20 November 2008

Bush and other world leaders prepare for a group photo


Notice the absence of handshakes...

This unannotated clip during the Jon Stewart credits is a little easier to watch than the CNN version with the snarky comments.

5 comments:

  1. It's moments like this that I advocate changing our "foreign aid" budget to zero and using that money to help our belabored economy, kicking the UN out and sending them to France, and developing new energy technology and then not sharing it with the rest of the world.

    Bastards.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh yeah...and another question...did CNN and Jon Stewart use this as a point that NO ONE likes George W. Bush, or to demonstrate how despised America is?

    George Bush is still our President, and despite our difference with him over his policies, he still is the leader of the United States of America and deserves some respect. I pay that same respect to President Clinton. This seems more like insulting the United States, and we shouldn't just "suck it up."

    Whoa...Stan...you got me going there. I'm really ticked now. Think I'll go to bed.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Brian, your viewpoint is the most common one. I didn't hear Stewart, but the CNN guy was disrespectful.

    I have another interpretation. Note that as Bush walks out, it's not so much that anyone refuses to shake his hand, it's that he doesn't offer his hand to anyone. He looks up a couple times perhaps to say hello, but keeps his arms down, and for the most time his head down as well.

    He looks like someone with the weight of the world on his shoulders, and almost gives the impression of frank clinical depression.

    ReplyDelete
  4. By now of course, you know it wasn't a snub at all. Just part of the protocol-- President Bush had already shaken hands with everyone, and Was merely walking into position, while late-comers shook hands.

    CNN video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yr_AJSxtShI

    ReplyDelete
  5. And I believe there was actually another incident (before or after this one) in which everyone moved away from him on purpose, then they all laughed (including him) and reassembled for the picture.

    I don't think now that they snubbed him. These guys are all part of one big club.

    ReplyDelete