# Bush robbed ? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 13, 2007, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-robbed/407809 "2007-06-13T03:27:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-robbed/407809/1 "2007-06-13T03:27:41Z")
According to [this](http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article1921296.ece) story, the Chimp got his watch stolen while working a crowd in Albania. > [@](#): > > Now you see it. Now you don’t. > > George W Bush was visibly cheered when he received a hero’s welcome in Albania at the weekend, with Albanians draped in the Stars and Stripes reaching out to hug him and shake his hand. > > But perhaps the leader of the Western world should have exercised a little more caution and followed the standard advice to travellers in the Balkans to keep an eye on their belongings. > > Film footage of the President being mobbed taken by the Albanian TV station News24 was broadcast today on Italian TV news bulletins and watched by thousands on YouTube - and it looks like Mr Bush may have had his watch stolen. > > Mr Bush had taken his jacket off on a hot day and was in a short sleeved shirt, the watch clearly visible. It can still be seen as the heaving crowd presses round him - but the next moment it is no longer there. There are of course, multiple and contradictory denials of this; Bush put in his pocket ! No, he gave it to a Secret Service guy behind him ! Nope, it fell off and a bodyguard picked it up ! Smells like a compulsive attempt at a cover up to me. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-robbed/407809/2 "2007-06-13T03:38:44Z")
[QUOTE=Der Trihs] Smells like a compulsive attempt at a cover up to me. [/QUOTE] Not me. The White House’s story for once makes sense - did you see how everybody was grabbing at his arms? I would have taken my watch off too, just so nobody scratched themselves or the watch. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-robbed/407809/3 "2007-06-13T03:39:12Z")
[QUOTE=Der Trihs] According to [this](http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article1921296.ece) story, the Chimp got his watch stolen while working a crowd in Albania. There are of course, multiple and contradictory denials of this; Bush put in his pocket ! No, he gave it to a Secret Service guy behind him ! Nope, it fell off and a bodyguard picked it up ! Smells like a compulsive attempt at a cover up to me. [/QUOTE] Oh no! How will he replace it? Do they even make Mickey Mouse watches anymore? ---
**Author:** ![Yag\_Rannavach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/858c86/32.png) [@Yag\_Rannavach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yag_Rannavach)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-robbed/407809/4 "2007-06-13T04:11:24Z")
Iran or the watch…one of them dies! ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-robbed/407809/5 "2007-06-13T04:12:27Z")
It’s pretty hard to tell from the video ([here](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKDdF6vfjoo)), but I watched that sucker frame by frame and there are several seconds where his left arm is obscured from view, but you never really see his right arm reach over toward it (which he would presumably have had to do to take the watch off). The last second you can see it (0:56), somebody has got a pretty good grip around his left wrist. Then he pulls his left arm away, keeping his right hand in the air and in fact clasping several hands at once, then by 1:03 it’s clearly gone. The White House’s story seems kinda fishy to me. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-robbed/407809/6 "2007-06-13T04:14:06Z")
This timely (heh) issue is also discussed here: [Why are Albanians giving GWB love? - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=424528) ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-robbed/407809/7 "2007-06-13T04:21:41Z")
[QUOTE=Elendil’s Heir] This timely (heh) issue is also discussed here: [Why are Albanians giving GWB love? - Factual Questions - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=424528) [/QUOTE] Somebody there mentioned NBC playing a clip from another angle but I can’t find it on their website or Youtube. Is that video floating around anywhere? I feel that this is a very pendulous issue and we need to clock it once and for all. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-robbed/407809/8 "2007-06-13T04:40:06Z")
Meh - passed it off to a secret serviceman. See [here.](http://www.reuters.com/news/video/videoStory?videoId=56515) If that doesn’t convince you, I give up. 😛 ETA: be sure to watch the secret serviceman behind Bush when the watch “disappears.” Definitely groping in the President’s pocket. Either he’s getting the watch, or we have a _real_ story on our hands! ETA (again) - it’s the guy with the glasses, mustache, and silver hair right behind the President. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-robbed/407809/9 "2007-06-13T04:41:05Z")
If someone really did nick the watch right off the President’s wrist on a rope line, I have to commend the thief on having having balls of pure brass. ---
**Author:** ![Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c4cdca/32.png) [@Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quiddity_Glomfuster)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-robbed/407809/10 "2007-06-13T04:43:35Z")
CNN showed the other video that’s supposed to show him fumbling around his pocket. I think I’d rather have had someone steal his watch than him stash it for fear someone would. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Who](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Doctor\_Who](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Who)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-robbed/407809/11 "2007-06-13T04:46:11Z")
[QUOTE=Quiddity Glomfuster] I think I’d rather have had someone steal his watch than him stash it for fear someone would. [/QUOTE] Look - I’m no W-fan, but isn’t it possible that he removed his watch less out of fear that it would get stolen, than for fear that it might scratch someone in the crowd (or tear up his own arm) since the crowd was groping at him like mad? I’ll be honest - this is a tempest in a teapot, and it’s not reflecting well on the anti-Bush crowd as far as I’m concerned. Shit, aren’t we still at War? Isn’t Gonzales still the atty general? Do we have an immigration bill? Forget his watch. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-robbed/407809/12 "2007-06-13T07:38:42Z")
I agree with Diogenes. Bush having his watch stolen or handing it off to an agent - either way it’s a non-event. But somebody deciding that shaking hands with the President was a good opportunity to lift his watch - that’s hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 8:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-robbed/407809/13 "2007-06-13T08:31:46Z")
Well if it was nicked it’ll be on ebay anytime now. “Watch, almost new, nicked off Prez. Genuine article, offers over £10m” Buyer pays postage ---
**Author:** ![Ellef](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8dc957/32.png) [@Ellef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellef)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-robbed/407809/14 "2007-06-13T10:32:31Z")
When I heard Bush was getting a rapturous welcome in Albania, I couldn’t help thinking “naaah, they just think he’s Norman Wisdom” (who apparently is huge over there. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 10:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-robbed/407809/15 "2007-06-13T10:59:50Z")
There is a certain simian resemblance, now that you mention it. ---
**Author:** ![chowder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/977dab/32.png) [@chowder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chowder)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-robbed/407809/16 "2007-06-13T11:41:15Z")
[QUOTE=Ellef] When I heard Bush was getting a rapturous welcome in Albania, I couldn’t help thinking “naaah, they just think he’s Norman Wisdom” (who apparently is huge over there. [/QUOTE] It’s SIR Norman if ya don’t mind. And yes he’s big over there, bigger even than Beckham. Our Norm got a bigger round of applause at Englands game than Becks did. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-robbed/407809/17 "2007-06-13T12:02:44Z")
According to the news last night, he said he just took it off himself and pocketed it. This might be true, or a convenient fiction. I don’t really care. But we were watching **Casablanca** last night just before this, and I couldnm’t help thinking: “Vultures! There are Vultures Everywhere!” ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-robbed/407809/18 "2007-06-13T14:27:36Z")
[QUOTE=Yag Rannavach] Iran or the watch…one of them dies! [/QUOTE] Maybe this could be a good thing: “I’ll invade no country before its time. Egads, my watch! Its Gone!” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-robbed/407809/19 "2007-06-13T15:11:34Z")
Well I think we now know what the plot to the next season of 24 is going to be. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-robbed/407809/20 "2007-06-13T15:59:01Z")
“The following takes place between the hours of … uh, 8, 9 … crap! Chloe, could you tell me what time it is?” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-robbed/407809.md?page=2)