MSNBC: Find W's Merkel Back Rub Under 'Grope' and 'Creepy'

MSNBC-The Most/NewsBusters ^ | Mark Finkelstein

[BenLurkin]

[PattonFan]

Thanks. When I saw the ping, I was pepared to feel crawdads wrath over my questioning.

[tumblindice]

I'm here..all week.
Slick coulda goosed her and the headline would have read,
'Clinton And Merkel Grow Close: Blue Skies in Germany'

[Crawdad]

There's no problem with my marriage. My 20th anniversary is next April. I've had sex with only two people: my wife and myself. She's the only girlfriend I've ever had. We've been together since 1977. See my FR page.
I don't believe if he had asked his wife if she thought it were a good idea to rub Merkel's shoulders that his wife would have told him to go ahead.
Hey, he's a folksy kind of guy. Great. However, a head of state should never do what he did. It was vulgar behavior. I'm grateful it was out of character for him.

[mylife]

I gaurantee the headlines would never read "bentenshaften" ;)

[johnny7]

Depends... what's in her liquor cabinet?

[Albertafriend]

I saw a picture of how she looked right after the "4 second" back rub and she was smiling and I imagine she laughed--that would be my reaction if the POTUS ever did it to me(oh how I wish!)

[PattonFan]

He's not gay, so I guess it's his way of saying hello, but I hate it.

Some do react that way. Perhaps you should let your boss know?

If Merkel did not like it, I'm sure she would tell President Bush privately. You understand why your boss does it..perhaps she understands why Bush did it..whether she like it or not...feeling harassed does not seem to be an issue with her.

Has anyone thought (listen MSNBC!) that the Chancellor could be embarrassed by the way our press is making an issue of this?

[Springman]

Car chase, and I got to go shopping with Mrs. Springman, dang it!!!

[Rastus]

[WhiteGuy]

(Prez didn't mean anything. He's just demonstrative. )

You've got to wonder...........

Had a couple of tall bourbons and started speaking out of turn about "taking care of this shit".......

and putting his hands on a female head of state............
(if he'd have done that to my wife, I'd have kicked him in the ribs after she knocked him down.)

I don't want to suggest anything....................

but we've all seen that annoying brother-in-law who gets all boozed-up at every event and acts like an ass........

I'm absolutely sure this is NOT the case, right?

[WhiteGuy]

Going to have to see a pic. Is she cute?

Sure she is................

does that justify his hands?

[MikeA]

Where was the media about that? That is far more of a sexual touch than a shoulder rub. But I guess the same foamers who are peddling this Bush video don't see Clinton can do any wrong.

[WhiteGuy]

Funny when Clinton was so touchy with everyone the media gushed how he was "the most tactile president in US history."

BS he was WAY out of line, and everyone knew it.

[MikeA]

You and I knew it, but the US media lives on a different planet and don't operate by the same standards we do. And that quote I provided you was actually something I read.

[jla]

After looking at the video it appears that Merkel was smiling as GWB walked away. Of course the embodiment of hypocrisy, also known as liberals, see not how ridiculous they look by their pretense of acting appalled over a brief, friendly shoulder rub juxtaposed with their silence, and oft tacit approval, of various Clinton offenses directed to the opposite sex.

[PattonFan]

I don't believe if he had asked his wife if she thought it were a good idea to rub Merkel's shoulders that his wife would have told him to go ahead

Thanks Crawdad, I did not intend to offend. Your answer about your wife "cutting something off", prompted my response.

Laura Bush is from my hometown..she is a Texas Gal. We feel differently about that sort of thing around these parts. I'm sure she trusts her husbands judgment, and I'm sure Dubya does not feel he needs permission to act friendly-it is his nature.

It is not worth this media attention. In fact, I would venture to say, this sort of coverage by the media is highly inappropriate as it may cause the Chancellor more embarrassment than a simple friendly gesture did..because of what the media IMPLIES..

[DB]

Here's a link to the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUTwaSPcGno&search=merkel

[edzo4]

I wonder what comes up if you search for "cigar sodomy" or "clinton, kiss it"

[BritExPatInFla]

It looked a nit uncomfortable for the Chancellor, but as you said, no malice seemed to be behind it. Just not the most appropriate thing to do, I guess.