Is George W. Bush a Moron or a Poet?

 Wednesday this week: the big W comments on his status as a poet while Chretien's press secretary uses the word moron. Who's right?

 I'm not a fan of the big W's folksy self-deprecating mask. It makes me nervous.

 In an excerpt below from the text of joint statements made Wednesday at NATO meetings in Prague by the big W and Vaclav Havel, former jailed playwrite and current President of the Czech Republic, the big W is initially addressing Havel, then he begins to take questions from reporters.

 [Beginning of excerpt.]

 "PRESIDENT BUSH: Mr. President, thank you for having us. This is an historic meeting, an historic city, an historic country led by an historic figure.

 "I'll answer some questions.

 "Q: I have one question for President Bush, and a second question for President Havel.

 "President Bush, you have said some lofty words here. The Czech Republic --

 "PRESIDENT BUSH: I said some what?

 "Q: Lofty words. (Laughter.)

 "PRESIDENT BUSH: No one has ever accused me of being a poet before, but thank you. (Laughter.)"

 [End of excerpt.]

 Also on Wednesday in Prague, Chretien's press secretary, Françoise Ducros, was overheard by reporters calling W a moron in a seemingly private conversation with another reporter. Today, Chretien refused to accept Ducros' resignation.

 Good for him.

 The question that remains is this: is the big W and poet or moron or (terrifyingly) neither?

Stephen Buckley
Copyright 2002
11.22.02