Bush falls off the wagon

Posted on 09/22/2005 at 5:26 pm by John Christian Plummer

The National Enquirer (yes, that National Enquirer) reports that Bush is drinking again. No big surprise to anyone who knows about alcohol addiction in times of stress.

The article is written in the Enquirer’s signature melodramatic style, using unnamed sources:

Family sources have told how the 59-year-old president was caught by First Lady Laura downing a shot of booze at their family ranch in Crawford, Texas, when he learned of the hurricane disaster.

His worried wife yelled at him: “Stop, George.”

Pooh-pooh it all you want. But the NYT and the Washington Post have made using unnamed sources (if not cheeseball writing) a common practice. And the National Enquirer is EXTREMELY careful not to print libel.

Maybe we should all help Georgie along; send him a bottle of Jim Beam c/o the White House, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500. Or just shoot him a note and tell him you’re glad he’s fallen off the wagon, and that you’re available for drinks.

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  • LACTARSUCKS

    Not sure about your claim that the National Enquirer is careful about printing libel… But more importantly, this story makes it sound as if Bush actually had a clue about Katrina and the damage – thus pouring himself a drink to calm his nerves – when in fact, he has proven himself to be oblivious to anyone else’s pain and suffering. So, sorry – not sure I buy it.

  • John Onorato

    Personally, I think the man could use a few drinks, and maybe even a BJ from an intern, since I doubt he’s getting them from Laura.His sober view of reality couldn’t be any better than one clouded a bit by drink, and I say a sexually relaxed POTUS is likely to cause less fake wars.His second term could go down as the ugliest in the history of the country. Will we survive it? And what, if we do, will we look like?

  • Chris Malek

    Considering Bush was “elected” on the basis that he’d be more fun than Gore (and Kerry) to have a beer with, it’s about time he got back to drinking so he can have a chance to prove it. In his long and privileged life, it’s apparently the only thing at which he’s excelled.

  • Perry

    Send him a drink? I’m not sure that would be safe for the country… Can’t we just send him a big bag of very dry pretzels?

  • Quinn

    Actually, didn’t the Enquirer break the Rush Limbaugh doctor shopping story, too?People tended to write that one off, but shortly after that story broke, Rush admitted he was addicted to Oxycontin.It’s a pretty sad commentary on the mainstream media that tabloids are the leading sources in investigative journalism these days.