Poodles

Greg Staples thinks the British press is incredibly bold.

Q Mr. President, first. The Prime Minister is sometimes, perhaps unfairly, characterized in Britain as your "poodle." I was wondering if that's the way you may see your relationship? And perhaps, more seriously, do you feel for the --".

Here is a questioner calling the Prime Minister of the UK a poodle to his face.

Indeed. I wonder where they get it? Bush's answer;

"PRESIDENT BUSH: The Prime Minister made the decision he did because he wanted to do his duty to secure the people of Great Britain. That's why he made the decision. Plenty capable of making his own mind. He's a strong, capable man. I admire him a lot. You know why? When he tells you something, he means it. You spend much time with politics, you'll know there's some people around this part of the -- this kind of line of work where they tell you something, they don't mean it..."

A Bushian slip, that. Whoever could he be thinking of?

Times Online

JACQUES CHIRAC dealt a blow to Tony Blair's attempt to heal the wounds between the US and Europe last night by saying that the Prime Minister had won nothing for supporting the war against Iraq.

[...]

M Chirac, speaking to British journalists, including The Times, soon after General Powell's announcement, revealed that he had urged Mr Blair to demand the relaunch of the Middle East peace process in return for backing the war.

"Well, Britain gave its support but I did not see anything in return. I'm not sure it is in the nature of our American friends at the moment to return favours systematically."

[...]

M Chirac, whose visit to Britain concludes the Entente Cordiale anniversary celebrations, said: "I am not sure, with America as it is these days, that it would be easy for someone, even the British, to be an honest broker."

Go, Norm Coleman, go. Time to return the favour.

Posted by Kate at November 16, 2004 12:07 PM