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.