inhale.” Barack Obama says, “I didn’t inject.” Richard Nixon said “I am not a crook!” Barack Obama says “I am not on crack!” Harry Truman said, “The buck stops here!” Barack Obama says, “Leave the bucks here!”
Very very strange conference. It was like looking at an imposter. Say, a fake surgeon at a hospital, trying to defend his botched operations. If this is true democracy, there is something wrong when a George W rises to the top of it. Not so much a bowl of Cream as a bowl of shit. Flush yourself America!
To be fair Bush has aged 24 years in 8 years of presidency. The stress never stopped in his presidency.
Maybe he's just a weird guy that has been trying hard to appear normal for so long, he's now relieved he can be himself.
Bush junior is to dumb to have regrets or worry. For junior the stress never began. It was just another play thing...being president. He is totally clueless. If he had just an ounce of understanding of what he has done and the least bit of honor, he would never be able to live with himself. The pain and destruction wrought by his action will hurt and destroy millions and perhaps billions of folks for generations to come. Remember this is the guy you told the nation with a straight face that legally prescribed drugs purchased in Canada from legally licenced Canadian pharmacies are not safe...despite there not one incident of any American receiving a tainted drug from a Canadian pharmacy. But at the same time junior has no qualms about large corporations importing drugs made in China for sale in The United States that have a proven track records for being tainted. The guy is just plain DENSE! http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/06/17/news/poison.php
No, I think he understands he is despised and blamed and hated and he really wishes he'd had never gotten on this ride. If not he could still be Governor of Texas and liked. AND, can you imagine what Cheney must feel like, my guess is his moves to UAE. People really despise him. Even my grandfather, who is a republican, hates that man. The best interview I saw was when Cheney was in New Orleans and someone walking by says" F*ck you Cheney! Priceless.
Machine man Probably doesn't bother him. Cheney presents himself, ironically, similar to the despots characterized by Charlie Chaplin's famous speech in The Great Dictator: Machine men with machine hearts. If there's a wounded inner self to Cheney, he keeps it locked away in a bunker at an undisclosed location.
Cheney's so popular. The only place he would ever be welcome to give a speech again would be in a leper colony.
Bush did act weird. I was watching the conference on television with my father and at one point I turned to him and said it was like watching Bush playing Will Farrell playing Bush. Strange indeed.
I agree, that is why we are seeing all of this attempt to spin history by his administration. I don't ever recall seeing a president give a farewell speach (Nixon exempted). He reminds me of my son when he was a child. Whenever my child got in trouble, he would alway preface everything with the words, "I was just". And that seems to characterize everything Georgie has done throughout his administration including his farewell speach..."he was just"...never taking responsibility for anything.
cosmictraveler, Not as funny as jokes involving a president fucking up a whole nation... I'm going to miss Bush. Please Register or Log in to view the hidden image!
He had another final speech today. This one was with his supporters. How many more final speeches before Tuesday?
