I’m not going to sit here and psychoanalyze the man

At the G8 summit, Bush met Dmitry Medvedev, who is to Putin what Bush is to Cheney.

He noted that it was the first time he was meeting Medvedev “since he has become President of his big country,” and he called him Dmitry and “he” and “the man,” but for some reason never tried to say “Medvedev” out loud.

GEORGE, HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT EVERYONE WHO STANDS NEXT TO YOU LOOKS SMART?: “I found him to be a smart guy who understood the issues very well.”

DAMMIT, JIM, I’M A CHIMPANZEE, NOT A PSYCHIATRIST: “You know, I’m not going to sit here and psychoanalyze the man, but I will tell you that he’s very comfortable, he’s confident, and that I believe that when he tells me something, he means it. Sometimes in politics people tell you one thing and mean another. My judgment is that when he tells you something he means it, and that’s going to be good for the world leaders to have somebody that -- you may not agree with what he tells you, but at least you know it’s what he believes.”


THE REMINDERER GETS REMINDED! “He reminded me of our visit to the White House in 2005, where we discussed foreign policy then. And now I plan on -- discuss it face to face as presidents of our respective countries.”

BUT, DAMMIT, HE IS THE REMINDERER: “I reminded him that, yes, I’m leaving, but not until six months and I’m sprinting to the finish.”

And he met with “a really good friend of the American people and a great leader in Africa, President Kikwete of Tanzania,” who will visit the US next month: “looking forward to giving you a good dinner.” Adding, “whadda you guys like to eat, missionaries? Heh heh heh.”


WHO GEORGE CARES DEEPLY ABOUT. NO, REALLY HE DOES: “You know, I care deeply about the people of Zimbabwe. I am extremely disappointed in the elections, which I labeled a sham election.”