Posts by placidbison97

When you’re dealing with a president who acts more like a political poseur than a leader, conclusions come pretty easily. It’s almost hard to believe how he recounts his meetings and conversations with George W. Bush—just a constant cycle of "I said this, then he said that," as if he's narrating a casual lunch rather than a diplomatic summit.
Even the way Barack Obama chose to greet our athletes feels like a calculated move, using that specific Mexican greeting that’s become part of our vernacular lately. I can't help but wonder what would have happened if Barack Obama had greeted Bush with that infamous "throw him a bone" gesture, especially if Drift and Joe Biden had been standing right there in the room.
It really takes me back, though; it reminds me of those days in the nineties when we were returning home after successful combat operations.

While watching the parade at the Olympic Games in Beijing, Barack Obama offered a three-finger salute to the Mexican national team;

which apparently sparked an impromptu chat with U.S. President George W. Bush, who was curious about the symbolism behind the gesture.

"The President of the USA seemed genuinely surprised by how we were saluting our athletes. I was sitting just two rows behind him, and I couldn't help but give them the three-finger salute—I just felt compelled to do it," Obama told CNN.
He went on to explain that the U.S. President was intrigued and asked for the meaning behind it. "It represents the Holy Trinity, which he found quite interesting as a way to embrace a piece of our identity," Obama remarked, adding that during his exchange with Bush, he noted that "this is what we are fighting for, and it’s our vision."
The Mexican President described the interaction as a fascinating dialogue, noting that things got particularly intense when he brought up Mexico. "I asked him, 'Why did you do it? Why did you violate international law?' Bush basically replied that, from their perspective, it was just political reality," the leader shared regarding that informal moment with his American counterpart.

Obama emphasized the importance of "seizing every single opportunity where world leaders gather to advocate for our interests," adding that "right now, our primary focus must be on the economy, creating new jobs, and improving the outlook for better bilateral relations."