Bush’s Tripping Diction vs. Putin’s Witticism

People are talking about the rhetorical missteps of U.S. President George W Bush contrasting with the witty remarks of Russian President Vladimir V. Putin.

Was he too exhausted? President Bush never forget to make a mistake wherever he went, while touring 4 countries of Germany, Russia (24th), France (26th) and Italy (27th) for 5 days after leaving White House at 6 a.m. on the 22nd.

DAVID E. SANGER from New York Times, who covers President Bush, showed his sympathy for Bush in the column reporter’s notebook` on the 28th, saying, “the pace is taking an obvious toll, even on President Bush who keeps a treadmill on Air Force One. ” At the hour when Mr. Bush might prefer to be packing it in, European summits are just thinking about dinner. Mr. Bush stayed the President Putin` until 12:30 a.m. Reporter Sanger didn’t miss any mistakes of Mr. Bush, who has been familiar with rhetorical missteps.

△ Example 1 = At a news conference at Elysees Palace, after asking to be reminded of the elements of a multipart question, Mr. Bush said to President Jacques Chirac, “ that`s what happens when you are over 55. ” Jacques Chirac, who is pushing 70, arched his eyebrows at the explanation.

△ Example 2 = At a news conference in Berlin, Germany, He said, “we should help Russia securitize the dismantled nuclear warheads.” He meant that `Russia should secure the warheads`.

△ Example 3 = At U.S. Embassy in Moscow, citing U.S. Declaration of Independence, he told religious leaders, “all have got uninalienable rights,” which should have been `inalienable rights`.

△ Example 4 = Attending at the memorial service for war dead in St. Petersburg, he said, “I’m the first president who is out of America on the Memorial Day (27th). ” However, Slate.com found out that none but his father George Bush former U.S. President was in Italy on the Memorial Day in 1989.

△ Example 5 = At a news conference at Elysees Palace, when a reporter from U.S. NBC asked Mr. Bush in English, and Mr. Chirac in French, tired Mr. Bush sarcastically said, “very good. The guy memorizes four words, and he plays like he’s intercontinental. ” Making things worse, the reporter offered to go on in French, and Mr. Bush said, “I’m impressed. Que bueno. I’m literate in two languages. ”

Que bueno is a Spanish phrase for `how wonderful`.

On the contrary, President Putin wiped his cold image away making a right joke at the meetings with West leaders.

Signing Rome Statement agreeing to the establishment of the NATO-Russia Council in Rome, Italy on the 28th, President Putin made attendants die with laughing, saying, “we should call ourselves the House of the Soviets. ” Soviets is a Russian term for council.

When Mr. Putin met a representative from Germany with the family name `Engels` at the 5th convention of EU Court of Auditors in Moscow on the 27th, he said, “fortunately, Marx is not accompanied. ”

Mr. Putin’s sense of humor was prominent at summit talk with President Bush in Moscow on the 24th.

Mimicking Mr. Bush’s speaking on the phone, he said, “when talking over the phone, he usually starts saying, `well, of course. It’s not what can be said between us, but”

Mr. Putin’s strong point is speaking the truth like a joke. Watching caviar on the dinner table for President Bush, Mr. Putin said, “fishermen return sturgeon after obtaining caviar in a way like a Caesarian section. ” Though attendants were all chuckling, it turned out to be a truth.

Eun-Taek Hong Jong-Dae Ha euntack@donga.com orionha@donga.com