President's mum jokes over paper's 'breast sizes' mistake

Ananova ^ | April 29 2002

[2Trievers]

Barbara Bush has written a jokey letter to a local newspaper after it misquoted her saying she had three breast sizes during her life.

The former First Lady actually said she had "three dress sizes".

A reporter from The Wichita Eagle in Kansas misheard her when she gave a talk as she opened a community college in El Dorado.

The newspaper ran a correction the following day, but later received a note from Mrs Bush which it used on its letters page.

In it, she says the error gave her children, including current president George W Bush, something to laugh about.

Her letter read: "I've just become abreast of your recent article 'Barbara Bush wows El Dorado'. I am indeed a bosom buddy to two presidents, so I shared some of the things I have learned in 76 years of life. That includes 57 years of married life, six children, 14 grandchildren, five wars, three DRESS sizes, two governors, two parachute jumps and now two presidents.

"Your article has left this generally outspoken mother speechless, but has given my children much to laugh about."

At the end of the typed letter, Mrs Bush added a handwritten note: "I just wanted to get this off my chest!"

[2Trievers]

Is nothing sacred anymore? &;-)

[putupon]

I like jokes about the Hildebeast's breast size (or lack thereof) better.

[2Trievers]

Just another example of the media who can't seem to get ANY story right. Babs was, obviously, very gracious! &;-)

[Real Cynic No More]

Using the word "Mum" seems to be a subtle attempt to relate Barbara Bush to the Queen Mum, implying that the Bush family is royalty. It won't fly. We don't call our female parents "Mum" in this country. They are either "Mom", "Mommy", "Momma", or "Mother". And the Bushs don't even attempt to act like royalty. It's a low blow.

[Lib-Lickers 2]

British story means British writing,, everybody in Britian say Mum,, there are tens of millions of more non royals in England than royals,, and they were all born to their Mums,, check ABC, CBS, NBC and CNN for the lowblows,,

[DB]

Calling ones mother "Mum" is very common in the UK.

A "Real Cynic", yes

"No More", apparently not.

[Real Cynic No More]

"Calling ones mother "Mum" is very common in the UK."

The last I knew, Bush did not live in the United Kingdom, nor does he have any official standing there.

Is this a common thing in Great Brittain, i.e., twisting the meaning of a statement 180 degrees?

As far as Real Cynic vs Real Cynic No More, I rest my case.

[Lib-Lickers 2]

would madre be wrong to use if this was a Spanish article?,, the word mother wouldn't be said there either,, if I went over to England and wrote for a British paper I would have used the phrase mum too,,

[Lib-Lickers 2]

actually mum is a phrase of endearment and love and that is the exact relationship W has with Barbara,, I think that is much more what the writer was saying than comparing them to the royals

[Da_Shrimp]

But Annanova is a British website, so would automatically use 'mum'.

There's no implication in it's use, it just means 'mother'.

I don't understand your problem at all.

[NerdDad]

I love the former First Lady's response. She recognized and accepted that the reporter made an honest mistake. She took it and responded with the kind of sense of humor one has come to expect from her. On the other side of the political spectrum, I could see a representative of the Nazi Organization for Women rending her garments and beating her chest (pun intended). Demands for apologies and heads on platters would be blasted out to every media outlet over a similar mistake. What a difference adulthood makes.

[DB]

You not to bright?

Bush didn't write the headline. Some writer on a British Web site did, get it?

[DB]

An honest person would simply admit their error and move on.

Instead you dig yourself deeper and deeper...

[2Trievers]

Isn't it great! Yes! Adult-like! &;-)

[MJY1288]

I think JimRob needs to change the name of this site to "FReeForAll" :-)

[steve-b]

Barbara Bush has written a jokey letter to a local newspaper after it misquoted her saying she had three breast sizes during her life.

That sentence was supposed to be in their article on Britney Spears.

[Real Cynic No More]

This is really something. The newspapers in the U.S. used the word "Mum" when the queen mother passed away. Based on your logic they should have used the term "Mother" in their headlines, since they were written in the U.S.

I'ts hard to have a battle of wits with an unarmed person, so I'm not going to perpetuate this lame thread any longer.

[DB]

All that read this thread can judge for themselves.

You're clueless. If you do a search on Google for "mum" you will see the word usage is far and wide.

Your hate for Bush manifests itself in everything you read. Every word twisted, by a twisted mind.

[DB]

Most did use "Queen Mother" here. Duh...

[Arthur McGowan]

Nonsense. Everybody's mother in England is a "Mum."