A little sunday humour

November 20, 2005 12:53 PM

Locked doors thwart escape. Irked by a reporter who told [Bush] he seemed to be "off his game" at a Beijing public appearance, President George W. Bush sought to make a hasty exit from a news conference but was thwarted by locked doors. The look on his face is priceless.
posted by SirOmega (90 comments total)

SirOmega, SirOmega. Why do you hate America? (Maybe he had to go to the bathroom. Really bad.)
posted by LeLiLo at 12:56 PM on November 20, 2005

"I was trying to escape. Obviously, it didn't work," Bush quipped, facing reporters again until an aide rescued him by pointing to him toward the correct door

Aha.

AHA.

AHAHAHAHAHAHA

*passes out*
posted by mr_crash_davis at 1:01 PM on November 20, 2005

Well, he must spend a lot of time in the bathroom lelilo, because he's flushing America down the toilet.
posted by banished at 1:01 PM on November 20, 2005

(Maybe he had to go to the bathroom. Really bad.)

did he ask permission first?
posted by mcsweetie at 1:03 PM on November 20, 2005

So much for Bush's exit stragegy.

BTW, check out George W shaking hands with a robotic Einstein.
posted by furtive at 1:05 PM on November 20, 2005

THESE DOORS TO REMAIN UNLOCKED DURING BUSINESS HOURS PRESIDENTIAL ESCAPE ATTEMPTS!
posted by edgeways at 1:05 PM on November 20, 2005

did he ask permission first?

No, because mama Condee wasn't there to hold his, uh, hand
posted by donfactor at 1:05 PM on November 20, 2005

Why do doors hate America?
posted by Dipsomaniac at 1:06 PM on November 20, 2005

Damn Chinese doors.
posted by carter at 1:08 PM on November 20, 2005

He was probably afraid to ask the aide for the correct door in the first place because we'd all assume he was asking for permission. So he rolled the dice and picked a door.
posted by scheptech at 1:10 PM on November 20, 2005

Duncan Hunter (R Bush) is already working on a resolution he can vote against providing backasswards support for the W in his hour of embarassment.
posted by wrapper at 1:10 PM on November 20, 2005

I think that his response to the question is a bit telling.

"Have you ever heard of jet lag? Well, good. That answers your question."

Maybe the reporter was being impertinent, but the president shouldn't act like a fifteen-year-old who has been up all night.
posted by Tullius at 1:18 PM on November 20, 2005

Ah, that's priceless. Not quite up there with Dad's puking on the Japanese prime minister, but getting close.

The Bush family: An American Legacy.
posted by teece at 1:21 PM on November 20, 2005

posted by mr_crash_davis at 1:21 PM on November 20, 2005

He he.

[However, I do give him points for honesty in admitting he was trying to escape. Now if he could be that honest with some more important matters....]
posted by caddis at 1:24 PM on November 20, 2005

It's planned...

I think it's a running joke between presidents to throw in a social faux-pax every visit.
posted by Balisong at 1:24 PM on November 20, 2005

---makes 'em more...human.
posted by Balisong at 1:29 PM on November 20, 2005

It had to happen sometime — things can't ALWAYS fo his way...

Now, if only he could return here to find a gorilla's head on Lincoln's shoulders down at the Memorial.

</semi-random>
posted by vhsiv at 1:30 PM on November 20, 2005

This is what happens when you don't have an exist strategy.
posted by docgonzo at 1:35 PM on November 20, 2005

why do these doors hate freedom?
posted by quarsan at 1:35 PM on November 20, 2005

Uh... that would be EXIT strategy.

/paging Dr. Freud...
posted by docgonzo at 1:35 PM on November 20, 2005

If someone finds a high res version of that photo, please post a link. That is begging for some sweet desktop action.
posted by MegoSteve at 1:36 PM on November 20, 2005

Listen to the laughter from the press in the video. Good times.
posted by Slack-a-gogo at 1:47 PM on November 20, 2005

"I was trying to escape. Obviously, it didn't work," Bush quipped, facing reporters again until an aide rescued him by pointing to him toward the correct door.

Three more years.
posted by Miko at 1:48 PM on November 20, 2005

uh, it's not that funny...
posted by delmoi at 1:49 PM on November 20, 2005

it's so pathetic it is funny, delmoi---look at this imbecile, and you can only laugh or cry.
posted by amberglow at 1:53 PM on November 20, 2005

uh, it's not that funny...

I'd say it's more scary than funny. The most powerful man in the world is Mr Magoo.
posted by octothorpe at 1:54 PM on November 20, 2005

"I was trying to escape."

...from every future press conference you'll ever have.
posted by hoborg at 2:02 PM on November 20, 2005

Audio link.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 2:05 PM on November 20, 2005

Uh, anyone care to note that the reporter's question was stupid?
posted by mediareport at 2:05 PM on November 20, 2005

Going on that picture, it looks like he was trying to escape from the giant red dalek standing just behind him. Which is understandable.
posted by flashboy at 2:10 PM on November 20, 2005

This is a dumb FPP.
posted by gyc at 2:16 PM on November 20, 2005

In some good news, al-Zarqawi may have blown himself up.
posted by caddis at 2:17 PM on November 20, 2005

This is a dumb FPP.

