Cringe Time

I've tried several different ways of writing about this, but every time I go a little overboard. Suffice it to say that our President is a buffoon.

The Huffington Post called my attention to this transcript from a meeting between Bush and President Arroyo of the Philippines yesterday. In his opening remarks, which I hope to heck he had a staff member prepare for him (so he can fire said staff member) Bush said, "First, I want to tell you how proud I am to be the President of a nation that -- in which there's a lot of Philippine-Americans. They love America and they love their heritage."

Okay, that's clumsy, but for Bush or a high school student, not bad. Then there's this,

And I reminded the President that I am reminded of the great talent of the -- of our Philippine-Americans when I eat dinner at the White House. (Laughter.)

PRESIDENT ARROYO: Yes.

PRESIDENT BUSH: And the chef is a great person and a really good cook, by the way, Madam President.

Mark Kleiman had the best answer to this:

A former student of mine writes that Bush might have added:

"I am reminded of the great talent of the - of our Philippine Americans when I see the 23 year wait time for bringing over the sibling in the Philippines of a U.S. citizen."

"I am reminded of the great talent of the - of our Philippine Americans whenever Cheney has his heart checked by Filipina nurses."

"I am reminded of the great talent of the - of our Philippine Americans whenever I read Major General Antonio M. Taguba's scathing report on Abu Ghraib."

One could question the last one on the grounds that Bush doesn't read much.

The truly disgusting thing about it is that Bush could have mentioned that one-quarter of the foreign-born in the United States armed forces are Filipino. But they wouldn't help out so much at the country club.

Maybe the 40,000 Filipinos in Florida, the 36,000 in Virginia, and the 31,000 Filipinos in Nevada will find some way to contribute to reminding the President of all of this in November...

Maybe I'm overreacting. Being chef at the White House is certainly nothing to sneeze at.