Huff Po: The "surly" sit-down strike by Laura Bush at the King funeral

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

Reading The Pictures: Laura's "Sit Down Strike" For Coretta King

Michael Shaw

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-shaw/reading-the-pictures-em_b_15299.html















And you thought, never in her life has the First Lady gotten even close to a "sit in." Because the mannequin-like Laura has worked plenty hard cultivating a facade of grace and propriety, people don't customarily think of her as surly. Still, it's completely typical for Mrs. Bush to display her thin skin in the rare instance anyone manages to confront her. Otherwise, the attitude finds every chance to express itself in more physical or passive-aggressive ways.

Take her behavior at yesterday's Coretta Scott King funeral, for example. This sequence of frames comes right at the end of Joseph Lowery's lyrical, elegant and, yes, blistering eulogy taking Bush America to task.

Whether out of adrenaline, good coaching, or the knowledge that today was about just taking one on the chin, Dubya (frames 1 -3) jumped to his feet, applauding vigorously. In frame 4, you see the other dignitaries also standing in concert with the audience. Given the rate at which people react -- and we also register and interpret these kinds of social behaviors -- the proper Laura should have been on her feet with the others by frame 5. By frame 6, however, she is still planted -- although GW has already had time to turn and offer a bear hug to the Reverend. Ever the expert in appearances, let's just assume Laura knew exactly how long to remain parked without it turning up in the morning papers.

Still, we missed out yesterday on the chance to watch Laura in action on the same stage as Barbara Bush -- a woman with whom she bears more comparison than is ever earned. Too bad. Here was an occasion featuring four living Presidents and First Ladies, but The First Mom -- ever a friend to "those people" --didn't even bother to show up.

[Erika]

1. She shattered her "nice" and "calm" image.

She was probably the biggest loser of the day.

[fortyfeetunder]

2. I thought Barb Bush should have been there

she had to know Hillary and Rosalyn would be there, along with her daughter in law.

Granted Pres. Ford is probably too frail to travel, had he been in better health, both he and Betty would have been there.

[Skittles]

7. f*** that f***ing old hag

she made the right decision not showing her hideous mug at that funeral and she should have advised her incompetent piece of SHIT son to do the same

[leftstreet]

3. How could any of us know what Laura is thinking?

Your husband is not exactly "bright."
Your husband is a puppet, manipulated by a crime syndicate.
Your husband is expected to give speeches as "cover" for what the syndicate is doing.
Your husband, and by extension you, will leave a shameful Presidential legacy, rivaled only by that (in recent times) of Richard Nixon.

I doubt she signed up for all that when she married the poor dumbfucker. And I doubt any of us could claim to know what she is thinking.

[saracat]

4. Just look at her face! Maybe you can't guess what she is thinking

but I thinl it is obvious! And exacrly what "did" she sign up for? George isn't all that attractive to anyone with any depth and I don't think she is stupid so...?

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

5. Well, she is definitely a part of a shameful legacy.

Sad or not, "fair" or not, she is.

I remember reading an interview with her during Junior's first term in which she looked forward to the day when they'd retire from it all, safe within the confines of a nice, cozy, uptown Texas mansion. No fake "ranch"...no pig farm.

She most certainly NOT put in an enviable situation yesterday, cameras trained on her as the Reverend delivered his speech.

That said, she conducted herself rather poorly. In a relatively short time it will be forgotten as we get back to the reality of Iraq, Abramoff, DeLay, Rove, Frist, and an economy that sucks for all but Bush's beloved "base."

[leftstreet]

9. Well said. An economy that "sucks" is more important than Laura

and/or an analysis of her manners.

[madrchsod]

6. check out this

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/michael-shaw/reading-the-pictures-em_b_15299.html
The Blog | Michael Shaw: Reading The Pictures: <em>Laura's "Sit Down Strike" For Coretta King</em> | The Huffington Post

http://www.bagnewsnotes.com/
BAGnewsNotes

michael shaw has an interesting website.

[caligirl]

8. Angry Laura, Ken Mehlman eat your words.

[zann725]

14. Non-verbal body language has BOTH her arms and legs "closed/crossed."

By crossing her arms like that, she's blocking her heart "chakra." (No "news" there.) Then of course there's the scowl...which I guess is as close as she could get to a mourning 'posture.' Probably had to practice that one all night in the mirror. Pickles obviously out-of-her 'element' here...as much as Cheney at Auschwitz last year. Scowl and postures sort of similar?

[Dunvegan]

10. Hasn't it been reported that the "fragile" Bush...

...requires strong women at his right hand 24/7 to continually coo and applaud...but, more importantly, denegrate his enemies for him?

His mother Babs (that Nixon said taught him how to hate), Pickles, Condi...and several others.

They have to stand up for him.

I blame *itch Babs...for a LOT, acutally.

[flordehinojos]

11. she's just as much of a bastard as her pissy pants husband is.

[Panda1]

12. Or maybe she was confused...

...by all that genuine applause. Bar was still tuckered out from her charity visit to the "underprivileged" at the Houston Astrodome

[xchrom]

13. laura is every bit the ugly fascist partisan her husband is.

[Totally Committed]

15. Look at thar Body Language!

Speaks volumes. Anyone who thinks she is the "benevolent" or "sweet" spousal unit to that madman needs only to see that pic!

TC

[calimary]

16. Rawther imperious-looking, don't you think? Nice glower, laura dear.

What a sour face! Such a closed, unapproachable posture. The post above (from zann725) about her crossed arms and legs is a basic "keep out" pose. Matching the imperial mansion with its heavy security and guarded gates behind which she takes cover. With her baboon of a husband.

This photo should be a warning to us all: PROOF POSITIVE that, as you age, you get the face you deserve.

[blue in ohio]

17. Stepford Wife.

That is the most emotion I've ever seen from that Stepford wife of his.

[Fire Walk With Me]

18. Though bubble: "Oh yeah? Oh yeah? We're gonna get you one day."

It seems to me, that's only my opinion.

Didn't Bush 1 speak out against King's hopes, back in the 60s?

This is some chilly shit. I side with the African-Americans, and giants like the King family.

[guidod]

19. How would you like

to wake with that witch on your right arm?

[Frank Cannon]

20. I'd chew my arm off

in order to get out of there without waking her up.

[guidod]

23. Very good, right answer! LOL

[AzDar]

21. Bush looks soooo UN-presidential. I honestly think he is like a

retarded child; jumping up and clapping because every one else does...he doesn't have the ability to understand that they are applauding because someone is actually able to offer the truth ABOUT him, IN FRONT of him.
But Laura knows, and boy...is she pissed. Someone dared to sully her ears with the TRUTH about the primate she married. How quickly the facade of graciousness slips away.... LOL.

[Bridget Burke]

22. She was channeling the Mother In Law from Hell...

Big Bar had a previous engagement, but managed to let her influence be felt.