Quick comments on this non-story:
One, we all know that Bush is a man without majesty — a regular guy who does not, metaphorically speaking, do particularly well in formal wear. In his ceremonial, head-of-state role, he’s mediocre. Gaffes are inevitable with him. C’est la vie. You can’t be everything.
Two, even the majestic Ronald Reagan had a few slips in comparable situations. Even those who seem to have everything aren’t perfect.
Three, don’t trust a liberal reporter’s, or any other single reporter’s, assumption about the Queen’s attitude toward this very minor slip. We just don’t know. It’s equally possible that Elizabeth R. enjoyed kidding the President just a bit. I doubt she is quite the complete stiff that many people undoubtedly assume.
Four, even if the Queen was offended, which I doubt, she had no right to be, and this writer has no right to be.
Five, far more important than a couple of gaffes is that fact that the royal visit, and the White House’s handling of it, was the opposite of a gaffe: It was a classy gesture between two classy (though very different) heads of state. I have no doubt that the Queen loves America and has appreciated her several receptions here over the years, and, in context, that’s what matters most.
Which could all be boiled down to one point for this writer, and everyone who agrees with him: Grow up.
I watched it and thought that the queen gave him a look that spoke volumes, but was not nasty in any way. GWB just stayed silent for a second and then made his self-depricating comment about the look. Everyone there laughed very good-naturedly. The laugh seemed to be at her almost straight-man comedic look and his reply, not really at the slip.
These attacks on President Bush are just done so no one ever has to look at the other 99.99% of the time when he is terrific. In fact, I think the way he handled the "17" slip was terrific. Most of the people attacking him for it did not watch it at all, but only heard the attack sound-bite.