Bush's frat boy antics.

[icarus]

I was reading wildernessguru the Iranian response to Bollinger of Columbia University, who introduced the Iranian president as a 'petty and cruel dictator.' Funny, the Iranians thought this was rude. It also cast American academics in a bad light.

Apparently the university president was trying to fend of pressure to cancel the event by being "tough." People in my f-list have also read articles about hints that the school's budget was threatened. It's all so small-minded. If I have this right, the Bush administration let him in, gave him the permission to speak at the university and to the press -- and then applied backroom pressure while he was here, both to 60 Minutes (the host said he spoke with president Bush before the interview) and the university. And then... didn't talk to the Iranian president in person.

That's childish. Why let him participate in these events at all?

I'm reminded of what Gary Trudeau -- who went to school with George Bush -- said. He described Bush as a frat boy who was all about the cut-downs. Bush had a derrogatory nickname for everyone. Trudeau didn't think he was stupid. Just... petty. Looks like Bush is still that nasty, self-centered frat boy.

Anyhow, WG had an interesting point about the conflict in the Middle East. He's a world traveler and backpacker. "The shame of it is, there's so much history there that we'll never get to see as Americans. I mean, we can go to Egypt. And we can go to Isreal, although if want to go to Malaysia you'll have that Isreali stamp... they might not let you in. Or you might run into trouble while you're there." I asked him about this. "Well, I talked to some Isrealis in Singapore, inviting them to come with me to Malaysia and they told me... nuh-uh. They might not make it back out."

Comments

[slashpile.livejournal.com]

What it reminded me of was that West Wing where they do *exactly* that kind of introduction at a state dinner, and treat it as a self-evidently good thing to have done.

I'm guessing you guys don't get Macleans magazine down there - here's what our national newsmag is running for this week's cover story:
http://www.macleans.ca/world/global/article.jsp?content=20071001_110054_110054

[icarusancalion.livejournal.com]

Oh, that's an excellent article, thank you.