Jeb Bush "unleashing Chang"
Jeb Bush meets Tim Treadwell meets Robert Bly:
After more than an hour of solemn ceremony naming Rep. Marco Rubio, R-West Miami, as the 2007-08 House speaker, Gov. Jeb Bush stepped to the podium in the House chamber last week and told a short story about "unleashing Chang," his "mystical warrior" friend.
Here are Bush's words, spoken before hundreds of lawmakers and politicians:
''Chang is a mystical warrior. Chang is somebody who believes in conservative principles, believes in entrepreneurial capitalism, believes in moral values that underpin a free society.
''I rely on Chang with great regularity in my public life. He has been by my side and sometimes I let him down. But Chang, this mystical warrior, has never let me down.''
Bush then unsheathed a golden sword and gave it to Rubio as a gift.
''I'm going to bestow to you the sword of a great conservative warrior,'' he said, as the crowd roared. [Gainsville.com; Sept 18, 2005.]
Via Pensito Review.
I pray to god that you are joking.
Posted by: Matt | September 19, 2005 at 08:30 PM
This is the psychological underpinning of the Bush legacy... Government by "Daddy."
Daddy's never wrong. Daddy's never to be questioned. Daddy is the law. Don't think, do as daddy says.
Posted by: Flint | September 19, 2005 at 08:44 PM
I know this is technically off-topic, but let's be fair to Robert Bly. The Bushes represent precisely the kind of rigid, dumbass masculinity that Robert Bly is trying to overcome.
Posted by: Mark | September 19, 2005 at 08:53 PM
Now, more than ever, these three little words are so appropriate: DO WHAT NOW?
Posted by: norbizness | September 19, 2005 at 10:13 PM
You'll notice, of course, how he ignores Eng.
Posted by: pansauce | September 19, 2005 at 10:31 PM
So Jeb has an invisible friend. Isn't he a bit old for that? And doesn't the Almighty consider it a violation of one of the Commandments to have a false God like Chang?
Posted by: masaccio | September 19, 2005 at 10:31 PM
This is such a Daily Show moment. Someone please find a video of this.
Posted by: Michael Hussey | September 19, 2005 at 11:07 PM
Mark...
"I know this is technically off-topic, but let's be fair to Robert Bly. The Bushes represent precisely the kind of rigid, dumbass masculinity that Robert Bly is trying to overcome."
True! Bly has said repeatedly that the men's movement is not anti-feminist and supports it. The men's movement is about learning about who they are and healthy outlets for the expression of that. Its not about subjugating women. Its simply pro-man.
Posted by: Flint | September 19, 2005 at 11:29 PM
I swear to God I thought this was from the Onion. I still think this is from the Onion.
Posted by: Auguste | September 19, 2005 at 11:55 PM
They're ALL NUTS, from Babs on down to the tiniest Bush around...NUTS. Every fuckin one of em!
Posted by: Joe | September 19, 2005 at 11:56 PM
Eet seems to me I rrremember some-theeng about Heelary Cleenton speek-eeng of conversations weeth the spiritu de la Eleanor Roosevelt, for wheech she was roundly creeticised at the time.
So any bets on how thees weel be played een la maldita media?
¿eh?
Posted by: ¡El Gato Negro! | September 20, 2005 at 07:16 AM
I'm trying to figure out if it's so obvious nobody has bothered to mention it, or if it's actually news to you ...
Jeb seems to be channeling the obsolete Cold War slogan: "Unleash Chiang Kai-shek!"
... who was the general Mao chased off the mainland and into Taiwan. It was a dumb slogan back then (IE: An "unleashed" Chiang had no chance of beating Mao) and it's just damned bizarre now.
Posted by: just john | September 20, 2005 at 09:14 AM
PS: Ran into this while looking up the spelling for the above comment:
'... Plimpton also spoke about how boxers Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston had prepared for fights by visualizing victory over their opponents.
