Prez is Past His Partying

The Dallas Morning News | September 18, 2002 | Alan Peppard

[altura]

Over a year and a half into the Bush II administration, W magazine has blown the lid off the deep secret about the social whir at the White House under President George W. Bush – there isn't a whir.

In its October issue, the New York-based fashion and style periodical features a story called "The Big Chill," about the lack of social buzz in Washington. Of course, most anybody in Dallas, Austin or Midland could have told them this before George W. ever put his hand on the Bible. If you expected George W. Bush the party animal to show up in Washington, you're 20 years too late.

Before the inauguration, media outlets from D.C. phoned me frantically wanting to know what the Bush social scene would look like. Like a mantra, I would repeat to each one, "He doesn't dance, he doesn't drink, and he goes to bed early." That is all ye know on Earth and all ye need to know.

"You hear a lot of people complaining, especially among Bush's biggest supporters," one Republican stalwart tells W of the lack of social life around the Bush White House. "This crowd is just very insulated. They were isolated in Texas, and they still are. It's a very tight clan, much tighter than their parents'. They had their wagons circled before they ever left Austin."

People, please ... you're reading too much into this. Let's go back a step: "He doesn't dance, he doesn't drink, and he goes to bed early." When he was governor, you had to catch him before dinner and not wait until after or he'd be out the door faster than Superman ducking a pass from Lois Lane. Wherever he was, the governor made a point to leave early to fly back to Austin so he could say good night to his daughters, Jenna and Barbara.

Fort Worth-reared Clay Johnson, Bush's pal from Andover and Yale and former COO of the Dallas Museum of Art, is on the short list with his wife, Ann, for private dinners in the family quarters. He is now White House personnel director, and she is director of the State Department's Art in Embassies program. Ann reports that Bush usually makes invites for these get-togethers at the last minute. "He calls direct, without a switchboard operator," Ann tells W.

Perhaps when he's whipped Osama and Saddam he'll be able to worry about the more important things in life, like making cocktail chat on the Beltway social circuit.

[ItisaReligionofPeace]

If you have to post on a public forum that your husband enjoys your company...well...uh, never mind.

[McLynnan]

Thanks for the ping. So now you're abnormal if you prefer to spend time with the people you love the most and a close circle of friends vs. wasting your time with fawning sycophants? This article pretty much described our family life. Lonely, insecure people are the ones who feel a compulsion to surround themselves with strangers and carry on superficial relationships.

[Wait4Truth]

I agree. Clinton stands alone as the slimiest president in the history of mankind. President Bush has raised the bar for future U.S. leaders.

[Wait4Truth]

Lonely, insecure people are the ones who feel a compulsion to surround themselves with strangers and carry on superficial relationships.

Describes clinton to a tee, doesn't it?

[Inspectorette]

oWf, thank you for the ping.

I remember our younger years when we used to party and even then, we were pretty tame: a little bit of the bubbly, but never any drugs. Now that Mr. Inspectorette and I are just a couple of years older than our President and First Lady, we agree 100% with your statement about a loving and great marriage, family and loyal friends.

How pathetic that the Sink Emperor will never have that, as we read (interminably) about his continued adolescent behavior, but I just can't bring myself to feel sorry for him.

[McLynnan]

Describes clinton to a tee, doesn't it? >

Yes, it does. He will curl up and die if the day ever comes he can't attract an entourage. My pop psychology degree says he's incapable of feeling empathy for others, incapable of true intimacy, and incapable of forming long term friendships. The Bushes still entertain the same friends they've had for decades. I can't think of anybody who has stuck with the Clintons that long, with the possible exception of Vernon Jordan, and that has been a mutually beneficial criminal association.

[Soaring Feather]

Oh, I thought you were posting for rintense again!

LOL

[Gumption]

I have seen him do is stop playing "Hail To The Chief" every time he enters a room.

Holy crap, you're right. I hadn't realized that.

[nicmarlo]

Gee, what a crime....a decent, hard-working, honest family man is elected as President......someone who doesn't cheat on his wife, get drunk, need to rub shoulders with every Tom, Dick, and Harry, or be touchy-feely with lots of glamourous (or otherwise) women. Yep, that's the guy I want running this country. He's working for his pay, overtime. And when he isn't working, he's doing what the average joe does, or should do, spending QUALITY TIME with his lovely wife and daughters and parents.

God bless President Bush and Laura and their family.

[ohioWfan]

Not only that, but this football fan finally put an end to hosting or attending Super Bowl parties. Too many yakkers distracting from the game.

So true!!

Never EVER watch the Super Bowl at a party! Always watch it at home alone, or in the company of true football fan friends, family or dogs!

[ohioWfan]

I'm never going to live that down, am I? :o)

[Miss Marple]

Oh, excuse me. I guess that was my Freudian manner of justifying my marriage. Thank you for your comment.

[Burkeman1]

I think that Bush, though a fine man, has yet to raise the bar past other great Presidents like Reagan, Coolidge (yes, Calivin Coolidge was the greatest President of the 20th century), Lincoln, and Washington. But Clinton lowered the bar so far below the pale that it is almost unthinkable to believe that someone worse could be President. He did so much damage- on so many levels that we will be suffering for his rule for years.

[ohioWfan]

but I just can't bring myself to feel sorry for him.

Nor can I........and it takes all the will I can muster up inside not to hate him!

[justshe]

You should just be SOOOOO glad that I was using a 'puter that night that had a 'sick' keyboard. I couldn't even razz you.....LOL.

But....I SHALL make an attempt to not tease you anymore...lol.

I doubt I shall be successful....but ...you never know.

[Miss Marple]

See post 41. You are obviously in denial.

[Wild Irish Rogue]

" We detest Superbowl parties, and prefer to stay at home."


If you are a true football fan, a Superbowl party is very distracting-lots of talking over the plays, kids running around, late comers arriving,phone calls, etc. Everyone knows my rule-when my important games are on, college and pro-no talking,no phone calls, no interruptions.I return the favor at Oscar and Emmy time. But, I have one glaring exception to my cone of silence-should clinton be arrested, I expect everyone to call me ASAP!!! ( I'm still an optimist !)

[ohioWfan]

LOL! Point, Marple!

[notpoliticallycorewrecked]

Clinton: He will curl up and die if the day ever comes he can't attract an entourage. My pop psychology degree says he's incapable of feeling empathy for others, incapable of true intimacy, and incapable of forming long term friendships.

Doesn't this describe pathological narcissism

[Miss Marple]

Obviously, if you are telling us that you wish to watch it at home in the company of your husband, you are over-compensating for a shell of a marriage, and that is why you have posted this.

I hadn't thought of this, but obviously ItsAReligionOfPeace is an expert in psychology, and has informed me of my failings in reply #41. I thought I would pass this helpful hint on to you, so that you can psychoanalyze yourself and your husband.