# President Bush visits my hometown, snubs the Dem Mayor **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 13, 2005, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-visits-my-hometown-snubs-the-dem-mayor/294280 "2005-03-13T02:35:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-visits-my-hometown-snubs-the-dem-mayor/294280/41 "2005-03-14T13:23:19Z")
> [@Sam Stone](#): > > There is no prohibition that I know. If you want government funds, you have to use one of the approved lines. If you don’t, use whatever. Alas, it goes a little further than that. Sez the NIH: “No federal funds may be used, either directly or indirectly, to support research on human embryonic stem cell lines that do not meet the criteria established by President Bush.” If you don’t have cells from the original lines, you can use whatever stem cells you can get your hands on, sure. But you can’t use _anything_ on the project that is supported by federal dollars. Which might sound like “so what?” at first blush until you realize how much of the research infrastructure in this country is federally funded. The logistical and accounting hoops they would have to jump through to stay in compliance are daunting. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-visits-my-hometown-snubs-the-dem-mayor/294280/42 "2005-03-14T13:36:54Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > You know, I came into this thread for once prepared to **defend** Mr. Bush, because FDR used to do much the same thing – gladhand and appear with people whom he supported, while carefully avoiding those he opposed. Well, you’re the appointed arbiter of all that is Just and Right on the SDMB, so you tell us, **Polycarp**. Exactly how much consideration should be given to the OP when: A) It refers to a “dismissal” of Abramson when the very story he linked to says that the President invited the Mayor to the main event, just not to the airport photo-op. B) A very, very short perusal (i.e., going to [whitehouse.gov](http://whitehouse.gov) and hitting “news”) of similar events within a couple days of the Louisville event shows people from the other party right at the events, complete with the President saying nice things about them. C) A not-very-much-longer perusal of events (i.e., going to [whitehouse.gov](http://whitehouse.gov) and entering “abramson” in the search box) shows the President doing exactly what he offered to do this time, welcome the Mayor at the scheduled event. D) Not having done even that tiny amount of research, people like **DoctorJ** and **rjung** feel free to come in with sweeping, idiotic comments like they did. How much consideration, **Polycarp**? Because to be frank, I think I did too much work for this pig of a thread and **Bricker** took the better approach. I sure don’t see anyone making use of the stuff I dug up, either for or against the OP, any more than [anyone, including you, could be bothered to actually read the report about the allegedly missing $8.8 billion in Iraq](http://207.97.195.229/sdmb/showthread.php?t=306538). How many times are worthless OPs based on a single news article to be taken seriously when introducing actual facts into them is met with derision? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-visits-my-hometown-snubs-the-dem-mayor/294280/43 "2005-03-14T14:46:36Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > And yet how many of this board’s esteemed members have expressed sentiments along the lines of, “He’s not MY President!” > > Hmm? Dunno, you tell us, since you’re asserting it’s happened. A quote or two would be illustrative. You do have some, don’t you? You wouldn’t make up shit just to help yourself feel better, would you? Of \*course \* you wouldn’t. :rolleyes: > [@Martin Hyde](#): > > Whether or not it was rude is irrelevant, politeness shouldn’t come into play as far as politics goes. Is \*everything \* Bush does an act of politics rather than presidential leadership, to you? ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-visits-my-hometown-snubs-the-dem-mayor/294280/44 "2005-03-14T15:26:02Z")
> [@manhattan](#): > > D) Not having done even that tiny amount of research, people like **DoctorJ** and **rjung** feel free to come in with sweeping, idiotic comments like they did. FWIW, I wasted a significant amount of time trying to type search terms into google that would give me an additional example to accompany my Nebraska one. It didn’t bear fruit; I don’t know if that’s because I was barking up the wrong tree, or because searching local news sources via the web is such a dicey proposition. Some of us _try._ (sniffle). ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-visits-my-hometown-snubs-the-dem-mayor/294280/45 "2005-03-14T15:31:34Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > And yet how many of this board’s esteemed members have expressed sentiments along the lines of, “He’s not MY President!” > > Hmm? > [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Dunno, you tell us, since you’re asserting it’s happened. A quote or two would be illustrative. You do have some, don’t you? You wouldn’t make up shit just to help yourself feel better, would you? Of \*course \* you wouldn’t. :rolleyes: **ElvisL1ves** must know those sentiments have been expressed here on this board many times. But he’s probably counting on the fact that the search function is limited and it will be difficult to find a phrase that consists of three words, two of them under four characters long. Unfortunately for him: How many examples do you want? [One?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5062361&postcount=1) [Two?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5448872&postcount=60) [Three?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=5454682&postcount=29) I’d like an apology for the implication that I “made shit up,” when I said that board members had expressed the “He’s not MY President,” sentiment, since it’s clear by the citations above that I did not. I’d also like an explanation of how **ElvisL1ves** so totally missed those - and other - threads that contained such sentiments, because he was evidently surprised that they existed. Or perhaps he wasn’t surprised at all - perhaps, as I speculated above, he knew they existed, but denied them anyway, believing that obtaining proof would be too difficult and his denials would stand, unrefuted. Of course, such a tactic would be pretty dishonest. If it happened. ---
**Author:** ![DaddyTimesTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@DaddyTimesTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaddyTimesTwo)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-visits-my-hometown-snubs-the-dem-mayor/294280/46 "2005-03-14T17:35:45Z")
Take a day away from the boats and these things can get nutty! I don’t find my OP to be whiny. And I did no research regarding Bush visiting other cities because I don’t care. The thing that bothers me is that Mr Bush’s actions seem to me to be so ridiculously petty. I guess that makes me naive. And this thread, or certainly my attitude about it, was more better suited to MPSIMS. And some of the responses in this thread are just a bit (see, this is sarcasm here) more hostile than my innocuous OP. Perhaps you guys, and you know who you are, should take a fucking deep breath. ---
**Author:** ![DaddyTimesTwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f07891/32.png) [@DaddyTimesTwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DaddyTimesTwo)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-visits-my-hometown-snubs-the-dem-mayor/294280/47 "2005-03-14T17:42:40Z")
“boats”? WTF? Should be "boards, obviously. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-visits-my-hometown-snubs-the-dem-mayor/294280/48 "2005-03-14T17:52:47Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > And yet how many of this board’s esteemed members have expressed sentiments along the lines of, “He’s not MY President!” > > Hmm? The answer is: Two. \*\*Jinx \*\* and **malkavia** , right after the dubious election. **Mr. Svin** said nothing of the kind in your third link, but of course you knew that when you were trying to pad that last post of yours. > [@](#): > > I’d like an apology for the implication that I “made shit up,” when I said that board members had expressed the “He’s not MY President,” sentiment, since it’s clear by the citations above that I did not. Your point was clearly to insinuate (since you lack the courage of your convictions to say so more directly?) that that is the \*prevailing \* sentiment among “The Left” that torments your life so. It is patently not, and you need to either retract that insinuation or explain what you really did mean by bringing up the subject. Your attention is directed to the current Pit thread in your honor. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-visits-my-hometown-snubs-the-dem-mayor/294280/49 "2005-03-14T18:45:43Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The answer is: Two. \*\*Jinx \*\* and **malkavia** , right after the dubious election. **Mr. Svin** said nothing of the kind in your third link, but of course you knew that when you were trying to pad that last post of yours. Really? From the 3rd link (my bolding): > [@](#): > > These are a few things that I’ve been mulling over since Kerry conceded. But I disagree with him when he claims that the US needs to “heal.” And I say to any of you on the left that are still out there: fuck that. I will not extend a hand to that lying son of a bitch who squeaked his way into a second term, nor to the flunkies that continue to support him. **He is not my president, and the country he represents is not my country.** Are you ready to apologize for accusing \*\*Bricker \*\*or padding his post with links? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-visits-my-hometown-snubs-the-dem-mayor/294280/50 "2005-03-14T19:06:39Z")
