When Bush Met Babs: A Defamer Romance

A momentous power summit accompanied last weekend’s Kennedy Centre Honours, where Barbra Streisand had her first-ever audience with President George Bush. Video from the event features Streisand — a vicious Bush critic who spent much of the recent election cycle as the Obama campaign’s Deputy Director of Fundraising Medleys — welcoming the outgoing president to not only within bitchslap’s-length, but actually close enough to share a skin-searing bipartisan kiss.

Our vantage point in the clip defies easy interpretation like that provided by the Early Show anchors here; we actually sense a more fraught conversation upon the president’s approach:

Bush: “Ms. Streisand.”
Streisand: “Mr. President.”
Bush: “It’s like, I’m supposed do this thing, like, where—”
Streisand: “I know, I know. Just… whatever. Quickly.”
Bush:“I bet that’s not the first time you told a guy that.”
Streisand: *scowls*
Bush: *kiss*
Streisand: “That’s enough.”
Bush: “Come on, at least—”
Streisand: *touches Bush’s shoulder* “That’s enough.”
Bush: “Cool, sorry. Hey, tell Joshie I’m pulling for him. Oscars and everything.”
Streisand: “OK.”
Bush: “Except—”
Streisand: *smiles, clears throat*

At which point Bush shuffled to the next honoree, George Jones, though the video ends just before the point when we imagine the country legend offered his profuse gratitude and leaned in to inquire how hot Sarah Palin really is in person. Congrats to all the winners.

• Streisand and Bush Awkward Kiss [YouTube]