# Bush's curious diatribe reported last night on Countdown **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [June 1, 2007, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-curious-diatribe-reported-last-night-on-countdown/406339 "2007-06-01T14:26:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-curious-diatribe-reported-last-night-on-countdown/406339/21 "2007-06-01T20:39:22Z")
Here’s the actual article by Arnaud de Borchgrave in the May 27 Washington Times: [Bush strong suit . . .](http://washingtontimes.com/commentary/20070526-091737-4760r.htm) > [@](#): > > Two of Washington’s best-informed men confirmed it so it must be true. President Bush and his consigliere Karl Rove bet on who had read the most books in a year. Vice Adm. Mike McConnell, the director of national intelligence, told friends Mr. Rove won with 117 books and Mr. Bush was a close second with 104 books. > Unhappy over his loss to his close confidant, Mr. Bush asked for a recount in words. And the president won by 1.7 percent. The story is not apocryphal. > … > When a recent visitor asked him what assurance he could give about his successor in 2009, President Bush replied, “we’ll fix it so he’ll be locked in.” The visitor left perplexed and wondered whether that might mean the U.S. would be in a wider war in the region by then. In any event, it didn’t sound like twilight time for Mr. Bush. > A Texan friend of longstanding called on him recently and confided to his Washington hosts that Mr. Bush had said three times, bringing a clenched fist to his chest, “I’m the president.” Reminding visiting political opponents of this would be normal, but the close friend said he was a taken aback a bit as he had never before seen Mr. Bush in this mode. > Moderate Republicans, led by Sen. Chuck Hagel, former National Security Adviser (under George Bush the Elder) Brent Scowcroft, who weekends in Kennebunkport with President Bush’s father, Susan Eisenhower (President Eisenhower’s granddaughter), former Deputy Secretary of State John Whitehead, and other prominent names are deeply concerned about 2008. Those who identified with the Republican Party in 2002 numbered 30 percent (vs. 31 percent Democrats). This year, Republicans are down to 25 percent (33 percent Democrats). And still dropping. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-curious-diatribe-reported-last-night-on-countdown/406339/22 "2007-06-01T20:56:37Z")
[QUOTE=Shodan] It would probably be a better indicator if the left-wing media actually picks this one up and begins touting it. Maybe they _haven’t_ learned anything from 60 Minutes. Regards, Shodan [/QUOTE] The media has learned the 60 minutes lesson from its corporate masters: don’t tell the truth about Bush or you’re off the air. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-curious-diatribe-reported-last-night-on-countdown/406339/23 "2007-06-01T21:49:42Z")
Well, more like “don’t used faked evidence no matter how much you hate Bush.” I rather expect that this is faked as well. We shall see, no doubt. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2007, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-curious-diatribe-reported-last-night-on-countdown/406339/24 "2007-06-01T22:09:14Z")
[QUOTE=Shodan] I rather expect that this is faked as well. [/QUOTE] Isn’t de Borchgrave one of those _French_ names? ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-curious-diatribe-reported-last-night-on-countdown/406339/25 "2007-06-02T03:51:59Z")
If ‘bringing his fist to his chest’ means he simply made a gesture by putting his fist in front of his chest and saying, "I’m the President’, then I’m not sure where the outrage is, especially since we don’t know the exact context. If the question was along the lines of, “Why hasn’t Cheney overruled you”, and Bush responded by raising his fist and saying, “Because I’m the President”, then whatever, dude. If that outrages you, go nuts. The first account made it sound like Bush was in a rage, pounding his chest and screaming, “I’m the President!”. That would indeed worry me if true. But the other accounts don’t really add up to that, do they? Methinks a little partisan poetic license may have been taken. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-curious-diatribe-reported-last-night-on-countdown/406339/26 "2007-06-02T04:12:07Z")
[QUOTE=Sam Stone] If ‘bringing his fist to his chest’ means he simply made a gesture by putting his fist in front of his chest and saying, "I’m the President’, then I’m not sure where the outrage is, [/QUOTE] As much as I hate the son of a bitch, I must agree. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-curious-diatribe-reported-last-night-on-countdown/406339/27 "2007-06-02T04:12:08Z")
Shit, I don’t worry about his hissy fits, true or not. What scares the bejabbers out of me is the shit he does with calm deliberation. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-curious-diatribe-reported-last-night-on-countdown/406339/28 "2007-06-02T04:19:07Z")
> [@Arnaud de Borchgrave](#): > > Like an old seadog, he relishes the idea of plowing into rough seas. Maybe young seadogs, but one doesn’t become an OLD seadog plowing into any rough seas you don’t have to. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-curious-diatribe-reported-last-night-on-countdown/406339/29 "2007-06-02T04:20:10Z")
Did anyone remember when he shut down one of the members of the press during the Q&A with Tony Blair, accusing them of “dancing on his (Blair’s) political grave” and “you should respect him, he’s your prime minister!” I think that was my favorite Bush conniption, even though it wasn’t very major. Reminded me of Tiger Woods’ bodyguard screaming at the guy serving Tiger’s coffee. “YOU don’t talk to Tiger!! You NEVER talk to Tiger!!” (True story. At least, according to my friend, who claimed to be there.) ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-curious-diatribe-reported-last-night-on-countdown/406339/30 "2007-06-02T04:39:53Z")
[QUOTE=Shodan] Well, more like “don’t used faked evidence no matter how much you hate Bush.” [/QUOTE] CBS didn’t “fake” anything. They just couldn’t verify the source of an entirely accurate story. Even you can tell the difference between the two, right? ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-curious-diatribe-reported-last-night-on-countdown/406339/31 "2007-06-02T05:13:58Z")
