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 ...
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...
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.
I fervent hope = MY fevent hope
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.
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.
That could lead one to exclaim, There's hope for France! After all, one right thought could lead to another ...
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.
El Hombre Bush
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
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.
the media, domestic + foreign, are insulting.
at least our president isn't a pussy like france's jacque chirac.
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.
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.
"A rectally incarcerated cranium is tough to deal with..."
An ice pick at either end would do the job.
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.
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.
Putin: "I'm toast"
Bush: "I'm a red hot chili pepper - yeehaaw!"
Oh yeah!
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?
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