I just couldn’t use a Bush countdown clock. It will just be too depressing when it’s a count-up to somebody even dumber (which is going to happen).
Hijack: Awhile back I was sitting at my desk at work when felt hands massaging my neck. Assuming it was my husband, I did a reach-behind and ran my hand up his thigh. (I had a private office.)
It wasn’t hubby, it was the Safety Director. He never did that again. To anyone, as far as I know.
End hijack.
Bush is indeed a dick.
[QUOTE=StarvingButStrong]
Hmmm. If she had decided to smack him, would the Secret Service have to take her down?
[/QUOTE]
If the Secret Service tried to take her down what would the Bundespolizei do? When multiple national leaders are in the same room how does security work? Is each leader alloted a quota of their armed guards?
Who would I give a shoulder rub to.
My parents.
My friends, the ones I’ve known for years. We were always a physically affectionate bunch, and the boys tended to give shoulder-rubs to the girls. Though they tended to not be very good.
I have had coworkers I quite liked, but in a professional environment – even in the most casual job I’ve ever had – I would NEVER have done that!
And all my work experience is in Texas, so.
[QUOTE=Hentor the Barbarian]
There was no typo. I’m talking about him fucking massaging the fucking Chancellor of Germany at a fucking G8 meeting. What the fuck! So I messed up the first link. There are many others - check them out. He gave Merkel an unwanted MASSAGE. Creepy Guy type massage. Groped. Fondled. Unwanted touching. MASSAGE.
Have an opinion about the massage, now?
[/QUOTE]
Relax. John always sees so many sides of issues that they begin to resemble those mirrored disco balls.
Clearly not part of the White House video library
Likely Not Work Appropriate
www.ebaumsworld.com/sexharassmentvideo.html
- …I’ll never stop Angela …NEVER!*
[QUOTE=Brain Wreck]
I just couldn’t use a Bush countdown clock. It will just be too depressing when it’s a count-up to somebody even dumber (which is going to happen).
[/QUOTE]
I think the probability of that happening is quite small. None of the potential candidates seem as intellectually challenged as Bush.
Back to the massage. I think such a thing requires a degree of personal intimacy that Bush has no right to assume. One wonders if those defending Bush would feel free to do similar things to female coworkers themselves.
[QUOTE=BobLibDem]
I think the probability of that happening is quite small. None of the potential candidates seem as intellectually challenged as Bush.
Back to the massage. I think such a thing requires a degree of personal intimacy that Bush has no right to assume. One wonders if those defending Bush would feel free to do similar things to female coworkers themselves.
[/QUOTE]
I’m not reading anyone here as defending Bush, more like trying to guess what the hell he could have been thinking or what social norms he thought he was operating within. Who do you view as defending Bush? Just curious.
[QUOTE=John Mace]
It’s a gesture that is only appropriate in an informal, social situation. I don’t think Bush knows the difference between work and a backyard BBQ.
[/QUOTE]
Do you? Really? I mean, given that his father was the friggin’ President of the United States of America, how did *that * happen, exactly?
Seriously… he wasn’t raised by wolves. I simply cannot believe that he wasn’t taught from a very early age how to behave in a formal setting. His brothers appear to have mastered it, for the most part. If he *truly * can’t figure out the proper protocols, that leads me to believe that he suffers from a level of social retardation sufficient to label it a disorder.
[QUOTE=Crotalus]
I’m not reading anyone here as defending Bush, more like trying to guess what the hell he could have been thinking or what social norms he thought he was operating within. Who do you view as defending Bush? Just curious.
[/QUOTE]
Well, I have to say that despite his protestations that he is not excusing Bush - merely trying to explain him - the overall impression that John Mace gives is one of defense. I know, I know, there will be plenty of quotes from him about how he did say Bush was wrong and shouldn’t have done it, but these are also in the context of many other quotes saying that this is a common American custom, he’s just treating her like one of the guys, he doesn’t know any better, he wasn’t trying to cop a feel…
At what point does “explaining” become “excusing” or “defending”?
[QUOTE=Hentor the Barbarian]
Well, I have to say that despite his protestations that he is not excusing Bush - merely trying to explain him - the overall impression that John Mace gives is one of defense. I know, I know, there will be plenty of quotes from him about how he did say Bush was wrong and shouldn’t have done it, but these are also in the context of many other quotes saying that this is a common American custom, he’s just treating her like one of the guys, he doesn’t know any better, he wasn’t trying to cop a feel…
At what point does “explaining” become “excusing” or “defending”?
