by Mark Silva
ROSTOCK, Germany – President Bush, who awoke this morning with a stomach ailment, held his meeting with the new French president in his private quarters at the seaside resort where leaders are staying.
"I guess he didn't want to follow in the footsteps of his father in Asia,'' said Dan Bartlett, counselor to the president, with an allusion to the former President Bush vomiting at a formal dinner with the Japanese prime minister in Tokyo in 1992.
The first lady at the time, Barbara Bush, had gone to her husband's rescue at the state dinner table and covered his mouth with a napkin.
The Japanese later dubbed this "bushu-suru", meaning "to commit an instance of embarrassing public vomiting"-- or literally "to do a Bush.''
Not this president:
"The president woke up this morning and wasn't feeling very well,'' said Bartlett, explaining Bush's surprise absence from a public appearance following the meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy. "I'm not sure if it was something he ate last night, or just -- or this morning, for that matter -- but not feeling completely up to snuff..''
The president was staying with the leaders of other Group of Eight industrial nations at a posh Baltic Seaside resort, the Kempinksi Grand, and holding individual meetings with some of them. "Despite the fact'' that he awoke feeling ill today, the morning after a late working dinner with the other leaders, Bush dressed and proceeded with his meeting with Sarkozy, said Bartlett, calling it a "wide-ranging'' discussion.
Bush was resting in his quarters after the bilateral with Sarkozy, with Bush forgoing the morning sessions but planning to rejoin leaders at lunch on the closing day of the three-day G-8 summit. Bush missed a mid-morning "photo-op'' with the other leaders, though they had posed for a formal "family portrait'' at the resort the day before.
"The president right now is resting, is going to recuperate a bit,'' Bartlett said just after 9 am this morning in Heiligendamm. The president's official physician, Dr. Richard Tubb, was monitoring the situation but said he has "no concern'' about anything troubling and the ailment appears to be "not serious,'' according to Bartlett. "I'm not sure if it's a stomach virus'' or some similar ailment, Bartlett said.
Bush, who had frosty relations with the former French president over French objections to the war in Iraq, was meeting Sarkozy privately for the first time – though they had dined with other leaders the night before and previous night and had a working lunch during the main day of G-8 meetings.
"He thought it was out of an abundance of caution to dial it back a bit,'' Bartlett said, so he met with Sarkozy in private quarters.
The president, planning to leave for Poland this afternoon for a quick visit and dinner en route to Rome, has not altered his schedule, according to Bartlett. The U.S. wants to place interceptor missiles in Poland, as part of a European missile defense shield. The Russians object to the placement, calling it "premature,'' but have agreed to let the U.S. run a joint radar-watch at a Soviet-built radar facility in Azerbaijan.
Near noon Heiligendamm time, it seemed all systems were go -- so to speak.
The summit closing and trip to Poland and the Vatican and beyond goes on.
"The president had a good rest this morning,'' said Tony Fratto, a spokesman for the president. "He's feeling better -- not 100 percent.''
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Comments
Now can we agree that he's the wurst president?
Get well soon, Mr. President. We need you back up to your usual 50%.
Posted by: Kenny Bunkport | June 8, 2007 8:18 AM
Apologies to Sheryl Crow) Part I
I am strong
I am able
I watch Fox on the cable
Then I cry like a baby
See if Daddy will save me
I am sweet
I am smirky
I am mean if you irk me
I try hard just to screw you
When I say I don’t mean to
I dress up like a primate
The "Decider" incarnate
I say all the right things
I don’t know what I mean
Am I
Am I
Getting through
Am I
Am I
Getting through
I am ignorant and rude
I am fashionably crude
And sometimes when it’s late
I watch "Girls on Spring Break"
I speak only to veterans
I don't want no dissention
I am scared that I’m weird
I’m afraid I'll be jeered
I am chimpy and weak
I am foul when I speak
I am strange when I’m kind
I am frying my mind
Am I
Am I
Getting through
Am I
Am I
Getting through
I don’t care I don’t care
Jesus loves me I know
For my mom told me so
I’m a loser repub
I’m a shrub in the mud
Am I
Am I
Getting through
Am I
Am I
Getting through
Am I
Am I
Getting through
Part II
Don’t you hate it
When the money starts to running out
This war you waged
We have no way of getting out
You cooked intel to make the case for "shock and awe"
And now this war's a chapter in "The Monkey's Paw"
And the blames on you
That’s what they say
That’s what they say
When the pages fade
the lies you made
Will haunt you 'till
Your dying day
Posted by: dt | June 8, 2007 8:38 AM
"Bushu-suru", I like that. I feel another song parody coming (deal with it Leo T. 'Nito)
Posted by: dt | June 8, 2007 8:54 AM
Hopefully he will return to health soon so that he can continue taking our country in the wrong direction.
