The Playboy and the Town Girl
This son of a rich Karachi businessman, Asif Ali Zardari, was never meant to be the President of Pakistan. He was the guy you'd write about only if discussing corrupt husbands living in the shadows of 10% commission. The moniker Mr. Ten Percent, though appropriate, seems incomplete to describe him. He's also a man known for his frills, a philandering playboy and a lecherous womanizer.
Every time he opens his mouth, he begins by raising the specter of his late wife "Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto" as a copyrighted trademark. Once the formalities of announcing his claim to fame have been dispensed with, he'll break into the most gratuitous display of teeth, which he thinks passes off for a welcoming smile. One can almost see that behind the grinning eyes lies a conniving idiot-savant figuring out the rules of this new game he's playing. With this non graduate at the helm of power in Pakistan, I think the subcontinent has found its local version of President Bush. Just like Bush's Bushims, we can begin compiling Zardari's Zardarisms.
I'll start by pointing out this one:
Sarah Palin is a small town girl from the end of the world. She's a church going hockey mom and the most attractive woman in the Republican Party. Its obvious that her nomination, as the Republican Vice Presidential candidate, is more bling than substance. She's not here for her experience and knowledge but for media symbolism. And she obviously doesn't know much about the world. Having just recently received a passport, she always thought that a view of the Siberian Desert which "can be seen from Alaska" is knowing Russia. Its yonder and I can see it from my window.
But when you have a U.N Assembly going on and most of the world's Heads' of State are in town, its a golden opportunity to socialize with them and record the memories in your dairy. It can help pass off, at least on Fox News, as foreign policy experience between breaks. They'll spin the rest.
So media symbol Palin gets to meet Zardari the lecherous, who is now Pakistani head of State, thanks to "Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto". The Zardarism follows.
From the Nation:
NEW YORK - President Asif Ali Zardari called Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin ‘gorgeous’ when she met the Pakistani leader on Wednesday, adding some glamour to his current visit to New York at the head of Pakistan’s delegation to the UN General Assembly.
Ms Palin, 44, has been in New York meeting international leaders as part of her effort to brush up her knowledge of foreign affairs. On entering a room filled with several Pakistani officials, Ms Palin was immediately greeted by Information Minister Sherry Rehman, according to media reports. “And how does one keep looking that good when one is that busy?” Ms Sherry Rehman asked Ms Palin, drawing friendly laughter from the room. “Oh, thank you,” Ms Palin said.
President Zardari entered the room seconds later. Ms Palin rose to shake his hand, saying she was ‘honored’ to meet him. Zardari then called her ‘gorgeous’ and said: “Now I know why the whole of America is crazy about you.” “You are so nice,” Ms Palin said, smiling. “Thank you.”
An official from President Zardari’s entourage then told the two politicians to keep shaking hands for the cameras. “If he’s insisting, I might hug,” Zardari said. Ms Palin smiled politely in response. After the meeting, Ms Palin said her visit was “going great. These meetings are very informative and helpful.”
I have a feeling that this subcontinental version of Bush may bring more destruction to the political turmoil in Pakistan than already expected from his corrupt ways. Just like Bush has done for the last 8 years, this might be his strategy to divert attention away from his corruption by playing the clown.
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Zardari sounds like a buffoon.