Bushismo

Abstract

The OED defines machismo as “strong or aggressive masculine pride.” Taking a cue from the Spanish, I define the term Bushismo as the particular “strong or aggressive” pride associated with former US President George W. Bush: privileged, powerful, certainly trying, if not succeeding, to be masculine, and fiercely – stubbornly – proud. Pride, in the case of George W. Bush, was created and maintained in live and mediated performances, forging a large-scale performative environment. This chapter considers the social-political-economic arena of the Bush II years and his many performances as well as his figure in representation. Bush performed many times; the soundbites are all on youtube.com of the famously not-brilliant US President displaying, well, Bushismo of all colors. Some of my favorite examples are quips like, “Too many OB-GYNs aren’t able to practice their love with women,” or the “Tennessee saying” he butchered in September 2002: “Fool me once, shame on […] shame on you. Fool me... You can’t get fooled again!”³ Bush’s ever-present grin and the almost agitated state he seemed to perpetually occupy made for comedy, yes, but these brief acts need to be understood within the wider performative milieu they occupy.