As a registered Independent voter, I often receive mistargeted political mail. The worst I’ve received recently was an 8×10 color photo of Bush, with a printed message thanking me for supporting the Republican administration. Aside from my annoyance at the mistargeting, I looked at the photo and it exemplifies everything I detest about Bush and his performance at the podium.
The printing of this photograph is so cheap, it’s an offense to anyone who ever touched a printing press, I won’t even get started. The persona Bush presents is his downhome Crawford Texas image, with his typical smirk. He’s wearing a canvas coat with the words “George W. Bush President” embroidered on the chest. He’s using the little podium with the little seal on it, Bush likes to use the baby podium because he thinks it looks informal, but it’s obvious he uses it because the big podium with the Great Seal of the President makes him look short, he has to stand on a box. Bush is leaning his elbows on the podium. That’s his most annoying mannerism. Bush always leans his elbows on the podium when he’s making speeches. First he leans on one side, then the other. He slouches all over the podium like he’s a drunk on a barstool. Didn’t yore momma never tole you to keep yore elbows offa the table?
I examined the photo with increasing irritation, then I noticed something that made me burst out into laughter. The little podium has a ring of duct tape holding up the locking ring on the bottom. The President’s podium is being held up with duct tape.
It occurs to me that maybe the duct tape is a (relatively) subtle product placement.
I’m a registered Democrat and party activist. Imagine the shock I got last month when I received this 8 x 10 photo and a pitch for a donation the RNC as one to the presidents “loyal supporters.” What kind of cruel joke is this!