Personally, I think anything anyone here wrote in the week after the election should be completely disregarded. Whether it was anti-Bush fury or pro-Bush gloating, none of us really came off looking good in that time period… ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-visits-my-hometown-snubs-the-dem-mayor/294280/51 "2005-03-14T20:53:18Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > The answer is: Two. \*\*Jinx \*\* and **malkavia** , right after the dubious election. **Mr. Svin** said nothing of the kind in your third link, but of course you knew that when you were trying to pad that last post of yours. That’s a lie, as pointed out by **John Mace**. And the idea that the answer is “Two” - or even “Three,” if you acknowledge that **Mr. Svin** ’s post says what I claimed - is absurd. Three was what I found. There are bound to be more. You think I found the only three instances? [Four](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=4845991&postcount=1). > [@](#): > > Your point was clearly to insinuate (since you lack the courage of your convictions to say so more directly?) that that is the \*prevailing \* sentiment among “The Left” that torments your life so. It is patently not, and you need to either retract that insinuation or explain what you really did mean by bringing up the subject. > > Your attention is directed to the current Pit thread in your honor. I didn’t say it was the prevailing sentiment among the left. I said: “And yet how many of this board’s esteemed members have expressed sentiments along the lines of, ‘He’s not MY President!’” The implication - or insinuation - of that line is simply that the sentiment was not unheard of – I don’t claim that a majority of the left on this Board has said such a thing, merely that it’s not unheard of … and I note that in the instances I managed to find, the people saying what they did were not rebuked by their fellow leftists, suggesting at least some comfort with the sentiment. But I notice how you’ve moved the goalposts. I asked how many people had said it – you replied asking for proof, saying, "You do have some, don’t you? You wouldn’t make up shit just to help yourself feel better, would you? Of course you wouldn’t. :rolleyes: " After I provided the proof, you slide the scale over. Now, suddenly, it’s not about my making up the sentiments. It’s not relevant if I find one, two, three, or four quotes to support what I said. Suddenly, the charge I have to defend is that it’s a prevailing sentiment among the left. I NEVER SAID THAT, DID I? ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-visits-my-hometown-snubs-the-dem-mayor/294280/52 "2005-03-14T22:23:08Z")
**Bricker** , I acknowledge you’re right–but the posts I looked at were written in the heat of the election, when, as I recall, many people had emotions running high. Is it really a good idea to dredge these things up four months later and hold them against people? Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2005, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-visits-my-hometown-snubs-the-dem-mayor/294280/53 "2005-03-14T22:27:06Z")
Incidentally, and maybe I’m completely wrong, but I thought **Mr. Svinlesha** lived in Scandinavia somewhere, which would make his sentiments (“He’s not my president”) less hyperbolic and more, well, factual. Am I wrong on this? Daniel ---
**Author:** ![Tenzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Tenzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tenzin)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-visits-my-hometown-snubs-the-dem-mayor/294280/54 "2005-03-15T00:57:29Z")
Going back a bit, from where the path of the debate has wandered; I am amazed by President Bush’s snub of Memphis mayor Willie Herenton. Herenton, African-American, has been Mayor for several years, and, since Memphis is the Hub of Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi, this really looks bad to the Af-Am population of a large area. That seems like a rather ignorant, and frighteningly arrogant stance to me. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Moto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9de0a6/32.png) [@Mr.Moto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moto)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-visits-my-hometown-snubs-the-dem-mayor/294280/55 "2005-03-15T04:25:44Z")
Tu quoque, two wrongs, it’s true. But I can’t help but note that Mayor Herenton has done some snubbing of his own. Visiting Iraqi delegations aren’t worthy to be met, and neither is his illegitimate child. [http://www.wreg.com/Global/story.asp?S=2133801](http://www.wreg.com/Global/story.asp?S=2133801) [http://www.wreg.com/Global/story.asp?S=2934879](http://www.wreg.com/Global/story.asp?S=2934879) ---
