What is the most important talent an American President should possess?

The other day an American journalist friend invited me to his home. He has a son in the 6th grade of elementary school. I asked him "What do you want to be when you grow up?" He replied, "I want to be the American president and knock down terrorists." I was surprised to hear such an unexpected answer.

As his son left, my friend made a strange remark about him, "I would be happy if he could be the president, but it would be difficult for him. He is straight and can't tell lies." I said, "In Japan, the story of George WASHINGTON, the first American President, is very famous. When he was a child he damaged a cherry blossom tree that his father was carefully caring for. He told the truth and apologized to his father, who praised his honesty." "I have never heard such a story," my friend said in disbelief. "It is probably a fake story to emphasize the dignity of the president."

"Nicus, President Bush started the war against Iraq by saying the country was hiding WMD. The Gulf war started with the tearful remarks of a girl who said she witnessed Iraq soldiers taking babies out of their incubators and throwing them on the floor. Later it was discovered the girl was a daughter of a Kuwaiti Ambassador who had been forced to tell lies by the elder President Bush's administration. Only big liars can become American president," he laughed.

I recalled the Aesop story "The boy who cried wolf." Now, nom atter how loudly the American president cries out about the danger of terrorist supporting countries, no one will believe him any more except Prime Minister KOIZUMI.

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