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September 18, 2003
Getting Away from It All

I heard on NPR this afternoon that Shrub was given a detailed briefing on Hurricane Isabel this morning -- and decided to leave for his weekend at Camp David a day early.

Hey, any excuse is a good excuse for taking a day off, right?

Update 9/18 6:50 PM ET: My mistake: According to the evening news, Shrub left for Camp David last night. Something about a hot date with Jordan's King Abdullah. Whiskey Bar profoundly regrets the error.

Posted by billmon at September 18, 2003 04:42 PM
Comments

Hey, he just wants to be "out of harm's way"!

Posted by: Mal Hoenig at September 18, 2003 04:44 PM

I don't know; the weather at Camp David isn't likely to be all that good this weekend.

After a crappy weekend at Camp David, he may need a week of heavy pretzelin' at the ranch to get his head back together.

Posted by: Matt Davis at September 18, 2003 04:50 PM

Upon being warned that the severe winds would play havoc with his short iron game, he was forced to retreat to climes more amenable to his handicap.

Posted by: sidereal at September 18, 2003 04:52 PM

Has anyone tallied his vacation days and compared them to those of other presidents? He's got to own the record now, right?

Maybe Reagan's second term beats him. In any case, to take so much time away from the WH when our nation is at war and in an economic disaster is unconscionable.

Anyone have the stats?

Posted by: jd in nyc at September 18, 2003 04:55 PM

Not exactly what I was looking for, but a pretty good collection of damning facts nonetheless:

http://www.thousandreasons.net/resume.html

Posted by: jd in nyc at September 18, 2003 04:58 PM

Someone tallied the presidents vacation time and it is the most of any president - greater than 20% of his time. Papa Bush was second.

I think Bush misinterpreted the intelligence - he heard: massive, somethin' somethin' widespread destruction somethin' evacuation somethin' damage somethin' somethin' threat. The military said there was nothing they could do, that we were at the storm's mercy - so he decided to go AWOL.

Posted by: adrian at September 18, 2003 05:20 PM

He's probably tired out from clearing all that brush on his ranch for a month.

If we see Bush showing up at a school to read to children, look out everybody!

Posted by: TR at September 18, 2003 05:56 PM

If we believe MoDo from the summr and fall of 2000 election, he has a special pillow, too.

I rather think he heard vagaries and thought a protest movement was headed to DC.

During the early weeks of the war (pre mission accomplished) there was a tiny flap that he would go to Camp David, and we were dutifully informed it is a "Marine Installation".

A weak man likely dreams of marines. Clutching his special pillow.

Posted by: Marisacat at September 18, 2003 06:51 PM

Good thing he's got all those thousands of National Guard and Reserves on hand to help during this disaster! Oh... I forgot, they're out of town.

Posted by: the mama at September 18, 2003 07:03 PM

The special pillow is for real, marisacat! He calls it his "pilly" (seriously) ......

Posted by: Mal Hoenig at September 18, 2003 07:13 PM

Why is it I find myself actually believing you, Mal....
Damn, I almost choked on my pretzel!

Posted by: CJW at September 18, 2003 07:20 PM

he was forced to retreat to climes more amenable to his handicap.

His handicap is "intellectually challenged"

Posted by: Rambler American at September 18, 2003 08:38 PM

Sounds like our George, a man with time to nickname the pillow.

Reading, years ago, the long article in the New Yorker on the CBS Westmoreland trial, it was noted that Westmoreland, testifying, when asked his age, responded 72 and a half.

We have a problem in this country with child-men rising too high.

Posted by: Marisacat at September 18, 2003 10:08 PM