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S.E. Wood Word do have meaning In a recent discussion of military strategy
with certain members of the United States Senate, including New
York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, President George W. Bush made
the following statement: "When I take action, I'm not going
to fire a $2 million missile at a $10 empty tent and hit a camel
in the butt!" Although he could have used a more offensive
three-letter word, his use of this particular four-letter word
to describe a camel's posterior gave his critics in the press
an opportunity to question the propriety of his remark. It reminded
me of a similar situation concerning our former president, Harry
S Truman. Truman was not a polished gentleman. He came
up the rough way from a farm in Missouri and had no reluctance
to speak his mind, or to follow up with action, as Gen. MacArthur
was soon to learn. On one occasion, President Truman referred
to the content of some piece of Congressional legislation as
"bull manure." Presidential aides, fearing such language
might not properly reflect the dignity of the White House, appealed
to his wife, Bess, to suggest to her husband that perhaps he
should use less descriptive language. Responding to their request,
Mrs. Truman replied, "But you don't know how long it took
me to get him to say manure!" Yes, there are other terms President Bush could have used. But we got the message, didn't we? And so did Sen. Clinton! · · · |