Thursday, September 15, 2005

Jesus of Jackson Square I don't know what Bush is going to say in his speech tonight, although I can guess ("We're going to complete the mission . . . stay the course . . . finish the job . . . in Iraq, I mean New Orleans."). CNN describes the venue for the speech: Rather than speak before a live audience, Bush is planning to stand alone and broadcast his message directly into the camera from the evacuated city's historic Jackson Square, according to a White House official speaking on condition of anonymity since the site had not been announced. The square and its most famed landmark, the St. Louis Cathedral, were on high enough ground to avoid flooding but did not escape damage from Katrina's 145-mph winds. Two massive oak trees outside the 278-year-old cathedral came out by the roots, ripping out a 30-foot section of ornamental iron fence and snapping off the thumb and forefinger of the outstretched hand on a marble statue of Jesus. This means that even if Bush's speech doesn't put an end to the "blame game" the Republicans are so desperately trying to avoid, it won't be Jesus who's doing the finger-pointing. And who knows, maybe Karl Rove can arrange some digital retouching of the statue so that it looks like Jesus is making the "okay" sign with his thumb and forefinger as Bush speaks. If course, the most appropriate digital (in the original sense of the word) gesture for Jesus to make to Bush on behalf of New Orleanians would be an upraised middle finger. 12:15:39 PM    comment []