Washington turned out adoring schoolchildren and ladies in hats for Queen Elizabeth II's visit. The White House laid on special touches, too, at
PresidentBush's first-ever white-tie state dinner to honor America's closest ally and make the queen feel welcome.
....
On the other hand, there was the president suggesting Queen Elizabeth was over 230 years old.
The president's slip of the tongue during welcoming speeches was inadvertent, of course, and quickly smoothed over with humor. But it wasn't exactly the flawless effort Bush had hoped would erase memories of the "talking hat" episode during the queen's last U.S. visit. (In 1991, during Bush's father's administration, a too-short lectern left the audience able to see only the queen's hat behind microphones.)
The queen, a sprightly 81, gave an embarrassed Bush a gracious nod after he suggested she had celebrated the United States' founding in 1776. He meant to say she had attended 1976 bicentennial festivities.
Hey, it could have been worse, really. He could have stripped down to boxers and wife-beater tee, put his bare feet up on the table, and said, "Hey, Missus Doubtfire! Pull mah finger! Heh heh!"
[Update: It gets better; apparently the British press is somewhat irritated at Bush winking at the queen after his little boo-boo. Sweet. You can't take this guy anywhere, can ya? Not quite "pull mah finger", but in those circles, not all that far off.]
Heh, this looks much cooler when I'm all dressed up in my G.I. Joe flight suit and codpiece, heh-heh. Chicks dig it, the really slow ones, anyway.
We are not amused. We do not respond to smirks and facial tics. Perhaps you have people to help you "bone up", to use the colloquial, on this sort of thing beforehand. From one figurehead to another, please do pull your shit together already.
Yeah, the guy's just a walking disaster -- social, political, and military. The fact that he was semi-democratically elected should give any monarchist left in Britain reasons to smirk with condescension.
ReplyDeleteIn 1991, during Bush's father's administration, a too-short lectern left the audience able to see only the queen's hat behind microphones
Perhaps they meant to say the lectern was too high?
So, when does the "Honor and Integrity" get returned to the White House?
ReplyDeleteWow. That look says "who teh fuck *are* you?" in a way only Chimpy couldn't grasp.
ReplyDeleteYou can't tell that this is obviously a doctored picture? Oh right, the Queen simply popped from the left of President Bush to his right by winking her nose? Come on, get real -- look at the pictures again.
ReplyDeleteJohn, I assumed it was simply a reversed negative. They happen from time to time. Even in the digital era, sometimes photos get inadvertently flipped. Or, the second phot could be from, say, ten seconds later.
ReplyDeleteI'd have to dig through my old magazines to find it, but I know I have a photo of Jimmy Page playing left-handed.
And come on, do you really think there was a need to doctor a photo? You think for a second she didn't respond that moronic wink with a look of pure contempt?
Those photos even if they ARE flopped or altered pretty much say it all.
ReplyDeleteI loved Scott Adams's tips for meeting the queen. Bush could actually have used them.
"...do not try to be witty. The queen hates witty banter. Here are a few bons mots to avoid:
- Are you related to Queen Latifah?
- How’s that taxation without representation look to you now?
- How far can Prince Charles glide with those ears?
- Ask me about my Yankee doodle.
- Would you like some tea? It’s at the bottom of the Boston Harbor.
- So what exactly is your job description, aside from being Tony Blair’s fluffer? "
http://dilbertblog.typepad.com/the_dilbert_blog/2007/05/queen_protocol.html
Photo Not Doctored -
ReplyDeletetalked to wonderful old friend of mine - now American - of British descent, after I saw John's comment. She said she saw it carried just this way on the news.
"Deuce"