Our Valiant Leader
To lighten things a bit, I share with you some of the dialogue heard on the German, state-run television station ARD during the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games. In the long parade featuring every country imaginable, I can imagine that the commentary could seem thin, lots of dead air needed filled, a responsibility shared by a man and woman team of announcers. At times, the shots of the parade would cut away to a map outlining the whereabouts of whatever remote island chain with more than 5,000 citizens was currently walking past. The coverage showed everything from the several bands that played during the athletes’ march, to the portion of the stands where presidents and kings would stand as their team entered, waving and wishing them luck, to endless shots of the athletes walking through color and onto a large sheet becoming progressively more rainbow-colored.
When the team from Guam came through, though, this came over ARD:
Woman: “And here we see the team from the territory of Guam. You will never guess who the head of state of this small island is...”
Man: “I honestly have no idea.”
The screen splits to show an obviously uninterested G.W. Bush, his jacket off, slouching in his seat, talking idly with Laura, perhaps dreaming of drinking a Bud on the ranch in Crawford.
Woman: “Geroge W. Bush. The territory is a protectorate of the United States of America.”
Man: “Oh... Does he know that?”
I literally fell out of my seat laughing.
posted by He sings @ 11:18 PM
2 Comments:
That story is hilarious...but no comment yet on the Georgia-Russia crisis? Seriously, do the Europeans not consider this a crisis? This could get really ugly...and fast. This conflict could easily spiral out of control, and this is where Bush's horrendous mistakes play such a detrimental role in what could have ended diplomatically. What integrity does he have now when he tells Russia to lay off and retreat? He has none because he is a hypocrite, invading Iraq without world support.
Tsk, tsk. Actually, the commentators also had it wrong as well. Guam is not a protectorate. The United States does not have any "protectorates". Instead, Guam is an unincorporated, organized territory of the United States as established by the Guam Organic Act of 1950 (48 USC 1421 et. seq, as amended). Obscure factoids about Guam;
- Guam will have delegations at both the Republican and Democratic Conventions (even though residents have no Presidential vote)
- Just west of the International Date Line, Guam is where America "begins its day"
- Guam has a non-voting delegate in the US House of Representatives. Under current House rules, this delegate is assigned to House committees, enjoys voting privileges in all assigned committees and in the "committee of the whole", may introduce and co-sponsor legislation, has full floor and debate privileges and is afforded all of the rights of another member - except the right to floor vote on the passgae of legislation or amendments thereto.
- sending a letter to Guam is considered domestic mail. A 42 cent stamp is adequate to the task.
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