No, this is a great FPP.
posted by caddis at 2:17 PM on November 20, 2005

flashboy, my thoughts exactly.
'exterminate! exterminate!'

mediareport, it looks like you just did. congrats.

the video puts that idiotic face in context.
posted by Busithoth at 2:18 PM on November 20, 2005

oh, and caddis, isn't that the 8th 'number two man in al-qaeda' who would be declared dead? Not that I hope he escaped such a fate.
posted by Busithoth at 2:19 PM on November 20, 2005

I thought it was funny, but it also sounds like exactly what I would do.
posted by puke & cry at 2:20 PM on November 20, 2005 [1 favorite]

posted by ericb at 2:23 PM on November 20, 2005

i saw this live this morning (early riser here) and set my T-minus-fpp-countdown clock, which was surprisingly accurate.
posted by poppo at 2:28 PM on November 20, 2005

Maybe the reporter was being impertinent, but the president shouldn't act like a fifteen-year-old who has been up all night.

...even if he was up all night drinking?

Besides, the reporter had even prefaced the question with "respectfully sir...". The proper response is "I'm sorry, I'm jet lagged. Do you have another question?" The snide rhetorical snap is just fucking childish.
posted by RockCorpse at 2:36 PM on November 20, 2005

and he obviously hadn't come in thru those doors, so why think he could go out thru them? he's very stage-managed, and would have been rehearsed on how to enter and which podium to stand at.
posted by amberglow at 2:39 PM on November 20, 2005

This is hilarious. Though I"m not sure why you'd be inclined to take it very seriously ("scary"?). Laugh or cry? Well laugh, of course.
posted by Stauf at 2:53 PM on November 20, 2005

I don't think al-Zarqawi blew himself up. After all, we need him in Iraq so we can be fighting terror.
posted by j-urb at 2:53 PM on November 20, 2005

After all, we need him in Iraq so we can be fighting terror.
like we needed not to be caught when planting wmds?
posted by amberglow at 3:01 PM on November 20, 2005

WTF?!? I thought he would 'stay the course'. Why didn't break through those doors like a real president/super-hero? Wasn't Bush supposed to be 'strong'? What's going on? Seriously.
posted by Mr T at 3:03 PM on November 20, 2005

I can laugh at this because I, personally, have never tried going through a door that turned out to be locked.
posted by notmydesk at 3:03 PM on November 20, 2005

The "Stay the course" and "Exit strategy" metaphors will keep the humor coming for awhile.

Now what I want is a photoshop contest and a flash game of this scene.
posted by anthill at 3:14 PM on November 20, 2005

He had DAMN WELL BETTER know which hallway has been cleared for His Holy Arival. You never know, there might have been terrorists behind that door.
Just what we need is an excuse to go to war with China oversomething stupid.
posted by Balisong at 3:16 PM on November 20, 2005

Eh. A human moment for the Preznit.
posted by darkstar at 3:19 PM on November 20, 2005

I mean, would you trade?

A President Cheney going to war with China, over the current situation?

That'd just be bad news.
posted by Balisong at 3:21 PM on November 20, 2005

I dislike President Bush at least as much as the next person, but I thought his reaction to the door not opening was pretty charming.

It reminds me of when Annette Bening tells off Michael Douglas in the Oval Office in An American President and then storms out through the wrong door. (At least she made it though the door, though.)
posted by kirkaracha at 3:26 PM on November 20, 2005

animated flipbook version
posted by amberglow at 3:28 PM on November 20, 2005

from the comments at atrios: gerald ford wants an apology from all of america right now and gerry has a point.
posted by amberglow at 3:31 PM on November 20, 2005

Oh the symbolism! Exit strategy. Priceless-you couldn't write this stuff.
posted by sacrilicious at 3:40 PM on November 20, 2005

other thwarted exit maneuver
posted by rodney stewart at 3:41 PM on November 20, 2005

Presidential bloopers pregnant with symbolism time soon evaporates.
posted by stbalbach at 3:42 PM on November 20, 2005

I, personally, have never tried going through a door that turned out to be locked.

liar
posted by caddis at 3:48 PM on November 20, 2005

Sorry, that should have been "liar, liar, pants on fire."
it just was not puerile enough the first time.
posted by caddis at 3:57 PM on November 20, 2005

Does anyone know which way he came in to the press conference? Was it through that door?
posted by betaray at 4:00 PM on November 20, 2005

I got nuthin.
posted by srboisvert at 4:01 PM on November 20, 2005

"'Have you ever heard of jet lag? Well, good. That answers your question.'"

Why would he have jet lag? He's been in Asia since Monday, and since that time seems to have moved mostly between Japan, South Korea and Beijing, which aren't in vastly different time zones.
posted by clevershark at 4:08 PM on November 20, 2005

Jet lag?!? Didn't he just fly in from South Korea?
posted by jmgorman at 4:12 PM on November 20, 2005

Balisong writes "A President Cheney going to war with China, over the current situation?"

