Not to be too sinister here, but don't you think it would be pretty clever if he said it on purpose?
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Or here is another scenario to consider: you are Bush, you read the riot act to P.M. , he says, 'OK, life is too difficult, I'll do what you want. Let's marketize. It makes sense when nothing else does. Let's strip the loan books, pool it, and hold a big firesale. I'm tired of this life and want to get on with privatizing the postal system.'
Then Bush replies: That's my boy. A Japan that can say Yes! Now let's go out to the press conference and restore some confidence in you. Let's roll, is how we Americans put it now.
[Interpreter present makes sure Koizumi knows that this remark doesn't have anything to do with sushi roll and that the Pres.'s tummy is feeling all right after the long flight.]
Then he goes out and says something goofy about devaluation.
LATER, Pres. phone call with Poppie Bush:
Poppie: That's my boy. That last piece, that was a fluster that even I couldn't do. It was icing on the cake.
Sonny boy: What do you mean, Pops?
Poppie: Well, as you know, next month me and the Carlyle gang meet with the regulators there so we can start buying. [Carlyle is at an upcoming conference, but I don't know if Bush is the rep. ; just fictionalizing here.] We need a STRONG dollar , at least short. You got that, STRONG. Hell, we'll be able to buy 20% more than we planned. John Major is going to be there, too. Too bad the Enron guys couldn't make it this time around. They were always a lot of fun when we do karaoke at the hostess bars. Still, I like those belly dancers the bin Ladens always brought with them, but my advisers tell me trips to Saudi Arabia are out for a while. Japan's nice, though...never could get used to that damn raw seafood , but...
Poppie continues: Then when you meet with old steel and auto in April to deal with the Japan-bashing thing, you can just talk the dollar back down. Well, hell O'Neill will do that. You just tell him to hold his horses til the timing is right. Everyone will soon see that a Bush in office means TOTAL management of the economy for all registered Republicans and more than a few swing Democrats.
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I suppose this scenario means it was a Freudian slip.
Intentional or not, never, ever underestimate a Bushism--at least until you've confirmed whether or not there is a microphone in his ear or the teleprompter had a glitch. This ain't Dan Quayle you are dealing with, you know.
Charles Jannuzi PS: stuff on Carlyle in Asia coming tomorrow. I'm way over my limit and 13 time zones away.