Presidential Lies

George W. Bush lied to Pennsylvania voters about his preferences for cheese on cheese-steaks. The local custom is to get Cheese Whiz, which is an absolutely vile concotion, and Bush opted instead to get American cheese. If I were a Republican, and Bush were a Democrat, I'd be arguing that those are the actions of a man who will do or say anything to get elected. If Kerry had done this, FNC would run a segment on every primetime show about it, and Glenn Reynolds would be posting a wrap up of sneering right-wing bloggers who are unsurprised by yet another Kerry effort to pander to voters. This time, however, it's Bush lying about a completely inconsequential matter, except insofar as it might win him the three voters who can be swayed by a candidate's affinity for local cheesey-meat customs. (The flip-side of the story is that Kerry got Swiss cheese on his cheese-steak, which, as we know, means that he's a French elitist fop.)

P.S. My uncle owned a cheese-steak restaurant in Philadelphia for about 30 years, and was once written up in city magazine for having the best cheese-steaks in Philly. He was also very gracious about letting people get what they wanted on their steaks.