TOYAKO, Japan (Reuters) - U.S. President George W. Bush on Monday kept up his tradition of informal relations with fellow world leaders by summoning Prime Minister Stephen Harper with a brusque "Yo Harper!"
Bush and Harper, a rather stiff and shy figure, are in northern Japan for a
summit of leaders of the Group of Eight major industrialized countries.
Television footage of a G8 lunch with African leaders showed Bush talking to Nigerian President Umaru Yar'Adua and saying "Yo Harper! The president of Nigeria."
At a G8 summit in 2006, Bush landed ally Tony Blair in some trouble by calling out "Yo Blair!"
Critics said the greeting showed what they described as the unequal nature of Bush's relationship with Blair, then the British prime minister.
And at the same summit, Bush shocked German chancellor Angela Merkel by briefly massaging her back as he walked behind her chair.
Harper's ties with Bush are sensitive, since critics of Canada's right-wing Conservative government regularly accuse it of taking orders from Washington.
It was not the first time that Bush has surprised Harper in public. In July 2006, after the two men met at the White House for the first time, Bush publicly called the Canadian "Steve."
Analysts said at the time this might actually help Harper dispel questions about the closeness of his relationship with Bush, since no one who even slightly knew the somewhat wooden Canadian leader would ever think of him as "Steve."
Bush has since referred to Harper in public as "Stephen."
Asked for a reaction to the "Yo Harper!" comment, Harper's spokeswoman said she had not been at the lunch.
Now Stephen Harper has disappointed me as PM. He's quite a cool (and I don't mean that in a groovy kind of way) rather distant person - though that's not what I find disappointing. So to imagine Bush hailing him as Yo, Harper really tickled my funny bone!
And in other news - as of last Sunday - I've stopped buying books!
No, no, no - not for good. That will NEVER happen. I've just stopped buying them until I get to San Francisco. As one of the BIG draws is books, books, hundreds of wonderful book - I don't want to have them all before I get there. So for the time being I've banned myself from Chapters. It will be tough, but I KNOW I can do this - I hope.
12 comments:
You stopped buying books?!?!??!?!
Are you going to make it? :P
Good luck! I hope you have more willpower than me :)
And yeah. Bush. His command of the English language is tenuous at best. His grasp of tactful and appropriate behavior is also suspect. The elections can't come soon enough!
I don't think it will be a problem *g* I have more than several hundred in the TBR pile - so I should be OK. I don't want to get there and find out I already have their books
Shannon: If it wasn't for other things he's done, I'd think of him as just a laughable buffoon, but he's proven to be anything but. the world is a much more dangerous place, he's cost the lives of thousands of young men and women, and I hate to think of the devastation that will be felt in the United States for years to come. But - enough said on that subject.
I plan on getting many many books in San Francisco and since I've already got the ones I wanted most for July - I *G* should be good
*SIGH*
Yes. We're very proud of our President.
:rollseyes:
*rolling eyes*
Oy. Couldn't be any worse than when he said "Awesome speech, your holiness" to the Pope. What a doofus.
I'm doing the same thing with books. Man, it's hard!!
I have a very pained expression on my face. It's almost comical, but the disturbing imagery of useless leader is still there.
May I say he isn't 'our' president cuz he didn't extactly get elected the first time. The Supreme Court has been nothing but disappointments these past few years. Okay, enough rants.
Are you sure your few hundred books will last you? Are ya? ;) I've stopped buying books too. Heh.
Hi Kristie
I didn't know that there was yet another Canadian in the group in addition to Mary and me. We're everywhere - and I don't know whether that's a good thing LOL
How does one STOP buying books? I have over 250 on my ebook TBR pile and about 100 (or more) in my print book TBR pile. I think it's a sickness - and I have a new order on its way from amazon.com. Is there a 12 step program for me ????
Re Bush - well his clock is ticking.
Wave
Yo Harper? Could he be any more tactless? I think not.
Now the big news: you stopped buying books? I wish you well during your withdrawal my friend. We'll be here for you in your time of need! :)
Ugh I dislike Harper and any ties he has with Bush further my dislike. He so won't be getting my vote for re-election when that happens.
MK: I get that impression *g*
Lori: I meant to stop buying sooner - but alas, I couldn't do it. But I am now!! Yes, I am! Now matter what books other bloggers blog about that I want, instead of buying, I will write them down. And I saw a clip of him saying that to the Pope. Another amusing moment.
Tracy: He also addressed him once as Steve - something I doubt even his best friends call him *laughing*
Alie: I am so discouraged by the whole Canadian political scene. I can't tolerate any of them!!
LA: There was something very fishy about the whole thing way back when he first got in wasn't there? If only the world had 20/20 hindsight.
Jessewave: Hey there! Yep - I'm from right here in Southwestern Ontario - halfway between the Tigers and the Bluejays, the Red Wings and the Leafs. Interesting place to be if you're a sports fan - which I am :)
And *g* I don't know if there is a 12-step program or not. I just tell myself there could be worse addictions and I'll stick with my romance book one - LOL
:D 'Yo Steve'? Steven Harper must have a sense of humour though, I saw him on Rick Mercer once, and he let Rick hang out at his house with his kids.
Several hundred in your TBR? You should be able to withstand buying new stuff then.
Post a Comment