Nbadan
11-08-2004, 02:25 AM
Michael Howard deepened his feud with the White House yesterday when he pointedly refused to offer the traditional post-election congratulations to George Bush.
Angered by a White House edict banning him from meeting the president - as punishment for criticising Tony Blair over Iraq - Mr Howard said it would be wrong for him to express any view on the poll.
In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph the arch-Atlanticist was asked whether he was pleased that a fellow rightwinger had beaten a liberal. He said: "I made it clear that I could work perfectly well with both President Bush and President Kerry ... I don't think it's appropriate to express a view on those elections."
(snip)
Mr Howard's remarks may appear bland. But in the language of diplomacy they amount to a rebuke to Mr Bush - and in particular to his polling guru, Karl Rove, who told him he would not be welcome at the White House after he criticised Mr Blair's use of intelligence before the Iraq war.
Mr Rove was reported by the Sun as telling Howard aides: "You can forget about him meeting the president. Don't bother coming."
more…
Guardian (http://politics.guardian.co.uk/conservatives/story/0,9061,1345806,00.html)
Michael Howard is the leader of the Blair-opposition British Conservative Party.
It was reported that W also refused to take a congratulatory call from the Prime Minister of Spain. It's like having a teenager as your President.
:lol
Angered by a White House edict banning him from meeting the president - as punishment for criticising Tony Blair over Iraq - Mr Howard said it would be wrong for him to express any view on the poll.
In an interview with the Sunday Telegraph the arch-Atlanticist was asked whether he was pleased that a fellow rightwinger had beaten a liberal. He said: "I made it clear that I could work perfectly well with both President Bush and President Kerry ... I don't think it's appropriate to express a view on those elections."
(snip)
Mr Howard's remarks may appear bland. But in the language of diplomacy they amount to a rebuke to Mr Bush - and in particular to his polling guru, Karl Rove, who told him he would not be welcome at the White House after he criticised Mr Blair's use of intelligence before the Iraq war.
Mr Rove was reported by the Sun as telling Howard aides: "You can forget about him meeting the president. Don't bother coming."
more…
Guardian (http://politics.guardian.co.uk/conservatives/story/0,9061,1345806,00.html)
Michael Howard is the leader of the Blair-opposition British Conservative Party.
It was reported that W also refused to take a congratulatory call from the Prime Minister of Spain. It's like having a teenager as your President.
:lol