Picture of the Day - 3
You know, if you're trying to win back black voters, maybe slapping a black congressman after your big NAACP speech isn't the best idea.
U.S. President George W. Bush playfully slaps U.S. Congressman Al Green (D-TX) (REUTERS/Jason Reed)
(Question: After all these gaffes over the last week in Germany, at the G8, and now this, will the staff reconsider and allow Bush his whole August vacation in Crawford? Is he tanking it to get the full month? Or do they need to establish a three foot rule around the president?)
posted by mikevotes at
5:12 PM
11 Comments:
An example of deep seeded, hidden, generational, white/ black relationships. I wonder if the Bush family tree includes slave ownership? No, their upper crust North East blue bloods.
By
Unknown, at 5:34 PM
Also, I think the main branch of the family tree didn't get really wealthy til the grandfather's financial dealings in WWII.
But it does carry a message doesn't it?
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 6:30 PM
I find the utter lack of dignity difficult to accept.
I know these people are human (of a kind) and the world is more relaxed so far as interpersonal behaviour, but this man is supposed to represent an important office, not his own personal idiosyncracies.
By
Cartledge, at 9:37 PM
i think i am flabberghasted
By
michael the tubthumper, at 9:53 PM
I think this is just the presidents way of "reaching out." His advisors should have told them they didn't mean it literally.
By
Praguetwin, at 5:47 AM
Cartledge, that's what we're dealing with now. And, I really think he is exhibiting a reaction to his situation. Dime store psychology, but I think the frat boy persona is coming out in response to the failings and his unpopularity. It's not drastic, but as he's gotten less popular among his party, that old frat boy clowny side has come out more.
Michael, you should be.
And, Praguetwin, I really think after this week they may institute a three foot rule or pull him back in.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 7:02 AM
Your "dime store" political psychology is right on the mark, in noting that it is at the times of greatest stress that people express the most rigid adherence to comfortable - if dysfunctional in the broader context - behavior. As always, it's all about W and his feelings of insecurity, not about rationally considered policy behavior. I imagine that the subfield of leadership and decision-making studies is going to have a field day with Bush.
By
Anonymous, at 12:26 PM
What is it with this guy always putting his hands on people? Anybody who did this to HIM would be wrestled to the ground with an Uzi stuck in their ear.
Maybe Laura the Librarian needs to have a sit-down with Georgie about the right of people to their own "personal space." Sheesh.
By
QuakerDave, at 12:40 PM
Binky, I'm sure there are doctoral theses being written as we speak.
Dave, three foot rule.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 1:43 PM
Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if the advisors aren't reining the students in, to avoid jumping before all the good data are released. The detailed profiling and content analysis stuff usually doesn't start until after the term of office has ended, sometimes well after. I recently saw a talk by one of the top scholars in the field (from Syracuse's Maxwell School) and she was very hesitant to categorize Bush, despite lots of prompting from the audience.
Of course, one of my co-bloggers who is a political psychologist is not shy about making judgements about Bush over on our turf, but that's blogging, not scholarship. :)
By
Anonymous, at 2:23 PM
That's probably true about them shying away until he's out of office simply to avoid the implied politics.(whether true or not.)
I occasionally put Bush on the couch, but try to avoid it because I am neither an expert nor have I done full research on the subject. They're really just partially informed observations.
Mike
By
mikevotes, at 3:18 PM
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