# Are you going to go to George W's book signing? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 13, 2010, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-go-to-george-ws-book-signing/553653 "2010-09-13T21:21:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-go-to-george-ws-book-signing/553653/1 "2010-09-13T21:21:47Z")
I’ve been discussing with some folks how I plan to go to one of Bush’s book signings this November/ December where he’ll be promoting his new memoir. More often than not, this explanation is met with horror and shock. Apparently, because I’m a liberal who loves my signed Clinton memoir so deeply, it’s just plain scandalous that I’d ever set foot in a Bush book signing. Well, it’s either that, or people repremanding me for encouraging such a mean, evil man. As I see it: a President’s a President. Sure, I love me some Clinton and spent 8 years rolling my eyes at Bush, but my respect for the office is still there. Plus, I mean, it wouldn’t hurt to add this to my little collection of signed books 🙂 (I’ve seen the Clinton one selling for anywhere from $500-$2500, so it’s not a bad investment, either). So, Dopers, would you go to Dubya’s book signing, too? ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-go-to-george-ws-book-signing/553653/2 "2010-09-13T21:25:23Z")
No, I wouldn’t go out and spend money on a book by someone I don’t respect, not even if he signed it. You gotta know he didn’t really write the damn thing, and there’ll be nothing new in it, just the same old story. But then, I’ve never really understood the appeal of autographs. I mean if I just happened upon someone I deeply respected or admired I might ask, but to go out of my way to get one, yeah, not really me. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-go-to-george-ws-book-signing/553653/3 "2010-09-13T21:30:38Z")
I don’t think that going to a book-signing is the same thing as approving every single event of the Bush presidency. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-go-to-george-ws-book-signing/553653/4 "2010-09-13T21:34:38Z")
No, I would not go to Bush the Younger’s book signing. Probably going to be crowded, lots of hassle, standing in line, all for a book I don’t care to read by a guy I don’t particularly like. For that matter, I probably wouldn’t go to a book signing for a book I did want to read by a guy I liked, either. Book signings just aren’t my thing. ---
**Author:** ![steadierfooting](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@steadierfooting](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steadierfooting)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-go-to-george-ws-book-signing/553653/5 "2010-09-13T21:46:26Z")
I don’t dislike him, but didn’t vote for him, so I selected I like him, which isn’t necessarily true. However, yes if he came to philly I’d wait in line to meet a former president. I wish I did it with clintons book tour. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-go-to-george-ws-book-signing/553653/6 "2010-09-13T21:58:55Z")
> [@dangermom](#): > > I don’t think that going to a book-signing is the same thing as approving every single event of the Bush presidency. This. I don’t agree with the vast majority of his policies, if that wasn’t clear in the OP. I just am a political buff and there is appeal to me to have a relic of a presidency, even if I’m not the biggest fan of the President in question. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-go-to-george-ws-book-signing/553653/7 "2010-09-13T22:35:01Z")
If I didn’t have to stand in line with his followers, I’d probably go with you. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-go-to-george-ws-book-signing/553653/8 "2010-09-13T22:36:26Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > If I didn’t have to stand in line with his followers, I’d probably go with you. Being from Bakersfield has given me a high idiot threshold. I figure I can bring an iPod and tune out the malarkey. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-go-to-george-ws-book-signing/553653/9 "2010-09-13T22:50:54Z")
I’ve mentioned before that I was invited to a reception at the US Embassy in Sofia to meet Bush when he was still president and was on a swing through Eastern Europe. I did not go. It wasn’t _only_ because I hate his guts (I lived about 3 hours from Sofia, I would have had to miss two days of school at the very end of the year, security would have been a nightmare, etc.), but I would have made the effort if it had been Obama or someone I respect. So I doubt I would go to a book signing. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-go-to-george-ws-book-signing/553653/10 "2010-09-13T23:01:31Z")
