So this is what full-scale delusion looks like
The most recent survey to establish what the US public think of George W. Bush, paid for by Fox News and therefore tending to skew the results towards approval, took place two or three days ago and gave Bush approval ratings of 36%. (Looking down the list of polling reports, Fox News and the Washington Post tend to run surveys that score Bush unusually high.) Bush's approval ratings have been low and dropping for years. (Back in 2005 there was one poll that gave him a 50% approval rating, but polls through 2007 are in the thirties with a low of 29%.)

In the US, Bush is not a popular President, to say the least.

Outside the US, he's even less popular, because he doesn't get the same comfortable ride and flattering treatment from the media: his actions and those of his administration get reported with a clarity that US newspapers don't dare to emulate.

This is not a secret. Most people in the US don't like Bush: most people outside the US who think about it at all don't like Bush.

Four American tournament winners at a bridge contest in Shanghai hold up a hastily-made sign saying to the people from other countries who had questioned the Americans about their country's torture of prisoners and aggressive war on Iraq: "We did not vote for Bush." (Via Sideshow, I found Susie Bright's post.)

This is obviously not a planned stunt - the message was written on the back of a menu. The four women had not written anything critical of Bush, still less of the US. Obviously a harmless joke, right? Annoying, to members of the diehard Bush fans who still like him, but they must know that they're a minority within the US, and a tiny minority worldwide.

You'd think.

But I guess you have to be completely out of touch with reality to still support Bush, and indeed here's the evidence:

1. "Rather than scold the players and let them absorb their due obloquy, they have decided to sanction them for their political speech. The sign did not explicitly violate any rule, apparently, but the club will suspend them for conduct unbecoming a member. In doing so, they have transformed these women from immature, sniveling examples of BDS sufferers into First Amendment martyrs." (You know, I remember when "Bush derangement syndrome" was used to mean "Someone who criticises Bush". It now seems to have morphed into "Someone who didn't vote for Bush and isn't afraid to say so". Wow. - The author of that particular gem, btw, also says that not voting for Bush means "partially disclaiming membership in US citizenry". Double wow.)

2. "These bridge players in Shanghai like it or not are representatives of America, first, and the bridge association second. Their trite little demonstration did nothing to enhance or even temper the perception of Americans for all who witnessed their little demonstration in Shanghai, and one can be assured that this was picked up by a wire service or two and will be played again and again overseas. Boorish behaviour. Makes all of us look a bit less in the eyes of many. As for the First Amendment issues raised...there are none. They were offshore, in a foreign country, and were representing not themselves but the United States, and an organization. A private organization. Any fallout that clings to them is of their doing. There are costs and consequences of 'free speech.'" (I was particularly amused by this one: the author really, truly seems to be deluded enough to think that people who aren't American will admire Americans who vote for Bush, and disrespect Americans who didn't.)

3. "People around the world are NOT clones of the left-wingers who run our MSM or teach on our campuses. Talking like the Dixie Chicks DOES demean your country. If you don't understand that, that's your loss."

3. "I must disagree. If the USBF is acting wrongly, they are under-reacting. If they do nothing, they leave their functions open to be used as platforms for whatever religious or political statement any player or coach might wish to make in the middle of play. T-shirts reading "Death to America" or "Behead the Infidel" would compete with pictures of Che, Marx and Mao. Certainly many players would have strong feelings about Israel, global warming, African debt, globalism, neo-cons, free trade, drugs, religion and fur."

4. "What on earth got into their heads to even try such a lame stunt?"

5. "I refuse to check the link out, to give them more of the notoriety they so craved. Can anybody tell me if all three women are Cindy Sheehan kind of old hags or Code Pink kind of clueless young-uns?"

6. "These women had every legal right to do this, and no legal right to avoid the consequences of having done so. They're just discovering that the position they assumed everyone held, probably because everyone they knew held it, is, in fact, offensive to a large number of people." (Not voting for Bush is "offensive to a large number of people"? Wow.)

