!

I'm certain that she's a very hard person to say "No" too, but dude, that is not cool.

Jack Straw is a P-I-M-P.

Though I imagine his wife had a heart attack when she heard about it. "You let her do what???".

Is it not the case that he slept with her in her bed?

You don't know Jack!

Hey sexists: do you understand gender equality? The only thing here is: Rice was host, Straw was guest. To let your guest sleep on the bed was courtesy. To insist the host to sleep on the bed because she was a woman was sexist.

This, however, is the part of gender equality that I don't like. As a woman, I'd rather a man opened the door for me than slammed it on my face, I would rather my guest a sexist and let me sleep on the bed, and him on the floor.

I was under the impression that Straw thought Rice had another bed available and was mortified when he learned that she slept on the floor.

guess none of them ever saw "It Happened One Night"

Common courtesy isn't sexist, racist or ageist. A gentleman, as a courtesy, opens and holds the door for everyone, man, woman or child in his wake. He doesn't allow women, children or the elderly to hold the door for him, but takes the door and holds for those still coming through.

These little courtesies make interactions among strangers pleasant especially when everyone knows how to behave. I don't think it happens very often anymore, but during the hippie dippie era, militant women and blacks would roundly curse at men who attempted even the most basic courtesies.

As for our SoS sleeping on the floor. This does seen extreme. Aren't there any reclining chairs on that plane. The private aircraft I've seen are pretty darn luxurious and even if there wasn't another cabin, it seems there should have been an option more appropriate than the floor for either of these dignitaries.

Our SoS is a tough lady. Could be she sleeps on the floor even when a bed is available.

why am i thinking salome and the dance of the seven veils. must just be me.

Actually, aren't we all just bursting with pride and admiration. She probably got him to take the bed by fibbing that she did not intend to sleep, had some correspondence to catch up on. What it shows is the generosity of Americans and that she is not only a real lady, but one that makes you feel gratitude and pride and admiration. It was kindness that motivated her. That and generosity and sympathy for an older guy, and not in very good nick at that.

i will miss jack straw in the same way i miss robin cook.

"The keynote of American civilization is a sort of warm-hearted vulgarity. The Americans have none of the irony of the English, none of their cool poise, none of their manner. But they do have friendliness. Where an Englishman would give you his card, an American would very likely give you his shirt." -- Raymond Chandler

Phil,

That's true, but it isn't seemly, from Dictionary.com, Conforming to standards of conduct and good taste; suitable ...

A very useful word that has sadly fallen out of usage.