Bush's ol' fashioned racism

Bush managed to insult the President of the Phillipines this week by commenting that he appreciates the cooking of Phillipine-Americans in the White House. Filipino President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo, who was in Washington while her country tries to recover from a typhoon that devastated coastal areas and flipped a ferry carrying over 800 passengers last week. Before discussing aide for the Philippines, Bush couldn't resist beginning the sober meeting with a quip about a Filipino member of his kitchen staff.

PRESIDENT BUSH: Madam President, it is a pleasure to welcome you back to the Oval Office. We have just had a very constructive dialogue. First, I want to tell you how proud I am to be the President of a nation that -- in which there's a lot of Philippine-Americans. They love America and they love their heritage. And I reminded the President that I am reminded of the great talent of the -- of our Philippine-Americans when I eat dinner at the White House. (Laughter.)

PRESIDENT ARROYO: Yes.

PRESIDENT BUSH: And the chef is a great person and a really good cook, by the way, Madam President.

PRESIDENT ARROYO: Thank you.

Then there is this photo of him taken in Iowa. I guess Po' ol' Massah just doesn't know that rubbing the head of a black child (or an adult) is a deeply repugnant act and a racial insult. Makes you shudder to think what he'll do to Obama at the Inauguration. It helps that Obama is tall and may well be wearing a hat.