George W. Bush was in France this weekend chatting up former mortal enemy of freedom Jacques Chirac. During the press conference that followed a French journalist and Bush had the following exchange:

Q Thank you, sir. I would have a question for Mr. Bush. Once, President Kennedy said, “Everyone has two countries, their own, and France.” And why is it that your policy tends to be pushing your country and France to divorce?

Second point, some in public opinion have accused you of state terrorism, and do you not believe that what has happened in Abu Ghraib has put you in the same basket, as it were, of Saddam Hussein, especially in the eyes of an international tribunal, and especially in light of the unfound weapons of mass destruction?

PRESIDENT BUSH: To paraphrase President Kennedy, there’s America, and then there’s Texas.
We have great relations with France.

video

First- can this be considered a paraphrase? Really? “Everyone has two countries, their own and France” vs “There’s America, and then there’s Texas?” Really? Okay- so maybe Bush was paraphrasing another quote from Kennedy- well… I couldn’t find it in Google. If someone can point me to such a quote I know I’d feel a tiny bit better knowing that Bush has the mental capacity to pull an obscure quote from a previous President.

So- the other question I have- does this guy realize he’s in another country? Does he realize that bashing America while in Paris might not go over as well as it does back on the ranch? Does he even realize he’s in Paris? Has he been told directly that he’s not at the ranch?

The transcript really doesn’t do it justice- check out the brutal silence that follows Bush’s lame Texas line.

Doesn’t this little exchange just sum it all up? Kennedy was quoting Jefferson who was saying, “We’re all together in this,” Bush is just sqawking, “Don’t mess with Texas.”

Damn I miss having a competent President.