Hey buddy, is it Chuck or is it Charles? (Eurinals offended mainly by Bush’s hokey style)

Sydney Morning Herald ^ | November 20, 2003

[dead]

Beyond the weighty agenda of international trade and war in Iraq the question of style looms large during George Bush's state visit to London: What happens when down-home folksiness meets the stiff upper lip?

One BBC anchorman speculated that the President would arrive in cowboy boots. Others wondered if Mr Bush's speech would need to be translated. And commentators talked about how poorly Mr Bush's Texan informality plays among Europeans.

"It is his style rather than his politics that causes many of the problems over here," said Chris Brown, professor of international relations at the London School of Economics. "It's the kind of slightly sentimental, folksy-ish, hokey-type quality. That kind of folksy style that he uses, that goes down badly with north-eastern US intellectuals, goes down even worse over here."

Royal welcome ... George Bush is accompanied by Prince Charles after his arrival
in London at the start of his state visit. Photo: AFP

Mr Bush and his wife, Laura, were greeted on arrival at London's Heathrow Airport by the epitome of the stiff upper lip - Prince Charles, who must maintain public dignity while hotly denied rumours about a sexual incident with a male servant swirl around him.

The Bushes then flew by helicopter to Buckingham Palace, where they are staying.

Mr Bush's fondness for informality contrasts sharply with the royal family's penchant for protocol. But few expect problems between President and Queen.

Michael Cox, an editor of the journal International Relations, said he expected Mr Bush to be "very formal, very polite". The Queen, after a lifetime of small talk with foreign dignitaries, is known to be unfailingly polite.

"My guess is they'll get along just fine," Professor Brown said. "They can talk about horses, which they both love. And neither of them are intellectuals."

It is with the wider British public that Mr Bush's style poses more problems.

"I hope they understand Texan," he joked with British reporters last week.

But Mr Bush's troubles making himself understood in London may pale alongside those he encounters when he heads north to visit the constituency of the Prime Minister, Tony Blair. The broad dialect there - of which Mr Bush said that "my Georgie is probably just about as bad as my English", is in fact known as Geordie and is difficult for any but the uninitiated to understand. Buckingham Palace was silent yesterday over allegations a newspaper had breached its security. The Daily Mirror said one of its reporters had been working at the palace as a footman for two months using bogus job references and was still at work when Mr Bush arrived on Tuesday.

Cox Newspapers and Reuters

[GovernmentShrinker]

Charles needs a new tailor urgently.

[ladtx]

Michael Cox, an editor of the journal International Relations, said he expected Mr Bush to be "very formal, very polite". The Queen, after a lifetime of small talk with foreign dignitaries, is known to be unfailingly polite.

Don't get your panties in a wad Mr. Cox, us Texans know how to be polite to little blue-haired ladies, why we all have Grannies don't we? A true Texan would never think of doing anything to offend his Granny.

[tioga]

"It is his style rather than his politics that causes many of the problems over here," said Chris Brown, professor of international relations at the London School of Economics. "It's the kind of slightly sentimental, folksy-ish, hokey-type quality. That kind of folksy style that he uses, that goes down badly with north-eastern US intellectuals, goes down even worse over here."

-pompous, arrogant know it alls just hate it when their "intellect" isn't revered. LOL -even the pic with the President and the Prince is a contrast. A folksy President and a pampered prince....-which one would you rather chat with???? -hands down I will take my President!

[Steve_Seattle]

Carp . . . carp . . . carp. More carp than in the pond in a Japanese garden.

[Sockdologer]

I find it funny that the Brits believe they're more polite.
We're more laid back in some things, certainly, but we
wouldn't march against Prince Charles, chanting rude slogans if he came to visit.

[JeeperFreeper]

Eurinals!!!! Great name. LOL. And entirely right.

[Sockdologer]

A British intellectual.

[Steve_Seattle]

"But Mr Bush's troubles making himself understood in London may pale alongside those he encounters when he heads north to visit the constituency of the Prime Minister, Tony Blair. The broad dialect there - of which Mr Bush said that "my Georgie is probably just about as bad as my English", is in fact known as Geordie and is difficult for any but the uninitiated to understand."

I have an Internet friend from Nottingham up North, we've talked on the phone, and she is indeed a bit hard to understand. The Northerners seem to swallow a bit of each word, and you've got to fill in the blanks.

[dead]

At least his date is hot.

[conservatism_IS_compassion]

The Queen, after a lifetime of small talk with foreign dignitaries, is known to be unfailingly polite.

. . . which is more than can be said, after a lifetime of confrontation of those who seek only to be open but dignified, about journalists.

[Howlin]

but we wouldn't march against Prince Charles, chanting rude slogans if he came to visit.

Precisely. Obviously we have "evolved" more than they have.

[Lazamataz]

Did you come up with the term Eurinals?

If so, I want to have your baby.

Again.

[Steve_Seattle]

"A British intellectual."

Or perhaps a "people's artist."

[Sabatier]

"It's the kind of slightly sentimental, folksy-ish, hokey-type quality"...Ah, yes, the American qualities, the ones that saved their European rumps from being slaves to one tyrant after another...Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin...Poor little Europeans, still wallowing in self-pity for being history's failures last century. The Brits ought to know better. Shame, shame.

[Howlin]

From what I have heard, the Queen loves a good joke and is a lot of fun in private. Remember, Bush is the one that told the Queen (back at a dinner in the Bush 41 White House) that he was the "black sheep" of the family!

I'm sure they get along fine; this article just goes to show how unenlightened the British really are; they must think everybody in Texas is the modern day equivalent of Mongo.

[Happy2BMe]

"Mr Bush's fondness for informality contrasts sharply with the royal family's penchant for protocol. But few expect problems between President and Queen."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

At Heathrow Airport, a 300-foot long red carpet stretches out to Air Force One and Mr. Bush strides to a warm but dignified hand shake from Queen Elizabeth II.

They ride in a silver 1934 Bentley limousine to the edge of central London where they then board an open 17th century coach pulled by six magnificent white matching horses.

They ride toward Buckingham Palace, each looking sideways and waving to the thousands of cheering Britons. So far every - thing is going well.

Suddenly the right rear horse lets fly with the most horrendous, earth shaking, eye stinging, acrid blast of flatulence ever heard in the British Empire and so powerful, that it shakes the coach.

Uncomfortable, but under control, the two Dignitaries of State do their best to ignore the incident. But, embarrassed, the Queen decides it's impossible to ignore it.

"Mr. President, please accept my regrets. I'm sure you understand that there are some things not even a Queen can control."

Ever the Texas gentleman, the President replies, "Your Majesty please don't give the matter another thought. You know, if you hadn't said something, I would have thought it was one of the horses".

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