Nbadan
11-20-2004, 05:21 AM
http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/041119/041119_wp_bush_spellings_hmed_9a.hmedium.jpg
President Bush has bussed two women in public in the past two days. First, Condoleezza Rice, whom he kissed on the cheek twice when he nominated her for secretary of State on Tuesday. He went even further with Margaret Spellings, whom he smacked on the lips when he nominated her as secretary of Education on Wednesday.
Eyebrows, as they say, shot up and waggled. It was such a ... European gesture for the aw-shucks-I'm-jes'-a-Texan president. Besides, in these fearful times - you know, terrorism, sexual harassment lawsuits - isn't this sort of thing a no-no in a business setting?
"I see nothing wrong with giving someone a peck on the cheek if he has a close relationship with her, but in business, in general, kissing on the lips would not be appropriate," says Jacqueline Whitmore, head of the Protocol School of Palm Beach, who instructs executives on the do's and don'ts of business etiquette. Her rule: When in doubt, don't.
In fact, Bush does have long and close relationships with both women: Rice, who has been his foreign policy adviser since he ran for president, has become practically a member of the first family. And he described Spellings, who worked for him in Austin, as an "incredible, special" person. Moreover, it could be argued that it was Spellings who initiated the kiss, after giving him a pat on the back. Plus, all this kissing and hugging is supposed to be a "Southern" thing; Bush, who considers himself a Texas Southerner, hugs people a lot, say White House reporters.
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20041116/capt.dcpm10311161803.bush_cabinet_dcpm103.jpg
From MSNBC (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6530597)
The presidential smooches have been much discussed, which is not surprising. While it is common for politicians to hug and kiss indiscriminately on the campaign trail, it is another thing altogether to see the president planting his lips on potential -- or current -- members of his Cabinet.
As much as could be determined from the photo record, the president has never publicly kissed Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld or Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson. President Bush seems to reserve his pecks on the cheek for the ladies. Perhaps he will be kissing outgoing Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman goodbye?
The president kissed only Rice's right cheek, and in the case of Spellings, planted a single kiss just off-center of the lips. He did not execute the double buss that is used as a greeting throughout much of Europe, organized crime and the fashion industry. The double buss is not based on gender or age. In some ways it is a perfect greeting: intimate but not sexual, androgynous but warm. A man can use it to greet a male buddy, for instance. Women say hello to their girlfriends by bussing each cheek. Teenagers use the greeting among friends. As one might expect, there was nothing international about Bush's kisses.
Let's not forget the most famous kiss of all...
http://graphics7.nytimes.com/images/2004/08/10/politics/mills650.jpg
President Bush has bussed two women in public in the past two days. First, Condoleezza Rice, whom he kissed on the cheek twice when he nominated her for secretary of State on Tuesday. He went even further with Margaret Spellings, whom he smacked on the lips when he nominated her as secretary of Education on Wednesday.
Eyebrows, as they say, shot up and waggled. It was such a ... European gesture for the aw-shucks-I'm-jes'-a-Texan president. Besides, in these fearful times - you know, terrorism, sexual harassment lawsuits - isn't this sort of thing a no-no in a business setting?
"I see nothing wrong with giving someone a peck on the cheek if he has a close relationship with her, but in business, in general, kissing on the lips would not be appropriate," says Jacqueline Whitmore, head of the Protocol School of Palm Beach, who instructs executives on the do's and don'ts of business etiquette. Her rule: When in doubt, don't.
In fact, Bush does have long and close relationships with both women: Rice, who has been his foreign policy adviser since he ran for president, has become practically a member of the first family. And he described Spellings, who worked for him in Austin, as an "incredible, special" person. Moreover, it could be argued that it was Spellings who initiated the kiss, after giving him a pat on the back. Plus, all this kissing and hugging is supposed to be a "Southern" thing; Bush, who considers himself a Texas Southerner, hugs people a lot, say White House reporters.
http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20041116/capt.dcpm10311161803.bush_cabinet_dcpm103.jpg
From MSNBC (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6530597)
The presidential smooches have been much discussed, which is not surprising. While it is common for politicians to hug and kiss indiscriminately on the campaign trail, it is another thing altogether to see the president planting his lips on potential -- or current -- members of his Cabinet.
As much as could be determined from the photo record, the president has never publicly kissed Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld or Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson. President Bush seems to reserve his pecks on the cheek for the ladies. Perhaps he will be kissing outgoing Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman goodbye?
The president kissed only Rice's right cheek, and in the case of Spellings, planted a single kiss just off-center of the lips. He did not execute the double buss that is used as a greeting throughout much of Europe, organized crime and the fashion industry. The double buss is not based on gender or age. In some ways it is a perfect greeting: intimate but not sexual, androgynous but warm. A man can use it to greet a male buddy, for instance. Women say hello to their girlfriends by bussing each cheek. Teenagers use the greeting among friends. As one might expect, there was nothing international about Bush's kisses.
Let's not forget the most famous kiss of all...
http://graphics7.nytimes.com/images/2004/08/10/politics/mills650.jpg