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CHILEAN WHINES (Agent Trotta, Pres. Bush, and What Really Happened - WSJ)
The Wall Street Journal Best of the Web Today ^ | November 22, 2004 | James Taranto

Posted on 11/22/2004 1:30:55 PM PST by GretchenM

The [APEC] summit in ... Chile, was the site of a ... kerfuffle... over the weekend, as the Chileans picked fights with the U.S. Secret Service and lost. The first ... involved Nick Trotta ... in President Bush's security detail. As the president ... entered ..., "Chilean officers, who appeared to be waiting for the moment, stepped in front of Trotta, blocking him from entering," ...

U.S. officials said Chilean police had been chafing for a week about a demand by Secret Service agents that they control the president's space...

... amid a flurry of half nelsons, one Secret Service agent wound up jammed against a wall. "You're not stopping me! ...I'm with the president!" an unidentified agent can be heard yelling on videotape...

... The president, who is rarely alone ...turned and walked back to the front door unaccompanied, facing the backs of a sea of dark suits. Bush, with his right hand, reached over the suits and pointed insistently at Trotta. At first the officials ... did not realize it was the president intervening. Bush then braced himself against someone and lunged to retrieve the agent, who was still arguing with the Chileans. The shocked Chilean officials then released Trotta.

Trotta walked in behind Bush, who looked enormously pleased with himself. He was wearing the expression that some critics call a smirk, and his eyebrows shot up as if to wink at bystanders.

The Post quotes Marcelo Romero, a Chilean reporter: "All of us journalists agree that President Bush looked like a cowboy. It was total breach of protocol. I've seen a lot of John Wayne movies, and President Bush was definitely acting like a cowboy." Apparently some journalists think that's a bad thing.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: agenttrotta; apec; bestoftheweb; chile; gaucho; honchowithponcho; jamestaranto
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To: BigEdLB
>>>Mr. Romero ought to see a surgeon about the removal of his intestinal blockage.

A rectally incarcerated cranium is tough to deal with...
121 posted on 11/22/2004 2:37:55 PM PST by Keith in Iowa (Democrats: Tolerant of all people and opinions. Except me & mine - Conservative, Christian.)
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To: GretchenM
Marcelo Romero, a Chilean reporter: "All of us journalists agree that President Bush looked like a cowboy. It was total breach of protocol. I've seen a lot of John Wayne movies, and President Bush was definitely acting like a cowboy."

I'm in sortof a gloating kinda of move - Can you all image what skerry would have done in a situation like this? That SS agent would have landed in jail, and skerry would have berated him for impinging upon the multicultural sovereignty of chile.

As for our President being a Cowboy, well, he is. And we like him like that - get used to it... In fact, if you scratch the surface of most Americans outside the blue states, you'll find a Cowboy yearning to be free. We are what we are - deal with it...

122 posted on 11/22/2004 2:39:06 PM PST by GunnyB (Once a Marine, Always a Marine)
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To: GretchenM

Even French TV showed that video last night and the comment about the episode was, "Mr. Bush's act was very impressive."

Holy mackerel, that's a surprise, not Mr. Bush but French TV.


123 posted on 11/22/2004 2:39:59 PM PST by matchwood
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To: prairiebreeze

I fervent hope = MY fevent hope


124 posted on 11/22/2004 2:41:01 PM PST by prairiebreeze (President George W. Bush....most assuredly, MY President!)
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To: cyncooper

Your post at 118 about Wayne and pilgrims gave me chills. I hadn't seen either movie. But with the westward movement of pilgrim descendants -- each generation taking up being pilgrims all over again, and how the West evolved, it just made sense. Obviously, also to others before me. ;-) They had to be tough.


125 posted on 11/22/2004 2:41:34 PM PST by GretchenM
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To: JesseJane

Those are terrific pictures of Mr. Bush - I had never seen them before - I wish he would wear that cowboy hat at those international meetings.


126 posted on 11/22/2004 2:44:17 PM PST by matchwood
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To: matchwood

That could lead one to exclaim, There's hope for France! After all, one right thought could lead to another ...


127 posted on 11/22/2004 2:45:42 PM PST by GretchenM
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To: GretchenM
Before I leave the thread, I want to make a note to Chileans: We would have been pleased as punch to like you and laud you if you had treated our President and his Secret Service Agents with respect.

We did not start off disliking Chileans, but it appears you all had a chip the size on Texas on your shoulders and thought you'd try to push them around.

Respect and admiration are earned. President Bush has both because of his actions. You, Chile, are now a joke unless and until you shape up and grow up.

