from: http://www.arizonarepublic.com/opinions/articles/1123sat3-23.html


So what do you think of W., eh? 
Graceless opinion of Canadian official seems un-neighborly

Nov. 23, 2002


Is the president of the United States a "moron"?


Among top aides of the prime minister of Canada, it seems a given. 

In a conversation earlier this week with a reporter, and while surrounded by other reporters, the communications director for Prime Minister Jean Chretien exclaimed, "What a moron!" in reference to President Bush.

The American president had been using his time at the North Atlantic Treaty Organization meetings in Prague to rally support for a possible war against Iraq. To Chretien aide Francoise Ducros, this apparently constituted moronic behavior.

Well, even graceless flacks are due their opinion. But here's an example of something even more moronic than rallying international support to corral a dangerous despot: A top aide to a world leader calling the U.S. president a moron.

And here's something only slightly less moronic: The lame reaction of Chretien himself to his classless aide's commentary.

Chretien, who inexplicably refused his aide's offer to resign, allowed that - sigh - "we don't live in as civilized a world as we used to." Was he indirectly chastising his loose-lipped aide, Ms. Ducros? Mais non! He was slighting the indiscreet reporters who overheard her slur and dared to identify her in print.

It is difficult to imagine that citizens of Canada, among the most genuinely civil people in the world, countenance such name-calling rubbish by the staff of their national leader. 

It would be nice to see them inform their prime minister that Canadians, in fact, remain more civil than he gives them credit for, and won't tolerate tasteless boorishness from his aides.
 
 
 
 
  The Arizona Republic

Editorials represent the opinion of The Arizona Republic, whose Editorial Board consists of Ken Western, Phil Boas, Paul Schatt, Richard de Uriarte, Jennifer Dokes, Cindy Hernandez, Kathleen Ingley, Doug MacEachern, Joel Nilsson, O. Ricardo Pimentel, Robert Robb, Linda Valdez and Steve Benson.