BEIJING (Reuters) - Irked by a reporter who told him he seemed to be "off his game" at a Beijing public appearance, President George W. Bush sought to make a hasty exit from a news conference but was thwarted by locked doors.
At the end of a day of meetings with Chinese President Hu Jintao and other Chinese officials, Bush held a session with a small group of U.S. reporters and spoke at length about issues like religious freedom, Iraq and the Chinese currency.
The final reporter he called on critiqued Bush's performance earlier in the day when he stood next to Hu in the Great Hall of the People on Tiananmen Square to deliver a statement.
"Respectfully, sir -- you know we're always respectful -- in your statement this morning with President Hu, you seemed a little off your game, you seemed to hurry through your statement. There was a lack of enthusiasm. Was something bothering you?" he asked.
"Have you ever heard of jet lag?" Bush responded. "Well, good. That answers your question."
The president then recited a list of things of that he viewed as positive developments from his Beijing meetings, including co-operation on North Korean nuclear disarmament and the ability to have "frank discussions" with his Chinese counterpart.
When the reporter asked for "a very quick follow-up", Bush cut him off by thanking the press corps and telling the reporter "No you may not," as he strode towards a set of double doors leading out of the room.
The only problem was that they were locked.
"I was trying to escape. Obviously, it didn't work," Bush quipped, facing reporters again until an aide rescued him by pointing to him towards the correct door.
No, it's *not* the Onion. That picture is genuine.
*shrugs* The picture is very amusing, but I don't see it as any type of shock worthy news. Everyone has their moments. When in the public eye, obviously yours will be caught occasionally.
Genuine loser.... -nods head-
Why do we trust this guy with war again? ... I'm pretty sure that if you have an oopsie like that, in war, we get screwed....
He is my soldier, the love of my life and one day I will be a proud army wife
If he should be called to duty I will wait for him standing tall, for he is my soldier, my hero, after all.
Bush is no dumber nor makes more of these mistakes than past presidents. It's just the media hates him so it gets reported at a greater frequency. Thank the internet and the break down of certain rules of tact in the media.
According to studies done on the Presidents since Kennedy, Bush is about middle of the road for these sort of gaffes with Ford making more physical and Carter more verable.
Actually he covered for it rather well "I was trying to escape" is clever and rather funny
"Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution."
- Theodosius Dobzhansky
There is no word harsh enough for this. No verbal edge sharp and cold enough to set forth the flaying needed. English is to young and the elder languages of the earth beyond me. ~Frigid
The Holocaust was an Amazing Logistical Achievement~Havoc
Da, in the NY Times (I don't have a link atm) they had a photo sequence of the events in question-- apparently he pulled that face on purpose, mugging for the camera when the door didn't open, and cracked that joke and moved on.
