Mixed Messages

My first reaction on seeing the hand up was dear God, not another fish!

Who is out there that shrub is waving to and acknowledging incessently? Are these people in boats, (doubtfully). Are they shore born stargazers and Kennebunkport friends and neighbors? That is a sign on no inner life when his whole focus is outward waving at fans and hugging and kissing women spectators for hours like Albania. He should realize, they are out viewing road kill and rubbernecking at the greatest political accident since Howard Taft.
To give a shallow and redundant political speech like that to Naval Commanders and at a War College graduation. Like your excellent linked points out, if that was your roommate talking about his girlfriend you’d move, if that was your husband talking about your shopping habits, you’d get a divorce, if that was a stupid irrelevant president talking to career military professionals, someone should walk over and push him off the stage.

I once escorted Jimmy Carter on a fishing trip while he was President (when I was in the Coast Guard). He wanted some privacy, though, so it was kept secret, but by the afternoon, the press had found out and chartered boats, so our job was to keep them at a distance from him. (I remember reporters like Ed Bradley trying to pretend that they were just regular guys who happened to be out on a boat that day.) Bush looks like he’s waving at the photographers.
I keep looking at those matching jackets, though, with 41 for Bush Sr. and 43 for Bush Jr. Does Barbara’s say 46 or something? How did these people become a political dynasty and occupy “the most powerful position”? Bush Sr. at least had some qualifications, but Bush Jr.?
Was that Rhode Island speech the one where Bush held up Israel as an example that Iraqis should aspire to? What a moron…
Is Laura still in Africa with Jenna?

Gone fishin’.

The entire collection of 5 photos brings in ill feeling.
As people are dying in Iraq, the seriousness of bush face at 12 – top position and V sign make one search in vain for the possible thought deciderer is reflecting on….
The 11 clock photo seems to be the most telling, face of bush sr. is reminding me of the shots when he broke down and cried…you can see human emotion there, while deciderer’s is locked in cold madness.

Matching hats and jackets. Cute on fathers and sons when the sons are two, not so much when they’re old men and presidents.
The current presidents seems obsessed with clothing that has the presidential seal or other markers of him being president (socks, flight jackets, etc.), even in relaxed personal settings. Quite a contrast to JFK’s casual elegance.

It is my understanding that pResident bush is not giving us a victory or a peace sign.
Someone had simply asked him either his IQ or the size of his penis when erect..
Jack Jett
http://www.jackejett.com

One thing that struck me about these photos is that Junior isn’t in the driver’s seat, Dad is.
I also noted the jackets, as many others have. But I’ve been thinking about all the personalized jackets, hats, socks, biking shorts, etc. that Bush wears, and it’s really weird. There seem to be an awful lot of them. Is there a staffer in the White House who has the responsiblity of ordering these items, and planning in advance what to get for each outing? Does Bush get involved in the process – “Hey, order up a coupla jackets for me and Poppy in time for the Fourth of July.” ?? Or does some able sycophant head up the sartorial initiative with the sole purpose of flattering the Preznit?
I order logo’d hats, shirts, jackets for my employees, and it takes some time and thought. Someone’s picking out the item, choosing the color, selecting the type of embroidery script used for the “43″, etc.
Maybe this is what Bush does all day, when he’s not biking.

Can anyone read what it says on Bush’s white long-sleeve’d T-shirt, under the USA?
He reminds me of a boss I had once, This guy had a need to be liked, he was avery insecure person. He had a Harley motorcycle, and on certain occasions he’d sometimes ride it to work. Now – he lived only 5 or 6 blocks from work, so it was kind of amusing to see him all tricked out in the Harley jacket, the leather chaps, the gloves, the boots, the shades, etc. for a 5 block ride through residential streets. He’d come roaring right up to the front door, park his “hog” and stride into work. Then he’d take off his gear and sit down at his desk to work in his Harley T-shirt and jeans.
It was interesting to check his calendar and see who he was meeting with on these occasions when he’s “casually” or “randomly” decide to ride the Harley to work.

That V sign is likely in keeping with President Bush’s fantasy that he’s a 21st century Winston Churchill. Last week ThinkProgress noted that:
Seymour Hersh … stated that Bush likes to compare himself to Winston Churchill. Sources close to the President have heard him “say things like, ‘It’ll be 20 years before they appreciate me. … Yes, I may be at 30 percent in the polls, but in 20 or 30 years, they’ll appreciate what I’ve done.’
I can imagine, and it hurts when I do so, GWB standing in front of a mirror striking heroic poses. Folks, we have a very ill man in the presidency.

…reality as metaphor: Bush’s guide gets anchor stuck.

The story about the anchor reminded me of the real meaning of “cut and run”:
“Cut and run” originated in the days of sailing ships. It meant to get under way in an emergency by cutting the anchor chain and running before the wind. In the instance of square-rigged ships, it also meant to cut the lines holding the furled sails, whereupon the sails would unfurl of their own weight and the ship could sail at once. “Cut and run” has nothing whatsoever to do with cowardice, surrender, or defeatism. It is, in fact, the intelligent thing to do when in dire straits. The captain who cuts and runs has a chance of saving his ship. The stubborn, rigid captain, who stands upon the bridge and defies the elements, will find his ship driven upon the rocks — and destroyed.
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/7/13/21749/3480
And then I found this, just to add a little humor to the mix:
http://unfairlybalanced.com/archive/slides/Bush%20GOP%20cut%20and%20run.htm

For “g” in response to what is written on Bush’s white long-sleeved T-shirt under the U S A –
It says “Track and Field”.
Lovely photoshop expose at http://gahzette.blogspot.com/ , but Track and Field is not one of the photoshops, there’s plenty of other material to work with. Enjoy the site. Panda can make you laugh out loud, and that is a good thing.

