The brave little tailor
At the risk of prolonging a story that, like an obnoxious, drunk party guest, refuses to go away, take a look at what Bush's campaign advisor said yesterday in response to a Tim Russert question about "Bush's bulge."
The exchange is actually a three way between Russert, Ken Mehlman (the Bush advisor), and Bob Shrum, Kerry's campaign advisor.
Well, a couple weeks ago, The New Yorker featured an article in its fashion issue (September 27, 2004) about the President's tailor, one Georges de Paris, "tailor to every American President since Lyndon Johnson." Incidentally, De Paris was not the tailor whom Lyndon Johnson asked to cut his next pair of pants looser in "the crotch, down where your nuts hang." You can read about that, and even listen to Johnson ordering his pants, here.
To return, it seems unlikely that De Paris would have made an ill-fitting suit for President Bush, and indeed he himself has refuted the idea that Bush was wearing an earpiece, though he has not responded to Melman's slander of the quality of his work or the inference that De Paris is now cutting brush on a chain gang of other disloyal Bush Administration officials down at the ranch in Crawford.
What did De Paris have to say about George W. in that New Yorker article three weeks ago? He had nothing but praise for the President, which must make Melhman's scapegoating of him all the more galling to the little tailor. The article reads, "Reagan was very chatty and gave him [de Paris] jelly beans, perhaps as a propitiating gesture, since he was always afraid that de Paris would stick him with pins during a fitting—but George W. Bush (a forty-four long, who favors navy and charcoal) runs a close second. 'So nice! So friendly!' de Paris says of Bush, whom he sees sometimes three times a week, at the White House, for fittings."
Mehlman's use of De Paris as a sacrifical goat in this lingering scandale is all too typical of this Bush Administration. Mehlman makes it sound as if Bush orders his suits from "Latka's Greek Tailoring" down in South East D.C., rather than from the same distinguished French tailor as every President since Johnson. If I were George W., in the future I'd be wary of letting De Paris anywhere near my ass and jewlies with stick pins. Never insult a French tailor.
The exchange is actually a three way between Russert, Ken Mehlman (the Bush advisor), and Bob Shrum, Kerry's campaign advisor.
MR. RUSSERT: Before we go, Mr. Mehlman, clear up this mystery that has been raging on the Internet. This was the first debate, George Bush at the podium, the bulge in the back of the suit. All right. Come clean. What is it?The thing that caught my eye was not the way Mehlman didn't answer the question, but the way he insulted the President's tailor. My personal feeling is that a tailor to the President is probably going to be a damned good one, but what do I know?
MR. MEHLMAN: The president, in fact, was receiving secret signals from aliens in outer space. You heard it here on MEET THE PRESS.
MR. SHRUM: You mean you sent Rove into orbit.
MR. RUSSERT: It was not a bulletproof vest or magnets for his back or anything?
MR. MEHLMAN: I'm not sure what it was, but the gentleman responsible for the tailoring of that suit is no longer working for this administration.
MR. SHRUM: Well, wait a minute. Now, the president only wears Oxford clothes. I'll bet that tailor is still there.
Well, a couple weeks ago, The New Yorker featured an article in its fashion issue (September 27, 2004) about the President's tailor, one Georges de Paris, "tailor to every American President since Lyndon Johnson." Incidentally, De Paris was not the tailor whom Lyndon Johnson asked to cut his next pair of pants looser in "the crotch, down where your nuts hang." You can read about that, and even listen to Johnson ordering his pants, here.
To return, it seems unlikely that De Paris would have made an ill-fitting suit for President Bush, and indeed he himself has refuted the idea that Bush was wearing an earpiece, though he has not responded to Melman's slander of the quality of his work or the inference that De Paris is now cutting brush on a chain gang of other disloyal Bush Administration officials down at the ranch in Crawford.
What did De Paris have to say about George W. in that New Yorker article three weeks ago? He had nothing but praise for the President, which must make Melhman's scapegoating of him all the more galling to the little tailor. The article reads, "Reagan was very chatty and gave him [de Paris] jelly beans, perhaps as a propitiating gesture, since he was always afraid that de Paris would stick him with pins during a fitting—but George W. Bush (a forty-four long, who favors navy and charcoal) runs a close second. 'So nice! So friendly!' de Paris says of Bush, whom he sees sometimes three times a week, at the White House, for fittings."
Mehlman's use of De Paris as a sacrifical goat in this lingering scandale is all too typical of this Bush Administration. Mehlman makes it sound as if Bush orders his suits from "Latka's Greek Tailoring" down in South East D.C., rather than from the same distinguished French tailor as every President since Johnson. If I were George W., in the future I'd be wary of letting De Paris anywhere near my ass and jewlies with stick pins. Never insult a French tailor.
posted by Matthew @ 10/18/2004 03:53:00 PM
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