Article: THE COMIC GENIUS OF BUSH & ALLEN:

An interlocutor moderates a conversation of wit and wisdom between the world's second greatest comedy duo, George W. and Woody (following Burns & Allen - the other George, and Gracie, that is).

(dialogue marked by quotations (") are documented Bush and Allen quotes)

Recently, Interlocutor sat down with two comedy greats, warmonger and comedian, George W. Bush, and philosopher and filmmaker, Woody Allen, to glean of their combined wisdom and mirth, past, present and future.

Interlocutor: Greetings, Mr. Bush and Mr. Allen. Thank you for meeting with me today. Please, Mr. Bush, have a seat, really sir. We'll do a photo op following our conversation...

Bush: (giggling) "...the desk, where we'll have our picture taken in front of - is nine other president's used it. This was given to us by Queen Victoria in the 1870's, I think it was. President Roosevelt put the door in so people would not know he was in a wheelchair. John Kennedy put his head out the door." (5/5/06)

Interlocutor: Lovely, lovely. Now, if we could get down to business...

Allen: "Play it again, Sam."

Interlocutor: Mr. Bush, about your war in Iraq. What is your response to the findings that the events and perpetrators of 9/11 had nothing to do with Saddam Hussein and his so-called cache of "weapons of mass destruction" or an allegiance with Bin Laden operatives?

Bush: (fidgeting in his pocket for a cherry Lifesaver) "You know, one of the hardest parts of my job is to connect Iraq to the war on terror." (9/6/06)

Allen: (shrugging) "Why ruin a good story with the truth?"

Interlocutor: I see. Brilliant strategy, gentlemen. But what about your critics who say you invaded Iraq knowing full well that they had nothing to do with the terror attacks and to date, some half a million innocent Iraqi's have died due to your illegal invasion?

Bush: "The United States of America is engaged in a war against an extremist group of folks." (8/15/06)

Bush: Besides, uh.. "I think we are welcomed. But it was not a peaceful welcome." (12/12/05)

Allen: Hey, "...the lion and calf shall lie down together but the calf won't get much sleep!"

Bush: (shoulder laugh throws him off his seat)

Interlocutor: But again, sir, what about the hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqi's, not to mention the deaths of over 3,000 American troops? This can't sit well with you...

Allen: (attempting to lighten things up) "...the chief problem about death, incidentally, is the fear that there may be no afterlife - a depressing thought - particularly for those who have bothered to shave..."

Bush: (chokes on his Lifesaver)

Allen: I mean, "...also, there is a fear that there IS an afterlife but no one will know where it is being held. On the plus side, death is one of the few things that can be done as easily lying down."

Interlocutor: It appears that you and Mr. Bush share a macabre, to say the least, view of mass destruction, death and dying.

Bush: (removing Lifesaver from mouth and gingerly pinching it between thumb and index finger) "Make no mistake about it, I understand how tough it is, sir. I talk to families who die!" (12/7/06)

Bush: And, and, and, "after the bombing, most Iraqi's saw what the perpetrators were trying to do." (3/13/06)

Interlocutor: So the war is justified in your mind even though your critics, the American people and many in your own party, say otherwise? Even though you are losing this illegal war and leaving a country in ruin? Just as you've lost your moral standing in the global community...

Bush: Wha, what critics? "The only way we can win is to leave before the job is done." (11/4/06)

Interlocutor: I, I, I'm not sure I understand what you're saying, Mr. Bush...

Allen: (coughing) "94.5% of all statistics are made up."

Bush: And, and, and, and, "...if the Iranians were to have a nuclear weapon they could proliferate!" (3/21/06)

Bush: And, uh, um, I mean, "...I was not pleased that Hamas has refused to announce its desire to destroy Israel!" (5/4/06)

Interlocutor: I'm confused, uh, you're babbling, sir, your Lifesaver, stuck to the seat of your pants...

Allen: "Some people drink deeply from the river of knowledge. Others only gargle."

Interlocutor: Yes, I think I understand completely.

Bush: (amused to find candy stuck to trousers) My brain? It's my second favorite organ!* (laughing) I stole that from my pal, Woody! So sue me!

Interlocutor: I see. And just how do you reconcile with your devout religious beliefs, Mr. Bush? Your proclaimed "deep faith" and of being a good Christian? Doesn't all this mass slaughter, destruction of an ancient culture, and the sacrificing of young American lives based on greed and lies weigh heavily upon you at night?

Bush: (pulling the disk from his pants) Hey, "I'm looking forward to a good night's sleep on the soil of a friend." (6/29/05)

Bush: And hey, buddy, "...the President's job is NEVER to promote religion." (5/5/06)

Allen: "If Jesus Christ came back today and saw what is being done in his name, he'd never stop throwing up..."

Bush: Woody, ole buddy, you forgot somethin' "I'm the decider, and I decide what is best!" (4/18/06)

Allen: "In my house, I'm the boss. My wife is just the decision maker."

Bush: You're not listenin', red. "I'm the decider, and..."

Interlocutor: Okay, gentlemen, just a few more questions...what about the mounting violence in Iraq, the full blown civil war?

Bush: Uhh, well, "no question that the enemy has tried to spread sectarian violence. They use violence as a tool to do that." (3/22/06)

Allen: "There are two types of people in this world: good and bad. The good sleep better, but the bad seem to enjoy the waking hours much more."

Allen: Yes, I'm afraid that, "life is divided into the horrible and the miserable..."

Allen: And speaking of the horrible and miserable, "to me, nature is...spiders and bugs, and big fish eating little fish, plants eating plants, and animals eating... it's like one giant restaurant."

Bush: (excitedly) Yeah! Yeah! "I'd say the best moment of all (in office) was when I caught a 7.5 pound large-mouthed bass in my lake!" (5/7/06)

Allen: Yes, gargantuan-mouthed fish, and, and, "I think people should mate for life, like pigeons and Catholics..."

Interlocutor: I think we're getting off track here...

Bush: "...the President's job is NEVER to promote religion!" (5/5/06)

Interlocutor: Okay, gentlemen, I think we'll wrap this up. Any final words you'd like to add?

Allen: Hmmm, I guess the gospel according to this administration might sum things up, "Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons."

Bush: (smirking) Here! Here! I'm glad you listen to some things I tell ya!

Allen: Oh, and one last thing, "more than any other time in history, mankind faces a crossroads. One path leads to despair and utter hopelessness. The other, to total extinction. Let us pray we have the wisdom to choose correctly."

Bush: Jesus, Mary and Joseph! You got that right, Woodman. "I tell people, let's don't fear the future, let's shape it!" (6/7/06)

Interlocutor: This has been most enlightening. Thank you.

Bush: Goodnight, Woody!

Allen: Goodnight, George.

* Woody Allen quote.

(My gratitude for the comic genius of Woody Allen, for his brilliance and wit - the perfect match to pit against the madness of George.)