Bush gives uninvited neck rub to Chancellor Merkel. Your thoughts?

Question

Of all the embarrassments our country has endured in the eyes of the world, this one bothers me the most. She's the Chancellor of Germany, not a secretary, not a sorority girl. Not that that would make it right, but it wouldn't make the rest of us look as bad. Compounding the embarrassment is the fact that that arm raising move she does to get him to let go is straight out of date-rape prevention class. Check out the creeped out look on her face. What do the rest of you think?

http://americablog.blogspot.com/2006/07/bush-gives-female-german-chancellor.html

Answer 1

If any of us in workplace America did that, we'd be charged with sexual harrassment, and fired.

WHAT IS "HOSTILE ENVIRONMENT" SEXUAL HARASSMENT? Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature constitute "hostile environment" sexual harassment when such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's work performance or creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment.

WHAT FACTORS DETERMINE WHETHER AN ENVIRONMENT IS "HOSTILE?"
The central inquiry is whether the conduct "unreasonably interfered with an individual's work performance" or created "an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment." The EEOC will look at the following factors to determine whether an environment is hostile: (1) whether the conduct was verbal or physical or both; (2) how frequently it was repeated; (3) whether the conduct was hostile or patently offensive; (4) whether the alleged harasser was a co-worker or supervisor; (5) whether others joined in perpetrating the harassment; and (6) whether the harassment was directed at more than one individual. No one factor controls. An assessment is made based upon the totality of the circumstances.

Once again (NSA wiretapps, blocking the Justice Dept's White House credentials, Guatanamo Bay,etc), the Texan in Bush comes out, and its obvious to him/Cheney (see gun accident/energy policy meetings) et al that laws are just suggestions.

And yet so many people voted for him because he was such a "principled" man.

Answer 2

Thanks Guelph. I'm so ashamed of George Bush as a representative of the United States. Kudos to the conservative Merkel for her strong rebuff. Dumbyah must have thought he was high on Jim Beam back at a Midland, Texas country and western bar.

Answer 3

Was she going to ask for a neck rub from the president of the United States? Maybe he should just sleep with an intern (how embarrasing) and continue the tradition.

Answer 4

Honestly, George! Don't you know how strange German folk are?

I want a backrub; after all the '****' news we've had to endure perhaps the best use of the remainder of his term would be that he give each American a 3 second backrub.

Scratch that, I mean, forget that.

I'd even give my 3 seconds to a Republican who likes him.

Answer 5

That was the one of the dumbest stunts I have ever seen... its almost like he goes out of his way to be a complete embarrassment. It is really no wonder the world is laughing at the USA -- we have a freaking court jester for a president...

Answer 6

I really wouldn't worry about it - there's more important issues in the world at the moment than to bother getting caught up in media sensationalism.

Answer 7

oh, for pete's sake people....he was probably just picking with her. Nobody seemed to care when Kerry's daughter flashed her boobs for everyone to see at the Cann film festival. You don't think THAT'S embarrassing? Or when Teresa Kerry curse out a journalist for simply repeating what she said....oh, yeah...not embarrassing. Lay off. Everyone makes mistakes.

Answer 8

What a load of crap. Americans frequently touch when saying hello , she was just startled. Its not like he stood there for 5 minutes massaging her.

Answer 9

Nobody ever said Bush was alright "upstairs".
lol

Answer 10

Do you believe that Bill Clinton should be in class with him?