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Ultimate Snub Fest: World Leaders Refuse to Shake Bush's Hand During G20 Photo-Op

Posted by Ryan Powers, Think Progress at 8:50 AM on November 20, 2008.


CNN's Sanchez compares Bush to the most unpopular kid in high school.

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CNN’s Rick Sanchez highlighted yesterday that during last weekend’s G20 Economic Summit, leaders from around the world refused to acknowledge or shake hands with President Bush as they walked on stage for a photo-op. As Sanchez explained, everyone was “greeting each other and shaking hands, but Bush walks with his head down like the dejected most unpopular kid in high school.”

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Tagged as: leaders, geoge bush, rick sanchez, photo-op

Ryan Powers is a former intern of the Center for American Progress and a senior at the College of William and Mary.


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OH, HOW SAD!!!
Posted by: sirios on Nov 20, 2008 9:18 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It appeared that Bush was withholding his hand,more so than being snubbed. Probably an act of passive aggression. At any rate it sent waves of vindictive joy through my body!

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He's lucky
Posted by: sliver on Nov 20, 2008 9:31 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The other leaders were probably wishing that they could kick him in the balls. Hard.

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» RE: He's lucky Posted by: willymack
America's disgrace
Posted by: weathered on Nov 20, 2008 9:47 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
again, 'show me who you walk with and I'll tell you what you are...'

As long as AIPAC bribes and threatens Congress and MSM paints a lovely picture, we'll slide right along w/Israel into a dark, draconian hole.

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» your anti-semitism Posted by: hotar
» RE: your anti-GENTILISM Posted by: barefeet
» What I mean is... Posted by: pelican beak
Bush odd man out
Posted by: RobNLA on Nov 20, 2008 9:51 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Looks like the world leaders can't wait for Bush to be gone. It's not just in the US where he has a low approval rating.

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If only...
Posted by: Xynyx on Nov 20, 2008 12:20 PM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
If only he had died, choking on that pretzel...

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» RE: If only... Posted by: weathered
» RE: If only... Posted by: aislinnluv
» RE: If only... Posted by: Sedona96
I hope that bastard goes home...
Posted by: pelican beak on Nov 20, 2008 1:35 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
... shrivels up and flies away.

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» RE: I hope that bastard goes home... Posted by: Kitty Lady Oregon
The snub comes from GWB
Posted by: drmeow on Nov 20, 2008 1:42 PM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
not the G20 members. Bush makes no eye contact and makes no attempt to shake anyone's hand. Had he made eye contact or actually put his hand out and they had refused to shake his hand, that would be a snub from them. Had one of those other leaders tried to shake his hand given the way he was moving it would have been very awkward. They would probably have had to touch him on the shoulder to get his attention first given that he was essentially looking at the floor.

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» Who's to say? Posted by: pelican beak
» RE: The snub comes from GWB Posted by: Old Skeptic
» Look again Posted by: improperly_sedated
Pouting!
Posted by: bobtr900 on Nov 20, 2008 6:23 PM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Bush does not want to make eye contact. He knows his Republican conservative strategy for the U.S. has brought the world economy down as well. The world leaders are fully aware of the failure of the repub-conservative economic strategy. So he is pouting, he is having a temper tantrum, he is having a hissy fit. He can't have the world or the U.S his way so he is pouting.

Trickle down economics does not work. The repub-conservatives cannot rob the middle class and the lower socioeconomic class and expect the economy to function. They ARE the engine that drives our economy to greater prosperity. Kill them and our economy is dead also. Only trickle up economics works.

The economy functions due to the movement of dollars, the flow of dollars. Who moves dollars more than the lower and middle socioeconomic classes. They do that by spending money, that is what causes dollars to flow, to move.

The repub-conservative economic wisdom is actually stupidity. But they refuse to admit that and will likely continue on with their blindness. They likely will continue living in their bubble, their mindset and pretend that all of this current economic tragedy is everyone elses fault, not theirs.

I don't see that they will ever learn.

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» RE: Pouting! Posted by: Ray Duray
Google results?
Posted by: Artaraxl on Nov 21, 2008 3:29 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Just for fun, I Googled "Sanchez" and "douchebag" together. Apparently, he ain't fairing so well either!

Amusing video, though.

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DWIGHT BAKER
Posted by: DWIGHT BAKER on Nov 21, 2008 4:45 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
WE THE PEOPLE HAVE NOT SEEN THE WORSE TO COME ABOUT FOR THE BUSH BUNCH OF MISFITS.

Many Nations have taken the hit too, just like us living here.

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» RE: DWIGHT BAKER Posted by: luzmejor
Dejected
Posted by: ptoddchesser on Nov 21, 2008 6:48 AM   
Current rating: 4    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Bush looks more dejected than rejected. Maybe, just maybe it has sunk into his small head that his past behavior has not only been unacceptable but now the leaders of the other nations don't feel they have to cowtow to him and can show him the derision he so justly deserves.
If this idiot had really been concerned about his "legacy" he wouldn't have done everytning in his power to fuck up America's standing in the world. At this very moment he is still trying to do all he can to lay waste to the environment and endangered species with more asinine signing statements.
Personally I think this peon deserves to be dragged outside and have his ass kicked up one side of the street and down the other.

