# Pitting Bush for stuff that doesn't seem to rate its own thread **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 8, 2004, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-bush-for-stuff-that-doesnt-seem-to-rate-its-own-thread/254131 "2004-07-08T16:11:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-bush-for-stuff-that-doesnt-seem-to-rate-its-own-thread/254131/81 "2004-09-04T20:55:45Z")
**Does the president really feel their pain, or is he just slapping throwaway remarks into his speeches to yank America’s chains?** > [@](#): > > last night on our TV screens, we saw the horror of terror in Russia. And I can just imagine the heartfelt anguish of the moms and dads of those Russian kids. Our prayers are with those families. And yesterday is a grim reminder of the nature of the terrorists we face. That is why this country must be strong and diligent, never yielding. We must bring them to justice before they harm us. (Applause.) > So when I asked Laura to marry me, she said, fine, just so long as I never have to give a speech. (Laughter.) [Ask President Bush](http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/09-04-2004/0002244242&EDATE=) ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-bush-for-stuff-that-doesnt-seem-to-rate-its-own-thread/254131/82 "2004-09-04T21:13:22Z")
He should have mentioned the Russian hostage situation at the end of the speech, not sandwiched between more light-hearted, trivial remarks. But I think it reads stranger than it probably was listening to it. ---
**Author:** ![a35362](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@a35362](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a35362)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2004, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-bush-for-stuff-that-doesnt-seem-to-rate-its-own-thread/254131/83 "2004-09-04T23:15:55Z")
**Equipose** , thank you for subscribing to Salon so we don’t have to! 😛 That’s the kind of stuff about Bush that makes my blood pressure rise. He seems like an eleven-year-old boy, and every single day is his birthday! He’s having way too much fun being president, and doesn’t appear (to me) to know, understand, or care about one-tenth of the information and issues an American president must. You can be as conservative as you want to be, but this guy is a child! Has anyone seen the [Retro vs. Metro](http://www.retrovsmetro.org/) website and book? It’s nice to hear some confirmation and explanation of the “red vs. blue” cultural faultlines idea in our national politics. I am so depressed about Bush’s convention bounce. What does it take, already? ---
**Author:** ![ZombiesAteMyBrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b4bc9f/32.png) [@ZombiesAteMyBrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZombiesAteMyBrain)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2004, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-bush-for-stuff-that-doesnt-seem-to-rate-its-own-thread/254131/84 "2004-09-05T13:01:01Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > **Does the president really feel their pain, or is he just slapping throwaway remarks into his speeches to yank America’s chains?** I doubt very much that Bush really feels anything, as the most lethal ‘holy crusader’ on the planet today is The American president - who,supposedly under instructions from his God, has wiped out thousands of innocents, many of them women and children. Bush has frequently claimed that his actions are sanctioned by God - and that he has a holy mandate for whatever he wants to do " … I’m not trying to detract here from the horrific situation in Russia - but if Bush feels no regret for " Collateral damage" of his own holy war - I can’t see him having any real empathy for the plight of the Russians. > [@](#): > > “God told me to strike at al Qaida and I struck them, and then he instructed me to strike at Saddam, which I did, and now I am determined to solve the problem in the Middle East.” [Bush Button News](http://www.bushwatch.com/evangelist.htm) ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-bush-for-stuff-that-doesnt-seem-to-rate-its-own-thread/254131/85 "2004-09-21T17:05:07Z")
Bumping this thread because [some Bush goodies](http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/09/20040920-17.html) really _don’t_ rate their own thread: > [@](#): > > I’m ready for the stretch run. I know where I want to lead the country. I look forward to telling the people what I believe. Me too! After four years, it would be really nice to find out what, if anything, you believe in, Mr. President. He continues: > [@](#): > > I believe that schools can do a better job of teaching our children. Listen, I went to Washington to challenge this practice of just shuffling kids through schools year after year, grade after grade. It’s what I call challenging the soft bigotry of low expectations. I’m all for challenging the soft bigotry of low expectations. Starting at the top. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-bush-for-stuff-that-doesnt-seem-to-rate-its-own-thread/254131/86 "2004-09-21T17:13:11Z")
