"Our famous prayer is that the Americans... get eliminated and they go home."

By GottaLaff

South Africa's police commissioner wants us to lose, get knocked right out of the World Cup. In the first round. In fact, they're praying we do. Aw.

But it's nothing personal, they're just concerned about security. If President Obama drops in, it will overwhelm them:

[General Bheki ] Cele said: "Our famous prayer is that the Americans don't make the second round. (That) They get eliminated and they go home."

South Africa's top policeman said he had provisional confirmation that 43 heads of state would go to the World Cup, and "those 43 will be equal to this one operation" if Obama made the trip.

No offense taken.

Trading Places

By GottaLaff

Mm, mm, good!

Over the next 36 hours, ABC News says White House staffers will go through the behind-the-scenes business of trading places with the Obama team.

"At 9:00 p.m. Friday, the highest-level staffers will turn in their gear; and the West Wing will become a ghost town. Chief of Staff Josh Bolten, Counselor Ed Gillespie, and Press Secy Dana Perino are the senior staffers who will remain here, on standby. Monday is a federal holiday so the White House would be closed anyway. On Tuesday, Special Agent Donald White of the U.S. Secret Service will shadow President Bush, sit in the customary front 'shotgun' seat of the limousine, and guard the President until noon. At 12:01, Agent White steps over to a position behind Barack Obama."

Oh man, that was dee-lish. Please, sir, may I have some more?

White House interns forced to fill seats at Bush’s last press conference to make the room seem less empty

By GottaLaff

Talk about pathetic, how's this for another parting suh-nap at the Criminal in Chief:

[A]s the Washington Post’s Dana Milbank points out, not enough reporters attended for the presser to make it “standing room only”:

Further complicating his last-minute legacy rehabilitation: Nobody seems to be paying attention. The White House had high expectations for yesterday’s final, historic news conference. “ONE CORRESPONDENT PER ORGANIZATION,” proclaimed the bulletin sent to reporters. “STANDING ROOM ONLY FOR NON-SEAT HOLDERS.” But when the appointed hour of 9:15 a.m. arrived, the last two rows in the seven-row briefing room were empty, and a press aide told White House interns to fill those seats.

Steve Benen notes for context that "the rows aren't especially big -- the briefing room isn't exactly a movie theater. If memory serves there are seven rows of seven seats. Two empty rows in the back suggests only 35 reporters showed up."

Cricket, cricket... (not unlike the sound reverberating inside Georgie's little noggin)

Deep Thought

George Bush is giving his "final press conference" right now on the teevee and he sounds like a petulant pissy prick who can't understand why people don't see how wonderful he is. Good damn riddance.

Dear TPC readers: You are all invited...

By GottaLaff

Look what was in my Facebook inbox:

__________ invited you to "Bush's Last Day In Office" on Tuesday, January 20 at 11:55am.

Event: Bush's Last Day In Office
"Because we've all been awaiting this ever since he got "elected" the first time"
What: Goodbye Party
Host: The United States of America
Start Time: Tuesday, January 20 at 11:55am
End Time: Tuesday, January 20 at 12:05pm
Where: Everywhere in the world

To see more details and RSVP, follow the link below:
http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=15302368196

Thanks,
The Facebook Team