Whatever It Takes To Be On Top

Oh yes, Dubya's final official WH Correspondents Dinner.

After getting punked here in '06 (and here, at last year's post-mid-year election Radio and Television Correspondents Association chum-fest), Dubya literally made sure, this year, he had the upper hand.

In this example, we see Bush next to one David J. Rivelli, a scholarship recipient in the process of taking a perfunctory photo with the President of the United States.  According to the photo caption:

Bush quickly noticed how much taller Rivelli was and decided to gain a foot or two by standing on the chair.

In his jest (and lame-duck disinhibition), the image exemplifies Junior's ego response when the issue -- and it's a constant one -- involves his comparative stature.  Further, it captures how Bush's response to being even superficially shown up tends toward the aberrant.  (You laugh, David, but look what it did to Saddam Hussein.)

But then, my all-time favorite Bush ego squeeze is below.

And The Meek Shall Inherit The Earth (BNN)

(image:  Haraz N. Ghanbari/AP.  April 26, 2008.  Washington. via YahooNews)

Comments

[steve]

He looks like a dummy (Charlie McCarthy like). This photo would make a great portrait to sum up his presidency.

[Sage]

The Boy King continues to tap dance his way through life.

[Sage]

....but you notice, like always, he is leaning on someone else.

[Asta]

I did a retour of the "The Meek Shall Inherit the Earth" posting -- wow, the year was 2004. And I also read it's comments.

It's possible I may be totally wrong, but I have the impression that the NeoCons are not as aggressive in their "your site sucks" type of criticisms/comments these days as they were 4 years ago. Perhaps they are feeling a bit embarrassed? A lot has happened in those 4 years and not much of it can be regarded as positive.

George is going to get much worse as his term comes to an end. The Bag is in no danger of running out of material for discussion.

[cargocult]

When i saw this image, like the first commenter, I assumed there was some skit from the correspondent's dinner that involved Bush playing a ventriloquist's dummy. I was shocked that Bush would let him and the dignity of the office be misused in this way. I'm only slightly less shocked by the actual backgroung info on the photo

[garyb50]

He actually believes he's witty.

My fantasy, living in the DFW area, is to run across him when we're both alone.

[Weisseharre]

"Dear Celeste, Don't worry- we will be in charge in heaven, and we will wallow in fun while settling many scores. Love, Hunter." ~Hunter S. Thompson

[KansasKowboy]

You can take the boy out of the Frat House, but you can't take the Frat House out of the boy.

[gasho]

I keep coming back to this image - it's like I can't leave it alone!

There is something about the saturation in that gold color, the bent knees and arms of a puppet, the facial expression, the matching black suits.. it looks so polished, so removed from the real world, so staged. It makes me gasp - "Oh My God, that's the PRESIDENT !!"

It's amazing to me that the candidates right now are scrutinized so closely with every word out of their mouths, but the ACTING PRESIDENT can act like a puppet (read: Dummy) on a stage and it's just another day for him.

If the founding fathers had a crystal ball focused on our times, they would have written up Article 1.a whereby an assassin would follow the President around and slit his throat if he got this far off track.

[ahsregusted]

NOW you're on the FBI list, if you weren't before...

[Danny]

I've never seen a boy look so nervous! This Rivelli kid looks like a goofball, he probably would be great friends with the man, the myth, the legend, DUBYA!