BUTCHER’S OUSTER NOT WORTH THE WAR: KERRY [http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/30676.htm](http://www.nypost.com/news/nationalnews/30676.htm) > [@](#): > > Bush responded: “It’s hard to believe that a candidate running for president prefers the stability of a dictatorship to an open and secure democracy.” \ The “open and secure” democracy that is currently Iraq? With thousands of foreign terrorists flooding in beheading people like it’s going out of style, “open and secure” are the last words the place should be associated with. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-bush-for-stuff-that-doesnt-seem-to-rate-its-own-thread/254131/87 "2004-09-21T18:32:19Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > The “open and secure” democracy that is currently Iraq? With thousands of foreign terrorists flooding in beheading people like it’s going out of style, “open and secure” are the last words the place should be associated with. Oh, I dunno - the ‘open’ part applies, since seemingly anyone can just walk in there. But you’re right about ‘secure’, and I’ll add ‘democracy’. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-bush-for-stuff-that-doesnt-seem-to-rate-its-own-thread/254131/88 "2004-09-21T18:34:42Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > Oh, I dunno - the ‘open’ part applies, since seemingly anyone can just walk in there. > > But you’re right about ‘secure’, and I’ll add ‘democracy’. Heh, yeah, you’re right. I was thinking “open society”, not “open to stroll right in, grab the first person I see, and saw their head off” ---
**Author:** ![rjung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@rjung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rjung)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2004, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-bush-for-stuff-that-doesnt-seem-to-rate-its-own-thread/254131/89 "2004-09-21T20:47:43Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > After four years, it would be really nice to find out what, if anything, you believe in, Mr. President. I thought it was obvious – record profits for his Texas oil buddies. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-bush-for-stuff-that-doesnt-seem-to-rate-its-own-thread/254131/90 "2004-09-24T13:32:09Z")
They’ve already started the switch of the bait and switch. [http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/09/24/iraq.main/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/meast/09/24/iraq.main/index.html) > [@](#): > > “Let’s say you tried to have an election and you could have it in three-quarters or four-fifths of the country. But in some places you couldn’t because the violence was too great,” Rumsfeld said, hours after the leaders of the United States and Iraq met in Washington. > > “Well, so be it. Nothing’s perfect in life, so you have an election that’s not quite perfect. Is it better than not having an election? You bet,” he said. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-bush-for-stuff-that-doesnt-seem-to-rate-its-own-thread/254131/91 "2004-09-24T18:33:12Z")
Bush said this yesterday (saw it on Olbermann last night) about the Iraqi people. “My message is that we will stay the course and stand with these people so that **they become free**.” Um, wait, I thought they already free. Didn’t we free them sometime last year? If they’re not free yet, when will they be free? Maybe we should have named the Iraq thing “Operation Enduring Freedom” en·dur·ing adj. Lasting; continuing; durable: a novel of enduring interest. Long-suffering; patient. ---
**Author:** ![ZombiesAteMyBrain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b4bc9f/32.png) [@ZombiesAteMyBrain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZombiesAteMyBrain)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2004, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-bush-for-stuff-that-doesnt-seem-to-rate-its-own-thread/254131/92 "2004-09-24T19:07:48Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > Um, wait, I thought they already free. Didn’t we free them sometime last year? > > If they’re not free yet, when will they be free? > > Maybe we should have named the Iraq thing “Operation Enduring Freedom” ‘Operation Enduring Bush’ might be more appropriate. I have doubts about the ‘freedom’ part. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2004, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-bush-for-stuff-that-doesnt-seem-to-rate-its-own-thread/254131/93 "2004-09-25T01:12:31Z")
Lately, borrowing off [Joe Haldeman](http://home.earthlink.net/~haldeman/), I’ve been starting to call it “[The Forever War](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0060510862/qid=1096072710/sr=ka-1/ref=pd_ka_1/102-7757481-3328124)”. I’ve noticed I’m not the only one. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2004, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-bush-for-stuff-that-doesnt-seem-to-rate-its-own-thread/254131/94 "2004-09-25T01:15:18Z")
\ Leave it up to Musharraf to give us the little soundbite that Kerry should be using. [http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/09/24/musharraf/index.html](http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/asiapcf/09/24/musharraf/index.html) > [@](#): > > Iraq war brought ‘more trouble to the world,’ he says ---
