# Bush circulates staff memo on what to say about his Admin's record **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 10, 2008, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-circulates-staff-memo-on-what-to-say-about-his-admins-record/476473 "2008-12-10T00:05:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 12:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-circulates-staff-memo-on-what-to-say-about-his-admins-record/476473/1 "2008-12-10T00:05:57Z")
Story [here.](http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/washingtondc/la-na-bush9-2008dec09,0,4145069.story) I have no idea whether this is unprecedented, or routine for an outgoing administration. But what gets me is the **content:** > [@](#): > > Reporting from Washington – In case any Bush administration officials have trouble summing up the boss’ record, the White House is providing a few helpful suggestions. > > A two-page memo that has been sent to Cabinet members and other high-ranking officials offers a guide for discussing Bush’s eight-year tenure during their public speeches. > > Titled “Speech Topper on the Bush Record,” the talking points state that Bush “kept the American people safe” after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, lifted the economy after 2001 through tax cuts, curbed AIDS in Africa and **maintained “the honor and the dignity of his office.”** :p:p:p:p:p Oh, it’s just too rich! ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-circulates-staff-memo-on-what-to-say-about-his-admins-record/476473/2 "2008-12-10T00:23:58Z")
“lifted the economy after 2001” to let it crash to smitherines in 2008. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 12:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-circulates-staff-memo-on-what-to-say-about-his-admins-record/476473/3 "2008-12-10T00:25:10Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > :p:p:p:p:p Oh, it’s just too rich! [Speaking of too rich:](http://www.heraldtribune.com/article/20081206/ARTICLE/812060353/-1/NEWSSITEMAP) > [@](#): > > Bush said his administration is close to success in Iraq, has moved to counter Iran’s nuclear program, and has “laid a foundation of trust” between Israelis and Palestinians. Where does he _get_ this stuff 😕😕😕😕 ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-circulates-staff-memo-on-what-to-say-about-his-admins-record/476473/4 "2008-12-10T00:26:42Z")
Yup, that’s right. Bush “let” the economy crash. Gosh darn that Bush, if he just hadn’t let his hands slip, the economy would have been just fine. Fact is, the president does not and never did have much poer o’er the economy. Bush didn’t cause or particularly help the rise in 2001, and he didn’t cause this now. This particular bit of idiocy has been around for a long, long while. Hoover is largely remembered for “not doing enough”, when he did everything he actually could and convinced Congress to do more. ---
**Author:** ![Fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bc8723/32.png) [@Fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-circulates-staff-memo-on-what-to-say-about-his-admins-record/476473/5 "2008-12-10T00:26:57Z")
At the very bottom it says, “P.S. If you circulate this memo, please put it in 18-point font double-spaced. And make sure there are 1.5” margins all the way around so it looks like a full page." ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-circulates-staff-memo-on-what-to-say-about-his-admins-record/476473/6 "2008-12-10T01:18:39Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Yup, that’s right. Bush “let” the economy crash. Gosh darn that Bush, if he just hadn’t let his hands slip, the economy would have been just fine. > > Fact is, the president does not and never did have much poer o’er the economy. Bush didn’t cause or particularly help the rise in 2001, and he didn’t cause this now. He slashed regulations, spent money like water, and in general screwed up everything he touched. Including the economy. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-circulates-staff-memo-on-what-to-say-about-his-admins-record/476473/7 "2008-12-10T01:25:15Z")
Bush also rid the world of all known diseases, learned to play the flute, and explained to everyone how to build box-girder bridges. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-circulates-staff-memo-on-what-to-say-about-his-admins-record/476473/8 "2008-12-10T01:25:22Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Hoover is largely remembered for “not doing enough”, when he did everything he actually could and convinced Congress to do more. And what _did_ he do, exactly? Pay for AIG’s executive spa treatments? Yeah, that was a few trillion dollars well spent! :rolleyes: > [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > He slashed regulations, spent money like water, and in general screwed up everything he touched. Including the economy. +1 ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-circulates-staff-memo-on-what-to-say-about-his-admins-record/476473/9 "2008-12-10T01:29:27Z")
