The Dumb Leading the Blind

These and the multitude of similar instances would be funny if they weren't so damn common with W.


From HfA

Bush puts foot in his mouth, again

First, it was President Bush saying to a man in a wheelchair, "You look mighty comfortable." Today, there was this exchange at a presidential press conference:

THE PRESIDENT: Yes, Peter [Wallsten, Los Angeles Times]. Are you going to ask that question with shades on?

Q: I can take them off.

THE PRESIDENT: I'm interested in the shade look, seriously.

Q: All right, I'll keep it, then.

THE PRESIDENT: For the viewers, there's no sun. (Laughter.)

Q: I guess it depends on your perspective. (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT: Touché. (Laughter.)

It should be noted that Peter Wallsten is legally blind.

If his past is any indication, Bush has problems recognizing the blind. Blind celebrities, even:

Here's a vignette we're dying to see on the ABC broadcast of Sunday's Ford's Theatre Presidential Gala: When Stevie Wonder sat down at the keyboard center stage, President Bush in the front row got very excited. He smiled and started waving at Wonder, who understandably did not respond. After a moment Bush realized his mistake and slowly dropped the errant hand back to his lap. "I know I shouldn't have," a witness told us yesterday, "but I started laughing."