China doesn't have nearly enough oil for Cheney to be interested in it.
posted by clevershark at 4:14 PM on November 20, 2005

I swear I hit preview.
posted by jmgorman at 4:14 PM on November 20, 2005

China doesn't have nearly enough oil for Cheney to be interested in it.
posted by clevershark at 4:14 PM PST on November 20 [!]

I seriously doubt that Cheney would be unintrested.

I'll arm wrestle you over it.
posted by Balisong at 4:22 PM on November 20, 2005

Homer Simpson the missionary:

Ak: We look forward to learning about the bible from you.
Homer: Here you go, knock yourself out.
Q'Toktok: We cannot read..
Homer: Ugh. Does the word "jet lag" mean anything to you people? JET... LAG!
posted by sacrilicious at 4:32 PM on November 20, 2005

clevershark & jmgorman:
The Preznit probably just doesn't know the actual meaning of the word jet-lag. It wouldn't be the first commonly known fact he didn't know.
He was probably just referring to being tired after the flight - flying economy class will do that to you.
Yeah... that's the ticket.
posted by bashos_frog at 4:37 PM on November 20, 2005

If Bush decides his exit strategy is to "cut and run", does that make him a coward too?
posted by sacrilicious at 4:42 PM on November 20, 2005

Democrats can learn a lot from this Chinese door.
posted by milquetoast at 4:58 PM on November 20, 2005

The sign says PUSH, George, PUSH.
posted by Toecutter at 5:42 PM on November 20, 2005

At least he didn't vomit on the prime minister of Japan.
posted by bingo at 5:52 PM on November 20, 2005

don't worry--we have 3 more years--he will.
posted by amberglow at 5:59 PM on November 20, 2005

It would have been funnier had it been unlocked, but a closet.
posted by lemonfridge at 6:29 PM on November 20, 2005

So he 'hides' inside the giant red dalek?
OK, Situation Normal (Defcon 3, Homeland security Guarded ; yellow, scared)
posted by Balisong at 6:35 PM on November 20, 2005

(man it's a good thing we don't stoop to the sort of wildly dismissive mockery and straws-grabbing of Other, Differently Political Website)
posted by cortex at 7:53 PM on November 20, 2005

the video is even better. (QT, via)
posted by bashos_frog at 8:01 PM on November 20, 2005

That made my day

and, Balisong, you cracked me up

I think it's a running joke between presidents to throw in a social faux-pax every visit.
posted by pwedza at 8:47 PM on November 20, 2005

Hilarious, although it's hardly an indictment of idiocy on his part. I think it's evident in the video that he handles it in a funny, self-effacing, human way. Definitely a "laugh with me" moment.

And that was a stupid question.
posted by deafmute at 10:09 PM on November 20, 2005

79 80 comments about a man who tried to open a locked door.. I love MetaFilter.
posted by dickasso at 12:56 AM on November 21, 2005

81, thank you very much.
posted by Pink Fuzzy Bunny at 1:59 AM on November 21, 2005

*attempts to exit thread*


...


*fails*
posted by Stauf at 2:38 AM on November 21, 2005

What's the stoy on the other thwarted exit maneuver pic? Don't remember hearing much of it. If it was shot in the last six years, then Clinton was rude, as the acting President always goes first. If it was the morning of Bush's first inauguration, which it looks like it was, then Bush was remarkably presumptuous and rude to try and go through the door before Clinton, who was still President until noon.

So what's the real story? Inquiring minds want to know.
posted by darren at 5:49 AM on November 21, 2005

The Clinton/Bush photo is from the opening of Clinton's library a year ago.
posted by cillit bang at 6:35 AM on November 21, 2005

The door sign in Crash's photo keeps changing. I like its current iteration:

All Hat,
No Cattle,
No Entry
posted by caddis at 8:00 AM on November 21, 2005

Why would Dubya be "off his game?"

Perhaps the Chinese were jamming the radio signals to his prompting device.
posted by bshock at 8:20 AM on November 21, 2005

"I was trying to escape."

I love a President with spine. It's a shame we instead have someone who'd rather run from reporters, panicking at the discovery of a locked door. Feh.
posted by FormlessOne at 10:17 AM on November 21, 2005

I'm always falling out of windows and trying to squeeze through heating vents, I can never remember which method I used to enter a room. And I'm not even the president, he must have a lot more, like, stuff on his mind.
posted by ralphyk at 12:45 PM on November 21, 2005

Bloody architects!
posted by muppetboy at 1:33 PM on November 21, 2005

Front page of the most-read paper in Portugal

(does the subhed say "Bush going to China is like the Dalai Lama being received at the Vatican"?)
posted by amberglow at 3:29 PM on November 21, 2005

the only good thing about this was the dalek reference.
posted by poweredbybeard at 6:14 PM on November 21, 2005