the finger of hostility

[mamajoan]

So, in case you haven't heard, there's a bit of flap over whether Dubya actually flipped the bird to a bunch of reporters while leaving a conference. You can see the video here.

And the transcript of the White House daily press conference that followed is here. The relevant bit:

Q Scott, last night on the Tonight Show, Jay Leno, who apparently is subbing for Johnnie, displayed a video of the President at the Capitol yesterday. In that video, the President walking away from the press lifts his hand and raises a finger. Mr. Leno interpreted it as, shall we say, a finger of hostility. Each of our fingers has a special purpose and meaning in life. (Laughter.) Can you tell us what finger it was he held up?

MR. McCLELLAN: Ken, I'm not even going to dignify that with much of a response. But if someone is misportraying something, that's unfortunate.

Q Well, it was not a finger of hostility?

MR. McCLELLAN: Ken, I was there with him, and I'm just not going to -- I'm not going to dignify that with a response. I mean, I haven't seen the video that you're talking about, but I know the way the President acts. And if someone is misportraying it, that's unfortunate.

OMG, first of all? Whoever that reporter is, I want to marry him. Or at least kiss him. This "a special purpose and meaning in life" is a thing of beauty, but it pales in comparison to the thing of awe and wonder that is "a finger of hostility." OMG. I love that phrase. It gives me a happy. ROTFL!

Oh, and P.S.: Our president is a dickhead, and that is NOT a thumb.

Comments

[mishaslair.livejournal.com]

I agree our president is a dickhead, but I think it's a thumb. The movement of his arm definitely looks like he's giving a "thumbs up" rather than a finger of hostility. But then, I didn't think he was wearing a radio pack in the first debate either. :-)

[azurelunatic]

Could be a forefinger.

But, yes. "Finger of hostility."

[anotherjen.livejournal.com]

More amusing than the photo were all the comments following it. It's the finger! No it isn't! It's a thumb! I know he's flipping the bird! You are so wrong! etc etc.

[lbmango.livejournal.com]

Am I the only one concerned by "last night on the Tonight Show, Jay Leno, who apparently is subbing for Johnnie" Where has this reporter been for the last *15* years?

[mamajoan.livejournal.com]

I was assuming that was meant as a joke too ... of course it's hard to tell from a written transcript.