Bush's unexpected squeeze of the German chancellor has the Internet howling (funny)

SF Gate ^ | 7/18/06 | Carla Marunucci

[pissant]

It's not exactly "Presidents Gone Wild!" but for the normally staid Group of Eight Summit, a video of President George W. Bush sidling behind German Chancellor Angela Merkel and delivering an impromptu neck rub is, well, as wild as it gets.

The scene, captured by a Russian TV camera, hit the Internet like a summer wildfire Tuesday, and it may be most memorable for the German chancellor's reaction. Bush applies his hands to Merkel's shoulders and neck while she's speaking with Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi; the chancellor hunches her shoulders, then throws her hands up to stop the unexpected massage with a wan smile -- and an expression which can best be translated as "Ewwww."

While the incident didn't get a lot of play on major TV media, it was just one of the Bush G-8 gaffes that garnered considerable space in the blogosphere from London to Los Angeles.

Bloggers on sites like truthdig.com expounded at length on the U.S. president's now-famed open mike incident in which Bush let slip the "s-word" while talking with British Prime Minister Tony Blair; it wasn't so much the potty mouth as the president speaking with his mouth full that horrified many international critics.

[edzo4]

total, or one for each female encountered?

[daviscupper]

The Left in America has already established that the POTUS always gets one free grope.

That only applies if the gropee's husband has just committed suicide. That way she is already so grief stricken she does not seem to notice that (POTUS) Clinton is in pre-rape mode.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

I'm not disagreeing with you -- but, I was making a satirical comparison other posters have made more directly.

A major "tipping point" for me was the blatant hypocrisy of feminist organizations defending Clinton's actions. I don't know what Bush was doing -- but, it doesn't even register on the same scale.

[pissant]

If you know my wife well, and give her a 3 second shoulder rub as you enter the meeting, fine. But go ahead and pretend its Clintonesque.

[Sir Gawain]

If this were a Democrat President - especially one with the initials WJC - this board would be afire with condemnation. I sense more than a little hypocrisy here.

bttt

{crickets}

[yoe]

Seems the President is helping to relax a colleague’s neck as well as a friendly squeeze. As for his over heard ‘guy’ language, that’s okay too.

[Samwise]

Doubya can do that to me anytime he wants....hehehehe

Me first!

[Sir Gawain]

But go ahead and pretend its Clintonesque.

You must have me confused with someone else because I didn't say that. I just said it was inappropriate, mainly because of the setting. You just don't do that in the business world.

[Mamzelle]

Well, at least it's not Vicente.

[Windsong]

Well, ours was to criticize Clinton when he was in office. I think we did a pretty bang-up job in all honesty. Can you blame "the other side" for doing the same? :)

[ClaireSolt]

This partisanship is getting completely ridiculous. Randi Rhodes was complaining about Bush directing some orchestra and embarassing her. Frankly, I think it is great that these people are coming across as human beings who are working and liking each other. We see enough stuffed-shirt pomposity when Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reed pounce on an earth shaking issue like who pays for evacuation to Cyprus. How about some proportionality from the hysterical bush-bashers.

[Sir Gawain]

zing!

[1035rep]

Not even a close comparison. No vulgarity here as there was with Clinton. No rape, no interns, no BJ's in the oval office. NOPE, not even close.

[xsmommy]

it's not remotely hypocritical. the MEN at issue are entirely 2 entirely different species. bush is known to be a faithful and loving husband. the other a philandering SOB who would nail anything that wore a skirt. this same action taken by clinton would OF COURSE be entirely different. but you bush bashers can just pretent that it's hypocrisy, because that makes you feel better.

[Sir Gawain]

Just try to do the same thing at a business meeting. I dare you.

[T.Smith]

I said "especially WJC". You can substitute any other Democrat and the reaction would be the same. You can focus on the WJC part if it makes you feel better.

[xsmommy]

depends on the meeting. at a staff meeting in my office (i am a lawyer) it would not be earth shattering to have something like this happen between colleagues who are comfortable with each other. now one on one or behind closed doors, i can see that it might raise eyebrows, but in front of an assembled group of colleagues or in front of cameras. i am sorry it is just NOT the huge deal you want to make it.

[pissant]

I've been going to business meeting for the last 20 years. I've seen it more than a few times, and have done it myself. It's done to men or women, before the start of a meeting when someone enters while others are seated. It's the equivlalent of a hello to someone you know well. Nothing more, nothing less. If you watch the video, he did not stand there rubbing her neck. he gave her a squeeze hello.

Not only appropriate, but relatively common. Her reaction was what made it comical.

[Sir Gawain]

Then your workplace is in the minority. Just about every company's sexual harrassment policy would cover that behavior.

[EagleUSA]

Today, all you now hear is HOW SLOW it's taking to get Americans out of Lebonan....it's continually non stop crapola...just a worthless group....
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They are always part of the problem, if not THE problem, and they are NEVER part of the solution. Totally worthless, agreed.