Wednesday, May 09, 2007

The American King

From Parallel Earth, yesterday's Morning Edition brought us our Criminal-in-Chief all dressed up and playing royal-boy to the Queen of England. Unfortunately, NPR wasn't being the least bit facetious. Consider this priceless interchange between NPR's Rebecca Roberts and Dana Milbank of The Washington Post:
Roberts: "Now white-tie involves a tail-coat, is very formal. This President not very famous for his formality. How did he do?"

Milbank: "...I must say that I think he enjoyed it enormously and when you think about it – you know there’s a poll out yesterday that says his support is down to 28% - but here was a chance for him to behave as the head of state as opposed to the head of government and you know essentially be the American King: the cannon batteries, the fife and drum corps, the Air Force Band, and to actually escort the monarch around for a review of the troops. So this is a chance for the President to step out of the daily dreariness of the Iraq War and sort of bask in all the trappings of being the President."

Roberts: "Do you think he took advantage of the opportunity? Did he succeed?"
You could spend a bit of time unpacking this sad waste of airtime. I found that last little bit about the "daily dreariness of the Iraq War" to be really sickening - daily dreariness?! Oh, and readers may be wondering if Roberts hard-hitting final question was ever answered. Yes, and it was a winner:
Milbank: "Well probably one day does not turn things around..."
I'll say.

1 comment:

Kevan Smith said...

I heard that. I think it was meant to be a mini-resurrection of America's so-called love affair with royalty. Certainly NPR's audience is old enough to be nostalgic for the Princess Di worship of the 80s. Still, the report emphasized the exact same points and used the same sound bites as Fox radio news, which I have to bear listening to a late-night radio show I like.

Here's a diametric opposite account from The Wayne Marsden Report:

"May 8, 2007 -- Our White House sources report that the Queen's visit to the White House yesterday was a protocol disaster. Not only had George W. Bush commenced his drinking routine early in the morning, just in time for the first mid-day visit by Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip, but his drunkenness continued well into the evening during the lavish state dinner."