Bushs Grabsch-Gate (Video)

Greg Tinti’s video of President Bush touching German Chancellor Angela Merkel‘s shoulder has been picked up by Der Spiegel.

“Unser Präsident, der Drive-by-Belästiger”, empört sich Bloggerin Lindsay Beyerstein. “Wie jeder geübte Grabscher” habe Bush einfach weggesehen, als die Kanzlerin vor seiner Berührung zurückgeschreckt sei. Er habe sie einfach sitzen lassen, “als sei das alles ihr Problem”. Blogger Greg Tinti fasst die Episode schlicht unter der Ãœberschrift “Grabsch-Gate” zusammen.

For those not fluent in German–and mine’s quite rusty–here are some translations.

Babel Fish:

“our president, the drive by Belaestiger”, is indignant Bloggerin Lindsay Beyerstein. “as each experienced Grab” Bush away-saw simple, than the Kanzlerin before its contact back-frightened. It let it sit simply, “as if that is everything their problem”. Blogger Greg Tinti summarizes the episode simply under the heading “grave CH gate”.

Google:

“Our president, the drive by Belästiger”, is indignant Bloggerin Lindsay Beyerstein. “As each experienced Grab” Bush away-saw simple, than the Kanzlerin before its contact back-frightened. It let it sit simply, “as if that is everything their problem”. Blogger Greg Tinti summarizes the episode simply under the heading “grave CH gate”.

Judge for yourself.

UPDATE: Strangely, the London Guardian blog picked up that same set up bloggers the next day (July 28) and puts it this way:

American bloggers, however, appear unconvinced. One, Uncle Dave, wonders whether Ms Merkel should bring a sexual harassment case against the US president, while Lindsay Beyerstein describes Bush as a “drive-by harasser”. Greg Tinti, meanwhile, at Outside the Beltway calls the encounter “Gropergate“.

FILED UNDER: Blogosphere, Media Appearances, Uncategorized, , , , , , ,
James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. Val says:

    Let me translate that for you!

    â??Our President, the Drive-by-Oolesterâ??, writes Blogger Lindsay Beyerstein. â??Like every experienced Grabberâ?? Bush simply looked away As the Chancelor Merkel frightened off by his physical contact. He had simply walked away from her â??as if everything would only be her problem.” Blogger Greg Tinti summerizes this episode simply underneath a headline â??Grabsch-Gateâ??. (Grabsch = Grab)””

    If you read the article you will find ashort discussion about the diffrent viewpoints to that grab-attack. the germans would never see that as a case of sexual harrassment. its more rude behaviour that we see. and typical “bush behaviour”.

  2. Val says:

    that should have read “drive-by-molester” sorry for the typos.

  3. McGehee says:

    Bush is drive-by Olestra!? All that mountain biking has made him fat-free!!!

  4. Gollum says:

    Righto, Val. Here’s the upshot of the German piece:

    In Deutschland blieb ein Sturm der Entrüstung bislang aus – Bushs Geste wurde wohl eher als Zeichen schlechter Manieren gedeutet und nicht als sexuelle Belästigung – im Gegensatz zu den USA.

    Babelfish Translation:

    In Germany a storm of the Entruestung was missing so far – Bushs gesture was interpreted probably rather as indication of bad manners and not as sexual annoyance – contrary to the USA.

    Our inability to separate physical intimacy from sexuality – – and, for that matter, nudity from sexuality – – is a cultural embarassment.

  5. madmatt says:

    actually I don’t speak german and I think that was the easiest version to read!