# Bush Announces Opposition to Legacy College Admissions **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [August 6, 2004, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-announces-opposition-to-legacy-college-admissions/258654 "2004-08-06T18:45:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-announces-opposition-to-legacy-college-admissions/258654/1 "2004-08-06T18:45:23Z")
For the second time in two days, Bush has left me speechless. Not mad, just speechless. [CNN: Bush Opposed to ‘Legacy’ College Admissions](http://www.cnn.com/2004/ALLPOLITICS/08/06/bush.legacy/index.html) > [@](#): > > WASHINGTON (CNN) – President Bush said Friday he opposes the use of a family history at colleges or universities as a factor in determining admission. > > Bush stated his position to what’s known as “legacy” in response to a question during a Washington forum for minority journalists called Unity 2004. > > He was asked, “Colleges should get rid of legacy?” > > Bush responded, “Well I think so, yes. I think it ought to be based upon merit.” > > Under legacy programs, applicants are given an advantage if their parents or grandparents attended the school. Bush, a third-generation graduate of Yale University [_and one of his daughters is a Yalie as well -M_], joked about his own legacy. > > “Well, in my case, I had to knock on a lot of doors to follow the old man’s footsteps,” he said to laughter. I got nothing. I’m not even calling him an idiot at the moment, but if he’s not a legacy (and yes, I’m opposed to them), then who is?? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-announces-opposition-to-legacy-college-admissions/258654/2 "2004-08-06T18:58:22Z")
These sort of things don’t shock me anymore. ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-announces-opposition-to-legacy-college-admissions/258654/3 "2004-08-06T19:00:06Z")
It’s all part of George’s “Hustle to the middle” pre-election shuffle. I wouldn’t expect him to actually follow through on this promise if he’s re-elected (heaven forbid). ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-announces-opposition-to-legacy-college-admissions/258654/4 "2004-08-06T19:01:25Z")
Just because Bush was a legacy doesn’t mean he can’t be against legacy admissions. What’s wrong with having the position “I benefitted from it in the past, but I think it’s wrong and should be halted?” ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-announces-opposition-to-legacy-college-admissions/258654/5 "2004-08-06T19:04:04Z")
I’m not sure I get it. What’s so wrong with that position? Aside from the hypocrasy, of course. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-announces-opposition-to-legacy-college-admissions/258654/6 "2004-08-06T19:04:19Z")
Of course, if you believe Bush is lying and _isn’t_ against legacy admissions, then I can see your point. I gather this is the position of posters 1-3. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-announces-opposition-to-legacy-college-admissions/258654/7 "2004-08-06T19:09:53Z")
> [@neuroman](#): > > Of course, if you believe Bush is lying and _isn’t_ against legacy admissions, then I can see your point. I gather this is the position of posters 1-3. Not my position. He should have said what you said. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-announces-opposition-to-legacy-college-admissions/258654/8 "2004-08-06T19:16:11Z")
> [@](#): > > Just because Bush was a legacy doesn’t mean he can’t be against legacy admissions. And his daughter probably did too, so one might wonder when he decided he was against them. Taken _in context_, in which he’s also using it as an argument against affirmative action, I think it’s ridiculous. > [@](#): > > What’s wrong with having the position “I benefitted from it in the past, but I think it’s wrong and should be halted?” Nothing at all. Now ask yourself what Bush or Cheney or other Republicans might say if Kerry or Edwards was a legacy and made similar comments and you might understand why I find this amusing. This isn’t a ‘mad’ pitting. It’s just a ‘damn, that’s funny’ kind of thing that I don’t think would fit anywhere else because it would turn into an argument. ---
**Author:** ![Hyperelastic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Hyperelastic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hyperelastic)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-announces-opposition-to-legacy-college-admissions/258654/9 "2004-08-06T19:39:14Z")
> [@neuroman](#): > > Just because Bush was a legacy doesn’t mean he can’t be against legacy admissions. What’s wrong with having the position “I benefitted from it in the past, but I think it’s wrong and should be halted?” That’s right. Just ask Clarence Thomas. I expect Bush will soon be introducing legislation to ban legacy admissions at any college that receives federal aid or research money. I know he wouldn’t just be using this issue to score cheap political points before the election - it’s just not his style. ---
