Before coming across this post over the weekend, I hadn't really stopped to think about how much the pointless showy presidential visits overseas really cost taxpayers. I guess I just thought the President needs to travel, and I'm sort of right... but the President should travel to countries to end conflicts and facilitate peace, not to end peace and facilitate conflicts, or just to go bike riding for that matter.
The Washington Post's headline writers illustrate the success of his trip as follows, and somehow manage to be both more and less pointed in their commentary: "Bush's Asia Trip Meets Low Expectations" (Washington Post, November 21, 2005).
But you know what? We're at least proud to say he is so totally beating those Chinamen! You show them who invented bicycling, George! And we'll pretend it wasn't the French or the Germans. And that no one can ever, ever, ever pass you on the bikepaths. Or tell you that you're wrong. About anything at all.
