Nick Coleman: Presidential 'salute' demeans us all (Barf!)

Star Tribune ^ | Nick Coleman

[Millee]

I haven't written about President George W. Bush all year, and that suits me fine. I get tired of calling presidents liars, and he doesn't care what some blue-state hack thinks.

So it's a win-win.

Nevertheless, etiquette requires me to write about the president today. He sent a message to me and my colleagues in the media, and it deserves a response.

Don't worry: I will be polite, and I will use more fingers than he did.

Bush, it seems, has given the press the presidential bird, a digital message of the kind you see exchanged between angry drivers at stop signs. At least we know where we stand.

[Millee]

Reporters like yourself, Mr. Coleman, taught us after 9/11 it's not the act that's important, but it's the offenders feeeeeeelings & motivations that are really paramount. Why don't you look deep within your heart & contemplate why the President would want to flip you off and then change your offending ways.

[edcoil]

No one can make you feel the way you do. You, make you feel the way you do.

[JimWforBush]

and he doesn't care what some blue-state hack thinks.

Guess what Nick? Neither do I.

[Puppage]

I get tired of calling presidents liars

Hey, I AM A CONVICTED LIAR!!

[threeleftsmakearight]

This whole thing is so silly...it's obvious he gave the "thums-up" sign.

[eyespysomething]

At least we know where we stand.

At last, they get it.

[Corin Stormhands]

Yes, the president gave the press a thumbs up! He really likes us! Just a thumb! The longest thumb we ever have seen.

Presidential digit envy.

[Bob]

...he doesn't care what some blue-state hack thinks.

And neither do I. (Excellent self-appraisal, BTW)

[ncountylee]

The Red Star is, perhaps, the worst fish wrap in the country!

[mad puppy]

I wish the President would have flipped them off. From what I've seen, however, it was a thumb. Not that this fact would at all effect Mr. Coleman and his ultra important feelings.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

Personally, I couldn't make out the finger in the video. How about this finger?

[SoDak]

I saw this last night when reading the Strib's sports section, but I didn't read further into it so I wouldn't raise my blood pressure before bedtime. This dude has an ongoing war of words with many area bloggers who raz him constantly. It's proven he doesn't care one way or another about facts.

[siunevada]

Buried in the Star Trib blog:

John Godfrey (Dow Jones Newswire) writes, "I was in the scrum of reporters at the event. Bush did not flip anyone off. He was clearly giving a thumbs up in response to a question shouted from the crowd." I called John to verify the email was from him and to ask him if there was any doubt in his mind, he said there was not.

I saw the video and it looks like a thumbs up to me. But that wouldn't be such a good story, would it?

[Darkwolf377]

Thus another lie of the left becomes "fact".

He didn't give the finger, no matter how much this wuss wants him to have--they do love being victims, don't they?

[Spok]

Yes, one wonders if this conscience driven journalist ever called Mr. Clinton a liar. And Billy Jeff never had call to flip off the press, as he owned it.

[RichInOC]

Relax, Nick. He was just telling your fellow hacks that they're number one with him.

[Zuben Elgenubi]

Here's a lieing President making the sign of the devil of all things.

[ChadGore]

This guy is a pissy old liberal lib.

[MarineBrat]

So I went to this reporter puke's story and clicked on the link he provided to see the video, and it's obviously a thumb. I looked at it 20 times in a row in a quick loop, and only someone who wants to be offended could believe otherwise.