**Author:** ![E72521](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dbc845/32.png) [@E72521](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E72521)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-announces-opposition-to-legacy-college-admissions/258654/10 "2004-08-06T20:10:21Z")
From the same [speech:](http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/elections/article.adp?id=20040806104209990003) > [@](#): > > ‘‘This is a dangerous time,’’ Bush said. ‘‘I wish it wasn’t this way. I wish I wasn’t the war president. Who in the heck wants to be a war president? I don’t. But this is what came our way. …’’ > > As he has in the past, Bush declined to say how long American troops would be assigned to Iraq or when the troop-level would be cut back. > > ‘‘We will stay there until the job is completed and our commanders on the ground tell us,’’ Bush said. ‘‘I think it’s very important for those of us in the political arena to listen to the commanders on the ground.’’ > > Bush said that a questioner was ‘‘trying to get me to put a timetable out there. I’m not going to do it. Then when the timetable is busted they’ll say, ‘I told you.’’’ You have to respect a guy who is running for a job he doesn’t want, is waiting for someone to tell him when the war is over, has learned the hard way about “I told you so,” and is ready to reform college admissions. What a guy. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-announces-opposition-to-legacy-college-admissions/258654/11 "2004-08-06T20:13:46Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > Not my position. He should have said what you said. He acknowledged his own use of legacy admissions (at least that’s how I interpret it): > [@Associated Press](#): > > “In my case I had to knock on a lot of doors to follow the old man’s footsteps,” Bush said Friday, although it wasn’t clear if he was talking about Yale or the White House. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-announces-opposition-to-legacy-college-admissions/258654/12 "2004-08-06T20:34:54Z")
> [@Metacom](#): > > He acknowledged his own use of legacy admissions (at least that’s how I interpret it): I was just agreeing with **Neuroman** , that’s all. Not quite sure what you mean here, it’s the end of the day and my brain is a bit burned out. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-announces-opposition-to-legacy-college-admissions/258654/13 "2004-08-06T20:36:43Z")
**Metacom** , I think I have to lie down… very funny… 😃 ---
**Author:** ![5que](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/3bc359/32.png) [@5que](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5que)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-announces-opposition-to-legacy-college-admissions/258654/14 "2004-08-06T20:44:58Z")
But how will Flounder get into college? Much less the Deltas??? ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-announces-opposition-to-legacy-college-admissions/258654/15 "2004-08-06T22:07:06Z")
I’ve completely baffled myself as well. 😛 I was responding to the “he’s a hypocrite” sentiments and hadn’t noticed that **Marley23** had included what I’d quoted in the OP. I’d already read the article on CNN before the pitting, so didn’t bother to read all of what’d been quoted in the OP. I have no idea how **World Eater** got thrown into the mix (likely a misquote). My mistake… ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-announces-opposition-to-legacy-college-admissions/258654/16 "2004-08-06T22:12:45Z")
Yeah, at least momentary speechlessness is the appropriate response here. Mr. Solely-On-My-Own-Merit speaks out on behalf of fair play for all. One can only assume he was temporarily addled by the stress of electioneering. I didn’t hear any promise to do away with “legacy” preferences. “I wish I wasn’t the war president. Who in the heck wants to be a war president? I don’t.” You silver-tongued devil. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-announces-opposition-to-legacy-college-admissions/258654/17 "2004-08-06T22:15:20Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > I got nothing. I’m not even calling him an idiot at the moment, but if he’s not a legacy (and yes, I’m opposed to them), then who is?? 😕 If I benefit from something when I’m younger and come out against it when I’m older does that make me an idiot or a hypocrite? Marc ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [August 6, 2004, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-announces-opposition-to-legacy-college-admissions/258654/18 "2004-08-06T22:39:27Z")
When I was 11 I was caught shoplifting. I suspect being white was part of why the store owner let me go. To this day, I support racial profiling. Don’t wanna be a hypocrite… ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2004, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-announces-opposition-to-legacy-college-admissions/258654/19 "2004-08-07T00:20:20Z")
Hey, if Bush is against it, that means he has always been against it. Anything else would be (dum-dum-DUM!) _flip-flopping_, and only communists, Satanists, and Democrats do that sort of thing.