So Bush said 'sh!t'

Big deal. Does anyone really think that the leader of the United States doesn't swear? Why is everyone making such a big story out of this?

I missed it....but who cares?

Unless he said it to school children touring the white house or something.

From the Sydney Morning Herald (I've heard it on the radio and seen it on the news).

A microphone picked up an unaware George W Bush saying that Syria should press Hezbollah to "stop doing this shit" and that his secretary of state may go to the Middle East soon.

The US president was talking privately to British Prime Minister Tony Blair during a lunch at the Group of Eight (G8) summit in St Petersburg about an upsurge of violence in the Middle East.

Neither immediately realised a microphone was transmitting their candid thoughts on that and other issues.

"I think Condi (Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice) is going to go (to the Middle East) pretty soon," Bush said.

Blair replied: "Right, that's all that matters, it will take some time to get that together".

Rice headed back to the United States after the G8 summit closed yesterday and will decide when to make her Middle East trip, a State Department spokeswoman said.

Blair added: "See, if she (Rice) goes out she's got to succeed as it were, where as I can just go out and talk".

Bush replied: "See, the irony is what they need to do is get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit and it's over".

Blair eventually noticed the microphone and hastily switched it off but not before the conversation had reached news media.

I agree - the swearing is a non-issue to me. His super-simplistic view of the situation is what scares the hell out of me. If this is how 2 world leaders discuss the brink of WWIII ... I'm loving Kansas more and more and more every day.

[PrincessFiona]

I know. CNN has a link set up so that you can watch it. Who cares? That's my response too.

kris

[alison]

He's done far worse things than swear.

[Stella]

the thing that really bothers me is that he was speaking with his mouth full of food.

I was just talking with SO about it this morning. WHO CARES? When we discuss the situation, we use many expletives. He's a person. Give him a break just once, already.

[Tenacious_D]

They shouldn't make a big deal about that when there is so much else going on in the world. The media can be so immature sometimes...all the time.

[DCJenn]

The first thing that bothered me was the eating with his mouth full, too.

and honestly, if I were president, I'd probably be saying a whole lot more than shit.

There's plenty of stuff to bash Bush about. Saying shit isn't one of them. and you KNOW his mother is ready to hop on AF1 and slap him around for eating and talking.

Jenn

[MissCrabette]

I agree - the swearing is a non-issue to me. His super-simplistic view of the situation is what scares the hell out of me. If this is how 2 world leaders discuss the brink of WWIII ... I'm loving Kansas more and more and more every day.

I couldn't agree more. This situation is not black and white and it will not be solved by telling one country to do something. Yikes! That's the kind of stuff a middle schooler would say.

[PrincessFiona]

While we're discussing what did bother us...It bothered me that at the end of the clip he said "we can't blame Israel and we can't blame the Lebanese govt.". OK...if we can't blame the Lebanese govt, why are we one of the only countries supporting the attack on Lebanon. Many of the attacks have taken place in the North that is not subject to Hezbollah rule...and quite frankly, Lebanon has struggled with Hezbollah...I think if they could have gotten Hezbollah to knock it off, they would have done it long ago.

Did anyone else see the clip? First, Bush was chompin on his feed during the conversation with his mouth hanging open and it seemed like Blaire wasn't taking him very seriously.

kris

[fluffhead]

and it seemed like Blaire wasn't taking him very seriously.

I kind of get this horrible feeling that nobody is taking the US very seriously lately - how could a country that is governed by such a bozo be taken seriously?

Regarding assigning fault, I guess most people don't find the Lebanese govt to be much of an entity, but rather just a puppet of Iran and Syria, so it's hard to assign fault when the current "anti-Syrian" govt is so new and powerless.

I don't think the issue here is W's using profanity in public, but the fact that a statesman should have something a little more insightful and intelligent to say than what I read. (though I do believe that our president should curb his language when having high-level international talks, and if he can't control himself, he shouldn't be there)...oh my goodness I sound like Rapunzel.

[PrincessFiona]

Lebanon, I think may be an unintentional puppet of Syria/Iran.....but if that is so, why doesn't the US step up and condemn Israel's attack of Lebanon with the rest of the countries and then demand that action be taken against Syria/Iran?

I wonder what the price of oil by the end of the summer .....

kris

[fluffhead]

Because Israel is attacking Hezbollah where it lives.
Attacking Syria and Iran might be addressing the root of the problem, but
(1) obviously that's a much hairier operation and
(2) there is justification behind securing one's borders where the problem lies.

Attacking Lebanon's infrastructure is justifiable to prevent further transportation of hostages and weapons, and attacking the Lebanese army from a standpoint of it assisting the terrorists.

Look, none of this is without political motivation, obviously. And I don't let my hatred of Bush and my liberal tendencies in most areas affect judging each situation on its own merits. Though I definitely have my own biases.

I still think presidents shouldn't swear in public.

I saw the clip....I'm sure all Tony Blair could think was, "Good GAWD man, put that piece of bread DOWN!" I'm beginning to think the man is just in it for the food.

As far as his language, I think it was blown a little out of proportion. However....I do agree with Fluff. Even though Bush didn't know he was being recorded, he was still speaking to another world leader and was "on the job" representing our nation. I couldn't imagine using that language in the workplace, even in a casual conversation with a colleague. Common sense, I guess.

I saw the clip....I'm sure all Tony Blair could think was, "Good GAWD man, put that piece of bread DOWN!" I'm beginning to think the man is just in it for the food.

Ok, now I have to go find the clip.

eta: Just watched the clip. Dude, close your mouth! Yuck!