'He said former President George Bush must have employed a similar strategy when he invited Plimpton to play horseshoes at the White House. Prior to throwing each ringer, Plimpton said, Bush would whisper "Unleash Chiang," apparently in reference to freeing Chiang Kai-shek, or "Remember Iowa," referring to the primary where he'd been soundly defeated by Bob Dole. '
This was at: http://news-service.stanford.edu/news/1999/may12/performance-512.html
So, either Plimpton got Bush senior's meaning wrong, or Jeb might be lying ... or maybe both.
Posted by: just john | September 20, 2005 at 09:21 AM
What does Dobson think of this? Thou shalt not and all that...
Posted by: mudkitty | September 20, 2005 at 09:43 AM
It's funny how many conservatives don't really believe in Christ.
Christ admonished his apostles for having a sword for a reason. Here the apostle chopped off a guy's ear for arresting Christ, but Jesus admonished the apostle then healed the guy's ear.
Our own God did not fight back against his enemies, as the ultimate test of faith. Why do we not follow his most basic example?
Posted by: stork | September 20, 2005 at 11:11 AM
Luke 22:36
"Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one."
Why did Jesus want people to buy swords if not to use them? Obviously it was for their mystic warrior friends.
Posted by: Njorl | September 20, 2005 at 01:55 PM
No, Flint, this isn't "Government by Daddy," it's government by spoiled brats who are trying to prove their manhood by completely ignoring Daddy; and who are still acting out their perpetual teenage rebellion.
Jeb's Daddy was never this stupid, and never this immature.
Posted by: Raging Bee | September 20, 2005 at 02:08 PM
Jeb's Daddy was never this stupid, and never this immature.
That says a lot right there.
next up: W. makes us nostalgic for sane leaders like Nero and Gius "Calligula" Caesar
Posted by: rob helpy-chalk | September 20, 2005 at 02:31 PM
I think that 'Chiang' sounds more like Jeb's pet name for his tiny one eyed trouser soldier. At least he just pulled out a gold sword instead of dropping trou' and unleashing his shriveled pink pork sword. Perhaps he worried that someone as clever as his brother might try to milk him, so he opted for the gold phallus over the little pink one.
Just a guess.
Cheers,
Naked Ape
Posted by: Naked Ape | September 20, 2005 at 02:37 PM
Well, he's already made me nostalgic for Reagan, Thatcher and Bush Sr. I'm not sure about those Roman guys, but Herbert Hoover may be next.
Posted by: Raging Bee | September 20, 2005 at 02:38 PM
I'm curious as to how an ancient Chinese warrior could even know about, let alone believe in, entrepreneurial capitalism.
Posted by: Ginger Yellow | September 20, 2005 at 02:39 PM
"No, Flint, this isn't "Government by Daddy," it's government by spoiled brats who are trying to prove their manhood by completely ignoring Daddy; and who are still acting out their perpetual teenage rebellion.
Jeb's Daddy was never this stupid, and never this immature."
Posted by: Raging Bee
Point taken Bee, but you see in that little vapid mind of his... he thinks he is the "daddy" now. It also leaking out that he throws tantrums at his aides now when they bring him bad news. He's acting out his fantasies... at our expense!
Posted by: Flint | September 20, 2005 at 03:10 PM
Well, I can see why you need to adopt the "mystical warrior" stance when you're in close quarters with a bunch of conservative lawmakers. They're far more dangerous than grizzly bears, so you have to make them respect you through a tough warrior stance, and let them know their boundaries with respect to you.
Posted by: Julian Elson | September 20, 2005 at 05:26 PM
Here is a photo of Rubio holding the Sword of Chang.
Posted by: Thad | September 20, 2005 at 05:56 PM
Thank you, Naked Ape! I was wondering when someone was going to make clear that Chang had nothing to do with - ahem - nuts and everything to do with something else.
Posted by: Pepper | September 20, 2005 at 06:22 PM