The Times Bit, The White House Bit

Bush-Turkey

White-House-Turkey-Small-06

(click Bush/Maliki for full size)

It was inevitable — given the American holiday combined with the election reflux suffered by the Administration — that the two most famous turkeys in American political history would visually resurface today. The New York Times bit in its on-line Thanksgiving Day Iraq update.

What now reads as “Bush on a platter” is particularly cutting when you set it on the table alongside what the White House served up today. As is tradition, Administration photo editors plied their customary helping of “turkey pardoning.” This time, a bird by the name of “Flyer” (hmm, interesting choice) was spared from slaughter in this ever more paradoxical expression of “Bush beneficence.”

(Concerning the “Flyer” metaphor, it is savory in opposite ways. Sure, it has the macho thing going for it. At the same time, it conveys a White House wish for its own pardon, as just another form of flight for having cooked Iraq.)

Focusing on content for a moment, the NYT article (with the “throw Bush a bone” headline: This Thanksgiving, Bush Team and Iraq Leaders Face Range of New Realities) sketches out the latest trifle Bush plans to pursue to buffer his ego from his new minders, the Poppy-infused Iraq Study Group.

As such, the next course is a trip to Jordan to meet with President Maliki. With that crow eating in mind, the most deserving image of the day is really this third one, featured on the WH website just before the election. It postures a desperate suggestion of cooperation, backed with a pathetic statement of solidarity, published two days before Maliki’s face slapping, unilateral order that the U.S. lift part of its cordon of Baghdad.

The gap between Bush and Maliki is as remote as it is miles wide. (Actually, it’s impossible to tell if Maliki is even there.) As for George, the furrowed blow, flared nose, pursed lips, clasped hands — and empty desk — says he knows the cupboard is bare.

With two Thanksgivings to go, this Administration is like leftovers you can’t throw out, but you don’t really want to deal with anymore.

(image 1: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP. Nov. 27, 2003. Baghdad, Iraq. brotherkenya.blogspot.com. image 2: Paul Morse/White House. Nov. 22, 2006. Washington. whitehouse.gov. image 3: Kimberlee Hewitt/White House. October 28, 2006. Washington. whitehouse.gov.)

« Prev

Losing Altman

All Ears

http://ruinsofempire.blogspot.com/ Rafael

Watching last night late night TV, it seemed that the very phrase “The President pardoned a turkey today” brought a chuckle to the audience. I guess they could not tell which giver and the reciever.
margaret

And,in the last photo, Bush doesn’t have his usual entourage filling the table…he’s the “decider” and of course, as such, he does this alone, regardless of what “advice” anybody gives him. He’s it: the turkey- in-charge.
GeorgeF

Dear margaret, in Turkey still Mr. Erdogan is in charge!
a–

Today in London a paper had Blair with an inopportune snap shot making him look like he had a big red clown nose! Their gooses really do seem to be metaphorically cooked. Hopefully the reality based community is growing to understand the trouble we’re in because of there 2 jokers(sorry I had too).
Cactus

Did the wrong turkey get pardoned?
We have the spectacle of Jr. traipsing all over the world trying to look important while getting out of Dodge, and right behind him is Daddy cleaning up the mess. The MSN is telling us Daddy and the boys are trying to save the republic from total descruction. All they are really interested in is saving the republican party, first and foremost.
I’m curious who is sitting with Jr. in image 3, it does look a lot like Rummy, but…..? They certainly aren’t expecting anyone else to join them, but I guess what is important is that the TV camera just picks up Jr. for the conference call, if that IS Maliki on screen.
I wonder if Jr. feels as alone as he looks.
Pedro

What do all three pictures have in common? It’s always the same turkey…
That was a cheap shot, I know, but it was just too easy
PTate in MN

Since the last election, here in MN, we have seen signs of conciliation from the Republican governor who just narrowly held on to his seat: our Gov Pawlenty may be able to learn. But, given past history, Bushco is apt to treat the anniliation of the last election as a campaign setback, and roll out another charm offensive. The turkey story seems to be part of that campaign to bambozzle the electorate into “LIKING” GWB.
The picture from 2003 takes on great double meaning in hindsight–yep, GWB has served the US military a turkey all right.
It rather reminds me of the creepy Haggart moment on film that was doing the rounds a few weeks ago, when he looked right at the camera–while preaching against homosexuality–and said, I know what you did last night.
And the picture of the teleconference room is just sad. No one except Bush and Rumsfeld are at the table: the leadership of Iraq is just an image on our TV sets.
Gary

“I thought you were going to ask me about the pig.”
Gary

Take a look at the reproduction cabinetry and future in the conference room. I don’t know whether it’s supposed to be mimicking a room at the White House or whether Bush (or Laura) specified such furnishings because they think it’s “what you’re supposed to have”. Highly symbolic of people out-of-touch, people who are anachronistic in their values and thinking. I don’t deny that this sort of decor could be classically beautiful, but the way it’s expressed at the ranch is sterile and insipid.
Note also that the conference room is devoid of windows and any contact with the outside word. Symbolic of the obsessive level of secrecy and lack of respect for the world we live in.
jt from BC

Maliki on the TV monitor and the white halo around his head looks like a turkey with feathers fanned ready for a fight.