**Author:** ![jeffh3000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/34f0e0/32.png) [@jeffh3000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeffh3000)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-visits-my-hometown-snubs-the-dem-mayor/294280/56 "2005-03-15T05:17:49Z")
> [@carnivorousplant](#): > > Sounds rude to me. > When he was here, there was a “Free Speech Zone” for protesters. They weren’t allowed near the President. This is actually determined by the secret service and not the president. This has been required for quite some time through all recent presidencies due to “the world as it exists today” for the president’s safety. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-visits-my-hometown-snubs-the-dem-mayor/294280/57 "2005-03-15T13:46:08Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > That’s a lie, as pointed out by **John Mace**. We’re off to a fine start here, aren’t we? I missed that one in haste, yes. John did \*not \* call it a lie, though, and your saying he did is a lie of your own. Ready to back down, now? > [@](#): > > Three was what I found. There are bound to be more. You think I found the only three instances? Dunno. You’re making the “argument”, you back it up. > [@](#): > > I didn’t say it was the prevailing sentiment among the left…I don’t claim that a majority of the left on this Board has said such a thing, merely that it’s not unheard of There are wild things said about any topic. To point out that there are a few extremists that can be portrayed as being on any particular side is pointless. But you know that. You thought there was value in making the point anyway, and in a pretty belligerent manner, and without any acknowledgment that it may not be the prevailing sentiment. Your meaning is clear enough. > [@](#): > > the people saying what they did were not rebuked by their fellow leftists, suggesting at least some comfort with the sentiment. Fer cripe’s sake, not that again. :rolleyes: Have you condemned everything said by a Republican that you disagree with? > [@](#): > > But I notice how you’ve moved the goalposts. _Moi_? You made the blanket insinuation, and now you’re parsing like a cornered weasel. > [@](#): > > Suddenly, the charge I have to defend is that it’s a prevailing sentiment among the left. I NEVER SAID THAT, DID I? You’ve already been asked what point you intended to get across. If it wasn’t that, then what the hell else could it be? Refer once again to your Pit thread. As you yourself have so aptly pointed out recently, “If ten people tell you you’re drunk, you’d better go lie down”. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 1:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-visits-my-hometown-snubs-the-dem-mayor/294280/58 "2005-03-15T13:51:37Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > **Bricker** , I acknowledge you’re right–but the posts I looked at were written in the heat of the election, when, as I recall, many people had emotions running high. Is it really a good idea to dredge these things up four months later and hold them against people? > > Daniel Are you seriously contending that the only time “Bush is not MY President” was advanced on these boards was in the heat of election? C’mon - from **ElvisL1ves** , I expect that sort of dodge. From you?? [Four](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=4845991&postcount=1), from May, 2004 - six months before the election. There are more, Daniel. And honestly - does it surprise you? ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-visits-my-hometown-snubs-the-dem-mayor/294280/59 "2005-03-15T13:56:49Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > _Moi_? You made the blanket insinuation, and now you’re parsing like a cornered weasel. If my words indicated a prevailing sentiment, I withdraw them and apologize. All I said was, “I wonder how many times this was said…” I never said everyone got on the bandwagon – just that it was said, and met with approval more than disapproval. But if my words were taken to mean a blanket condemnation of all the people to the left of Mussolini on this board, I apologize, and I withdraw the characterization. Now - what have YOU to say regarding your words? ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 15, 2005, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-visits-my-hometown-snubs-the-dem-mayor/294280/60 "2005-03-15T16:34:11Z")
> [@Left Hand of Dorkness](#): > > **Bricker** , I acknowledge you’re right–but the posts I looked at were written in the heat of the election, when, as I recall, many people had emotions running high. Is it really a good idea to dredge these things up four months later and hold them against people?l Invite them into this thread, and see if they are willing to take those statements back and admit they misspoke. Good luck. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-visits-my-hometown-snubs-the-dem-mayor/294280.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/president-bush-visits-my-hometown-snubs-the-dem-mayor/294280.md?page=4)