# The President walks into a bar... **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [February 2, 2007, 11:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522 "2007-02-02T11:03:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/21 "2007-02-02T14:53:05Z")
[QUOTE=Ethilrist] but, actually, kinda poignant… it’s like something out of Bloom County. They shut down main street so the President and his entourage could drive through, and it looks like they had to send people on ahead to clear out the tumbleweeds… except for these three people waving little flags and recording them driving by… they needed a drummer, bass and trumpet player standing on a street corner playing “Hail to the Chief” for it to be perfect. [/QUOTE] Yeah, there ya go! That’s what I had in mind. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/22 "2007-02-02T14:57:23Z")
You people need to look at this as a “half glass full” sort of thing. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/23 "2007-02-02T15:19:15Z")
This story gave me a nice warm feeling inside. And a big grin. The only problem that with all the love you can feel in here, this this doesn’t feel like a pit thead at all. ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/24 "2007-02-02T15:30:24Z")
[QUOTE=madmonk28] It is amazing to me that Bush’s approval rating is as high as it is. Who are these people who think he’s done a good job? [/QUOTE] That wold be the infamous [Crazification Factor](http://kfmonkey.blogspot.com/2005/10/lunch-discussions-145-crazification.html). > [@Kung Fu Monkey](#): > > John: Hey, Bush is now at 37% approval. I feel much less like Kevin McCarthy screaming in traffic. But I wonder what his base is – > > Tyrone: 27%. > > John: … you said that immmediately, and with some authority. > > Tyrone: Obama vs. Alan Keyes. Keyes was from out of state, so you can eliminate any established political base; both candidates were black, so you can factor out racism; and Keyes was plainly, obviously, completely crazy. Batshit crazy. Head-trauma crazy. But 27% of the population of Illinois voted for him. They put party identification, personal prejudice, whatever ahead of rational judgement. Hell, even like 5% of Democrats voted for him. That’s crazy behaviour. I think you have to assume a 27% Crazification Factor in any population. > > John: Objectively crazy or crazy vis-a-vis my own inertial reference frame for rational behaviour? I mean, are you creating the Theory of Special Crazification or General Crazification? > > Tyrone: Hadn’t thought about it. Let’s split the difference. Half just have worldviews which lead them to disagree with what you consider rationality even though they arrive at their positions through rational means, and the other half are the core of the Crazification – either genuinely crazy; or so woefully misinformed about how the world works, the bases for their decision making is so flawed they may as well be crazy. > > John: You realize this leads to there being over 30 million crazy people in the US? > > Tyrone: Does that seem wrong? > > John: … a bit low, actually. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/25 "2007-02-02T15:34:02Z")
This story made my day. I must remember to share it with my Government classes! ---
**Author:** ![5que](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/3bc359/32.png) [@5que](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5que)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/26 "2007-02-02T15:42:09Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] Such sanctuaries are often referred to as “Emerald City”. [/QUOTE] _Sigh…_ If only we could send him to Oz. That’s the HBO Oz, by the way. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/27 "2007-02-02T15:57:14Z")
[QUOTE=Colibri] To steal from _The Daily Show,_ 30% of the American public think Bush is doing a good job. Coincidentally, that’s the same percentage that think Adam and Eve rode around the Garden of Eden on dinosaurs. [/QUOTE] I think the latter number is closer to 50%, unfortunately. > [@RTF](#): > > It may be a very small bit of schaudenfreude… It’s “schadenfreude”, no “u” in the first syllable. Being a terrible speller myself, btw, I get not sense of shadenfreude in the mispellings of others. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/28 "2007-02-02T16:12:14Z")
I’m surprised he didn’t go “Hey y’all, I just flew in from Whizzz-consin and gotta take a Pee-oria. Which way to the rest room? Heh heh hehe.” ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/29 "2007-02-02T16:33:59Z")
I hope the breakfast special was a good one. This story warms my heart. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/30 "2007-02-02T16:46:17Z")
That sounds eerily like an SNL sketch from the 80’s, in which Bush _père_ (Dana Carvey), whose approval ratings were also tanking, went into a diner with his Secret Service detail to try to muster up support—and met with a similarly chilly reception. He wandered around uncomfortably, muttering something like “hello there… Desert Storm… hi, how are you doing today…Desert Storm…” and every few seconds asked his aide if it were time to leave yet. Wonder if Dubya ever saw that sketch. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/31 "2007-02-02T16:57:26Z")
I’m still trying to get my head around the fact that apparently Peoria went rushing out to Sterling Avenue with its minicam–and then posted the whole 35 seconds of it to Youtube. “Oooh! Look, Paw! Limousines!! Land sakes!” And the mommy’s encouraging-small-children voice in the background, “Wave-wave! Wave-wave!” Must be part of that 30%… ---
**Author:** ![Liberal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/848f3c/32.png) [@Liberal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Liberal)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/32 "2007-02-02T17:51:16Z")
The neatest thing about that video was when the camera picked up on a panel truck about 2/3 of the way through and followed it. It obviously wasn’t a part of the presidential motorcade. Just some farmer hauling hay, likely thinking, “Damn, must be another election comin’ up.” ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/33 "2007-02-02T17:52:48Z")
[QUOTE=Vinyl Turnip] Wonder if Dubya ever saw that sketch. [/QUOTE] Maybe he thought it was a documentary? ---
**Author:** ![zagloba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/977dab/32.png) [@zagloba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zagloba)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/34 "2007-02-02T18:00:22Z")
That reception almost makes me proud of my hometown – if only most of them hadn’t voted for W twice. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/35 "2007-02-02T21:12:58Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] I think the latter number is closer to 50%, unfortunately. It’s “schadenfreude”, no “u” in the first syllable. Being a terrible speller myself, btw, I get not sense of shadenfreude in the mispellings of others. [/QUOTE] Thanks for telling me this nearly five hours _after_ I can’t use the ‘Edit’ function on the OP! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/36 "2007-02-02T22:51:11Z")
[QUOTE=Liberal] [President Bush in Peoria](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WVf3WndYQ1M) [/QUOTE] Just needed a farmer going the other way to turn his muck-spreader on. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/37 "2007-02-02T22:53:54Z")
Or a Dave Matthews Tour Bus. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/38 "2007-02-02T23:00:40Z")
[QUOTE=RTFirefly] Thanks for telling me this nearly five hours _after_ I can’t use the ‘Edit’ function on the OP! 😉 [/QUOTE] nice of you to not mention **his** gaffe > [@John Mace](#): > > Being a terrible speller myself, btw, I get not sense of shadenfreude in the mispellings of others. (underlining added) ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/39 "2007-02-02T23:03:15Z")
Oy whoosh, my dear. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2007, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522/40 "2007-02-02T23:07:41Z")
[QUOTE=El Cid Viscoso] Oy whoosh, my dear. [/QUOTE] :smack: [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-walks-into-a-bar/390522.md?page=3)