> [@KGS](#): > > And what _did_ he do, exactly? Pay for AIG’s executive spa treatments? Yeah, that was a few trillion dollars well spent! :rolleyes: I don’t think AIG was around when Hoover was Pres. Just sayin’ ---
**Author:** ![descamisado](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e480ec/32.png) [@descamisado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/descamisado)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-circulates-staff-memo-on-what-to-say-about-his-admins-record/476473/10 "2008-12-10T01:31:58Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I don’t think AIG was around when Hoover was Pres. Just sayin’ Although not known as AIG at the time, the company’s history began in 1919. > **[American International Group](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_International_Group)** > > American International Group, Inc. (AIG) is an American multinational finance and insurance corporation with operations in more than 80 countries and jurisdictions.: 8  As of 2023, AIG employed 25,200 people. The company operates through three core businesses: general insurance, life & retirement, and a standalone technology-enabled subsidiary. General Insurance includes Commercial, Personal Insurance, U.S. and International field operations. Life & Retirement includes Group Retire AIG has offi... ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-circulates-staff-memo-on-what-to-say-about-his-admins-record/476473/11 "2008-12-10T01:34:39Z")
Is this even a real memo? I want to see the whole memo. ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-circulates-staff-memo-on-what-to-say-about-his-admins-record/476473/12 "2008-12-10T01:37:12Z")
I’m not big on politics, so I don’t want to get too far into it, but “curbed AIDS in Africa”? ---
**Author:** ![Lemur866](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lemur866/32/434_2.png) [@Lemur866](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemur866)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-circulates-staff-memo-on-what-to-say-about-his-admins-record/476473/13 "2008-12-10T01:44:19Z")
Bush’s help with AIDS in Africa is part of the very small list of things that he can be proud of. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-circulates-staff-memo-on-what-to-say-about-his-admins-record/476473/14 "2008-12-10T01:46:17Z")
> [@Sierra\_Indigo](#): > > I’m not big on politics, so I don’t want to get too far into it, but “curbed AIDS in Africa”? Referring to [this.](http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/02/25/opinion/main3873641.shtml) ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-circulates-staff-memo-on-what-to-say-about-his-admins-record/476473/15 "2008-12-10T01:46:36Z")
[ETA] Answered by **BrainGlutton** ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-circulates-staff-memo-on-what-to-say-about-his-admins-record/476473/16 "2008-12-10T01:47:51Z")
> [@smiling\_bandit](#): > > Hoover is largely remembered for “not doing enough”, when he did everything he actually could and convinced Congress to do more. No, he didn’t. He did a lot of what he could, but not everything. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-circulates-staff-memo-on-what-to-say-about-his-admins-record/476473/17 "2008-12-10T01:51:34Z")
Hoover [did some things](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Hoover#Great_Depression) but the consensus of historians is that it was all too little, too late. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-circulates-staff-memo-on-what-to-say-about-his-admins-record/476473/18 "2008-12-10T01:53:42Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > He slashed regulations, spent money like water, and in general screwed up everything he touched. Including the economy. I thought it was Bill Clinton who did all that? Or maybe he just planned it all to make Bush look bad? ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-circulates-staff-memo-on-what-to-say-about-his-admins-record/476473/19 "2008-12-10T02:10:20Z")
Don’t forget, Bush also prevented the Martian Invasion. Not one single Martian invaded the USA on his watch NOT ONE! ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2008, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-circulates-staff-memo-on-what-to-say-about-his-admins-record/476473/20 "2008-12-10T02:14:00Z")
> [@](#): > > maintained “the honor and the dignity of his office.” IOW, “no blow jobs in the Oval Office, no jizz-stained interns.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-circulates-staff-memo-on-what-to-say-about-his-admins-record/476473.md?page=2)