Poppy's Got A Case of the Wa, Wa's

People who work in the construction field must become thick skinned if they know what's good for them. Humiliation always awaits a worker who has paper thin skin, so to speak. That's why George Bush, the elder, would never have made it in the construction industry.

From inside the U.A.E., a tiny but friendly nation to America comes this:

ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates: Former U.S. president George H.W. Bush was forced here Tuesday into a defense of his son, current U.S. President George W. Bush, whose Mideast policies were derided by a hostile audience.

"My son is an honest man," Bush told Gulf Arabs attending a leadership conference here. "He is working hard for peace. It takes a lot of guts to get up and tell a father about his son in those terms when I just told you the thing that matters in my heart is my family."

Bush added: "How come everybody wants to come to the United States if the United States is so bad?"

What did the audience in Abu Dhabi say to offend?

"We do not respect your son. We do not respect what he's doing all over the world," a woman audience member bluntly told Bush after his keynote speech.

Bush appeared stunned as the audience of young business leaders whooped and whistled in approval.

The elitist mentality is oh so offended, just so shocked, incredulous even, when someone dares bring up, you know, "reality".

The retired president had just finished a folksy address on leadership by telling the audience how deeply hurt he feels when his son the president is criticized.

"This son is not going to back away," Bush said, his voice quivering. "He's not going to change his view because some poll says this or some poll says that, or some heartfelt comments from the lady who feels deeply in her heart about something. You can't be president of the United States and conduct yourself if you're going to cut and run. This is going to work out in Iraq. I understand the anxiety. It's not easy."

Folks like George, the elder, if found working in construction, would be called wa, wa's, in mockery and derision. A baby. George, the elder, acted like a big baby in Abu Dhabi, in front of a group of people who know what's what.

Yes, yes, I understand the dad thing. Taking up for your child is natural and I suppose normal. The point we need to take away from this little Poppy anecdote is the total disattachment, the cluelessness of men named Bush when it comes to comprehending how others regard American reckless actions in foreign lands.

With apologies to James Brown.....Poppy's Gotta' A Brand New Wa, Wa.