Barbershop Wisdom Says Bush Is in Trouble

Pacific News Service ^ | 6/11/2003 | William O. Beeman

[ArcLight]

"Bush is in trouble," he said.

This was neither a columnist nor a politician. It was my barber, Phil. And when Phil says that Bush is in trouble, he is.

Phil was born in the United States, but his parents are from Mexico. His Spanish is fluent. His intimate barbershop in San Jose reflects much of contemporary American society. His customers are U.S. citizens, but born everywhere: California, the Midwest, Latin America, East and Southeast Asia -- they all come through. The TV is tuned to CNN, when there are no sports to watch.

"We knew that Saddam was a bad guy, but how many bad guys are there in the world? Are we going to go after them all?" Phil asks. "And where are all those weapons?"

I expect that Phil's words are being echoed in many barber shops, beauty salons, taverns, ball fields, golf courses and around a lot of kitchen tables this month as Americans begin to ruminate on the Bush administration's actions in Iraq.

[laredo44]

The TV is tuned to CNN, when there are no sports to watch.

Sounds like the barbershop TV is hooked up to cable. At what time of day can you not find sports to watch on cable? That's the trouble with not telling the truth, you've got to get all the details right.

Speaking of sports, wanna know why Bush is not in trouble over the war on terror? Because when he gave a speech shortly after 9/11, it was shown on big screen TV, in Philadelphia, between periods at the Flyers hockey game. When the teams came back out, the telecast of the speech was halted until the fans demanded the showing be continued. Both fans and players watched Bush to the end. Then the fans went home and the players went to the locker room. The game was never finished. That is why Bush is not in trouble.

[Leisler]

Hot off the Pacific New Service.

[gcruse]

His real problem with me is that he's a guy. There are a lot of hair cutteries in San Jose staffed with comely Oriental ladies. I almost looked forward to hair cuts. Sigh.

[SerpentDove]

Dream on.

[dead]

I got ten bucks that says this writer doesn't have a barber named Phil.

He seems more like a "hairstylist named Maurice" kinda guy.

[RippleFire]

I didn't think anyone from Pacific News Service ever went to barbers?

[HatSteel]

A hispanic named Phil? Short for Philip?

In any case, my barber has long hair and an odd fixation on croquet. He might be right on the money about world politics, but he doesn't claim to be an expert.

I'd bet on him in croquet, though. He's a regional champ.

[RightWhale]

Things are happening. We are going to forget Iraq pretty soon, just like we forgot Afghanistan. Iraq and its antiquities and other points of interest will still be there, just not front page.

[Western Patriot]

It gets better. I did a search on Google about "Greg Packer" and I found out this chap is quoted all the time by all sorts of papers. It seems Greg is the kind of guy who likes to be the first in line at any type of celebrity event, ball game, book signing, or anything else for that matter.

The media on the other hand knows that nine times out of ten he's going to be first in line and they look for him. They could attribute just about any quote they like to him because he just loves the attention.

[CyberAnt]

"the TV is tuned to CNN"

There's the answer to the problem. If people watch nothing but CNN - they will believe Bush is in trouble - why ??? because all CNN ever puts on the air are bad things about Bush.

Funny, that's not the opinion I get on FOX!!

[BerniesFriend]

"Bush is in trouble," he said.

Oh please please let him be..thinks this loser "reporter"..

[ffusco]

Thats funny!

[ffusco]

Phil the Stylist!

[niteowl77]

Considering the source of this, I'd say that's his barber's name really could be Phil... Phil McCrackin.

[OREALLY]

Problem is all this negative talk, the war was a crime and there were no WMD is really dragging down the morale of our troops in Iraq. The sad part is that the demonrats don't care about our troops or what they are doing to our country.

[CyberAnt]

You're right! Power is the name of their game - no matter what it does to the country!

[DeaconBenjamin]

An "intimate barbershop"? What, did the reporter go in for a bikini wax?

[Jorge]

"We knew that Saddam was a bad guy, but how many bad guys are there in the world? Are we going to go after them all?" Phil asks.

Geez..we should ask this question everytime we attempt to feed any starving people in the world. Are we going to feed all the starving people in the world?

I can't believe how freakin stupid and shallow "Phil" and the Bush haters are. Their questions are inane.

"And where are all those weapons?"

Ask the UN, the inspectors, the UN Security council, Clinton, Gore, German intelligence and all the other countless sources that ALSO claimed WMDs existed in Iraq.

Why just ask Bush?

I expect that Phil's words are being echoed in many barber shops, beauty salons, taverns, ball fields, golf courses and around a lot of kitchen tables this month as Americans begin to ruminate on the Bush administration's actions in Iraq.

What a laugh. As if we are all stupid...and have no clue who killed the 300,000 found in mass graves in Iraq..or created the torture chambers....or have forgotten the incredible joy on the faces of Iraqis freed from the tyranny of Saddam's dictatorship.

Bush has done a magnificant thing in Iraq. Those who are beginning to question this don't care about the great good Bush has accomplished. Because they are evil.

[BobbyK]

ROFLMAOOL!

[hellinahandcart]

He teaches at Brown??!!Hmm...let's scroll down a bit and look at his writings.

"Losing the Peace in Iraq", 2003

"How to Lose the Peace (Afghanistan)", 2002

I'm sensing a pattern here.