My sympathy meter (never exactly of industrial strength anyway) doesn’t even register for ole GW. Sorry but I’m militantly unsympathetic towards the man.
I will say that I agree with DtC’s earlier comment…the one good thing I can say about GW is that after leaving office and up until now he has not opened his mouth and has seemingly totally retired from public life and public comment. He’s had nothing bad to say about Obama or anything else…which I find more than mildly surprising though welcome. He was a horrible president…perhaps he’ll at least be an adaquate ex-president and maintain this stance. If so then perhaps he hasn’t been a total loss at least.
I’m not a bit surprised he’s been completely out of the public eye since he left office - the man so clearly just wanted to leave and get it over with for the last half of 2008.
If I met him on the street, I would thank him for what he’s done to the Republican party, Reaganism, and the conservative movement in general, but I think that’s about it for Bush’s positive accomplishments.
Feel pity for Bush? It’d be funny to contemplate if, in reality, it wasn’t so sad. Hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqis and over 4,000 American soldiers gone, all for naught, prevent me from even considering such a sentiment.
I don’t think Bush was evil, even though he let evil dominate his actions. He was just a figurehead, an ordinary, selfish, immature guy who got used, often without even knowing it. I don’t think he’s any worse than the average guy, but unfortunately he’s not any better, either.
He may, btw, actually have quite a lot to say, but nobody wanting to hear it.
Pity? I pity us.
With time and solitude, I think the extent of how badly he screwed up is finally sinking in. He has discovered that unlike Clinton and Carter (and even his dad) no one wants his advice, no one wants to hear him speak. No pity or sympathy. He may or may not deserve jail, but he’s getting punishment. For him hell isn’t other people, hell is reflection.
Oh, you are free to dream all you like Red. Heck, I’ll join you…I’d LOVE to see Bush et al dragged off to trial. But the reality is…ain’t gonna happen. As long as you keep that rather firmly in mind then dream all you like…
Bush was the patsy for the Republican party and a very effective patsy he was. I still see Jerry Lewis (from the movie The Patsy) whenever I see him. I can feel sorry for him in the sense that he is just now finding out what he has been all this time. It must be painful to find out you’ve been played so well. He really thought he was in charge!
Here in the STMB we often carry on about how awful Bush was and the rest of the party is rarely (relatively) mentioned. Cheney must have a good laugh each night as he lowers his bulk into the restorative vat of virgin blood.
Why should you guys be allowed to pity yourselves? You chose him, the second time after you knew that he had dragged you into a long war at tremendous cost.
Without even knowing it? Oh pleae. That was one of his favorite excuses.
Nobody knew.
Nobody could have known.
The sonofabitch didn’t care and didn’t want to know. he was the shoot from the hip guy. He did’t have to think or know or anything else. He only listened to those who said what he wanted to hear. Everyone else was … what’s the word… traitors. free speech zones, loyalty oaths, blah blah blah.