It is definitely the Winston Churchill fantasy. Watch for Bush to begin smoking great big cigars.

Bush — his chronic alcoholism is showing again.
Bush looks like a man who has been drinking heavily over a very long period of time and may be between hangovers — a man whose forced and exaggerated gestures suggest a need to relieve his own anxiety about the likelihood that an imagined public might perceive the truth about his condition — hence, his self-conscious attempts to overcompensate for his feelings of insecurity.
Bush is a man who uses what he believes are the standaradized presidential gestures and tropes of power and confidence and success to mask the absence of these qualities within himself.
Clearly, Poppy Bush appears to be in charge of the situation on the boat and in better mental and physical condition, too.
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“Besides all the gesticulations, could Bush’s preoccupation with, and various attempts to connect with the audience during the subsequent Kennebunkport fish-op also signal the baiter-in-chief’s concern that he’s sinking into irrelevance? “
The title of this thread is “mixed messages.” What struck me is that he looks so miserable and stressed. He is “on vacation” yet in five pictures, though he is waving and gesturing to us, he is nowhere near a smile. Croatoan’s picture of JFK sailing is a nice example of how people normally look while relaxing.
No one has yet mentioned the VP run amuck story of this week. If GWB heard about it, it may have been a blow to his ego to discover that he has been played for a fool by someone he trusted. I should say another blow, after the defeat of the immigration bill. The news from Iraq hasn’t been all that encouraging. And the standoff with the Senate, over executive privilege, that can’t be reassuring either.
The other thing that struck me about these pictures was that Bush’s generation is showing–that first picture especially, with the glasses and the peace/victory sign–reminds me of aging peaceniks I have known. The cording on his jacket almost looks like a mullet. This just adds to the illusion that he is stuck in time, fighting the last generation’s war.

President Bush may like to compare himself to Churchill, but he’s more like Chamberlain.

I thought Cheney was The Angler.

Ah, Fishing… A portrait of a regular guy, slipping quietly into civilian life with no baggage following him into retirement. HA!
Too bad he still has a year and a half left. He’d prefer to be done with it now, and I think he’ll embrace the lame duck position like none other. He’s going to set the new standard for lame duck-ness. Let Dick and Rove keep running the show.
His deathbed is getting a little closer, though, and that scene isn’t going to be kind. WAR CRIMES, like burning children with White Phosphorous isn’t the kind of activity one can wishfully forget when they are reflecting on their lives. Not to mention that starting wars has got to be a chapter in Jesus’ big book of sins and judgements.
Good luck pretending George. Pretending you’re a good guy – a regular good guy who deserves a break, you know, a little compassion for what he’s been through.
Good luck with that, George, you MURDERER OF LITTLE CHILDREN. Good luck forgetting all that. Good luck avoiding trial. Good luck being respected by historians. Good luck in that interview with St. Peter at the Pearly Gates!!

Ah, Fishing… A portrait of a regular guy, slipping quietly into civilian life with no baggage following him into retirement. HA!
Too bad he still has a year and a half left. He’d prefer to be done with it now, and I think he’ll embrace the lame duck position like none other. He’s going to set the new standard for lame duck-ness. Let Dick and Rove keep running the show.
His deathbed is getting a little closer, though, and that scene isn’t going to be kind. WAR CRIMES, like burning children with White Phosphorous isn’t the kind of activity one can wishfully forget when they are reflecting on their lives. Not to mention that starting wars has got to be a chapter in Jesus’ big book of sins and judgements.
Good luck pretending George. Pretending you’re a good guy – a regular good guy who deserves a break, you know, a little compassion for what he’s been through.
Good luck with that, George, you MURDERER OF LITTLE CHILDREN. Good luck forgetting all that. Good luck avoiding trial. Good luck being respected by historians. Good luck in that interview with St. Peter at the Pearly Gates!!

I’d like to see what Bush’s reaction would have been if Clinton had shown up wearing a “42″ jacket.

And to make it even, he could bring Hillary wearing a “44″.

The personalized clothing makes me think of the time when we sent our son, then nine years old, to Little League camp for the very first time. He was so cute. We were told to write his name in all his shirts and on his pool towel with permanent marker and I spent about an hour going through his ‘wears, socks, shorts, t-shirts, etc. putting his initials on everything. It helped prepare us for the big separation.
He was a bit nervous about being away for the first time and was trying not to show it, but after we dropped him off, met his room counselor, and saw the huge TV in the common room, we said goodbye. When we were on our way out, he saw the other campers getting into the swimming pool. He rushed back into the dorm to get into his swim trunks and the last thing I saw when we drove away was my little boy running back outside to jump into the water and make new friends and have the best week of his summer.
It makes me all smiley and happy and he still has a couple of those t-shirts around. They are more suited to rags and do not fit him at all anymore, but the old initials make me think of that wonderful golden boy that now resides in the body of a teenager who is taller than I am.
What were we talking about?