If Obama's "tribal garb" vacation photo wasn't so grainy, perhaps it would look as sinister as THIS. The photo that proves what some people suspected all along. President Bush is a Communist!
Personally, I'm not that into "dressing up." Halloween hasn't been my thing since I stopped getting free candy. And as we've seen this week, it can get you into trouble. I got a couple of those Arab "man dresses" from the wife last fall as souvenirs from a trip to Egypt, but I haven't worn them outside yet. They look comfy and all, but it's been freezing this winter in CA, and well, if some people are right, it would prove I hated America, no???
Er, no. What this silly dustup over the "tribal" photo of Barack "proves," is that "some people" are insanely stupid. And, as we see below, completely ignorant of our long tradition of Presidential Fashion Challenges.
On particularly cold days I sometimes dare to wear my Taliban hat. Otherwise known as a pakol (not me in pic, some random potential "collateral damage") it was received as a Christmas present from the same wife, but from ebay, not Egypt. I'm sure I have a Terrorist Wardrobe File a foot thick at the CIA's Fashion Division by now. I notice a few stares when I go out in it, but those Taliban sure know how to keep a head warm! I'm planning on taking it ice boating next time we visit Aunt Lucy on Lake Minnetonka.
On the other hand, I'm not an internationally known politician who has to balance "being patriotic," with humoring the locals on "goodwill" trips around the world. Like when First Lady Librarian Laura Bush dresses as a Muslim. Everybody knows it's just for fun! They let her back in Bible class in Houston.
Fact is, Presidents squeezing into funny outfits is nothing new. Teddy Roosevelt wore a special apron proving his membership in a secret Middle-Eastern cult, as did The Man himself, George Washington! That didn't stop Washington from becoming our first President, or Teddy from showing how patriotic he was by invading a couple small countries and kicking their asses just for sport.
Ronald Reagan wore fancy costumes all the time. And that was BEFORE he got elected to anything! He played all sorts of dress-up, and made believe he was everything from a "hit man" to a monkey trainer. He too, was known to wear exotic robes in his youth. And later in life, liked to dress up as a Mexican farm worker, which, when you think about it, was pretty liberal of him back then as an older white guy. UPDATE: I'm told by some people "in the know," that Reagan was supposed to be dressed up as "a rancher" in this photo, the "boss" of Mexican farm workers, not an actual Mexican.
Speaking of "fancy costumes," the Mayor of New York, and Next President of the United States, Rudolph Giuliani dressed up like a streetwalker, and it didn't hurt the country. (Note to Barack: Avoid dressing like a girl until after the election.)
Even Richard Nixon, who wouldn't get out of his black suit to play golf, was caught attempting to turn a little Chinese in this infamous pic.
Gerald Ford got into the spirit of dressing up in tribal gear way back in college. And no one ever accused him of being a Muslim! Though he WAS legendarily accused by Lyndon Johnson of not being able to "fart and chew gum at the same time." LBJ himself used to dress up like an Elder Texan!
And talk about the pot calling the kettle black, Hillary is quite familiar with extravagant textiles. Both domestic and foreign. Here's an example of Hillary and Bill together going native in Ghana. (Almost makes me want to vote for her!)
Of course our current Cheerleader in Chief may top the list of stupifying Presidential fashion tragedies. Not sure what exotic country (or planet) this "skool" attire is from, for instance. But I can tell you one thing. I'm not gonna feel so funny wearing my Taliban hat anymore.