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

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.

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

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

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.

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

"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."

:crazy:

and it sure ain't pretty.

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.

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.

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

Powell and Jeb are both POS's.

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

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

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

for bringing taxpayer money?

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

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

...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!

...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.

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.

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!

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

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

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:

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.

Already off to the bordellos of Pat Pong?

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

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

That would send chills around the world :scared:

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

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

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?

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!

Good Ole networks you've built ALL your life.

I mean, it is just not normal...

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

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.

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

Jerkoff.

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.

:::sigh:::

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

The scene was Phuket town hall ..."

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

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

and they thought Bills blowjob was an embarassment!