Former White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card went reverse uppity this week, appearing on Inside Edition to scold President Barack Obama for relaxing George W. Bush’s Oval Office dress code, mandating coats and ties at all times for gentlemen (and Burkas at all times for ladies, we presume?).
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Although coverage of the new rules, including The New York Times' January portrait of the new White House culture, has generally been favorable, it has largely missed the bigger point: Bush’s strict business dress standard is a logical index of the amount of business actually getting done during his tenure.
The Buzz is reminded of that old Dave Chappelle routine—you know, from way, way back in the pre-post-racial days?—about how you can tell the difference between the kinds of work that white people are doing (“Whistle While You Work”) and black people are doing (“Wade In The Water, Children”) just by listening.
Card said of Obama, “I wish that he would wear a suit coat and tie.” Well, everyone else wishes President Bush had read his daily intelligence briefings more carefully. Maybe if he would have downshifted from a blazer to a cardigan every afternoon like Mr. Rogers, he might have been able to focus.
Mr. Card, we have no idea why you’re still talking, but for the record, the expression is “roll up your sleeves” for a reason.
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