President Bush was slapped with a $10,000 fine for pretending to pull down his trousers and moon the audience in an impromptu "victory dance" at the end of the inauguration today.
House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Texas) penalized Bush for unsportsmanlike conduct in a letter released by the GOP.
"Your actions were based on poor judgment, did not reflect well on you or the GOP, and were insulting to many," DeLay wrote. "They have resulted in widespread criticism and needlessly detracted from Republicans dramatic victory. Conservatives should look to you and your cabinet to see how to compete and win in politics. But when you lose your focus on playing and engage in sideshows as you did on Thursday, you forfeit much of this."
Bush's advisor, Karl Rove, said the fine was unnecessary and that he plans to appeal.
"If you can't have freedom of expression at the inaugural ball, come on," Rove said.
Rove argued that there was a story behind the dance Bush did on the stage. The pantomimed pants-pulling was a response to the Democrats' tradition of bending over and taking it. And the rump bump against the podium, Rove said, was a tribute to an old friend of Bush's who was in the crowd for the show. Ronald Reagan, who was president a few years before Bush, used to celebrate like that after inaugurations.
"Like everything else, I think it's blown out of proportion," Rove said. "It's not fair, but we're used to it. It just rolls right off of us."