# Bush says nobody needs to be accountable **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 16, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-says-nobody-needs-to-be-accountable/285042 "2005-01-16T18:00:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-says-nobody-needs-to-be-accountable/285042/1 "2005-01-16T18:00:04Z")
[From MSNBC](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6831621/). Bush says that: > [@](#): > > [There is] no reason to hold any administration officials accountable for mistakes or misjudgments in prewar planning or managing the violent aftermath. > > “We had an accountability moment, and that’s called the 2004 elections,” Bush said in an interview with The Washington Post. “The American people listened to different assessments made about what was taking place in Iraq, and they looked at the two candidates, and chose me.” In other words, ‘As Commander-In-Chief, I am not accountable for anything I may have done wrong because I was elected Commander-In-Chief.’ :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-says-nobody-needs-to-be-accountable/285042/2 "2005-01-16T18:08:36Z")
Sounds pretty consistent with the rest of his policies. The only difference is that he bothered to offer a reason why he should not be held accountable, beyond “I just do what god tells me to do”. ---
**Author:** ![villa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/bc79bd/32.png) [@villa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/villa)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-says-nobody-needs-to-be-accountable/285042/3 "2005-01-16T18:11:45Z")
Well, ‘no one is responsible’ can be seen as a step up from ‘it’s all Bill Clinton’s fault.’ ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-says-nobody-needs-to-be-accountable/285042/4 "2005-01-16T19:01:18Z")
Hubris. Utter hubris. The sort of shit that causes empires to crumble. ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-says-nobody-needs-to-be-accountable/285042/5 "2005-01-16T19:08:28Z")
Hmmm sounds like the 21st century version of **"L’etat ? C’est moi."** ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-says-nobody-needs-to-be-accountable/285042/6 "2005-01-16T19:09:51Z")
> [@BJMoose](#): > > Hubris. Utter hubris. > > The sort of shit that causes empires to crumble. That’s the whole point. IMHO Bush wants to be the last president. ---
**Author:** ![Nightime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e9c0ed/32.png) [@Nightime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightime)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-says-nobody-needs-to-be-accountable/285042/7 "2005-01-16T19:13:58Z")
Republicans are going to look back at all this someday and not even recognize themselves or how they could possibly have supported this. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-says-nobody-needs-to-be-accountable/285042/8 "2005-01-16T19:14:14Z")
“The buck stops here.” - Harry S Truman “Buck, buck, buck? There **is** no buck.” - George W. Bush ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-says-nobody-needs-to-be-accountable/285042/9 "2005-01-16T19:14:56Z")
Since one of the usual linguini-brains will soon pop in to defend Septum-Sieve and the Shunts, lets make the outrage perfectly clear (from _Post_ story linked in OP): > [@](#): > > President Bush said the public’s decision to reelect him was a ratification of his approach toward Iraq and that there was no reason to hold any administration officials accountable for mistakes or misjudgments in prewar planning or managing the violent aftermath. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-says-nobody-needs-to-be-accountable/285042/10 "2005-01-16T19:20:29Z")
This would be downright humorous, if it weren’t for all the dead folks. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-says-nobody-needs-to-be-accountable/285042/11 "2005-01-16T19:30:30Z")
The rest of that article was quite a doozy too! > [@](#): > > With the Iraq elections two weeks away and no signs of the deadly insurgency abating, Bush set no timetable for withdrawing U.S. troops and twice declined to endorse Secretary of State Colin L. Powell’s recent statement that the number of Americans serving in Iraq could be reduced by year’s end. […] > > Over the next two weeks, Bush will be monitoring closely Iraq’s plan to hold elections for a 275-member national assembly. He must also deliver his State of the Union address with a message of resolve on Iraq, and he will need to seek congressional approval for about $100 billion in emergency spending, much of it for the war. […] > > In the interview, the president urged Americans to show patience as Iraq moves slowly toward creating a democratic nation where a dictatorship once stood. […] > > A new report released last week by U.S. intelligence agencies warned that the war in Iraq has created a training ground for terrorists. Bush called the report “somewhat speculative” but acknowledged “this could happen.” […] > > As for perhaps the most notorious terrorist, Osama bin Laden, the administration has so far been unsuccessful in its attempt to locate the mastermind of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Asked why, Bush said, “Because he’s hiding.” […] > > Bush acknowledged that the United States’ standing has diminished in some parts of the world […] Bush acknowledged that “some of the decisions I’ve made up to now have affected our standing in parts of the world,” but predicted that most Muslims will eventually see America as a beacon of freedom and democracy. […] > > On the domestic front, Bush said he would not lobby the Senate to pass a constitutional amendment outlawing same-sex marriage. […] > > Bush’s position is likely to infuriate some of his socially conservative supporters, but congressional officials say it will be impossible to secure the 67 votes need to pass the amendment in the Senate. > Yesterday morning, the day after the interview, White House spokesman Scott McClellan called to say the president wished to clarify his position, saying Bush was “willing to spend political capital” but