Friday, January 9, 2009

That Little Voice

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By now we all know that President Bush gathered our only living former Presidents to the White House for lunch with in-coming president-elect Obama this past Monday. There was a brief "live" moment recorded on video (seen below), but for the most part all we have is a photo-op of this rare occasion that may not happen again with this many presidents for many decades. (The sad truth is: the next time we see four of them together will likely be at one of their funerals.)

So here are some observations--just for fun. First, let's look at postures. Based on every text book I've ever used in a speech class, Jimmy Carter is modeling the best "speaking stance" of all five men with his outside ankles plumb with his hips. [Technically speaking: Bush 41 is too relaxed with hands in pants; Obama is in what they call the "fig leaf" position; Bush 43 is rolling his ankle like an "awe shucks" nervous kid during show and tell; and Bill Clinton is in second-best form. Below the waist, he is at attention (in both military and Oscar statuette standards) and above the waist he is "at ease" with hands behind his back--not bad for a non-military man.]

Second, let's look at facial expression (in this split-second of time). I think Obama looks most comfortable, followed closely by President Bush in the center. The other three look slightly out of place and time.

Don't you wish you could hear the little voices in their heads. You know what I mean... that inner dialogue you have when you are in a totally unique one-of-a-kind moment and your wife is not there to whisper social etiquette suggestions in your ear. Men will never admit it, but we need that sweet whisper (or gentle kick under the table) when we are in public moments like this. Otherwise we may slip and say the wrong thing like Clinton did.

When most of the cameras had been turned off, Mr. Clinton was caught looking at Mr. Bush, then the floor, then Mr. Bush again. Very somberly, in his broken way, he said: "I ... love ... this ... rug."

I wish that exchange were on video so we could see if the other four men had the same "double-take" cough moment that hit me when I learned that Bill Clinton made a comment about the carpet in what looks to be the oval office (where a similar carpet in 1998 was searched for DNA samples). I can assure you that if Hillary had been there--that little voice would have stopped him from smiling in any direction in that room. That's how "that little voice" works.

It's that little voice that would tell OJ not to make TV infomercials for cutlery.... It's that little voice that would tell Michael Jackson that he should not sign up to be a Big Brother or Big Sister; it's that little voice that tells Senator Larry Criag to refrain from tapping his foot at a square dance. Don't you think that little voice in Bill Clinton's head should have told him that he, of all people, should note make comments about the carpet in that part of the White House?

Enough about that little voice. Here's all we actually have on tape:


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6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Didn't you also find it odd that "Jimmy" stood a bit apart from the rest? I caught that while viewing the photo-op on the news! Bill's smile always looks a bit fake to me as well. I still really like my present President...and his dad too.

Now back to watch your video!!
WSL

patronus incognitus said...

It was Carter who was most separated in time as well because Reagan who would have been between him and Bush 41 was older than all of them and did not live long enough to be part of such a photo.

Whenever you watch the father and son (Bush 41 and 43), there is clearly a lot of affection there. I really do hate to be morose, but it will be a sad day when he speaks at this father's funeral.

Anonymous said...

The Bush family....I feel like I'd LOVE to be a personal friend of theirs. Really!! I read one of Barbara Bush's books and you just had to love her. She's very down to earth AND her humor transcends through the pages!! I think George W. has inherited that humor. They're a lovely family! I agree with you last statement. I still think "W" will go down as a great President in the history books...but probably posthumously.

patronus incognitus said...

I think I've mentioned at POI that I've had the honor of meeting both Bushes (but that may have been before we met at POI). I'll include links about in the future.

I hope to write an open letter to President Bush here before inauguration.

I think one of our president's greatest accomplishments is preventing an attack on our soil since 9-11-01. I recorded an interview with Brit Hume on Fox today. Haven't watched it yet.

In case you haven't heard... I think you are going to get some heavy snow in Wisconsin tomorrow and we'll get it a few hours after you. We got about 6 inches of "lake effect" snow today. Very fluffy, but what's coming will be heavier.

Patsy said...

I am so very glad that I found this blog of yours. I had clicked onto your other blog and in it, you mentioned this blog, and here I flew.

You say it so well and I agree with everything down to the punctuation. No qualifiers. I agree with you

I see that you do not like to mix politics with the personal. I don't mind doing so, but I find that I have so much to say in both arenas that I decided to have a personal blog and ended up with two political blogs plus one blog on my new venture: Electric Guitar.

If you visit any of my blogs, I suggest you not visit the personal one, considering what I read of you in your other blog.

About George W. Bush: I have always liked and respected him. He was the right man for the time and it was his instinct that called 9-11 as a terrorist rather than a criminal act. I cannot imagine what Al Gore would have done, but I doubt that he would have had the stomach for a fight.

We needed George W. Bush more than we realized and some are far too quick to forget.

Some also do not realize that wars do not go according to plan; they are fought in reaction to incidents. For that reason, I do not see Iraq as a mistake. I hope that it becomes a democracy of its own creation and kind and I know that history will be kind to George W. Bush.

In Ronald Reagan's time there was a goodly segment of the population that hated him, yet see how he has been evaluated over time. This is how it will be for Mr. Bush.

-Lorna

patronus incognitus said...

Lorna,
So happy to meet you and that you found PI of interest. Yes, I was trying to do both on one blog through the primaries and it just didn't work well. I think about half of the POI readers were turned off by the opinions expressed in the archives here. That's okay. I understand. I love to read and listen to Garrison Kealor (Lake Wobegone), but once he starts talking liberal politics--ugh! I wonder who someone who appeals to me at one level is so opposite from me at another. So I guess it's kind of like that.

Come back often. Enjoy the archives. =)

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