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He does have cooties
Posted by: Grandma Crabby on Nov 21, 2008 7:00 AM   
Current rating: 3    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I agree with the posters who said it looked like the initial snub came from George himself, not the other leaders.

In either case, everyone looked happy to snub him.

George, you are now officially the turd in the punch bowl. Will Barney still talk to you?

That video is a good symbol for his entire eight year reign.

Granny's crazy videos = Go get a chuckle!

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A Few Years Ago on National UK TV News This Girl Refused To Shake Tony Blair's Hand...
Posted by: opmoc on Nov 21, 2008 11:33 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
She said "Your hand is dripping with blood. You are Directly Responsible For The Death of Millions of Innocent People"

"You want ME to shake your hand?"

Tony

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Dogs
Posted by: penobscotdziekuje@yahoo.com on Nov 21, 2008 11:50 AM   
Current rating: 2    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
"...And after awhile, you can work on points for style, like the club tie, firm handshake..." -Pink Floyd, "Dogs"

That was a hilarious sight to see. It was like a "Saturday Night Live" skit. All comical analogies aside, their gesture was the ultimate "F$%& You" to Bush. No dog dared to sniff his butt as dogs are want to do.
Bush is as popular as grape-flavored Kool-Aid in Guyana. The world's top dogs know he urinated all over the world and his bark and bite was the loudest and most vicious in recent world history. They shook their heads at the unsavory scent of Bush in their midst.
Now arriving at this summit with a meekly bowed head and with his tail bewteen his legs he cannot roam with the other dogs in the kennel.
He is an outcast-a mongrel no longer recognizable, unwanted and unloved by the public who would rather see him go astray rather see him parade around the lot like he used to. They would like to chase him away. He has no place in that summit.
Dogs are funny.

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BUSCH COULDN'T CARE LESS
Posted by: Noor on Nov 23, 2008 7:51 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
The pretzel comment is brilliant.

Busch knows he is toast. He could not care, in his supreme arrogance, if his hand were shaken or not. He has done what he was put in power to do, create chaos and thoroughly wreck the entire world and fast forward the disintegration of American society.

Made a lot of money doing it too.

Perhaps he was lost in thought on what else he could do to wreck the world in his last months before leaving office. People in Oregon, for example, and the rest of the world, stand to lose the last stands of old growth forests, animals lose status, etc etc before those arse wipes leave. He doesn't care. The man has no conscience. None of them do. He is just the face of a hideous movement to control the planet by the NWO folks.

(Many of whom now work with Obummer but that is another story for another time).

The Busch family is not out of the White House. Poppa Busch has been controlling your government for 30 years and you know he will still be around even if behind the scenes. The half wit son? Who knows? If ever we needed a John Wilkes Booth it was 8 years ago!

"amusing" someone said in comments. This person is almost as warped as Busch to go on the offensive as he did. But then, ain't that the Busch way?

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Purest Schadenfreude Ever!
Posted by: improperly_sedated on Nov 23, 2008 12:16 PM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I can't remember a time when I have taken joy in the suffering of another human being without even a glimmer of guilt. Before now. I keep watching this thing over and over. That's right Georgie boy, everybody hates you.

To those of you who say the snub is coming from Bush: I think you need to watch this a few more times. Notice how their heads turn as he walks by. They are refusing to look at him.

That fourth guy (José Manuel Durão Barroso, President of the European Commission and former Portugese Prime Minister) can't quite do it gracefully. He looks to the right, the left, the right again, until he is visibly relieved that Bush is no longer in front of him.

Then comes Gordon Brown, who does look at him, and seems to say something, but keeps his hands carefully folded in a clear show of "I acknowledge your presence, but will not shake your hand."

Then Bush shrinks and looks at his feet as he walks by Angela Merkel (you know, the German Chancellor he copped a feel on back when he was riding high and making a play for the First Emperor of Earth title.)

Finally, he comes to rest in front of the Spanish Prime Minister, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, Socialist, who rode the anti Bush backlash to power. He also doesn't look at him, but appears to smirk and start talking, without looking in any particular direction, just as Bush takes his place.

All in all, a perfect illustration of a man shunned, reviled and ridiculed by his peers. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

I think I'll watch that again!

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Merkel
Posted by: DeaconJ on Nov 24, 2008 4:18 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
His body language shows he has no respect for anyone there and wants only to shake hands with Merkel. When he gets to her they make brief eye contact and then she eagerly shakes the hand of the guy behind him. Bush then looks down to the ground after this crushing rejection. He thought he would get approval from Germany after all the good work his grandfather Prescott Bush did for them back in WW2.

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Dennydedriver
Posted by: Dennydedriver on Nov 24, 2008 11:38 AM   
Current rating: 1    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
At first glance you see what looks to be a snub. And Rich Sanchez, he's a real putz, always wants to degrade the President. However, what you see is a protocol welcoming!
Bush is the Center of the group. Being the principal "ALREADY INTRODUCED" and "ALREADY" GREETED, the rest are welcoming the other participants. This is not a snub! Watch the faces and each participant already knows (President Bush) is already honored! Now the rest follow!!!
The hate you retain, the blame you wish to throw needs to be at your own image for being so small and vicious towards your own country!

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