New York Daily News - September 2, 2004
Rush & Molloy
Prez's aide: Twins were Bush-league
EVERYONE'S A CRITIC: The speech by Barbara (l.) and Jenna Bush (with Mom and Dad) drew raves from Karl Rove - but not the good kind. President Bush and wife Laura may have been charmed by their darling daughters' introduction Tuesday night, but Bush-Cheney political aides thought Barbara and Jenna's shtick was an absolute bomb.
Reliable sources tell the Daily News that Bush's chief political mastermind, Karl Rove, was among several advisers who panned the twins' convention act.
"Whoever approved this," Rove moaned to a colleague, "I'm going to put on a slow boat to China."
Another Bush-Cheney zealot called the monologue "perfect for 'Saturday Night Live' - without any editing."
Campaign critics better not share their reviews with twins' doting grandparents.
"I thought they were wonderful," former President George H.W. Bush told reporters after seeing a matinee performance of "Hairspray" yesterday. "They gave a great speech. Somebody's sniping at 'em today, but I don't know why.
"See, those girls have never really kinda liked all the politics, but because of their love for their dad, they're out campaigning," he added. "I think they did a superb job. Of course, I'm not objective."
He can say that again. Later on, at a cocktail party for campaign contributors at the Four Seasons, 41 decried the criticism heaped on 43 by The New York Times and "slimeball" filmmaker Michael Moore. "I don't like it a damn bit," Poppy told an applauding crowd that included his wife, Barbara.
As for the 1,500 protesters arrested, the elder Bush said he and Babs hadn't see many disruptions - "We've been in kind of a cocoon. Why would I go seeing what they have to say? Some guy goes out raising hell and gets all the cameras on him."
Mama Barbara concurred: "I don't like people criticizing my son."
Meanwhile, the sisters admit that their grandmother hasn't always been as thrilled with their fashion choices.
"We had some wardrobe malfunctions," Jenna says in the new issue of People. "Age 22 and 80 don't really go together. There were some outfits that got nixed before they even were put on."