Andy Card's Dress Code

Help me.

Andy Card, Chief of Staff for Former Pres. George W. Bush and former Sec. of Transportation under Pres. George H.W. Bush, appeared on Michael Medved's conservative talk show criticizing Pres. Obama for his lack of respect for the Oval Office. This disrespect came to light recently when a photo showed the new president working at his desk in shirt sleeves. Card spoke of the Oval Office as the "symbol of freedom for the world." As Americans we surely don't want the world to think less of us because of this blatant fashion faux pas.

The right wing is up in arms because of this departure from the dress code of Bush 43. W always dressed up when he worked. I'm sure he dressed formally, in the black number, when deciding to bomb Iraq, ignoring the advice of his own security advisor, Dick Clark and others when they said that Saddam Hussein was not complicit in the 9-11 attacks. Does any sartorial maven remember which suits he wore when he signed the USA Patriot Act; when he OK'd warrant less wiretaps of U.S. citizens; when he denied habeas corpus; or when he decided that waterboarding was not torture? O, I remember, those were the days he often favored the navy with complimenting light blue tie. It was likely the dark brown pinstripe with blue shirt and gold cuff links that he wore when he ignored Treasury Secretary, Paul O'Niell's warning that his tax cuts would drive us into large budget deficits. Trying not to wear the same suit twice, he chose the beige one when he cooked up the idea that we should all have private investment accounts in lieu of traditional social security. Bowing to the irony of the situation, I bet he chose the charcoal double-breasted when he announced his opposition to carbon emissions controls. Did he think to wear a wet suit when he ignored the plight of thousands during Hurricane Katrina?

I don't think this devil wore Prada - Armani perhaps.