[QUOTE=Shodan] Well, more like “don’t used faked evidence no matter how much you hate Bush.” I rather expect that this is faked as well. [/QUOTE] Does the name “Curveball” mean anything to you? ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-curious-diatribe-reported-last-night-on-countdown/406339/32 "2007-06-02T05:24:16Z")
Oh, you mean that double agent sent by the Dems to mislead Bush? ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 5:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-curious-diatribe-reported-last-night-on-countdown/406339/33 "2007-06-02T05:58:02Z")
[QUOTE=dropzone] Maybe young seadogs, but one doesn’t become an OLD seadog plowing into any rough seas you don’t have to. [/QUOTE] Like what the Alaskan bush pilots say? “There are old pilots, and there are bold pilots, but there are no old, bold pilots.” ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-curious-diatribe-reported-last-night-on-countdown/406339/34 "2007-06-02T07:00:14Z")
There is video of this [here on YouTube](http://youtube.com/watch?v=OgTzlXdviWk). ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-curious-diatribe-reported-last-night-on-countdown/406339/35 "2007-06-02T11:00:37Z")
[QUOTE=BarnOwl] Olbermann’s stand-in (a very appealing gal who doesn’t hit every news bit with a verbal sledge hammer as does Keith) said last night, that Dubya went wild-eyed, thumped his chest while proclaiming three times “I am the president!” He further announced that the war in Iraq would continue past his presidency for future Commanders In Chief to handle as part of this country’s destiny. Did anyone see this last evening? There’s nothing in the Times, or the local paper or online that I can find about the story. (And, :smack: I erased the tape!) Anyway, if the account is true, would you consider such behavior of the POTUS as worrisome? [/QUOTE] I had seen this reported elsewhere. I’m willing to believe it is true. It strikes me as evidence of emotional imbalance. It would be a lot more worrisome if it were coming from someone who wasn’t already getting pretty much everything he wanted in the way of power. As a followup to his chest-thumping, what could he have threatened to do that he hasn’t already done? ETA: I mean that it would concern me more if he were in ascendancy. ---
**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:** [June 2, 2007, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-curious-diatribe-reported-last-night-on-countdown/406339/36 "2007-06-02T11:23:57Z")
[QUOTE=11811] As a followup to his chest-thumping, what could he have threatened to do that he hasn’t already done? [/QUOTE] Invade Iran in order to bog us down in a war with it "so his successor could not get out of ‘our country’s destiny.’ " ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-curious-diatribe-reported-last-night-on-countdown/406339/37 "2007-06-02T12:12:35Z")
[QUOTE=Frostillicus] CBS didn’t “fake” anything. [/quote] They were given some falsifications and put it out despite the fact that their own experts wouldn’t vouch for its genuineness. They also offered to coordinate the timing of their piece with the Democratic party’s “Fortunate Son” initiative. Don’t pretend that you need cites; this is all common knowledge. > [@Sam Stone](#): > > Methinks a little partisan poetic license may have been taken. And of course the knee-jerkers lap it up without hesitation. Always conveniently when there is no video, just un-named sources. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-curious-diatribe-reported-last-night-on-countdown/406339/38 "2007-06-02T12:39:12Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] Why? If it “has legs” and they’re the “right-wing media”, wouldn’t they try to suppress it? If they don’t suppress it, then they aren’t doing their jobs!!! [/quote] Enough with the strawmen already, m’kay? Right-wing /= blind loyalist. Surely you’ve come across quite a few indications of the right wing (whether that means economic, cultural, or foreign policy, or simply habitual partisanship) separating itself from Bush, and not only on Iraq. It would be entirely rational, principled, and long-sighted to conclude that Bush is damaging the credibility and power of all forms of conservatism, is himself incapable of realizing that and acting as if the world is bigger than himself, and has to be dealt with accordingly. IOW, even an old Cold Warrior like de Borchgrave can see Bush as the anchor:[Shel Silverstein’s “Anchored”](http://www.thefissiongroup.com/blog/2007/05/08/anchored/) > [@](#): > > Our anchor’s too big for our ship, > So we’re sittin’ here tryin’ to think. > If we leave it behind we’ll be lost. > If we haul it on board, we will sink. Or maybe the Republicans “just hate Bush” now too. Right, **Shodan**? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-curious-diatribe-reported-last-night-on-countdown/406339/39 "2007-06-02T12:43:38Z")
[QUOTE=Sam Stone] … If the question was along the lines of, “Why hasn’t Cheney overruled you”, and Bush responded by raising his fist and saying, “Because I’m the President”, then whatever, dude. If that outrages you, go nuts. . [/QUOTE] It’s certainly more reassuring to hear that kind of answer from a president than “That’s above my pay grade.” ---
**Author:** ![11811](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/9d8465/32.png) [@11811](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/11811)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2007, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-curious-diatribe-reported-last-night-on-countdown/406339/40 "2007-06-02T13:35:50Z")
[QUOTE=Der Trihs] Invade Iran in order to bog us down in a war with it "so his successor could not get out of ‘our country’s destiny.’ " [/QUOTE] Yeah, I thought of that. You’re right, of course. I’ve been keeping my fingers crossed that sensible folks around him (there is at least one, somewhere, isn’t there? what?) will impose some limitation on his omnipotence and prevent that from happening. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-curious-diatribe-reported-last-night-on-countdown/406339.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bushs-curious-diatribe-reported-last-night-on-countdown/406339.md?page=3)