'You're George Bush's brother? Good for you.'

[kskiska]

Tragedy turns to comedy as US envoys arrive

(snip)

The comedy was provided by the visiting governor of Florida, Jeb Bush, who might reasonably have expected at least a celebrity's welcome, if not a hero's. But even though he is the brother of the most powerful man of earth and came bearing news of a $350m (£186m) US contribution to the $2.5bn international relief effort, nobody seemed to know who he was.

"Who are you?" asked one slightly bemused Australian consular official as the large-girthed US stranger pumped his hand.

"I'm Jeb Bush."

"Oh, are you a relative of the president?" said the interlocuter, jokingly.

"Yes I am. I am his little brother."

"Oh," came the reply. "Good for you."

(snip)

The US secretary of state, Colin Powell, came close to damaging his reputation as the Bush administration's leading diplomat when he walked into the room, strolled to the US desk, shook the hands of the people working there and then walked straight back out again. It was only when he was downstairs that an aide suggested he "might like" to meet the volunteers from some of the other countries, too. Reminded that he is part of an international relief mission, Mr Powell promptly turned on his heels once again and marched back up the stairs to belatedly press some non-American flesh.

more…
http://www.guardian.co.uk/tsunami/story/0,15671,1383549,00.html

[saltpoint]

1. Yeah. Hey, Jeb and Colin --

-- as long as you're in town, why not give us a hand with this unprecedented global calamity that killed 150,000 people?

[roguevalley]

20. Oh great. Heckle and Jeckle. I weep for my country.

[jpgray]

2. How embarrassing. (nt)

[burrowowl]

3. Colon Bowl is an a$$

Mr Powell said the tsunami was a tragedy for the world, but he said donations would not be as great as those used to rebuild Europe after the second world war. "The United States will certainly not turn away from those in desperate need," he said. But he added: "I don't think it needs something on the scale of the Marshall Plan."

The Germans and the French paid back the Marshall Plan 'donations' and with interest.

[ginnyinWI]

4. nice to know

our administration is chugging away at the same level of incompetence. sigh. SNAFU!

[Kire]

5. this is going to backfire:

"It turns out that the majority of those nations affected were Muslim nations," Powell said. "We'd be doing it regardless of religion, but I think ... does give the Muslim world and the rest of the world ... an opportunity to see American generosity, American values in action."

[jpgray]

6. Like Tucker said, we've spent $200 billion on Iraq--what do they want?

:crazy:

[pinniped]

8. I think most have already seen *'s Merkan values in action...

and it sure ain't pretty.

[TrustingDog]

10. did the idjit Really SAy that?

American values in action - Iraq - BILLIONS of dollars for useless destruction.

I want to cry. BUT I WON'T - I'll just be pissed offed more.

[aquart]

14. Oh, how STUPID!

Does he think the Muslim press won't pick up that moronic, condescending remark and use it???

Jesus, I never thought that man was worth 2 cents and he just keeps proving it and proving it and proving it. Republicans do NOT promote smart black people.

[anarchy1999]

21. just go google Powell and see what you get. He covered up the most

horrific incident reported on Vietnam. My Lai massacre (sp?)

Powell and Jeb are both POS's.

[neweurope]

24. "American values in action". Oh yes. "forward positioning,"establishing

sites, greater military clout. The Muslims will love it.

[leftchick]

30. won't work you moron....

not when you slaughter thousands of them and continue to do so in Iraq.

[Moloch]

33. Oh wonderful...

so American Aid is a PR stunt now. What unbelievable arrogance Powell has.

[pinniped]

7. Why the fuck would these pieces of shit be considered heroes...

for bringing taxpayer money?

Are these assholes using the money from their personal overseas war profit account?

[The_Casual_Observer]

11. It's tough duty shaking hands all day, and dangerous too!

Don't forget, it's flu season and all that contact really increases the risk of infection. I say heros all.

[CoffeeCat]

13. Yeah, and don't forget...

...this is taxpayer money that they had to be severely cajoled into giving to these suffering people.

If Bush had his way, the US contribution to the relief effort would have been a fruit basket!

[glitch]

9. Ooouuch. Love the Guardian. Oh and thanks * for the nonstop humiliation.nt

[CoffeeCat]

12. Why didn't we send Sponge Bob & Patrick?

...they would have made a better impression than these two gonads.

Good grief.

These two sound about as sharp as a sack of wet mice.

Someone wake me when this nightmare is over. I'll be clutching my bankey and sucking my thumb--but please--just wake me when it's all gone.

[trogdor]

44. I could just see the behind the scenes meeting.

Hey, Colin, we need you to go do a meet-and-greet down in Indonesia someplace...and take my dumbass brother Jeb with you. He needs all the PR boost he can get for 2008.

[aikido15]

15. Another stain on the face of America...

Idiots. Why the hell is Jeb over there anyway? I hope he doesn't have presidential aspirations. I have a friend in FL that is elderly that says Jebby has about taken all the benefits they used to have away. She also hates that she has to look at BOTH of their stupid mugs EVERY DAY!

