Bush and Blair: The Blues Brothers

The Blues Brothers

I don't know where to begin critiquing the stand-up routine (aka: press conference) by Bush and Blair. After all I did find it rather laughable when Bush said that he actually read the letter sent to him by Ahmadinejad. Of course, it was pretty clear that the best joke of the night came during the following exchange.

Q Prime Minister, this is possibly your last official visit to Washington as Prime Minister --

PRESIDENT BUSH: Wait a minute. (Laughter.) Back-to-back disses.

Q At least the beginning of the end of your particular special relationship. Will you miss the President? What will you miss about him? (Laughter.)

And for the President, what will you miss about Tony Blair, and what are you looking for in an eventual replacement?

PRESIDENT BUSH: Hmmm -- I'll miss those red ties, is what I'll miss. (Laughter.) I'll say one thing -- he can answer the question -- don't count him out. Let me tell it to you that way. I know a man of resolve and vision and courage. And my attitude is, I want him to be here so long as I'm the President.

It was pretty clear that with Bush's endorsement that Tony Blair will not remain the resident of Number 10 Downing Street til the end of Bush term in office. Blair seems pretty resigned to this fact noting that he is about as popular at home as Bush is here in the US.

PRIME MINISTER BLAIR: Well, what more can I say? (Laughter.) Probably not wise to say anything more at all. (Laughter.)

I don't know about you, but to me it appeared that as the straight man, Blair's laughter came across as a hard sell. Probably not wise to say anything more, was clearly the understatement of the night.

And if you think that I am being rather unkind to these two men, just check out this headline from the Times Online UK.

The lame-duck double act take their final bow
From Tom Baldwin in Washington
They behaved like a pair of veteran comics but Bush and Blair had some serious questions to answer

It is a shame that the the MSM here in the states lacks the backbone of the British press.

Here is another story that the Time Online is running. Revealed: how US marines massacred 24. When responding to the question about mistakes, Bush should have brought up Haditha. There is no gallows humor in this story. '“This one is ugly,” a US military official said.'


Bush, Blair, Blues Brothers, Ahmadinejad, MSM, Haditha