International Disgrace

Bush dining through Latin America:

MERIDA, Mexico (AP) — Is anyone feeding the president?

At every stop on his seven-day, five-country Latin American trip, including here on Tuesday, President Bush has been fixated on food.

It began with Bush's first event in his first country, when he and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva celebrated a new ethanol alliance. "I appreciate the fact that you're about to buy me lunch," Bush told Silva. "I'm kind of hungry. Looking forward to eating some of that good Brazilian food."

In Uruguay, at a news conference with President Tabare Vazquez, Bush said he couldn't wait to dig into some Uruguayan beef — something the tiny nation wants to sell more of to the United States. "You've told me all along how good it is, and after we answer a few questions, we're about to find out," Bush told his host, later praising the country's abundant blueberries, too.

In Colombia, part of Bush's agenda included time with locals growing crops as alternatives to the illegal coca from which cocaine is made. The vendors' stalls were filled with honey, chocolate and coffee.

Next came Guatemala, where Bush hauled some lettuce onto a truck — something he later called "one of the great experiences of my presidency."
I literally could write an entire post on just that statement, but suffice it to say that a guy who so deeply adores clearing brush and hauling lettuce is probably better suited for a different type of job than PRESIDENT OF THE FUCKING UNITED STATES.

"I'm looking forward to the dinner that you're hosting for Laura and me," Bush told Guatemalan President Oscar Berger in another news conference. "I'm not going to talk too long because I might get too hungry." Later, Bush's stomach was either really growling — or it was a ruse to end the questioning. He signaled an end to the joint appearance by asking Berger what was on tap for dinner. "We have tortillas with guacamole and beans," Berger assured him.
Okay, I'm going to stop there, although the article goes on for two more pages.

Could he be any more embarrassing? And it's not like this was a one-off. Remember his disastrous couple of days with German Chancellor Angela Merkel last summer? The day they were to have a pig roast, he couldn't stop babbling about it.

At the beginning of their 30-minute joint news conference: "I'm looking forward to the feast you're going to have tonight. I understand I may have the honour of slicing the pig."

A few minutes later: "Thank you for having me. Looking forward to that pig tonight."

A few minutes after that, "out of the blue": "I haven't seen that pig yet." (This prompted Merkel to say she had "seen television pictures of the boar and could verify it was dead, adding she hoped it was on the spit and ready in time for dinner.")

At the end of the news conference, in response to a question about the Middle East: "I thought you were going to ask about the pig." When the reporter said "he was indeed curious about that too," Bush replied: "The pig? I'll tell you tomorrow after I eat it."

Who behaves like that? What an idiot.

On Tuesday, Fred Kaplan wrote a piece in Slate about Bush's obsession with ungrateful foreigners (which I recommend), which is just all kinds of hilarious considering his continual rudeness and boobery. Blasts from the past: Bush grabs Chinese President Hu Jintao like an errant toddler; Bush accuses all of Europe of forgetting 9/11; Bush calls Chancellor Merkel "Angela"; Bush calls Austrian Chancellor Schüssel "Wolfgang" and President of the European Commission José Manuel Durão Barroso "José."

There are many reasons I can't wait for a new president, but restoring some semblance of our dignity around the world is at the top of the list.

H/T Matt @ After School Snack.

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