Putting out the Bush fire

Being in the PR line, I cringe whenever I read or hear about company spokespersons saying something that makes you go "Now, what the F$%# was he thinking?", and woe be to me if that person happens to be my Client. But this is not a post about my job, but about the spokesperson of the largest corporation in the world - America Inc.: Mr. George Bush.

I read that as Bushman left the recent G8 Summit, he bade farewell with yet another Bush classic. He did not stick to his 'sayonaras' (this year's G8 took place in Japan), nor did he adhere to some sombre or safe speeches as I'm sure was given by his ghost writers. Instead, in typical Bush-style, he said bye bye with the line "Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter." and punched the air while grinning widely, much to the shock of other politicans and heads of state present.

(Cue Homer Simpson's D'OH!!! exclamation whilst slapping forehead.)

I'm not into politics, nor America Inc., nor the G8, nor Bush and his antics, but I am at times amused and think to myself how this guy gets away (or not) with his wisecracks, and really, what on earth was he thinking when he said that????

This will go down in Webster Dictionary (or Wikipedia) history as a very apt definition of what it means to "put one's foot in one's mouth"...

Some other "to be filed for eternity and read when you are feeling stupid and need a morale booster" Bushisms (there is actually a whole site dedicated to it):


"The vast majority of our imports come from outside the country."

"If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure."

"One word sums up probably the responsibility of any Governor, and that one word is 'to be prepared'."

"I have made good judgments in the past. I have made good judgments in the future."

"The future will be better tomorrow."

"We're going to have the best educated American people in the world."

"I stand by all the misstatements that I've made."

"We have a firm commitment to NATO, we are a part of NATO. We have a firm commitment to Europe. We are a part of Europe."

"A low voter turnout is an indication of fewer people going to the polls."

"We are ready for any unforeseen event that may or may not occur."

"For NASA, space is still a high priority."

"Quite frankly, teachers are the only profession that teach our children."

"It isn't pollution that's harming the environment. It's the impurities in our air and water that are doing it. "

"It's time for the human race to enter the solar system."