Dubya, Drawn and Quartered.

January 9, 2009 3:06 PM

George Bush's failings and follies inspired some of Vanity Fair’s illustrators' best work.
posted by gman (19 comments total)

And, perhaps, it is time for a florilegium of Bushisms, each more misunderestimated than the last.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 3:36 PM on January 9 [2 favorites]

I particularly liked 11 and 19.
posted by dead cousin ted at 3:58 PM on January 9

When did he get pointy elf ears? The perspective of this one is great. But the 20th slide isn't even him! Maybe slight of hand is Vanity Fair's best work?

GNFtI: it seems he learned to watch his words as time went on, or we noticed less. The bulk of those quotes are from his first term. They chose a nicely fitting final quote: "I'll be long gone before some smart person ever figures out what happened inside this Oval Office." (Washington DC, 12 May, 2008)
posted by filthy light thief at 4:01 PM on January 9

These are so clever.
posted by roll truck roll at 4:05 PM on January 9

i dunno what to say.
posted by girlthursday at 4:12 PM on January 9

"But the 20th slide isn't even him!"

Whadya mean?
posted by Liquidwolf at 4:16 PM on January 9

I love love love the illustration of George getting the Bum's Rush from both Washington and Lincoln.

The follow-up to this is both Lincoln and Washington standing outside with Obama, and they turn to say "Will there be anything else, Sir?"
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 4:16 PM on January 9

Philip Burke is incredible and he is utterly wasted on illustration. 99% of caricature is just dead. Horrible, slick, predictable and dead. Burke's work is beautiful expressive portraiture that just happens to feature celebrities. His work stops me whenever and wherever I see it.
posted by fire&wings at 4:58 PM on January 9

When did he get pointy elf ears?

I'm assuming those are meant to be Nosferatu ears.
posted by benzenedream at 5:01 PM on January 9

This is the best one.
posted by paisley henosis at 5:11 PM on January 9

The 20th slide is him. He's ducking, or running away from all the shoes the world is (metaphorically) throwing at him.
posted by krinklyfig at 5:25 PM on January 9

The skulls (# 11) are creepy. I like it.
posted by sundri at 5:31 PM on January 9

Bush Apologizes: The Farewell Interview We Wish He'd Give
posted by homunculus at 5:44 PM on January 9

This photo of Bush with a handful of other Presidents has been floating around the internets. It looks like someone promised him Tang and Rice Krispie Treats if he posed for a shot with the grown ups. I mean seriously, the only thing he is missing are those mittens with the string that runs through your jacket so you don't lose them.
posted by clearly at 8:21 PM on January 9 [3 favorites]

He's facing the wrong way under that desk.
posted by Smedleyman at 9:09 PM on January 9 [5 favorites]

Here's one I like (probably has to do with this song). Incredibly irritating smirk is incredibly irritating.
posted by taz at 11:17 PM on January 9

also, to add to gnfti's link: Slate's The Complete Bushisms.
posted by taz at 11:28 PM on January 9

I love number 17...so frightfully real and relevant..... At least the Joker admits to being evil and causing chaos.
posted by Prunedish at 2:13 AM on January 10

Prunedish So does he.
posted by Skeptic at 11:08 AM on January 10