"Thank you for the privilege of serving today." How Josh Bolton greets Bush each day.

[Hamlette]

Bush is insane. Can you imagine in your wildest dreams making any human being say something like that to you?

"Bush is a classic insecure authoritarian who imposes humiliating tests of obedience on others in order to prove his superiority and their inferiority. In 1999, according to Draper, at a meeting of economic experts at the Texas governor's mansion, Bush interrupted Rove when he joined in the discussion, saying, "Karl, hang up my jacket." In front of other aides, Bush joked repeatedly that he would fire Rove. (Laura Bush's attitude toward Rove was pointedly disdainful. She nicknamed him "Pigpen," for wallowing in dirty politics. He was staff, not family -- certainly not people like them.)

Bush's deployed his fetish for punctuality as a punitive weapon. When Colin Powell was several minutes late to a Cabinet meeting, Bush ordered that the door to the Cabinet Room be locked. Aides have been fearful of raising problems with him. In his 2004 debates with Sen. John Kerry, no one felt comfortable or confident enough to discuss with Bush the importance of his personal demeanor. Doing poorly in his first debate, he turned his anger on his communications director, Dan Bartlett, for showing him a tape afterward. When his trusted old public relations handler, Karen Hughes, tried gently to tell him, "You looked mad," he shot back, "I wasn't mad! Tell them that!"

Those around him have learned how to manipulate him through the art of flattery. Former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld played Bush like a Stradivarius, exploiting his grandiosity. "Rumsfeld would later tell his lieutenants that if you wanted the president's support for an initiative, it was always best to frame it as a 'Big New Thing.'" Other aides played on Bush's self-conception as "the Decider." "To sell him on an idea," writes Draper, "aides were now learning, the best approach was to tell the president, This is going to be a really tough decision." But flattery always requires deference. Every morning, Josh Bolten, the chief of staff, greets Bush with the same words: "Thank you for the privilege of serving today."

http://www.salon.com/opinion/blumenthal/2007/09/20/bush_draper/index.html

[AndyA]

1. I just wonder what part of Bush's body Bolton's tongue has been

in/on/around prior to saying that.

:wow:

[fishnfla]

2. I think the term is "blumpkin"

it being first thing in the morning and all

[TwilightGardener]

3. Does he have to leave the room while bowing and avoiding eye contact?

[SeattleGirl]

4. I think I'm going to be sick.

:puke:

[baby_mouse]

5. I kept telling everyone he was stupid. But no. He was an EEEEVIL genius.

Over and over again on this site threads would pop up warbling on about what a genius he was.