President Bush: "I'm the Decider -- and Nancy Pelosi is the Cootie Girl."
Earlier today, President Bush defended Donald Rumsfeld in the following terms : "I hear the voices and I read the front page and I hear the speculation. But I'm the decider, and I decide what's best. And what's best is for Don Rumsfeld to remain as the secretary of defense."
We were struck by this curious turn of phrase: "I'm the decider." In the words of one correspondent: "Not sure I've ever heard an ADULT refer to themselves as the 'DECIDER' before."
We agree. The comment sounded childish to our ears -- a return of the "petulant kid" side of Bush's personality (which has been less in evidence since his reelection).
If President Bush wants to stick with this "jungle gym" approach to public communications, Tomato Nation has this helpful glossary of kidspeak. Reviewing it shows that many of the Administration's key initiatives can be explained and analyzed using playground terminology:
Eeny meeny miney moe: Where to strike next? Iran? North Korea?
Cooties: Jack Abramoff? Who's he?
Do overs: the liberation of Baghdad .
No backsies: support for a guest worker program.
The White House should seriously think about this communications strategy. It would make things a helluva lot easier on poor Scotty.
Bush Picks Trade Envoy as Budget Aide [NYT]
Bush Says 'All Options Are on the Table' With Iran [WP]
Greasy Kid Stuff [Tomato Nation]