[krkaufman]

16. Jeb Bush in 2008?

Has it been posited that Jeb Bush's trip was the beginning of positioning him for the 2008 Presidential run?

[Hekate]

32. It was my immediate thought: Jebby's lookin' presidential

Jerk. If you're a VIP and want to lend your influence to an event you let it be known up front who you are, rather than displaying false (very false) modesty -- it's just good manners. In this case, he should never have introduced himself as "Jeb." It's not the county fair.

100% better would have been some version of: "I'm Governor Bush, and my brother the President of the US has sent me in his stead to show his deep concern for your people, offer his assistance, and bring back a personal report to him on conditions here. How can we help?"

I used to have a lot of respect for Powell (I didn't know about the My Lai cover up until I started hanging out with the VFP, and boy do they remember) -- but the longer he remains the Mouth of Sauron the worse he gets. I think it's the fact he's living a lie in service to liars that's starting to show in these slip-ups.

How long, O Lord, how long? Remove this plague of boils, we beseech thee!

Hekate

[Dulcinea]

34. Sickening.

Boy George sends his brother, like the Queen sends Prince Charles. Why didn't he go there himself, like a REAL leader would do?

What, and interrupt his vacation? Perish the thought.

:puke:

[Ms_Mary]

45. If I could imagine somebody more ferverently neo-con, it would be Jeb

The whole right to life case with the Terry S----- is nothing more than political posturing with the rabid prolifers. It seems to me there was also a case where he intervened as governor to prevent a mentally handicapped woman from having an abortion. That's been a while, I don't remember much about it. I don't know that much about Jeb, but I don't know anything good.

[flygal]

17. Good for him - bad for us

[lebkuchen]

18. Where's Dr. Frist and his little black bag?

Already off to the bordellos of Pat Pong?

[anarchy1999]

19. Is there anything else we can do to hurt ourselves more in the court

of international opinion? This just screams volumes. How much more can "we" shame ourselves?

[malaise]

22. Ah well

They can't even pretend to be sincere.

Reminded that he is part of an international relief mission, Mr Powell promptly turned on his heels once again and marched back up the stairs to belatedly press some non-American flesh

[Catchawave]

35. Confirm Gonzales ?

That would send chills around the world :scared:

[Cooley Hurd]

23. "You're George Bush's brother? Good for you."

"...now, hold still so I can piss on your shoes, dickhead!"

And so goes my fantasy meeting with Jeb!...

[mikita]

25. this makes me want to wretch and off myself....

These old lyrics come to mind as I read what these d***-heads are doing and saying...

A man laid down by the sewer
And by the sewer he died
And at the coroner's inquest
They called it sewer-side

How much more can we take?

[Demit]

26. Oh God. Do we have to do a "sorry everybody" campaign now for these two?

Heckle and Jeckle indeed. I LOVE the ego-deflating comment from the Australian guy. The Aussies know how to cut down those "tall poppies". Hah!

[mogster]

27. LOL! Colin and Jeb - sounds like some cartoon.

[orpupilofnature57]

28. You're shrubs daddy, stop using the c.i.a like the rest of the...

Good Ole networks you've built ALL your life.

[leftchick]

29. Perhaps Jeb's monstrous head scared him....

I mean, it is just not normal...

[anarchy1999]

31. In Maine the locals say "ayeh". I can't find anything more appropriate.

God help us all in 2008, meet your next prez. Jebbie, Bush number 4 or is it 6 or 8? I'm so confused.

[teryang]

36. Colon has adopted Jeb's practice of not wearing a tie

Jethro's red neck florida look is really diplomatic, isn't it? What works for ignorant florida baptists isn't going to work in Asia.

[pinniped]

37. You mean to tell me Colon Bowel's repuktation isn't already damaged?

--The US secretary of state, Colin Powell, came close to damaging his reputation as the Bush administration's leading diplomat--

Jerkoff.

[BiggJawn]

40. Really. WHAT reputation? n/t

[No Exit]

38. "I am his little brother", said the portly, middle-aged man,

who bore a slight resemblance to an aging Jethro Bodine.

His "little brother"? I b'lieve that sounds like a southernism, coming from an "old" guy like Jeb. Here are the Bushes, scions of Kennebunkport, CT, pretending to be "Texans" again.

They can't be proud yankees. They would rather be faux southerners. And from what I read, their foul clan was in Ohio before they were in Connecticut. Three different regions and counting, which just shows they have no real identity of any kind. And the way they travel the world looking to squeeze money out of everything (usually in a dishonest way), actually the Bushes are nothing more than a stateless, allegiance-less abomination.

[Catchawave]

39. Another "Bushapolooza" Tour....

:::sigh:::

All I can think of is that this VIP tour is taking time and energy away from those actually doing the relief work.

[devinsgram]

41. There is not one ounce of class in that whole bunch.

[Heidi]

42. Phuket hall?

The scene was Phuket town hall ..."

That's almost as hilarious as Jeb Bush not being recognized worldwide.

[frictionlessO]

43. anyone else getting the impression of that the world is looking at our

relief efforts as some sorta massively demented keystone cops meets abbott and costello thing??

and they thought Bills blowjob was an embarassment!