Gothamist: State of the Union Props for NYC Subway Hero

Kevin Bracken

Wed, 31 Jan 2007 13:50:28 -0500

That must be the fourth time Bush has thought about actual New Yorkers (instead of the WTC) during his entire presidency

Edward Sabatine

Thu, 25 Jan 2007 23:14:21 -0500

Even though this is now buried, I had to comment on it. Reagan started this, featuring ordinary guy, uncontroversial "heros" in his state of the union address. It was annoying even when Reagan did it, but as a former B movie actor, he could pull it off. Since then, all his successors have had to do the same thing. Its bogus. The SOTU was originally a WRITTEN report from the President to Congress on the state of the union. It was intended to be a constitutional duty, not a cheap public relations spectacle. The subway hero, or Dikembe Mutembe, have nothing to do with the actual state of the union. Until we get another actor-president (Ahnold?), commentators should start blowing rasperrries on this.

xnan

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 16:04:07 -0500

"The poor guy" needs nothing! Why waste a perfectly good brownie and some perfectly viable Ex-lax on the likes of him? Whatever he "needs" should not be pleasant tasting nor pleasant in any way. He's deserving only of being dismissed & diregarded. Unpleasantly, if possible. As for the look on his face throughout the speech-- just a little reflux from the cartload of babies that he'd eaten just before entering the chambers.

xnan

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 16:02:11 -0500

xnan

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 16:00:12 -0500

hs

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 14:39:12 -0500

What was up with Cheney's weird facial "expression" for the duration? The poor guy needed an Ex-lax brownie.

dug

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 13:19:10 -0500

pelosi's blinking is far too distracting for a backdrop.

desk sgt

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 12:38:22 -0500

.."what a weird handshake for a president" Actually, he's arm-wrestling. And losing as usual.

dan

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 12:36:51 -0500

.."what a weird handshake for a president" It's a black handshake. Few people know this but Bush is actually a member of an offshoot of the Black Panthers; the Dumb Panthers!.

desk sgt

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 12:34:59 -0500

.."what a weird handshake for a president" I thought Cheney was the president.

tien

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 12:33:55 -0500

did anyone else think that autrey mouthed "you the man" when he was pointing down at bush?

ben dover

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 12:32:59 -0500

.."what a weird handshake for a president" Well, there you have it: he can't speak, he can't think, he can't tell the truth AND he can't shake hands.

Christina

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 11:13:18 -0500

Loved the photos, but everything that came after was a bleak reminder of how Gothamist has been disappointing on so many fronts.

post gamer

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 11:10:46 -0500

I watched Syriana then the post Speech coverage on MSNBC. I love watching people recoil when Mr. Autrey hugs them. Bloomberg is the major offender of this act.

nah

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 11:09:39 -0500

No doubt he didn't pay a single dime for that trip to the nation's capital where he was able to take his daughters to a State of the Union address. that's more than a once in a lifetime opportunity and I can't fault Autrey for taking advantage of it.

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 10:58:56 -0500

what a weird handshake for a president.

Toby

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 10:51:10 -0500

If I was Wesley Autrey I would have done the truly heroic thing, turned down the honor (preferably on live TV) and snubbed the shrub.

James

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 10:47:01 -0500

Look at the love Autry was giving last night! Giving props to Bush. Shaking the hand of the Laura Bush and Lynne Cheney (who had that "who is this negro and why is he touching me" look). And he hugs the soldier next to him. Best scene of the night!

germ

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 10:46:22 -0500

autrey seems like he's gonna snap. this definitely seems like a story that could only end in tragedy. i can imagine him engineering a fake heroic act, using his daughters perhaps as props.

MT

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 10:41:58 -0500

Bush is a pig. Autrey should feel soiled for being exploited like that.

R

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 10:28:20 -0500

Autrey's also a hero for being the only person to keep it real in the whole Capitol building that night.

Lexiphane

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 10:17:46 -0500

Those two pictures are awesome. Autrey seems like a great guy, but he looks less the "humble" hero than an aspiring Mussolini on a balcony. And Bush looks like he's arm-wrestling Pelosi.

BobMikki

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 10:15:21 -0500

http://youtube.com/watch?v=inrnSzLscmU

BobMikki

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 10:14:34 -0500

Heres the video.

ATOMISCHE

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 09:56:44 -0500

I watched the only interesting part -- watching Bush act all humble in front of Pelosi. Then switched over to a rerun of Chapelle's Show.