Yep, mandate of the country, alright...

[Ibby]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/16908975...eek/?nav=slate

Jan. 31, 2007 - On Tuesday, President Bush popped in for a surprise visit to the Sterling Family Restaurant, a homey diner in Peoria, Ill. It’s a scene that has been played out many times before by this White House and others: a president mingling among regular Americans, who, no matter what they might think of his policies, are usually humbled and shocked to see the leader of the free world standing 10 feet in front of them.

But on Tuesday, the surprise was on Bush. In town to deliver remarks on the economy, the president walked into the diner, where he was greeted with what can only be described as a sedate reception. No one rushed to shake his hand. There were no audible gasps or yelps of excitement that usually accompany visits like this. Last summer, a woman nearly fainted when Bush made an unscheduled visit for some donut holes at the legendary Lou Mitchell’s Restaurant in Chicago. In Peoria this week, many patrons found their pancakes more interesting. Except for the click of news cameras and the clang of a dish from the kitchen, the quiet was deafening.

“Sorry to interrupt you,” Bush said to a group of women, who were sitting in a booth with their young kids. “How’s the service?” As Bush signed a few autographs and shook hands, a man sitting at the counter lit a cigarette and asked for more coffee. Another woman, eyeing Bush and his entourage, sighed heavily and went back to her paper. She was reading the obituaries. “Sorry to interrupt your breakfast,” a White House aide told her. “No problem,” she huffed, in a not-so-friendly way. “Life goes on, I guess.”

It’s hard to predict if Tuesday is a preview of what is to come for Bush in his final two years in office. While the calendar shows that he still has more than 700 days at the White House, Bush is struggling for relevancy in the same way many other second-term presidents have. But Bush’s burden seems much harder than other presidents in recent memory. He is weighed down by an increasingly unpopular war, and his efforts to stay atop the news cycle have been overshadowed by the battle over who will replace him in 2009. While the 24-hour cable-news networks used to carry most of Bush’s speeches live, that’s no longer the norm. On Wednesday, Bush went to Wall Street to deliver remarks on the economy. CNN and MSNBC carried portions of the speech live, but Fox News Channel, a network that has been viewed as sympathetic to this White House, did not, opting instead to air reports on immigration and the 2008 presidential race. At least Bush got a raucous reception from traders (typically a GOP-friendly crowd) when he paid a surprise visit to the New York Stock Exchange trading floor.

Heehee...

Wake-up America... but a bit too late, huh?

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Lot of losers. Hell with 'em. I'd've behaved better.

And the war-losing faction in this Cellar may keep its ill-founded comments to itself.

[piercehawkeye45]

That is funny.

How would all of you react if you saw Bush standing in front of you?

[Aliantha]

If Bush was standing in front of me I'd ask him to take his entourage and himself home again after telling him that I believe his policies are endangering too many Australian lives, oh, and when does he plan on either charging or letting Mr Hicks go?

[Griff]

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

Lot of losers. Hell with 'em. I'd've behaved better.

Would you have remained worshipful of state power in the presence of Arkansas Bill?

I would give neither the time of day.

[Hippikos]

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

Lot of losers. Hell with 'em. I'd've behaved better.

Yeah like kissing his feet? You don't get respect until you earned it.

And the war-losing faction in this Cellar may keep its ill-founded comments to itself.

Have you already signed up for a tour in Iraq?

[Kitsune]

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

I'd've behaved better.

Sounds like the customers were behaving fairly well, given the circumstances. I'm sure much of their commentary was held back out of courtesy for Bush.

[Elspode]

My thoughts exactly. No one gushed over him, but no one called him an imbecilic elitist liar, either.

[Pie]

I'd have gotten up (paid my bill) and left. Mostly because if I stayed, the SS would probably be mad at me...

[cklabyrinth]

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

Lot of losers. Hell with 'em. I'd've behaved better.

And the war-losing faction in this Cellar may keep its ill-founded comments to itself.

I haven't been here long but I've come to expect such presumptuous, condescending posts from you. This thread doesn't deviate from that trend.

I'm not really surprised no one cared. I wouldn't be excited, either, regardless of whether that means I'm a loser or not.

The previous post kind of makes me curious.. is assaulting a president the same as assaulting another citizen in a prosecutor's eyes?

[Urbane Guerrilla]

Originally Posted by Hippikos

Yeah like kissing his feet? You don't get respect until you earned it.

This being an example of the imbecilic remark that reflects more upon the utterer than the target, Hippikos. Christ, you're easy. Goatse easy.

Have you already signed up for a tour in Iraq?

I've worn my country's uniform, 1977-86, thank you. Unless you've done that much and more, you don't rate making that remark. Unless you've served with your countrymen, with the Brit forces in Afghanistan, you are obliged to shut up.

And you never did reply to the question I put you about whether you'd rather have America win this, or America's enemies. Telling, that.

My moral position, dear Hipp, is invincibly superior to yours -- here, anyway. There's no shame in being guided by it. Only an ego-twitch, which should not assume overmuch importance.

[Urbane Guerrilla]

I condescend to people using only two digits of their IQ, Cklab. It happens often... too often.

[Kitsune]

Originally Posted by Urbane Guerrilla

I've worn my country's uniform, 1977-86, thank you. Unless you've done that much and more, you don't rate making that remark.

No offense at all to your service, as it is appreciated, but I think this has a lot to do with the differing points of view. Those in the service must work for the president, no questions asked, while the rest of us treat him differently because the president works for us.

[deadbeater]

From a guy 'you want to share a BBQ with' to a guy who can't make a conversation in a diner. How the mighty have fallen. He was lucky not to get a 'F--- you, Bush' from one of the diner patrons.