**Author:** ![jshore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@jshore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jshore)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2004, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-bush-for-stuff-that-doesnt-seem-to-rate-its-own-thread/254131/95 "2004-09-25T03:54:45Z")
Just found [this](http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/08/20040805-12.html) wonderful quote from Bush while researching for another thread: > [@](#): > > And so, the world spoke, and again, he defied us. And not only did he defy us, he systematically deceived the inspectors. You remember the period of time, we said, well, let’s give the inspectors the chance to work. We agreed, until we found out he was deceiving them. What he was trying to do was buy time. Why? Because he wanted to reconstitute a weapons program. He wanted to make sure he had the capacity to make weapons. And if he had any, like we thought he did, he didn’t want anybody to find them. Okay, so ignoring for a moment whether this factual recounting has much basis in reality, I’d like to focus on that last sentence: What he seems to be saying is that Saddam deceived the inspectors in order to try to hide weapons that we thought he had but we now pretty much know with 99% certainty he didn’t have? That is one sneaky fellow we were up against…I mean, any run-of-the-mill dictator might try to hide his weapons that exist but only a really really sneaky one will try to hide his weapons that don’t exist! ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2004, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-bush-for-stuff-that-doesnt-seem-to-rate-its-own-thread/254131/96 "2004-09-25T17:46:09Z")
> [@World Eater](#): > > They’ve already started the switch of the bait and switch. Well, I don’t have a quote, but Rummy had something interesting to say on Friday. Basically, he said that Iraq isn’t all that dangerous - after all, we have cities with hundreds of murders every year in the USA. It’s just that each and every car bombing gets mentioned in the press. If they publicized every murder in the good old USA, we’d see that both places are equally dangerous. And these are the people **in charge** folks… -Joe, didn’t know he had such a good chance of being decapitated here ---
**Author:** ![jshore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/b5e925/32.png) [@jshore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jshore)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2004, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-bush-for-stuff-that-doesnt-seem-to-rate-its-own-thread/254131/97 "2004-09-25T17:47:31Z")
On the other hand, I guess we can credit Bush with continual improvement in that at least now he acknowledges that Saddam let inspectors in, unlike in response to a question on [July 14, 2003](http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2003/07/20030714-3.html): > [@](#): > > The larger point is, and the fundamental question is, did Saddam Hussein have a weapons program? And the answer is, absolutely. And we gave him a chance to allow the inspectors in, and he wouldn’t let them in. And, therefore, after a reasonable request, we decided to remove him from power, along with other nations, so as to make sure he was not a threat to the United States and our friends and allies in the region. Of course, this was a few months after the events in question had occurred, so I could understand if his memory had gotten a bit shaky. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2004, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-bush-for-stuff-that-doesnt-seem-to-rate-its-own-thread/254131/98 "2004-09-26T23:34:13Z")
> [@jshore](#): > > Of course, this was a few months after the events in question had occurred, so I could understand if his memory had gotten a bit shaky. “God I wish I had some nukes” written on a cockltail napkin DOES count as ‘WMD Programs Related Activitiy’, right? See! He was guilty! -Joe ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2004, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-bush-for-stuff-that-doesnt-seem-to-rate-its-own-thread/254131/99 "2004-09-28T00:59:30Z")
[You can’t make stuff like this up.](http://www.kwtx.com/news/headlines/1029996.html) > [@](#): > > About 800 members of the 98th Army Reserve Division from Rochester, New York will begin a year-long mission in Iraq next month. > > The unit, which normally trains reserve and active-duty soldiers in the U.S., will find itself training Iraq’s new army. > > The 98th is a non-combat unit that doesn’t even have its own weapons or vehicles. > > "This is a hard war and we, frankly, inside the Army Reserve have been not properly prepared for it,” said Lt. Gen. James Helmly, chief of the U.S. Army Reserve. ---
**Author:** ![World\_Eater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@World\_Eater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/World_Eater)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2004, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-bush-for-stuff-that-doesnt-seem-to-rate-its-own-thread/254131/100 "2004-09-28T12:22:44Z")
> [@RTFirefly](#): > > [You can’t make stuff like this up.](http://www.kwtx.com/news/headlines/1029996.html) Why Kerry doesn’t pounce on this, is the very reason he’ll lose. Un-fucking-believable. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-bush-for-stuff-that-doesnt-seem-to-rate-its-own-thread/254131.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pitting-bush-for-stuff-that-doesnt-seem-to-rate-its-own-thread/254131.md?page=6)