I said no without reading the OP. After reading the OP, if I had money to blow I think I might wind up going. I mean, a signed copy of a president’s book? I wouldn’t mind having that around. Uh, forgive my ignorance, but do you usually have to pay extra for a signed copy at these signing events? If I had to pay more than just the cost of the book I might wind up deciding against. ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-go-to-george-ws-book-signing/553653/11 "2010-09-13T23:08:19Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > I said no without reading the OP. After reading the OP, if I had money to blow I think I might wind up going. I mean, a signed copy of a president’s book? I wouldn’t mind having that around. Uh, forgive my ignorance, but do you usually have to pay extra for a signed copy at these signing events? If I had to pay more than just the cost of the book I might wind up deciding against. Some book signings are different than others. With Clinton, I just bought the book at a presale (which was full price, no discounts, but just the cover price), then got a ticket to the signing by requesting one. Since they weren’t out yet, I got one. Then, a few days later, I lined up all day at the Clinton thing and never had to take out my wallet once. I have heard of book signings that charge a fee for the pleasure of signing, but in the OP here, I’m assuming that things are like when I went to Clinton- no additional fee. Now, my point about the book being worth more is that, well, it’s worth more than a regular book. My signed copy is obviously now worth more, at resale, then a regular ol’ copy. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-go-to-george-ws-book-signing/553653/12 "2010-09-13T23:20:47Z")
Even the Glenn Beck signings had lines hours long. I have no idea how bad the Bush signings will be. Having said that, if the line was less than 6 hours I’d go. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-go-to-george-ws-book-signing/553653/13 "2010-09-13T23:22:24Z")
Fuck no, I wouldn’t go to a GWB book-signing. That said, I can understand why someone else might want to, and I wouldn’t be so rude as to give someone else crap about going. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-go-to-george-ws-book-signing/553653/14 "2010-09-13T23:27:04Z")
I’m a Brit so the political descriptions aren’t relevant, but if I had the funds and had the opportunity to get a signed copy, I’d do so. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-go-to-george-ws-book-signing/553653/15 "2010-09-13T23:30:45Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > > [@dangermom](#): > > > > I don’t think that going to a book-signing is the same thing as approving every single event of the Bush presidency. > > This. I don’t agree with the vast majority of his policies, if that wasn’t clear in the OP. I just am a political buff and there is appeal to me to have a relic of a presidency, even if I’m not the biggest fan of the President in question. I selected “Other”. I might have gone to a Nixon signing, even though I disapproved of a lot of his actions. However, he was an extremely intelligent man, and I’m sure that he wouldn’t use a ghost writer. I didn’t like him, but I do respect him. I don’t respect Shrub, though. Not even a little bit, though I do respect the office that he held. He’s probably a nice guy, when he’s not busy being a Politician, but I don’t respect him and I disagree with most of what he’s done. If I was a political buff, I probably would go to the signing and get the autograph, if only because he did influence politics in a major way. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-go-to-george-ws-book-signing/553653/16 "2010-09-14T02:36:48Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > Being from Bakersfield has given me a high idiot threshold. I figure I can bring an iPod and tune out the malarkey. Ha! Perhaps being from Santa Maria\* has given me my high tolerance for loopy people, then? Now I personally wouldn’t bother to go to the Bush signing, but I’m not a political junkie. My husband is–I wonder if he would? \*Partly anyway; not denying my Okie/Bakersfield roots here. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-go-to-george-ws-book-signing/553653/17 "2010-09-14T03:33:25Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > > [@dangermom](#): > > > > I don’t think that going to a book-signing is the same thing as approving every single event of the Bush presidency. > > This. I don’t agree with the vast majority of his policies, if that wasn’t clear in the OP. I just am a political buff and there is appeal to me to have a relic of a presidency, even if I’m not the biggest fan of the President in question. Personally, I’m not interested in politics and am not a fan of Bush. But it sounds to me like you would enjoy having a signed copy of the book, and as someone interested in politics you’d likely have a bit of fun attending the signing. FWIW, I think you should go and enjoy yourself, and your autographed book. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-go-to-george-ws-book-signing/553653/18 "2010-09-14T13:44:07Z")
I have exactly two signed books in my collection. One by Terry Pratchett, and one by Bruce Campbell. There might be a couple more I’d want to add to that collection, but it won’t be a lot, definitely. ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-go-to-george-ws-book-signing/553653/19 "2010-09-14T14:21:26Z")
I would not go if he was giving them away with a $20 tucked inside. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-go-to-george-ws-book-signing/553653/20 "2010-09-14T14:23:24Z")
Since it would mean helping him to his next million, hell no. I don’t donate to idiots and lunatics. (Bush, Palin, Beck, et al). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-you-going-to-go-to-george-ws-book-signing/553653.md?page=2)