I have mixed feelings about [tag]Bush[/tag] meeting today with the finalists from the [tag]American Idol[/tag] competition. All presidents have had social calls for public relations purposes, whether it’s entertainers or athletes, so it’s hard to begrudge Bush for hosting a little event with some amateur singers. Tony Snow said it’s going to be “a very, very quick event” at the [tag]White House[/tag] and that’s probably true.
On the other hand, these substance-free gatherings are not only inconsistent with recent events (“Doesn’t he have better things to do with his time?” is the common response), they’re also part of a pattern with this president.
Visiting with the most recent stars of the Fox TV show is the latest example of Bush being a [tag]regular guy[/tag], exuding a down-home style that has been both a blessing and curse to the president.
His aides say Bush likes to show a lighter side, taking the edge off weighty matters that come with his job. Some critics, though, say some of these moments demonstrate a lack of seriousness.
I’m fine with a president using some personal charm or a relaxed attitude; personality can be just as much a diplomatic tool as anything else. But Bush’s “down-home style” isn’t an effective leadership trait; it’s just kind of embarrassing.
Consider the last couple of weeks.
* During a trip to Germany, when reporters asked about the standoff in Iran, violence in the Middle East, and flagging democracy in Russia, Bush responded with jokes about how much he was looking forward to eating a pig for dinner.
* During the G8 conference, Bush got a little too familiar with German Chancellor Angela Merkel.
* At the same gathering, the president showed his deft touch and keen understanding for diplomacy by complaining about how long some world leaders talk, addressing British Prime Minister Tony Blair with “Yo, Blair,” and offering an inexplicable look at the Middle East by saying, “See the irony is that what they need to do is get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit and it’s over.”
Is this a president being a “regular guy,” exuding a “down-home style”? Probably. Is it what the United States needs in a leader right now? Almost certainly not.
I’ll gladly concede that Bush has a relaxed style, just like a guy in a bar, but when the circumstances call for formality, the president is lost. The same guy who meets with [tag]Taylor Hicks[/tag] is the same guy who rubs Angela Merkel’s shoulders without invitation.
Wayne Fields, director of American culture studies at Washington University in St. Louis, said these moments help Bush relate to average Americans.
“The problem,” he added, “is that in times of real crisis, people begin to think maybe you need somebody who is extraordinary.”
Some are born great, some achieve greatness, others have greatness thrust upon them — and others still are faced with circumstances that demand greatness, but fail miserably.
