Even Biking with Armstrong, Bush can't Escape Political Cheap Shots

August 20th, 2005 10:29 PM

A.P. reporter Nedra Pickler was probably assigned to write a simple, short story regarding the President of the United States biking in Crawford with the Champion cyclist of the world, Lance Armstrong.  Still, in a short 408 word essay, Pickler managed to insert the standard Bush-bash line.  Earth-shattering?  No.  Unexpected?  Not at all.  Petty?  Indeed.

Says Pickler in her story: "Armstrong calls Bush a friend, but he has spoken out against the war in Iraq and has said he wants the government to spend more money on cancer." research.

You sometimes just have to laugh, otherwise you may scream.  So, Armstrong is a friend of Bush...or is he?  Pickler adds just enough doubt to leave the reader thinking.  Lance Armstrong sits on the Presidents Cancer Council, is a fellow Texan, and is a friend of George W. Bush.  Is this of particular importance?  No.  But then again, neither was Nedra Pickler's gratuitous cheap shot finding its way into a simple essay regarding cycling.