Posted on 11/22/2004 11:20:31 AM PST by kfowler1
Inside Column
"A Picture's Worth..." by Ken Fowler
It's tough to describe adequately a powerful picture with pedestrian words, but there are some times when it's worth trying. One I saw Saturday night deserves the effort, as it accomplishes what only the great pieces of art do - it tells the story of something seemingly unrelated to the subject matter that is terribly important.
On the left, this photo shows Chilean President Ricardo Lagos and first lady Laura Bush smiling at reporters as they enter the ballroom in which an APEC gala dinner is about to commence. To the right, President Bush has stopped his progress, and he appears to be deciphering the reason for the commotion coming from the background.
He is stuck between going forward and turning back to resolve the problem.
In this case, his problem is that a Chilean police officer refused Bush's top on-site Secret Service agent entrance into the building. Clearly, a question of security arises when a foreign police force prevents the American president's personal security detail from escorting him into a large building.
Stuck with the options of either continuing on the path set before him - walking away from the confrontation and trusting a foreign force to maintain security and safety in what could be a dangerous situation - or going back and ending the possible security threat immediately, Bush chose the latter. Not surprised at the decision? Then picture is doing its job.
The scene that ensued was not as breathtaking as some have made it out to be. Bush reached into the pile and snapped his fingers, and the dispute was settled - the Chilean police would allow his Secret Service agent into the dinner. It took a little while for the scene to calm down, but Bush's presence was the deciding factor in how the situation would turn out.
In analyzing the sequence of events, maybe you will affectionately joke about the brazen attitude of our cowboy president and that he solves problems the way real people do.
On the other hand, the Pacers-Pistons brawl may come to mind, and you might think that the most powerful man in the world should not be meddling in the middle of a melee.
Whatever you think of the situation, the picture itself includes that story of something completely unrelated but incredibly important - a foreign leader walking ahead (to the left) as an American president, to the right, says "Hold on, I have to take care of something."
It demonstrates how tough decisions can tumult a president and a country, and it embodies the active, provocative policy of the Bush administration in foreign lands.
In a picture full of personifications, that's the overriding theme; in a world full of analogies, that's the main conflict of the day.
Here's hoping that Bush can solve the world's problems like he solved the one on Saturday.
The views expressed in the Inside Column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.
Didn't you see "Independence Day" and "Air Force One"?
The posted article is poorly reasoned and just as poorly written.
At a presser in Colombia,GWB was just questioned about this incident , and the subsequent cancelling of the state dinner in his honor for 200 people in Santiago.
He deftly deflected the question, saying he had a fantastic meeting in Chile, and talked about how appreciateve he was of the hospitality shown to him and Laura by President Lagos.
Now you expect me to WORK the rest of the day???
Best photo so far of the Chile incident.
Thank you
I guess you never saw "Airforce One" with Harrison Ford.
Yeah, okay, I'll marry him.
A US Secret Service officer, center, argues with Chilean police officers at the entrance of the Mapocho Space right after some members of President George W. Bush were not allowed to enter with him to a state dinner for APEC
read the complete story here: http://www.washtimes.com/national/20041120-113709-8651r.htm
The Secret Service source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the president's security detail and that the Chileans had argued about security procedures all day and that he wasn't surprised to see last night's skirmish unfold.
The Chileans, he said, were determined to take charge of security, but the president of the United States is the only world leader who takes his bodyguards with him wherever he goes. Normally, foreign countries defer to that demand. The Chilean security detail resisted, the source said, and was determined to take a stand at the dinner.
"That's what the argument this afternoon was about," he said. "I saw this coming."
Chilean security knew that the Secret Service always accompanies the president and knows how to identify them by the pins on their lapels, the source said, but blocked them anyway.
The White House downplayed the incident last night.
"Chilean security tried to stop the president's Secret Service from accompanying him," said White House deputy press secretary Claire Buchan. "He told them they were with him, and the issue was resolved."
Have you been to South America? Lots of Machismo and posturing. Little in the way of organization, hard work and responsibility. There is a reason these folks are the way they are, and England and the rest of their former colonies are as they are.
The same actor who plays the President in Air Force One also plays Jack Ryan in some other movies. Jack Ryan later becomes President.
Remember that, before he became President, Jack Ryan was caught in a deadly trap in South America. Yes, Jack Ryan (the character, not the actor who plays him who, IIRC, is a member of the Hollywood left) would also have jumped into the fray.
By the way, according to the Telegraph, the Chileans were also involved in a shoving match with Chinese bodyguards accompanying their President Hu Jintao. The Chileans won that round: ,"Chilean guards were also involved in a shoving match with Chinese bodyguards accompanying President Hu Jintao at the Apec summit, successfully preventing the Chinese guards from following their head of state into a meeting with Mr Lagos."
Right you are about the China-Chile fracas. I read that one too.
Video of the finger snap - extrication: http://www.dailyrecycler.com/blog/2004/11/taking-charge.html
Oh
my
gosh!
That graphic of JFkerry wearing the cap, clothing, and moustache is just too right-on for words.
He is to the image of the French people what Robert Redford was to the image of baseball.
That guy is one of us.
He didn't even flinch. He just went in to that scrum and pulled his guy out and didn't even consider that pretty much all those men were armed.
God bless our President.
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