Posted by: john | June 8, 2007 9:15 AM
Putin probably spiked his drink with something radioactive.
Posted by: Anonymous | June 8, 2007 9:23 AM
Poor George Bush has a stomach ailment. A non story here...Bush should visit all of the disabled, paralyzed, and critically injured soldiers at Walter Reed. He should spend a few days there actually. Those are the real heroes and patriots unlike he and smarmy Cheney who are nothing more then slimy cowards.
Posted by: Doug R. | June 8, 2007 10:26 AM
I emailed the White House last year asking for a list of government officials who actually had kids in this war. Needless to say I didn't get a response. My son was there and I feel that his life was on the line for nothing but Bush's ego. The day one of his children is willing to "do their duty" as Americans I MAY take him seriously. My tears to all the parents out there who have lost sons and daughters. The stomach ache just doesn't quite do it for me.
Posted by: Pat | June 8, 2007 11:07 AM
It's so funny and sad how an insignificant like this and a typical stomach ailment, something we all get on occasion, can bring out the worst of the Loony Lefters and Clueless Bush Haters.
Posted by: John D | June 8, 2007 11:34 AM
The Japanese will have to come up with a new word for "doing a Bush" that reflects the son -- "to commit multiple instances of embarrassing public screwing up."
Posted by: BP | June 8, 2007 11:48 AM
Has anyone seen the pix of W with a beer in his hand?
Stomach ailment. Riiighhtt.
Posted by: athena | June 8, 2007 12:02 PM
I've had a stomachache since he took office.
Posted by: lochnessmonster | June 8, 2007 12:39 PM
Polonium Putin, ne's Dubya's man. If Dubya can't puke on him no one can!
Posted by: Soul Measurer | June 8, 2007 3:24 PM
I wish Dubya had followed "in the footsteps of his father in Asia" to some degree. Dubya's daddy, at least, thought invading Iraq to occupy it was a crazy idea because it would be too costly in terms of time, money and personnel (and he was right). This is why daddy Bush told Schwarzkopf to stand down and pursue no further - even though the Iraqis had no significant forces between our army and Baghdad (that and the fact we had fulfilled our U.N. mandate by expelling Iraqis from Kuwait.)
But Dubya couldn’t even take good advise from his own father. He’s done the “Bushu-suru two-step” to cover for his lack of wisdom ever since.
Posted by: John W. | June 8, 2007 5:59 PM
athena said (above):
"Has anyone seen the pix of W with a beer in his hand?
Stomach ailment. Riiighhtt."
Is it anything like the poster of a chimp holding a beer that was really popular back in the '70s?
Posted by: John W. | June 8, 2007 6:02 PM
To this day I think Bush41 lost the election due to the puke job in Asia. I saw the film once, before it was yanked. Not pretty.
You don't want to see your President barfing in some ones lap, then having their head patted by the pukee!
Anyway, here is some more 'ralphing' music.
The Beatles(Harrison)
Savoy Truffle
Creme tangerine and Montélimar
A ginger sling with a pineapple heart
A coffee dessert--yes you know it's good news
But you'll have to have them all pulled out
After the Savoy truffle.
Cool cherry cream, nice apple tart
I feel your taste all the time we're apart
Coconut fudge--really blows down those blues
But you'll have to have them all pulled out
After the Savoy truffle.
You might not feel it now
But when the pain cuts through
You're gonna know and how
The sweat is going to fill your head
When it becomes too much
You'll shout aloud
But you'll have to have them all pulled out
After the Savoy truffle.
You know that what you eat you are,
But what is sweet now, turns so sour--
We all know Obla-Di-Bla-Da
But can you show me, where you are?..
Creme tangerine and Montélimar
A ginger sling with a pineapple heart
A coffee dessert--yes you know its good news
But you'll have to have them all pulled out
After the Savoy truffle.
Yes, you'll have to have them all pulled out After the Savoy truffle.
Posted by: C.Morris | June 8, 2007 9:07 PM
I can't find a picture of Bush with beer, but I did find this in the worlds best news source.
http://www.theonion.com/content/node/42590
Posted by: C.Morris | June 8, 2007 9:45 PM
I hopeits fatal
Posted by: uncle earl | June 9, 2007 3:14 AM
Oh sure,right the Liar in
Chief George W Bush has a
"tummy ache"? I bet it is
more like a "Drunk and
Hung Over" here! Hey I do
recall that picture of a
chimp with a beer,dang it
sure does look like our
Lush in Chief George W Bush! But the question really is,so did Bush try to grope the President of
Germany Ann Merkel again?
Posted by: Ralph | June 9, 2007 12:12 PM
Ralph,
In '1984' The Ministry of Truth' was in charge of expunging the old, non operative 'truth'. The guy the book followed was named 'George Winston'!!
George has apparently done a great job with the beer pix.
Posted by: C.Morris | June 9, 2007 9:44 PM