George Bush Don't Like Black People: Screencap II
Originally uploaded by Tama Leaver.
Bush caught off-guard in chat with Blair
An open microphone caught President Bush in an unguarded moment Monday as the escalating crisis in the Middle East prompted him to use an expletive in a conversation with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.
Bush and Blair were unaware that an event at the Group of Eight summit was a photo opportunity, with media representatives present. Blair later turned off the microphone.
The president was expressing frustration at the United Nations' stance on the Israeli-Hezbollah conflict in Lebanon.
Apparently not expecting an open mike to pick up his remarks, Bush told Blair: "See the irony is what they need to do is get Syria to get Hezbollah to stop doing this shit and it's over."
Earlier Monday, Blair and U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan called for the deployment of an international force in southern Lebanon to help end the spiraling conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, the Islamic militant group that holds seats in the Lebanese government. ( Full story)
The United States and Israel say that Hezbollah receives financial and political assistance, as well as weapons and training, from Iran and Syria.
The fighting began last week after Hezbollah guerrillas abducted two Israeli soldiers in a cross-border raid.
"What about Kofi Annan?" Bush asked Blair. "I don't like the sequence of it. His attitude is basically cease-fire and everything else happens."
Blair responded, "I think the thing that is really difficult is you can't stop this unless you get this international presence agreed."