7. "People afflicted with BDS seem to lose a sense of irony. The fact that they made their protest in country with China's human rights record shows that they little understanding of the world beyond the bridge table." (And, with jawdropping irony, 4. responds "You are correct, sir. And who on earth cared about who they voted for?" (er, 6. obviously cares: 6. thinks that people who don't vote for Bush are offensive.)

8. "The Bridge team, representing our country, while listening to the National Anthem of our country, held up a sign against our sitting President. Not only are they idiots, but they're behavior is appallingly seditious to freedom fighters every where in the world, including those currently locked up in Communist China prisons." ... "This is not a free speech issue. And it does not do us or our children any good to be weak on these issues. There are consequences in life if you take inappropriate actions. At least there use to be. But maybe we can all behave like liberals now. Say anything, do anything and be anything without any responsibilty. We can then look down upon the responsible with disdain like uber psuedo-intellectual elites. Oh gosh, you do make a big show about nothing. Burn the flag, tear our President down in a Communist country where millions of girls are murdered each year simply for being girls. Sure... why not, lets lift up the Communist nutjobs over our President and tell those fighting for freedom their fight is meaningless and so is our President." (Triple wow.)

9. "One more thing: these "women" feel they have the right to say whatever they want without criticism. Like other liberals, if you call them on it or criticize them you will be accosted with cries of "fascist". (One definition of fascism is a tyranny of the majority by a minority. Pretty much describes political correctness, doesn't it?)"

10. "No need to do more that print the ravings of the idiots. They shamed themselves, their families and their country. It will come back to bite them, hard." (omg! They didn't vote for Bush! They shamed themselves, their families, and their oountry, by not voting for Bush. How is this to come back to bite them, hard? ...)

Open Letter from USBF Board of Directors

The USBF is proud of the achievements of our bridge teams in Shanghai; USA teams won Gold and Bronze in the Senior Bowl, Gold in the Venice Cup and Silver in the Bermuda Bowl, an outstanding accomplishment. The players are all great competitors and outstanding world champions. We do not, however, agree with the actions of the Venice Cup winners at the prize-giving ceremony, where they held up a sign saying "we did not vote for Bush".

The victorious women were supported financially by many United States citizens who had made direct or indirect contributions to the USBF and to the ACBL International Fund which provides financial support for North American teams playing in international events. As representatives of all of those people and of all of the members of the USBF, the champions had an obligation to behave in a manner that all of their supporters could be proud of. Their statement made some people less than proud. As such, it demonstrated conduct unbecoming a member of the USBF when representing the USBF on the international stage.

World Bridge Championships, like Olympic events, are intended as a respite from politics. India plays against Pakistan. Israel plays against Arab countries. All in a spirit of good will. It is simply not the time or place for any team to make a political statement -- and all participants should know that. The championship rules expressly require participants to abide by the provisions governing Olympic athletes, including the Olympic Charter ban on demonstrations and political propaganda. The women’s team may not have intended their sign as political but it was viewed by many on both sides as making a political statement.

Whatever the players’ intentions, the USBF cannot condone or ignore the actions of our Venice Cup champions. The USBF has commenced proceedings to review those actions. There will be a hearing in two weeks in San Francisco, at the next ACBL national championship, to determine if sanctions are warranted. No sanctions whatsoever are currently in place.

What Bush was supposed to say when he proclaimed the Games open: "I declare open the Games of Salt Lake City celebrating the Olympic Winter Games." (Olympic Opening Ceremony Protocol)

What he actually said: "On behalf of a proud, determined and grateful nation, I declare open the Games of Salt Lake City celebrating the Olympic Winter Games."

NBC, the host broadcasters, also failed in Olympic detachment, making reference to Iranian athletes as part of Bush's "axis of evil", as they marched in the Olympic parade, and cross-cutting to US soldiers in Afghanistan.

Now I wonder how many of the people who were screaming at a handwritten sign that said "We didn't vote for Bush" were screaming when Bush, with forethought and intention, politicized the Winter Olympics, with NBC's support and assistance?

I'm prepared to bet: none.

Anyone able to show otherwise?

(Oh yes: not forgetting that Salt Lake City bribed the IOC to be able to hold the Winter Olympics there.)