128 posted on 11/22/2004 2:46:50 PM PST by cyncooper (And an angel still rides in the whirlwind and directs this storm)
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To: GretchenM

El Hombre Bush


129 posted on 11/22/2004 2:47:36 PM PST by Neville72
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To: GretchenM
Chilean officers, who appeared to be waiting for the moment, stepped in front of Trotta

This part is the most disturbing. I'd hope we could somehow investigate the backgrounds of these Chilean officers. Who knows what ties they might have to somebody who wants to harm the Pres, this could have been some sort of testing the boundaries. It sounded pre-mediated at least.

Also it sounds like a brawl with those Asian reporters knocking over the CNN cameraman. Article even says that a bunch of the "journalists" got into a fist fight after that.

Prairie

130 posted on 11/22/2004 2:49:27 PM PST by prairiebreeze (President George W. Bush....most assuredly, MY President!)
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To: GretchenM

I almost fell off the couch when I saw it - deep down I think the average person in France, Germany and Russia must have a secret admiration for Mr. Bush compared with their girlie men with the exception of Mr. Putin who is a pretty tough guy in his own right.


131 posted on 11/22/2004 2:50:03 PM PST by matchwood
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To: GretchenM

the media, domestic + foreign, are insulting.

at least our president isn't a pussy like france's jacque chirac.


132 posted on 11/22/2004 2:51:03 PM PST by ken21 (against the democrat plantation.)
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To: SF Republican

Good one. That was pretty cowboy ("Don' be messin' with that man... he's with me...", as he pulls back the trigger on his single action colt...).

And to the Chilean Journalist:

That's PRESIDENT Cowboy to you, handwringer.


133 posted on 11/22/2004 2:52:04 PM PST by mbennett203 (To re-elect Bush, dominate congress and to hear the lamentations of the Democrats!)
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To: prairiebreeze

I've been thinking along the same lines as you, and I am certain our SS Big Brainy Guys are working this like starving dogs on a hambone.

As much as some (less developed) countries howl, whine, squawk, and bellyache now over our SS demands, I expect the SS is going to ratchet everything up like the torture machine used on Westley by Count Rugen in "The Princess Bride," 50 notches in one stroke.


134 posted on 11/22/2004 2:53:34 PM PST by GretchenM
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To: Keith in Iowa

"A rectally incarcerated cranium is tough to deal with..."

An ice pick at either end would do the job.


135 posted on 11/22/2004 2:54:19 PM PST by matchwood
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To: GretchenM
"All of us journalists agree that President Bush looked like a cowboy. It was total breach of protocol. I've seen a lot of John Wayne movies, and President Bush was definitely acting like a cowboy."

Help me out here. I thought Latin America is big on the whole machismo thing? Oh, ok. Maybe not Latin American journalists . . . we do have something in common with Chile, after all.

136 posted on 11/22/2004 2:55:26 PM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: matchwood

You can see lots more of those cowboy-type photos each day on the "A Day in the Life of President Bush" threads (usually just Monday-Friday). They have the photos of what he is doing each day, plus there are often re-posts of favorites such as are found on this thread.


137 posted on 11/22/2004 2:55:33 PM PST by GretchenM
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To: Diddle E. Squat

Putin: "I'm toast"
Bush: "I'm a red hot chili pepper - yeehaaw!"

138 posted on 11/22/2004 2:56:00 PM PST by vrwc1
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To: mbennett203
And to the Chilean Journalist:
That's PRESIDENT Cowboy to you, handwringer.

Oh yeah!

139 posted on 11/22/2004 2:56:50 PM PST by GretchenM
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To: GretchenM

Comparing the headlines of various media, the most negative are generally American.

Azcentral.com (Arizona): “Security dispute arises in Chile”
BBC: “Bush plucks bodyguard to safety”
canoe.ca /NewsStand/EdmontonSun: “He's with me!”
channelnewsasia.com: “Bush rescues bodyguard from summit security scuffle”
chinadaily.com: “Bush pulls top security agent from fracas”
CNN.com: “Bush aids Secret Service agent”
commondreams.org (“progressive news”): "Chile Calls Off Bush Banquet After Security Dispute"
The Guardian (London): “Bush plays action hero in security row”
internet haganáh: “GWB 1 - Chile 0”
mirror.co.uk: "THE HEAD PONCHO"
NY Times: “Security Dispute Dulls Luster of Bush's Trip to Chile”
Telegraph (London): “Bush scuffles with Chilean guards at summit”
Washington Post: “Spats Over Security Roil Summit in Chile”
Washington Times: “In role reversal, president rescues Secret Service agent”

Any others ya'll would care to post?


140 posted on 11/22/2004 2:57:06 PM PST by StayAt HomeMother
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