Wow. The photo essay on the NYT’s home page was something I thought I’d never see: Bush and Obama strolling side by side! Bush and Obama chatting it up in the Oval Office! Obama slapping Bush on the back in a “Hey, we’re pals” kind of way and maybe complimenting their matching tie choice!
I know this is all just bipartisan photo shoot fodder (being friendly with Obama is probably the only surefire way Bush can up his ratings) but after all the vitriolic rhetoric of the campaign season, it’s just plain weird to see politicians acting all smiles toward each other again. Even Sarah Palin said, “God Bless Barack Obama and his beautiful family.” Are we voters supposed to forgive and forget those two years of vicious campaign speech, too? Who wants to give Palin a big ol’ bear hug?!
I’ll take your word for it, since you linked to a site that requires registration.
Firstly, DemonJuice, the NYTimes site hasn’t required registration for a year or something. If you see an ad, just hit reload and it goes away.
Anyway, yeah, this is pretty much how adults handle their business. You can hold a fucking grudge if you want, but you’re going to have to see these people in the future and hating them and refusing to work with them is a high-school move. That’s true in life outside of politics, too. But in politics especially, I assume these people are all experienced enough to know that it’s all just part of the game and you can disagree with someone without hating them.
If it makes you feel better, Rachel Maddow thinks the hand-on-the-back thing was an alpha-male gesture designed to establish authority.
Still, makes my skin crawl a little.
no one in particular:
You’re wrong, it does require registration.
i accessed the NYTimes link with no problem… i don’t think that Obama has to shows his dominance as an alpha… maddow is great, but Obama has no need to show Bush his teeth because Bush is required by the people to move his shit out of the WhiteHouse, ITS TIME… Obama didn’t go in there and grab Bush by the neck and say “i think i like your house… get the fuck out!”… no he didnt need to do that, the American people already did it for him…
Per the comment about Obama and Bush
That is politics, that is business, that is mature and that is the best way to move forward. One does not have to agree with someone to be civil.
To see this really at work check out opposing attornies in a lawsuit in the court room and then in the hall afterward going for coffee or lunch.