Why do phrases like “wanted dead or alive” or “evil-doers” seem to rub the press, and other unidentified by the press, the wrong way? He’s just callin’ ‘em as he’s seein’ 'em!
Must we be policitically correct (PC) to bin Laden’s & co?
- Jinx
Personally, I feel that Bush is talking to me like I’m a pre-literate child. Yes, Osama is bad, we got that. Your father did the same thing with Manuel Noriega, except he demonized the man using adult words. We still knew that he had paid the man considerable money as the head of the CIA.
I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t get away with using these phrases for an American citizen, like McVeigh or Dahmer; or for a legitimate country–but he can do it for “the evil one,” Bin Laden.
If anything, Bush “Jr.” is presenting the cold facts in a calm manner. A public enemy is a public enemy, and a rose by another name…
Hey, if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, quacks like a duck…
- Jinx
Do you think you could fit any more cliches into fewer than 30 words? No wonder you like Bush’s speeches!
If you saw SNL you’re probably better off with Bush. I am, and I suppose a good majority of us, are pre-literate. 
I’m with you, Jinxie!
He has a broad audience to adress…
…and many of his speeches need to translate well into numerous languages. The terms he is using will translate well into other languages - he has been advised of that. Bank on it.
The press complains from both sides: If GW is stuffy, they complain…if he tosses out “evil do-ers”, they complain.
And this forum is for questions of a factual nature. This topic is a Debate or belongs in IMHO.
I believe it is done because it’s easier to unite a bunch of fractious Americans against an enemy who is evil, bad, etc.
I think the objection arises because it is glossing over the fact that many people really, really hate Americans, and most of us do not know why.
I have to say that some of his phrasing annoys me. I hadn’t heard anyone complain about “wanted dead or alive”, and have no problem with that, but the “evildoers” thing bugs me. I think it is for the same reason that Blue said, it sounds patronizing.
I heard he received some negative feedback for this “cowboy-like” image when he first said this statement. In his public address on that Friday night (9/14, I think) he was careful to call them “international gangsters”, I think his words were, in a spot where he was close to going into that “old West, cowboy” mode again.
I WAG the feedback to avoid the cowboy image is to show the USA’s mission is NOT to be a vigil ante eager to hang just anyone from the highest tree - for haphazard revenge. This would accomplish nothing.
IMHO,
- Jinx
I’ll see your vigil ante and raise you two night’s of watch… 
Glossed-over or not, flying an airliner full of men, women, and children into a busy skyscraper might be considered somewhere in the neighborhood of evil.
That would be the same advisors that had him talking about crusades and “infinite justice” ?
Bush shoots from the hip with highly colloquial english. That’s the kind of english that makes translators and non-native speakers tear out their hair !
Every speech Bush give comes off sounding like the following:
Twas The night before Christmas,
When all through the house,
Not a creature was stirring,
Not even a mouse…
One, two, buckle my shoe,
Three four, shut the door,
Five, six, pick up sticks
blah, blah, blah blah blah
Twas the night before Christmas,
When all…
What’s with this poetic dribble of his? He need’s to give it a rest.
Did I hear him correctly when he referred to Muslim women afraid to leave their houses as “women of cover”. He used that phrase again a few minutes later.
Is this a commen term?
And which terms would translate better than “infinite”, “justice” and “crusade”. All have very comparable words in other languages.
Should we stick to words like “bad people”? How about “disappointing acts”?
For a mission that might seem fuzzy to many, his colorful shoot-from-the-hip style is beginning to leave an indelible impression on just what this is all about. If you noticed, more emphasis was being placed on Al Quada, not Bin Laden…although he had to go there when Bin Laden’s named was raised.
Screw the press. If Reagan was using such language, they’d fawn over him. If Clinton used it with his dumb ass finger pointing, they would be impressed 'cause it came with finger poitning.
It’s hard to deliver any better message than GW is doing. Put policy aside and the press has to admit that in a totally new kind of war, in light of unprecedented terrorists acts, and with so much hanging on his words, he has done a fine job.
The problem I have with “evil-doers” is that it makes him sound like he’s patrolling the streets of Gotham City with the Boy Wonder.
I’m glad others feel this way. I was so proud :rolleyes: to hear our fearless leader say “cough up” bin Laden. Is there really no better way to say that.
In his initial speach to the joint session of Congress, I kept waiting to hear some Rossevelt-ian phrase like “day that will live in infamy”. I thought his presentation was completely forgettable (though the message itself was mostly okay).
This guy speaks colloquially because it’s all he knows. He is not the most sophisticated guy around. As we say here in Texas, “he’s all hat and no cattle.”
I do, however, believe GW to be a mostly honest man who tries to do what is right. Hopefully, he will do okay. He’s still going on about a missile shield, though, so I’m a bit skeptical about his success.
Uh, Philster, he got a lot of crap all over the world for using the term “Crusade” - it doesn’t sit well with the Muslims who were overrun by the Crusaders. And “Infinite Justice”, IIRC, is a term from the Koran - something only Allah can deliver. He got a lot of crap about that, too. The point being made is that this may have translated very well verbatim, but in context, it was just stupid to use those particular terms.
Reagan was one of the best political speakers of all time - actor training, you see. Clinton was a very polished speaker and spoke with conviction. Bush II seems like he’s reading it off a script that he didn’t practice beforehand.
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Um, no, Clinton spoke with impeachment.
This is a GQ how?