Out of his freakin' mind:

Via Dan Froomkin's column, we learn about Bush's bicycle ride this last weekend - in a Reuters story Bush, at 60, showing no signs of slowing. Read it and weep: (emp add)

By Steve Holland

CRAWFORD, Texas (Reuters) - Just weeks after his 60th birthday, President George W. Bush showed no signs of slowing down on Saturday, powering his mountain bike up steep hills in 100-degree (38 Celsius) heat and exhausting younger riders.

Confident that a U.N. resolution on southern Lebanon was essentially complete, Bush broke away from his ranchhouse for a spin around his 1,600-acre (647-hectare) Texas ranch, across single-track trails that he helped hack out of the dry, dusty environs.

While some of his Democratic critics have complained he spends too much time on his bike, Bush said the exercise helps him deal with the pressures of the presidency.

"Riding helps clear my head, helps me deal with the stresses of the job," a sweat-soaked Bush said after an hour-and-20-minute ride that shot his heart rate up to 177 beats per minute at the top of one climb.

The president set a brutal pace for his accompanying riders, who included two Secret Service agents, White House spokesman Tony Snow and this reporter, who managed to gasp his way through the 12 1/2-mile (20-km) ride.

"What I would give to be 16 again!" Bush yelled out at one point as he mashed the pedals of his Trek bicycle through a wooded area.

In fact, Bush does not ride quietly, constantly shouting out in his Texas twang the names of trees and geographic features and yelling at himself to pedal faster.

"Air assault!" he yelled as he started one of two major climbs, up Calichi Hill, which he named for the white limestone rock from which it is formed.

[snip]

Standing in the shade of a tree while one of his dogs, Miss Beazley, barked, Bush said he does not try to think out solutions to world problems while riding, instead using the rides to clear his head.

[snip]

"They're fun exercise rides, and I try to maximize the time available and at the same time stay fit. In my case I know I need to be spiritually fit as well as physically fit in order to do this job."

You know, Bush has been acting even more out of touch than he usually does. Jocouse when it's inappropriate. "Frat boy" when visiting the White House press room for the last time. He's got to be on some sort of medication.

Remember what he said prior to Katrina?

"I think the people want the president to be in a position to make good, crisp decisions and to stay healthy," Bush said during an Aug. 13 [2005] bike ride with journalists at his ranch. "And part of my being is to be outside exercising. So I'm mindful of what goes on around me. On the other hand, I'm also mindful that I've got a life to live, and will do so."

Fat lot of good that did.

And how about Tony Snow on a bicycle? Snow, normally a GQ kind of guy, must have looked a bit scruffy while on the trail


posted by Quiddity at 8/08/2006 10:02:00 AM