Bubble Boy of the People

Update: Damn, I'm off my A-game today by a mile. WIIIAI reminded me of another "WTF?" moment last night: Asked why American troops were not welcomed in Iraq as liberators: "I think we are welcomed. But it was not a peaceful welcome."
Dumb...as...a...box of rocks.

I was treated last night to the specter of Shrub insisting he wasn't a racist during a conversation with Brian Williams...which reminds me of another presidential denial from around thirty years ago.

The dauphin was doing his best to "act preznitial" and/or respond to the Bubble Boy Newsweek story--his specific denial of racism was in response to a question about Hurricane Katrina...

To be honest, I don't think Shrub is all that more racist than those with whom he surrounds himself--his blanket, indignant denial (even if he doesn't have the first clue as to what "indignant" means) is pretty typical of his type (if I remember right, a common complaint of black GOP'ers is that they're often confused with 'the hired help' during events like national conventions, etc.). However, this sort of response underscores a major problem with this administration: they've denied the extent of the Mesopotamian fuck-up, they ignored Hurricane Katrina as it approached the Gulf Coast, then went into more or less permanent denial as to the damage (despite promises made--promises that are now of course seen as essentially worthless), they deny their obvious attempt to smear a Joe Wilson by outing his wife as a CIA agent--for an administration that bills itself as devoted to "personal responsibility," they do a bang up job of deny...or smear, depending on the occasion.

And the Williams interview with Shrub was/is no different: Bush, in addition to denying he was a racist, denied his being isolated--even as he CONTINUES to engage in his little mealy-mouthed defense of the indefensible response to the storm, "To the extent that the federal government blah blah blah"--the rote nature of the script makes it all the more apparent that he couldn't give a shit about the Gulf Coast, with the possible exception of Trent Lott's house (where he's no doubt looking forward to a tall mint julep once he leaves the White House). It's painfully obvious that in addition to not giving a shit, he barely is aware of the destruction--the same goes, by the way, for Iraq. Yesterday, in another attempt to mingle, the dauphin deigned to take a few questions following his latest non-major address. His casual estimate of the death and destruction is even more evidence he lacks even the first clue.

The issue of this administration has gone beyond mere partisan politics. The man is dangerously inept and incompetent, and being term-limited has decreased any capacity he might have had, even as he, somewhat pathetically, now bothers to consider his legacy.

It's a little too late for that: history will judge Bush as being remarkable consistent throughout his life--unable to point to a single instance of success at ANYTHING. Unfortunately, this time around, there simply aren't any rich friends available to bail him out.