Sunday, February 04, 2007

The Decider goes all bipartisan-like

The House Democratic party's annual retreat yesterday had an unusual visitor, George W. McAsshat himself. It was the first time in 6 years that he's even bothered to make an appearance at the democratic retreat and attempted anything even remotely resembling bipartisanship. After the unquestioned free ride he's had since 9/11, it must have been torture for Georgie to have to bother speaking to his opponents. Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

But Georgie's attitude hasn't changed that much. It was obvious when he tried to apologize, in a manner of speaking, for the "mistake" he made during the SOTU speech when he referred to his opponents in the House as "the Democrat congress". (In fact, the name is "Democrat-IC", and the term "democrat congress" is considered an insult.) Heeeeeeere's Georgie:

"Now, look, my diction isn't all that good," the president said. "I have been accused of occasionally mangling the English language. And so I appreciate you inviting the head of the Republic Party."

The "Aw shucks, ma'am, I'm just a dumb fuckin shitkicker" routine never gets old for Georgie. And yet, the insincerity of his apology was palpable; behind it, the put-down lurked like the after-fumes of an especially toxic beer fart that clings to the air no matter how many windows are opened. "Okay, allright," he was saying, "here: you can call me names too. Feel better now?" It would have more productive to drop the goofy cowboy act and just make a sincere apology, in the interest of bipartisanship.

This isn't the cowed minority of years past; this is a democratic majority congress that has a strong mandate for change -- "political capital", if you will -- and can make life extremely miserable for Bush if they so choose. It's time he stopped treating them like a bunch of recalcitrant little kids and started showing them some respect, and one way to do that might be to stop belittling their concerns with amusement. The task before them all is anything but amusing.

Afterthought: Is it just me or does he look drunk in that picture?