[/QUOTE]
I’m a pretty literal guy, so I’d say when someone says something like “This behavior was OK because…”. Since I saw the pics and the clip, I’ve been struggling to absorb and understand what I saw. I’m one of those who finds the act familiar, one I’ve seen done man to man among close friends. I’ve been reading **John Mace ** as trying to explain the act as normal in certain contexts but WAY out of line here. YMMV. As a Republican, I been silently hoping that no Bush defender would pop in here and begin an actual defense of this faux pas. Maybe that hope colors my reading of some posts here.
[QUOTE=Crotalus]
Who do you view as defending Bush? Just curious.
[/QUOTE]
I’m inferring as much from John Mace’s posts. I’m sure that other members of the Bush Apologist Choir will be along as well.
[QUOTE=DianaG]
Do you? Really? I mean, given that his father was the friggin’ President of the United States of America, how did *that * happen, exactly?
Seriously… he wasn’t raised by wolves. I simply cannot believe that he wasn’t taught from a very early age how to behave in a formal setting. His brothers appear to have mastered it, for the most part. If he *truly * can’t figure out the proper protocols, that leads me to believe that he suffers from a level of social retardation sufficient to label it a disorder.
[/QUOTE]
This theory is beginning to look plausible to me.
[QUOTE=BobLibDem]
I’m inferring as much from John Mace’s posts. I’m sure that other members of the Bush Apologist Choir will be along as well.
[/QUOTE]
I’ve reread some posts. I see your point. I hope you’re wrong about the choir.
I’m struck by the total lack of coverage by the mainstream US media. Has anyone seen this in your newspaper? Television? For our German friends: has this been big news over there?
[QUOTE=BobLibDem]
I’m struck by the total lack of coverage by the mainstream US media. Has anyone seen this in your newspaper? Television? For our German friends: has this been big news over there?
[/QUOTE]
It has not been covered as prominently as I would have expected. The Washington Post has a short item on it, whhich refers to a front-page story in a German paper called the Bild.
The only spot of amusement I get from this is the mental image I have of Bush’s handlers sitting him down and trying to explain - in very… small… words - why what he did was not a good idea.
The same sort of giggles I got when Stephen Harper visibly cringed each time Bush called him ‘Steve.’
“See, the irony is that what they need to do is get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit, and it’s over.”
- George W Bush, Pesident of the United States of America
I hope that the UN acts on this sage advice. Why didn’t he present this tactical gem as an option to the whole group, rather than utter it only to Blair (Blairey … Tony-baby … The Tone) who may attract the credit.*
No, the irony is that a stupid fuck-knuckle like you is on the international stage representing the most powerful nation and we are all laughing at you.
*Irony.
[QUOTE=tschild]
The first-naming isn’t really serious - anyone who deals professionally with Americans will long have adjusted to it and be aware that there’s no disrespect intended.
[/QUOTE]
True but sort of irrelevant that no disrespect was intended. In a formal setting I don’t thik it’s seemly to use informal terminology.
Back when I was a country bumpkin I gave a presentation to an Assitant Secretary of the Navy for R&D. I had known him well when he worked at China Lake. During the presentation he asked a question and my answer began, “Well, Walter …” I now think that was a gaffe.
A boyhood friend of mine became a navy Rear Admiral and I later had occasion to work with him. When we went to dinner by ourselves he was “Bill.” When we were in meetings it was “Admiral.”
[QUOTE=Crotalus]
I’ve been reading **John Mace ** as trying to explain the act as normal in certain contexts but WAY out of line here. YMMV. As a Republican, I been silently hoping that no Bush defender would pop in here and begin an actual defense of this faux pas. Maybe that hope colors my reading of some posts here.
[/QUOTE]
I’m as far from a Bush apologist as you can get, but I completely understand John Mace’s position. While I can’t see any rational person actually doing that in a business environment, even to their own wife, especially in front of a camera bank, I do understand the desire to defend him. We get kind of hard on the old GWB – not that he doesn’t deserve it most of the time, but as much as I never once voted for the jackass, not every decision he’s ever made has been bad. I’ll even defend some things he’s said on the basis that they were shining examples of Him Being Not Stupid.
The fact that we’re nearly done with what, page 2 of this thread? And there hasn’t been a Bush apologista choir? That should tell you something. Even John Mace looked at that video and saw Bush was out of line.
I’m thinkin’ that dog won’t hunt, guys.