It’s debatable
Now, I had never seen George Bush speak for any length of time before watching the three presidential debates.
I had no idea.
The man is a comic genius.
The sheer breadth of his repertoire, the winks, the allusions, the outright mimics of so many comedy greats, it’s astounding, exhilarating, it’s…
Oh, where to begin?
It’s the ongoing homage to the old Mack Sennett zanies: Too Many Highballs, The loud mouth, The bluffer, A close shave, Hubby’s latest alibi, Daddy boy, The beloved bozo, Remember when? …the list just goes on and on.
He’s nailed, I mean nail-ed, the Emmett Kelly frown, Harry Langdon’s blank stare, Sam Kinison’s delivery, Judy Holliday’s incredulity, Jack Benny’s shrug, Harold Lloyd’s eye shifts, Jack Oakie’s Benzino Napaloni pout, Don Knott’s indignation, Bill and Ted’s memory lapses, Shirley Temple’s lemon-squeezed determination, Lucy’s look when caught by Desi and that thing, that thing he does when he gets all riled up by something Kerry said and, when given the chance to respond, just freezes.
Man, that’s good television.
As a leitmotif, I sensed a grand homage to Gilda Radner’s Miss Emily Litella character in all those instances where he was asked a question, and responded with a fully off-topic descent into nonsense.
Actually, Mitch McConnell had a minimum wage plan that I supported that would have increased the minimum wage. But let me talk about what’s really important for the worker you’re referring to…
And, let’s be frank, who but the most avant-garde comedian would maintain a lump of white spittle on the right-hand corner of their mouth for the entire first half of a “serious debate” if they had no ulterior vision in mind?
(A coincidence that Derrida had just died, and a new era of perception had dawned? I think not. The man knows his audience.)
Gosh, there are so many to choose from, but I really think the defining moment came in the second debate, when discussing the issue of Supreme Court appointments:
That’s not what the Constitution says. The Constitution of the United States says we’re all—you know, it doesn’t say that. It doesn’t speak to the equality of America.
That, my friends, is comedy gold.
Is he wired?
Well, let me just ask you this: would you expect Letterman or Leno to perform their monologues without cue cards?
Let’s be honest, now.
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Comment
- It would be hilarious, if not for:
A) I never voted for the moron
B) He’s running (I say that metaphorically) a nation that is now held as the personification of that is evil in the world, even more so than before the Iraq invasion
C) He is everything I don’t believe in
D) Hearing him speak makes me go all twitchy, like an epileptic seizure
Please, don’t get me started on the Cheney-Edwards debate…
— roggey Oct 15, 12:14pm # - You don’t know how lucky you are…Canada, France, Iceland…anywhere but here…
— merleb Oct 15, 12:26pm # - My vote? Wired.
— Alina Oct 15, 6:02pm # - Oh, my. What incisive commentary. Perhaps that segment of the American population that supports him is the same one that watches the juvenile sit-coms that I can’t abide. By comparison, he would appear quite sophisticated.
Watching him makes me, like roggey, go all twitchy. For me, however, it’s more like Tourette’s, in that the twitching is accompanied by involuntary sounds of disbelief and occasional swearing.
I just found your site via nina turns 40. I’ll be back for more.
— Kimberly Oct 16, 11:36am # - Glad our clown king, George II, amuses you, but then there’s that dark side.
Living in the US, It’s really weird to be reminded daily that many seemingly-normal people take him seriously and don’t see the idiocy that seems so glaringly obvious. Scary. It feels a lot like an Orwellian nightmare, even in a fairly sophisticated area of the country. Many of us are seriously considering becoming ex-pats if he wins again.
Doonesbury has done some great comic strips about him, available in the archives at doonesbury.com, and if you like Bush’s comic potential, I suggest playing the wordify game at the following site, that makes any word into a bushism. His beady eyes follow your cursor, too.
http://www.andyfoulds.co.uk/main.html
(on the red side, Amusements, fourth square from the right)
Lots of other amazing stuff here as well, although he took off the game where a Bush marrionette dances out of the way every time you try to pin it with an ENRON logo…
— wizmo Oct 16, 2:13pm # - Oh, believe me, I don’t mean to downplay the unapologetically opaque, self-serving man on a divine mission side of your dear leader.
Nor that the thought of four more years under his guidance makes the whole world shudder.
— gail Oct 17, 2:26am # - That HALF of the United States favors the moron known as George W. Bush should tell the world all it needs to know: we cannot be trusted to save ourselves.
Pathetic. Shameful. Embarassing.
There has never been a more ringing endorsement to stay away from fundamentalism than in listening to the “reasoning” of President Bush when confronted with complex issues.
More importantly, Karl Rove’s Reality Generator is certainly causing oil prices to rise. That much spin can’t come without a price.
— blurb Oct 18, 9:36am # - His demeanor in the 1994 Texas gubernatorial debate. A recent Frontline episode has video (think I got the right link). There’s also a relevant Atlantic Monthly piece.
— Justin Oct 18, 11:24am # - I’m also very curious to know whether those who are voting for Kerry are, uh, comfortable with it, or is it more a sense of anyone but Bush?
(Here in France, we have a very weasly, power hungry midget who appears poised to be our next President so, believe me, I sympathise.)
Justin, I saw that video the other day. It really is astonishing.
— gail Oct 18, 11:34am # - Just visited that frontline link and stayed to watch all the videos. As a result, I’m now much more enthused about voting for Kerry himself, not just as the anti-Bush.
He’s not publically charismatic, charming, or witty, which is too bad, but he came off as a serious, thoughtful person with a lifelong record of doing things well.
Texas debate aside, Bush came off as even more of a partying frat boy trying to live up to a powerful father and failing miserably at almost every turn, despite huge advantages, then leveraging the religious thing for all it was worth to serve a growing ambition.
He’s a fear-mongering, arrogant bully, and even though I’d love to see him get four more years just so history gives him his full share of blame for the messes he’s made, I want him out in the worst way. He’s like a really funny Saturday Night Live skit, only he’s for real.
— wizmo Oct 18, 8:51pm # - I missed two words: His demeanor in the 1994 Texas gubernatorial debate is terrifying.
Comfortable with Kerry? I trust Kerry’s comfortable with disagreement. My expectations for the next four years aren’t high. Relief from constant war will be enough; I’ll be happy with a bandage and time for the wounds to heal. And the assurance of being able to speak without risking a visit from the feds.
I don’t mean to suggest that Kerry’s unqualified. But no, Gail, we have no better choice.
Unless you consider Nader, who’s off the Illinois ballot, and the libertarian viable options.
— Justin Oct 19, 7:06am # - Also important to keep in mind that, when it comes down to it, half the country doesn’t care. Although voter turnout will likely be higher than usual this time around, barely half the eligible population votes.
So, a quarter of the eligible U.S. voters put their lot in with Bush. Another quarter put their lot in with Gore. The rest were the sensible ones.
— sjc Oct 19, 3:15pm # - You forgot the way he says the word terror, like it only has one syllable… immediately followed by an equally punctuated one syllable laugh.
Count quickly… 1, 2
Tear-r… Ngah!
again
Tear-r… Ngah!
It’s as if he relishes the thought of mayhem and destruction. I’d bet dollar to donuts he gets a woody every time he says the word terror.
— Ray Oct 27, 10:58am # - Bravo!!! An exquisitely finessed critique, born of the marriage between adroit observation and brilliant reportage. Were we all born of fools and rascals, Georgewbush would be our name.
— Jack Oct 29, 9:36pm #
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