Letter: Bush has dipped to new lows

Friday, May 31, 2002 | 4:05 a.m.

Consistently supporting larger and more intrusive government at home and continuing entanglements abroad, George W. Bush has done little to earn support of conservative Americans.

Those determined to defend the president frequently frame the issue in terms of style, rather than substance: "Whatever you may think of his agenda," such people assert, "you've got to agree that at least he's restored a sense of personal dignity to the White House."

This claim is impossible to make following the president's performance at the May 4 White House Correspondents' Dinner.

In his prepared remarks, the president went out of his way to highlight the foul-mouthed Ozzy Osbourne, brought as a guest by Fox News' Greta Van Susteren.

The unambiguous low point of the president's speech came when he introduced a collection of "never-before-seen pictures of the White House ... including one in which Vice President Dick Cheney appears to be urinating on the door of (the) Oval Office," reported Reuters.

"Dick, I hope you're not doing what it looks like you're doing," quipped President Bush.

Part of a rehearsed comedy routine, the ill-conceived remark may be the low-water mark for public displays of presidential dignity -- a significant achievement, given the accomplishments of President Bush's predecessor.

FRANK PELTESON

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