James Wolcott: Dubya's Zippity Do-Dah Day

[Dudley_DUright]

At NRO's Corner, Kathryn Jean Lopez is impressed by the endorphin surge President Bush displayed during his press conference today.

"I only saw parts of it so I'm not going to be particularly helpful in relaying specifics--but, wow was he in a good mood. You almost get the impression he enjoys doing these now.
Posted at 11:14 AM"

<snip>

The White House announces a press conference in the morning. After the announcement comes the news that 31 Americans died in a chopper crash in Iraq (6 others died today in seperate incidents). The president takes the podium fresh with the knowledge of that tragedy--and radiates a cheerful disposition bantering with the press about senior citizens and their faulty memories. She can't see something scarily wrong with that? She doesn't spot some sort of emotional disturbance or disconnect? Imagine if Bill Clinton had been chirpy and chipper having just received the news of 31 soldiers dying in the theater of combat--Rush Limbaugh would have devoted three hours to it, and Fox News would have dragged Dick Morris out of the all-you-can-eat buffet for his "expert analysis."

When Bush did address the soldiers' deaths, he said that we "weep and mourn" when Americans die, but as he was saying it his hand was flatly smacking downwards for emphasis, as if he were pounding the table during the business meeting, refusing to pay a lot for a muffler. The steady beat of his hand was at odds with the sentiments he was expressing--he didn't look or sound the least bit mournful or sombre. And why should he? Death doesn't seem to be a bringdown for him. There isn't the slightest evidence that he experiences the anguish LBJ did as casualties mounted in Vietnam. His record as chief executioner in Texas is of a man for whom the death of another is an administrative detail, a power exercise.

more...

http://jameswolcott.com/archives/2005/01/dubyas_zippity.php

[Be Brave]

1. He's always gonna be the rich, spoiled kid who doesn't get it. n/t

[theresistance]

2. Can someone make a comparison between what Clinton

said after the 18 soldiers were killed in Somalia (I'm assuming Clinton was a bit more sensitive after hearing the news than Bush) and Bush's attitude now? That might be an interesting comparison (if the comparison isn't good then forget about it).

[Miss Authoritiva]

3. Please don't make me use the word "disconnect"

The steady beat of his hand was at odds with the sentiments he was expressing--he didn't look or sound the least bit mournful or sombre.

I just commented on another thread about the press conference how watching Bush is like watching a badly dubbed movie. The audio and the video never line up. His gestures belie his statements.

Scriptoids

[PA Democrat]

4. I do not think he is capable of human empathy

I too noticed not one bit of sorrow, let alone the deep anguish that any normal human being would feel. I felt sick upon hearing the news. Bush is the guy who sent those soldiers to their deaths and he struts and smirks like he thinks he is God himself.