At The Grand Canyon (Between Bush And Reality)

Could the gap get any wider? 

(…And the non-rhetorical answer is — bet on it.)

The first shot shows Bush on Monday trying to merge with “happy” Marines in Arizona.  (In the increasingly “hard work” of manufacturing a “happy face” world, this image is informed by this one — of a momentarily grumpy-faced Bush at an immigration “reform” event that same day as Prez looks to unload an audience member’s camera on an aide for more digital happiness.)

The second shot — also same day — captures soldiers of the Army’s Charlie Company, 2-3 Infantry, being informed by their commanding officer at Taji Air Base north of Baghdad that their Iraqi tour is being extended at least 90 days.

(One thing I can’t figure out, by the way — and I’ve read this in multiple accounts, now — is how and why so many soldiers had to find about the troop extensions either by word of mouth or from news reports off the internet.)

image 1: Jack Kurtz/AP.  Yuma, Arizona, April 9, 2007.  image 2: Bob Strong/Reuters. Taji Air Base north of Baghdad. April 12, 2007.  linked image:  Jason Reed/Reuters.  Yuma, Arizona, April 9, 2007. all via YahooNews.