He Does Read, After All

We already know that George doesn't read much, or even pay much attention to what's read to him (Bin Laden Determined to Attack US, for example). Just what does the president read? Newspapers reporting on his fashion sense, apparently.

Last week, Marques Harper of the Austin American- Statesman wrote a short piece about the president's sartorial style on his Texas ranch, where Bush is spending a two-week vacation.

[...]

"The president has two distinct looks when he's in Texas: the ranch-hand man and the crisp appearance of a ranch owner. In recent months, with his sliding popularity, he's opted to look more like 'Walker, Texas Ranger' than a sweaty, tough ranch hand." In the piece, an image consultant offered that Bush needed to "step it up" to keep his "bravado image" on the ranch.

[...]

Harper received a phone call that morning from White House deputy press secretary Dana Perino, who, Harper told friends, said the president read the article and was unhappy about the way he was portrayed.

  WaPo

Here's the article reprinted in the Kansas City Star. It ends:

In his Western duds, Bush easily could model for Ralph Lauren. But if his popularity is still low through the end of his presidency, he could always try Wrangler.

What was the purpose of calling the style reporter and informing him of the president's displeasure? There's a joke here somewhere about the Emperor's New Clothes, but I can't think what it is.

And speaking of the presidential vacation...

The French first lady feigned a sore throat so she didn't have to attend the picnic with the Bushes.

And, in an article titled "The Vacationer-In-Chief", Capitol Hill Blue reports that, as of last week, George has been on vacation more than a year (418 days) in his less than six years as president.

Finally, for the curious:

As of December 1999, President Bill Clinton had spent only 152 days on holiday during his two terms, according to CBS News.[...] While we couldn't find the exact tally for Clinton's last year in office, it's reasonable to expect he didn't increase his vacation rate. And in barely three years in office, George W. Bush [had] already taken more vacation than Clinton did in seven years.

[...]

George Bush Sr. took all or part of 543 vacation days at Camp David and in Kennebunkport. Ronald Reagan spent 335 days at or en route to his Santa Barbara, California, ranch during his eight years in office. Of recent presidents, Jimmy Carter took the least days off -- only 79 days, which he usually spent at his home in Georgia. That's less than three weeks a year, which is closer to the average American's paid time off of 13 days per year.

  Yahoo

....but hey, do what you want....you will anyway.

The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who can't. --Mark Twain