Jawbone of an Ass

A pair of Dubya quotes courtesy of the Democratic party website:

Bush In 2000: U.S. Simply Needs To Tell OPEC To "Open The Spigots." "I would hope the [Clinton] administration would convince our friends in OPEC to open the spigots." [Los Angeles Times, 6/22/00]

Bush in 2000: U.S. Needs To "Jawbone" OPEC Members. "What I think the president ought to do [when gas prices spike] is he ought to get on the phone with the OPEC cartel and say we expect you to open your spigots...And the president of the United States must jawbone OPEC members to lower the price." [President Bush, 1/26/00]

And now today: Bush: OPEC nations should pump more oil

For the record: During Clinton's presidency (1993-2000), the average price for a gallon of gas ranged between $1.22 to $1.66. The average as of 2006 was $2.80 and it's only gotten higher since then.

And Bush is just now deciding to speak to OPEC about this problem? Whether it's reacting to a terrorist attack or dealing with gas prices, Bush sure as hell loves to take his time, don't he?



Update: Saudi Arabia listens to his request ... and tells him no.

So, now what? Will Bush take charge of the situation, tell them their answer is unaceptable, and that they need to "open the spigots" for the good of the United States? Or will he meekly accept their answer and turn tail back to the White House without mentioning another blessed word about it?

I'd love for Republicans to show me this brave, brave president they keep crowing about, because I sure as hell haven't seen him.

Replacing cheese with ... cheese.

We love Luis Guzman! We love cheese!

We love that Luis Guzman loves cheese!



Backstory here.

But now they can't graduate to John Ritter sex comedies.

I haven't commented on it yet here, but I continue to be astounded by the resurrection of one notorious show from my youth: American Gladiators.


My wife commented the other night that it was inevitable (what with the Writer's Strike still dragging on) that some of these old unscripted chestnuts get resurrected, but still ... American friggin Gladiators?


And they haven't even changed it all that much in the twenty years since the original. They've added some new games, but most of the old ones have been brought back (except for the "Atlasphere", which I find odd given that it was the game unique enough to be referenced in The Simpsons). But otherwise, we're still getting beefy guys gals in spandex firing tennis ball cannons and wielding over sized Qtips.

And to think that this incredible hunk of cheese that was once relegated to syndication on Saturday mornings is now on NBC in primetime!

Well, whatever the results of the strike, both sides will have a lot to answer for in what it wrought. I envision them in gigantic metal-mesh spheres ...

And he did it all without PayPal

Yet another reason why the Internet was invented (via NeedCoffee):

Talk about "Fast Paced Drama"

I, who remain with only a pair of rabbit ears and a half dozen channels (though we are edging closer to changing that and laying out a big chunk of money every month), have never seen a single episode of The Wire. And though I am intrigued after watching this brilliant four minute video, I am even more impressed at the folks from HBO who put it together. This is some brilliant marketing for the fifth and final season, guys. Kudos.

Skippy of the Day: George W. Bush

For today's post, we should first look back at the second "Skippy" post I ever did on July 21, 2004:

"After four years more in this office I want people to look back and say, 'The world is a more peaceful place,"' Bush told supporters at a community college in Iowa. "Four more years and America will be safe and the world will be at peace."

Even those of us not in the "cynical and jaded" category knows that most campaign promises are BS. Still, it's astounding to see how high Dubya can shovel it. He didn't say the exact phrase, but the words are close enough together: World Peace. So, how did this happen? Did all of the Miss America contestants say their wishes simultaneously on stage, God heard them, and then told Dubya to get on the stick with this thing?

He sees World Peace in four years? One of the themes of his campaign commercials is that the difference between himself and Kerry is the difference of optimism vs. pessimism. Well, I'm all for optimism, but I think that Dubya's finally gone off his nut if he thinks he can achieve World Peace in his second four years after seeing the "progress" made in the first four. Hell, he'll be damn lucky to see Iraq at peace in four years time much less the entire world. George, a little pragmatism is not a bad thing.

Well, it's four years later and there's no World Peace that I can see. And despite the eagerness of some Conservatives to pronounce it so, there isn't peace in Iraq, either.

Of course, he made this statement in July of 2004, which means he still has six months to go in achieving his goal. Surely that's not too short a time for a man that his die-hard supporters consider the Second Coming.

Back then, it was a promise made during a contentious political campaign, which means it was worth its weight in helium. Bush is now in a very different time: The lame duck conclusion to his presidency. But this duck doesn't want to appear to be quacking, so he's set some damned lofty goals for his final year that tie in to his pronouncements four years ago:

"In order for there to be lasting peace, President Abbas and Prime Minister Olmert have to come together and make tough choices," Bush said. "And I'm convinced they will. And I believe it's possible — not only possible, I believe it's going to happen — that there be a signed peace treaty by the time I leave office."

Granted, a lower bar than World Peace, but an impressive goal none the less. One, I'm sure, he's hoping will salvage his tarnished legacy. But it, like himself, is doomed for failure. You said it yourself, George: You are a "War President". It's a lot easier for a man to make war than peace. And given your limited abilities, you're clearly meant to take the easy path in your Presidency.

Fortunately, for all of us, that path has only one blessed year to go.