Bush's time in the White House has seen him mix up places and names, and display an uncanny knack for unforgettable gaffes, leading many in the U.S. and beyond to suggest that the 43rd president of the United State would be well-advised to seek a career as a stand-up comedian if he ever gets tired of political life.
The ongoing Sydney APEC talks saw the man who once said "My pro-life position is I believe there's life," and "I believe that the human being and the fish can peacefully co-exist," refer to APEC as OPEC, and to the Australian prime minister's visit to 'Austrian' troops in Iraq.
He also sauntered up to Condoleezza Rice at a state banquet to enquire of the U.S. Secretary of State "So, you gonna be my girl?" and wandered off-stage after his opening comments at the APEC forum in entirely the wrong direction.
Although the widely-reported 2004 story that Bush's I.Q. was the lowest of any U.S. president in history turned out to be an unproven rumor, it is understandable that in such desperate times many people feel nervous about a man able to confuse such elementary facts as the names of countries and regions.
But not to worry. As the man himself said in 2004: "God loves you, and I love you. And you can count on both of us as a powerful message that people who wonder about their future can hear."
Feel better now?
