# UK Dopers: Is Blair known as "Bush's Bitch"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 17, 2003, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-is-blair-known-as-bushs-bitch/162108 "2003-03-17T21:36:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2003, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-is-blair-known-as-bushs-bitch/162108/1 "2003-03-17T21:36:43Z")
I saw Eric Idle recently interviewed on a talk show and he remarked that in the UK, Blair is referred to as Bush’s Bitch. Is this true? ---
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2003, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-is-blair-known-as-bushs-bitch/162108/2 "2003-03-17T21:43:51Z")
Not usually in quite those words, but the sentiment is not uncommon ---
**Author:** ![peepthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2003, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-is-blair-known-as-bushs-bitch/162108/3 "2003-03-17T22:20:32Z")
No. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2003, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-is-blair-known-as-bushs-bitch/162108/4 "2003-03-17T22:33:10Z")
I’ve heard “lapdog” and “poodle”, but not “bitch” before. (Personally, I’m quite capable of criticising the Dear Leader without resorting to zoological epithets.) ---
**Author:** ![ChalkPit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@ChalkPit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ChalkPit)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2003, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-is-blair-known-as-bushs-bitch/162108/5 "2003-03-17T22:38:01Z")
Variations on that theme, yes. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2003, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-is-blair-known-as-bushs-bitch/162108/6 "2003-03-17T23:05:29Z")
Wasn’t there a movie about it a few years ago? “The Blair Bitch Project” or something? ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2003, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-is-blair-known-as-bushs-bitch/162108/7 "2003-03-17T23:39:15Z")
So, what’s the general consensus on Blair’s political future (or the lack thereof)? I’ve heard rumors that his party will remove him if he goes to war w/o UN approval. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_Wright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@Steve\_Wright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_Wright)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-is-blair-known-as-bushs-bitch/162108/8 "2003-03-18T00:56:58Z")
One senior Cabinet minister (Robin Cook) has resigned in protest, another (Claire Short) is apparently thinking about it. There will probably be a massive Labour rebellion in the Commons vote tomorrow; it’s entirely possible that Blair will only get the majority he needs to commit to military action if the Conservatives vote with him, which would be a major embarrassment. He’s not going to go in the immediate future, but unless the war goes spectacularly well, I would not bet against a serious leadership challenge soon, and I would not be at all sure Blair will survive it. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-is-blair-known-as-bushs-bitch/162108/9 "2003-03-18T04:08:50Z")
Which regime is going to change first, UK or Iraq? ---
**Author:** ![Crusoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/49beb7/32.png) [@Crusoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crusoe)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-is-blair-known-as-bushs-bitch/162108/10 "2003-03-18T08:20:58Z")
Short has to resign now to retain any political credibility. She publicised her unhappiness but didn’t act on it. Cook did, without the fuss. Blair will almost certainly require the support of the Conservatives in the House of Commons (and he will get it). I think Cook’s resignation speech was eloquent enough that even if they haven’t consistently opposed war many Labour MPs will use the opportunity as a “protest vote” against Blair’s tactics and recent lack of domestic focus. My personal belief is that Blair is set on course and knows full well what may come politically. I would not be surprised to see him voluntarily stand down this year or next once he’s secured some kind of global diplomatic role (although the railroading of the UN may put a spanner in the works somewhat). ---
**Author:** ![Violet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ebca7d/32.png) [@Violet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Violet)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-is-blair-known-as-bushs-bitch/162108/11 "2003-03-18T08:58:05Z")
I can always count on the SMDB to make me laugh! 😃 The title alone here did it. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 9:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-is-blair-known-as-bushs-bitch/162108/12 "2003-03-18T09:19:26Z")
Blair is Bush’s poodle. Since Blair’s male, he wouldn’t be a bitch. ---
**Author:** ![gouda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c77e96/32.png) [@gouda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gouda)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-is-blair-known-as-bushs-bitch/162108/13 "2003-03-18T11:44:16Z")
On a recent BBC World interview, there were actually a few panelists calling him Vice-President Blair - to his face!! ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-is-blair-known-as-bushs-bitch/162108/14 "2003-03-18T11:50:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gouda \* On a recent BBC World interview, there were actually a few panelists calling him Vice-President Blair - to his face!! Same kinda thing happened on the Newsnight interview. > [@](#): > > From [transcript](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/2732979.stm) > JEREMY PAXMAN: The question referred to you by the way, Prime Minister, as Vice President and Honourable Member for Texas North. But it’s not just him. I mean, when a great world figure like Nelson Mandela calls the British Prime Minister the American Foreign Minister - don’t you feel embarrassed? > > TONY BLAIR: I’ve huge respect for Nelson Mandela. But I don’t feel that I’m doing the wrong thing and I may not be doing the easy thing but I do believe I’m doing the right thing. > > JEREMY PAXMAN: So when people say you’re a poodle… > > TONY BLAIR: Yeah, well you know, you can do that and be the Right Hon Member for Texas and all that. Look, it depends whether you want to deal with this at the level of humour and satire or whether you want to try and make sense of what are difficult issues. ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-is-blair-known-as-bushs-bitch/162108/15 "2003-03-18T17:00:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yojimbo \* > \*\*Same kinda thing happened on the Newsnight interview. \*\* I wish American presidents would submit to interviews like that. ---
**Author:** ![gouda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c77e96/32.png) [@gouda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gouda)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-is-blair-known-as-bushs-bitch/162108/16 "2003-03-28T13:10:05Z")
**Yojimbo** , that was the Newsnight interview I was talking about! At the time of posting, I couldn’t remember what show it was, so I just typed in BBC World. Thanks for clarifying it! ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-is-blair-known-as-bushs-bitch/162108/17 "2003-03-28T14:00:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by jjimm \* > \*\*Blair is Bush’s poodle. Since Blair’s male, he wouldn’t be a bitch. \*\* He’s not a dog either 😉 If bitch carried the right connotations he’d be called it… ---
**Author:** ![Misery\_Loves\_Co](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7cd45c/32.png) [@Misery\_Loves\_Co](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misery_Loves_Co)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-is-blair-known-as-bushs-bitch/162108/18 "2003-03-28T14:29:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by js\_africanus \* > \*\*I wish American presidents would submit to interviews like that. \*\* Hell, I wish our president was a third as articulate as Blaire - Then the fact that they’re so thick wouldn’t be so jarring. . . ---
**Author:** ![js\_africanus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@js\_africanus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/js_africanus)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2003, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-is-blair-known-as-bushs-bitch/162108/19 "2003-03-28T16:46:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Misery Loves Co. \* > \*\*Hell, I wish our president was a third as articulate as Blaire - Then the fact that they’re so thick wouldn’t be so jarring. . . \*\* 😃 Is calling a man a bitch an Americanism?