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A Queen's Toast--or Roast?
Oh, that Queen is a crafty old fox. Elizabeth II may not be thebrightest jewel on the tiara (at least as depicted by Helen Mirren inthe Academy Award-winning The Queen). But she--or her majesty'sye olde wordsmith--concocted a rather intriguing toast for last night'sstate dinner at the White House.
George W. Bush went first in the exchange. He began folksy: "We'rereally glad you're here." (How's that for eloquence?) He praised her"long reign" and remarked:
Our alliance is rooted in the beliefs that we share. We recognizethat every individual has dignity and matchless value. We believe thatthe most effective governments are those that hold themselvesaccountable to their people.
Yes, the British do enjoy a parliamentarian democracy. But the royalportion of its government is hardly accountable to the people. Bushadded, "The American people appreciate Your Majesty's commitment to ourfriendship." In other words, he didn't say much. Then Bush said, "Yourturn, Your Majesty."
The Queen began by praising the first President Bush for having seenat the time of the collapse of the Soviet Union "the potential for whathe called, a Europe whole and free." She hailed the expansion of NATOand the European Union. She paid deep respect to FDR and Harry Trumanfor having reached out to England and Europe. "For those of us who havewitnessed the peace and stability and prosperity enjoyed in the UnitedKingdom and the rest of Europe over these postwar years," shecommented, "we have every reason to remember that this has been foundedon the bedrock of the Atlantic Alliance." She continued:
Today the United States and the United Kingdom, with our partnersin Europe and the Commonwealth, face different threats and new problemsboth at home and abroad. In recent years, sadly, both our nations havesuffered grievously at the hands of international terrorism. Furtherafield, whether in Iraq or Afghanistan, climate change, or theeradication of poverty, the international community is grappling withproblems certainly no less complex than those faced by our 20th centuryforebears.
And what is her hope for the challenge-ridden future? She said:
I have no doubt, however, that together with our friends inEurope and beyond, we can continue to learn from the inspiration andvision of those earlier statesmen in ensuring that we meet thesethreats and resolve these problems.
Queen E. did not say anything about Bush's ability to meet theseprofound and demanding challenges. In fact, she said not a singlepositive word about the president. She thanked him for no more than hiswarm words and hospitality. Instead, when referring to the troubles oftoday (some of which have been caused by the fellow at the head table),she nostalgically recalled American statesmen of yesteryear, notingthey provide the example to follow. Was there a message here: don'tlook for inspiration from this White House?
Elizabeth had managed not to say anything that could be interpretedas supportive of the current American president, as she celebrated hispredecessors (including his father). Then she raised her glass to Bushand wished for "the happiness of the people of the United States ofAmerica." She seemed to realize that the people of both the UnitedStates and England would be happier if her toastee was toast.
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Thanks for pointing this out, I prolly would have missed it otherwise.
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Say hi to her for me when you see her next week.
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Yeah -- I'll share if I see it.
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And on another note, the river will have warmed by early July.
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