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'Dumb Dubya' in right royal gaffe
08/05/2007 13:02 - (SA)
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| Queen Elizabeth II passes in front President Bush during the official state arrival ceremony in her honour at the White House. (J Scott Applewhite, AP)
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London - British newspapers were scathing on Tuesday about US President George W Bush's blundering welcome for Queen Elizabeth II, labelling him "Dumb Dubya" and saying he has the "gift for the gaffe".
Bush messed up at a ceremonial welcome for the queen at the White House Monday when he spoke of a visit paid by Elizabeth to mark the 200th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence from Britain "in 17 - in 1976".
After the queen looked up at him from beneath her wide-brimmed black hat, he winked at her, before turning to the laughing audience and telling them: "She gave me a look that only a mother could give a child."
Britain's media, which has revelled in reporting previous Bush bloopers, claimed that this was among his worst.
The nation's biggest-selling paper, the right-wing tabloid Sun, accused Bush of making "one of his great verbal blunders" while the centre-right broadsheet The Times headlined its piece: "Oops, he did it again."
"On a morning that should by rights have been frozen in time as a moment of pure pageantry, with military marching bands, pipers trucked out in tricorn hats and powdered wigs, and visiting royalty, one can count on George Bush," the centre-left broadsheet The Guardian said.
"The president yesterday once again demonstrated his gift for the gaffe, injecting an unintended sense of levity into the White House welcome for the queen."
'Her majesty's withering look spoke volumes'
This was not Bush's first slip in front of the monarch, the Guardian added.
"When she visited the White House in 1991 during his father's presidency, he said he was the black sheep of the Bush family.
"He then asked: 'Who's yours?' The queen did not reply," it said.
The right-wing tabloid The Daily Mail asked: "Is he winking at One?" and said that Bush could have tried to recover from his initial blunder in several ways.
"But turning to her and giving her a sly wink is probably not included in any book of royal etiquette," it added.
In an editorial, centre-left tabloid The Daily Mirror dubbed Bush "Dumb Dubya," adding: "Her majesty's withering look spoke volumes, giving the watching public and the president a very clear message.
"Which is more than he ever manages."
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