Bush Says Farewell At G8: "Goodbye From The World's Biggest Polluter" - Independent

[hatrack]

President George Bush signed off with a defiant farewell over his refusal to accept global climate change targets at his last G8 summit.

As he prepared to fly out from Japan, he told his fellow leaders: "Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter."

President Bush made the private joke in the summit's closing session, senior sources said yesterday. His remarks were taken as a two-fingered salute from the President from Texas who is wedded to the oil industry. He had given some ground at the summit by saying he would "seriously consider" a 50 per cent cut in carbon emissions by 2050.

But green groups had protested that the meeting was a missed opportunity to secure the radical reductions in carbon emissions that were needed to reduce global warming. China and India, who were among the emerging economies invited to the summit, refused to sign up to binding agreements without firmer commitments from the US and the other industrialised nations to cut their CO2 emissions.

EDIT

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/bush-to-g8-goodbye-from-the-worlds-biggest-polluter-863911.html

[gateley]

1. God I hate him. nt

[panAmerican]

2. No class! UGH!!!

[JaneQPublic]

3. His name may be "George," but he's as big a Dick as Cheney. (nt)

[leveymg]

4. The photo says it all

[Ganja Ninja]

5. Here's what he should have said:

"Good Bye from the worlds biggest Asshole!"

Thanks again to all you conservatives out there. You've made our country a laughingstock and the most hated nation on earth by putting this moron in charge.

[phantom power]

6. I feel like we're all living in an 8-year episode of The Office.

We're led by a man-child.

[hatrack]

7. Bush "punched the air and grinned widely" when he delivered his punchline - Telegraph

EDIT

The American leader, who has been condemned throughout his presidency for failing to tackle climate change, ended a private meeting with the words: "Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter."

He then punched the air while grinning widely, as the rest of those present including Gordon Brown and Nicolas Sarkozy looked on in shock.

Mr Bush, whose second and final term as President ends at the end of the year, then left the meeting at the Windsor Hotel in Hokkaido where the leaders of the world's richest nations had been discussing new targets to cut carbon emissions.

One official who witnessed the extraordinary scene said afterwards: "Everyone was very surprised that he was making a joke about America's record on pollution."

EDIT



http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/2277298/President-George-Bush-%5C'Goodbye-from-the-world%5C's-biggest-polluter%5C'.html

[XemaSab]

8. I am tempted to use words never seen before in E/E

Honestly, every time you think he can't go any lower...

[Dead_Parrot]

9. Lower than expected?

Hey ho. 6 months, 13 days, 9 hours, 2 minutes, and 33 seconds to go.

[XemaSab]

10. Somehow I am learning what it means to not have expectations...

If anyone needs me, I'll be in my samsara. :P

[kgrandia]

11. WTF?

Is he a leader or a bloody schoolboy?

[Nihil]

13. School was just another thing that he didn't waste his beautiful mind with.

As said upthread, just when you think he can't go any lower ...
:mad:

[usregimechange]

12. Is this real?

[Voice for Peace]

14. OK, I had to look up two-fingered salute even though I guessed what they meant.

(From Wikipedia)"It is frequently used to signify defiance (especially to authority), contempt or derision,<7> and is often accompanied by the phrases "up yours" or "fuck off"."