The Game Show President

There are may things to be disappointed, dispirited and angry about with President Bush over the last 7 years. What this the war in Iraq, the 900 and some lies he and his administration made during the two years following 9/11, knowing about torture approvals down in the situation room and on and on and on. One wonders as he stumbled on lame duck feet to the end of his term if he won't manage to achieve the historic moniker of Worst President of all time - if he hasn't already.

But the penultimate contribution to presidential stupidity must have come on Monday April 21, 2008 when he appeared in a taped segment on the Game Show "Deal or No Deal". As contestants choose briefcases and try to win a million dollars, ole Bush 43 pops up to cheer on Captain Joseph Kobes - a vet of three Iraq war duties. Bush then joked around with Canadian Comedian / host Howie Mandel that perhaps Mandel could come to Washington to help him balance the federal budget.

What's so galling about this appearance on a game show, in the middle of a war, doing nothing about a recession and generally tap dancing his way through the final days, is not that a political leader appears on a game show, comedy skit or (as was happening on Monday night for McCain, Obama and Clinton) appearing on World Wresting "Monday Night Raw" program, but rather that a sitting president - a world leader - the most powerful person of earth has debased himself to appear on a prime time game show - egging on the war vet to win that million and live the American Dream.

It is not mearly that he is debasing himself. That's fine. He can appear on every game show, soap opera, morning show he wants if he will just stay out of the oval office for a few more months. What's embarrassing and sad is his compunction to bring down the presidential office while he shills on game shows. It's cringe worthy to have a world leader popping up on prime time TV to spin the wheel or roll the dice - what an image for the county. For the rest of the world. Is this really the image that people want of their president?

Of course when your approval rating (28%) is at an all time low and you now have the highest disapproval rating of any president in 70 years, then I guess all that is left is the game show circuit.

Though based on his performance last night, perhaps he could while away his final 272 days by hosting "the Foreclosure Price is Right" or "Wheel of Guantanamo" or better yet a revival of "the weakest link". At least that way he can shore up his presidential legacy as a beloved game show host.