Remember that trip to Baghdad Our Illustrious President took? Remember that turkey he was parading around with? Well guess what:
President Bush's Baghdad turkey was for looking, not for eating.In the most widely published image from his Thanksgiving day trip to Baghdad, the beaming president is wearing an Army workout jacket and surrounded by soldiers as he cradles a huge platter laden with a golden-brown turkey.
The bird is so perfect it looks as if it came from a food magazine, with bunches of grapes and other trimmings completing a Norman Rockwell image that evokes bounty and security in one of the most dangerous parts of the world.
But as a small sign of the many ways the White House maximized the impact of the 21/2-hour stop at the Baghdad airport, administration officials said yesterday that Bush picked up a decoration, not a serving plate.
Officials said they did not know the turkey would be there or that Bush would pick it up. A contractor had roasted and primped the turkey to adorn the buffet line, while the 600 soldiers were served from cafeteria-style steam trays, the officials said. They said the bird was not placed there in anticipation of Bush's stealthy visit, and military sources said a trophy turkey is a standard feature of holiday chow lines.
Ok, so maybe fake turkeys are typical at holiday meals for the military. How would I know? And maybe the W saw it and thought it would be a gas to parade around with the thing. From what I hear of him that seems like something he'd do.
But--
This administration is known for staging photo ops. They stick banners all over everything. I've seen photos of W that look like he's an angel descended from heaven, and another one where he's made to look like part of Mount Rushmore. So I'm skeptical about any innocent explanation for the fake turkey (on the platter).
Posted by Jason at December 4, 2003 08:52 AM