believes it will be virtually impossible to overcome Senate resistance until the courts render a verdict on DOMA. Let’s see. So the Administration - hasn’t delivered on its optimistic statements about bringing speedy peace and democracy to Iraq, - has disappointed expectations about being able to reduce troop strength in occupied Iraq even 2.5 years after the initial invasion, - has apparently turned Iraq into a terrorist training ground instead of the promised beacon of democracy, - has failed to apprehend the terrorist responsible for 9/11 (“because he’s hiding”—gosh, really? How unscrupulous of him! If only he would just play fair and stop hiding I’m sure we’d have him picked up in no time! For pity’s sake, I generally try not to play along with silly “Bush is a moron” rhetoric, but he’s simply asking for it with dumb remarks like this), - has increased foreign hostility toward the United States, - and has even dropped the pose of urgency on a constitutional gay marriage ban that they were pushing to their religious-conservative base during the campaign— —but there’s no need to hold anybody accountable for anything, because the “accountability moment” is over. Do even the most ardent Bush supporters really espouse the idea that as long as he got their vote, he gets a complete pass on everything he did? ---
**Author:** ![BJMoose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/5fc32e/32.png) [@BJMoose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BJMoose)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-says-nobody-needs-to-be-accountable/285042/12 "2005-01-16T19:50:35Z")
And then saith Jesus unto Him: Yea, verily, the votes of the righteous hath given you complete forgiveness of sins. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-says-nobody-needs-to-be-accountable/285042/13 "2005-01-16T20:17:55Z")
It is funny that if his Christian beliefs are correct, he’ll have quite another “accountability moment” besides the election. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-says-nobody-needs-to-be-accountable/285042/14 "2005-01-16T20:19:07Z")
> [@elucidator](#): > > This would be downright humorous, if it weren’t for all the dead folks. You’ll be singing a different tune one February 1, when peace breaks out, and happy dancing Iraqi’s shower our troops with garlands of flowers, in gratitude for their newborn democracy. Have a little FAITH man! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-says-nobody-needs-to-be-accountable/285042/15 "2005-01-16T20:26:49Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > You’ll be singing a different tune one February 1, when peace breaks out, and happy dancing Iraqi’s shower our troops with garlands of flowers, in gratitude for their newborn democracy. Have a little FAITH man! 😉 I have faith that the garlands of flowers will disguise nasty things that go boom. ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-says-nobody-needs-to-be-accountable/285042/16 "2005-01-16T20:45:01Z")
:smack: _sigh_ Now, I really am trying to be optimistic about this administration. I didn’t vote for him. I dislike many of the things that he has done as President. His lil group of flunkies seems to be entirely clueless, but I thought “Maybe things won’t be so bad.” Then he made his statement aout how he earned “political capital” when he won re-election. Then, when asked about low approval ratings at home and abroad, he basically said that it didn’t matter because he won the election. Now this… :dubious: I don’t want to say that he should be trying to pander to those that didn’t vote for him, but when 49% of the country doesn’t vote for you, you may want to take a look at your decisions. And simply to cut off this remark before somebody else posts it. I know he thought he had a mandate after he “lost/won” the y2k election, so to him 51% must’ve been a landslide. ---
**Author:** ![Brutus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/91b2a8/32.png) [@Brutus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brutus)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-says-nobody-needs-to-be-accountable/285042/17 "2005-01-16T20:48:18Z")
So back in 2000, GW was ‘appointed, not elected’ or whatever, and now he is ‘elected, but not elected _enough_’? Curious line of thinking you guys have. ---
**Author:** ![Earthworm\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f07891/32.png) [@Earthworm\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthworm_Jim)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-says-nobody-needs-to-be-accountable/285042/18 "2005-01-16T20:49:46Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > “The buck stops here.” - Harry S Truman > > “Buck, buck, buck? There **is** no buck.” - George W. Bush I thought the quote was “Buck and buck! What is buck?” - George W. Bush ---
**Author:** ![MrFantsyPants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ba0ec/32.png) [@MrFantsyPants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrFantsyPants)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-says-nobody-needs-to-be-accountable/285042/19 "2005-01-16T20:50:17Z")
Dear 49% Feel not alone, for the rest of the world looks on, and weeps. Except for the ones that are strapping explosives to their chests. I don’t think they’re weeping. Just don’t accept any hugs from non-weeping foreigners, ok? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 16, 2005, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-says-nobody-needs-to-be-accountable/285042/20 "2005-01-16T20:55:47Z")
> [@Brutus](#): > > So back in 2000, GW was ‘appointed, not elected’ or whatever, and now he is ‘elected, but not elected _enough_’? Curious line of thinking you guys have. I don’t understand your logic here. The issue is that Bush justifies his bungles by saying that since he was elected, then that means anything he does is correct and proper. I don’t care if he won with 100% of the votes. He is the Commander-In-Chief, and that makes him responsible for his actions. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bush-says-nobody-needs-to-be-accountable/285042.md?page=2)