by Frank James
Maybe Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner didn't pay his taxes on time. But at least he's always appeared sober and awake, if not confident, when appearing in public.
Not so for Japanese finance minister Shoichi Nakagawa, who looked like he had partied way too much before attending a press conference at the recent G-7 gathering in Rome.
Not surprisingly, Nakagawa's inebriated appearance has caused an uproar in Japan, leading him to quit his nation's government at the very time the Japanese economy appears to be imploding. Not exactly what Japan or the larger world economy needed right now.
An Associated Press excerpt:
TOKYO -- Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso's already shaky government was rocked Tuesday by the sudden resignation of his finance minister over allegations he appeared drunk after a recent G-7 meeting.
Finance Minister Shoichi Nakagawa, who has denied being drunk, offered his resignation late Tuesday after earlier in the day saying he would stay on until after parliament approves the budget for the fiscal year, probably in late April.
"I have resigned," said Nakagawa, one of the most prominent members of Aso's Cabinet. "I decided that it would be better for the country if I quit."
"He made a difficult choice, and I respect his decision," Aso said.
The resignation was a huge embarrassment for Aso and a blow to Japan's efforts to deal with its deepening economic woes.
Comments
Inky, do u thik there will be a follow up article on those "drunk" on the Obama kool-aid?
Posted by: Bubba Porter | February 17, 2009 8:24 AM
Maybe he's the only one that knows how bad things really are.
Posted by: C.Morris✈ | February 17, 2009 8:24 AM
Inky, do u thik there will be a follow up article on those "drunk" on the Obama kool-aid?
Posted by: Bubba Porter | February 17, 2009 8:24 AM
Possible-
Posted by: Inky | February 17, 2009 8:59 AM
...like when Bush #41 barfed up his sushi. This guy probably drank too much sake. That will do it.
Posted by: Doug R. | February 17, 2009 9:07 AM
Check back in a couple years and that'll be Timmy, just with a little less hair and a bigger gut. And Obama's going to resemble Fred Sanford.
Posted by: Jeff | February 17, 2009 9:46 AM
Bubba: please go away.
Posted by: Joe | February 17, 2009 10:08 AM
More like George Jefferson, Jeff.... he movin' on up.
Posted by: rupert | February 17, 2009 10:28 AM
Bill/Jeff,
Playing with your crystal ball again? Give it up man, you've been on the wrong side with everything you've predicted for the last two years.
Don't forget to forward me your NCAA bracket next month.
Posted by: Bubba ✔ | February 17, 2009 10:43 AM
Doug R,
Yeah, that video of Poppy letting loose the load of 'ralph' right into his host's lap may have cost him the election.
'Wuddn't Presidential vision thing'.
Posted by: C.Morris✈ | February 17, 2009 12:10 PM
And Obama's going to resemble Fred Sanford.
Posted by: Jeff
Well Jeff, what a coincidence. I hear you resemble Fred's ugly Aunt Esther.
Posted by: Flo | February 17, 2009 12:34 PM
photo caption: "Canary in the coal mine".
Posted by: ornery | February 17, 2009 12:55 PM
Someone leaked out the written testimony of today's witnesses, now testifying orally on C Span before the China Commission.
Some folk there telling the truth about who really runs China's central bank(s), what they are up to, and what the likely coming debacle will look like.
And y'all thought it was bad now!
Anyway, maybe that is why the marked opened 300 pts down.
Posted by: ornery | February 17, 2009 1:12 PM
Bubba/Bill R., no that was a joke. Considering how Clinton and Bush went into the presidency and how much it aged them, I'd say it's a good bet, though.
Flo, you so ugly I'd rather kiss Joe Frazier.
Posted by: Jeff | February 17, 2009 3:28 PM
Rupert, what about Grady? I think that's a good approximation.
Posted by: Jeff | February 17, 2009 3:38 PM
No Jeff, I think yo man Michael Steele looks like Grady.
Posted by: rupert | February 17, 2009 6:07 PM