To the best of my ability...

December 20, 2008 4:19 AM

With one month left in George W. Bush's presidency, he contemplates his legacy; how the public will view him and his place in history. Whatever your personal feelings, you must admit that Bush did have his moments.
posted by twoleftfeet (142 comments total)

Too many moments, IMHO. WAY too many. And nary a one positive. YMMV.
posted by yoga at 5:10 AM on December 20, 2008

As my wife is fond of saying, "good. Fuck 'im."
posted by notsnot at 5:11 AM on December 20, 2008

And the horse he rode in on.
posted by RussHy at 5:28 AM on December 20, 2008

Illegal war/choked on pretzel/rollback of environmental protections/fell off Segway/"it would be easier if I was a dictator"/fell off bike

He's the Platonic ideal of Chevy Chase's Ford with a retarded first-grader's erudition
posted by Optimus Chyme at 5:40 AM on December 20, 2008 [15 favorites]

A root canal has moments but I doubt I'll recall any of them fondly.
posted by Benjy at 5:45 AM on December 20, 2008 [4 favorites]

Complete sentences stun nation
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 5:46 AM on December 20, 2008 [13 favorites]

His Legacy: No one will deny he's one hell of a quick shoe-ducker.
posted by Ike_Arumba at 5:46 AM on December 20, 2008 [8 favorites]

Best weird Bush moment: the OB/GYN quote.
posted by Ron Thanagar at 5:47 AM on December 20, 2008 [5 favorites]

What would really jump-start American Confidence? How about putting W in a cattle trailer and driving him all over the country at a slow to stopped speed, giving people the opportunity to throw whatever they want at the man.

The best thing he did was create a whole generation of Democratic voters, and give us Obama. It's all so poetic...I just fear it is part of their evil plan. I won't be happy until the GOP is dead.

Also-I never want to hear from the far far far right again! EVER!

Fuck 'em!
posted by QueerAngel28 at 5:54 AM on December 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

I remember thinking in 2000 after the whole supreme court election debacle, "Well, we survived 12 years of Reagan/Bush we can survive 4 to 8 years of George W Bush. How bad could it be?" Who knew how badly eight years of a presidency could fuck up the country and the world? And the answer is, "Pretty fucking bad." If nothing else, W has taught the country how important the federal government is and how screwed the country can get when it's run badly. I don't think that anyone will ever say again, "Oh who cares what those clowns in DC do, it won't effect my life."
posted by octothorpe at 6:01 AM on December 20, 2008 [31 favorites]

Those were great.
And you know - I blame every ignorant jackass who voted for Bush in 2000 and 2004. Let's not forget their part in all of this.
posted by ghastlyfop at 6:11 AM on December 20, 2008 [4 favorites]

For people unfamiliar with American politics, the title comes from the Presidential Oath of Office.
posted by twoleftfeet at 6:11 AM on December 20, 2008

I wish that were entirely true octothorpe, but I've actually argued online (I should see a psychologist) with people who claim that the recent financial meltdown is entirely to blame on ACORN pushing relaxed lending rules on Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac, or that because Nancy Pelosi & Harry Reid were inattentive in the two years they had as a congressional majority, then the failure to regulate Wall Street falls squarely on their shoulders. There are plenty of Americans living outside of mental institutions who still see anything other than pure, unfettered free-market ideology and militaristic jingoism as misguided government intrusion into places it doesn't belong. Unless it's the bedroom, of course. It's still gonna take generational change.

I could go on all day, but I must return to my daily task of making the pie higher so that I can put more food on my family. Now watch this drive.
posted by Devils Rancher at 6:16 AM on December 20, 2008 [8 favorites]

This is a great post, I got my first laugh of the day reading the word contemplates following George W. Bush. I'm pretty sure the man has never contemplated anything in his life. Wasn't that the basis of his presidency and the platform upon which he was elected? Not contemplating, but simply going ahead without thought or regret.
posted by seanmpuckett at 6:19 AM on December 20, 2008 [2 favorites]

Well, we survived 12 years of Reagan/Bush...

If "we" includes people infected with HIV, then this is a false statement.
posted by giraffe at 6:35 AM on December 20, 2008 [19 favorites]

Surprised the did'nt include the Fool Me Once classic... but I agree with No1
posted by fearfulsymmetry at 6:37 AM on December 20, 2008

You can accuse Bush of a lot of things, and rightly so, but originality is not one of them. So, for awhile now I've been fantasizing that he would go out another man who used a bunch of tall tales as his qualification for political office: Davy Crockett.

When Crockett lost his congressional seat, he retired from politics with the phrase:

"You may all go to hell, and I will go to Texas."

*folds up single sheet of paper, stuffs into breast pocket, turns from podium and walks away briskly*

FANTASY FADES TO END CREDITS
posted by planetkyoto at 6:41 AM on December 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

What better way to leave a legacy than to make sure that the mess you made will take generations to clean up? We'll still be talking about him 50 years from now when yet another piece of fallout from his disastrous tenure hits us on the head. Good riddance? We'll all be long in our graves before we're rid of his influence.
posted by Legomancer at 6:42 AM on December 20, 2008 [5 favorites]

> I blame every ignorant jackass who voted for Bush in 2000 and 2004. Let's not forget their part in all of this.
and all those who failed to vote in 2000 and 2004? scot-free?


> For people unfamiliar with American politics, the title comes from the Presidential Oath of Office.
or in this case Oaf of Office.
posted by de at 6:55 AM on December 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

.

Dude made me laugh in a way Obama never will. He'll be missed.
posted by gman at 7:07 AM on December 20, 2008

He'll be missed

But their aim is improving.

Shoes dammit i'm talking about shoes
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 7:10 AM on December 20, 2008 [20 favorites]

> the decimation of any type of (questionable) positive American influence on the global stage
now that could be the feather in his cap.
posted by de at 7:13 AM on December 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

It's really too bad they don't do approval ratings after history has judged a President. Anyone who still views him favourably can be locked away to keep society safe.
posted by gman at 7:24 AM on December 20, 2008

George Bush: a good man in Africa
Unpopular at home, Bush basks in African praise
Analysis: How George W Bush became an African hero
Bush Receives Humanitarian Award for Africa Aid Efforts
George Bush's AIDS-fighting legacy
Some relief in Africa
posted by swift at 7:27 AM on December 20, 2008 [10 favorites]

ith one month left in George W. Bush's presidency, he contemplates ...

Yes? Yes?

... his legacy

d'awww.
posted by boo_radley at 7:36 AM on December 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

gman: ".Dude made me laugh in a way Obama never will. He'll be missed."

I remember in '04 right before the election, Jon Stewart asking the audience, "Make my job harder."
posted by octothorpe at 7:42 AM on December 20, 2008 [3 favorites]

If "we" includes people infected with HIV, then this is a false statement.

With a multi-volume set of things to loathe Bush for, you went for the one - perhaps the only - thing to be said in his favor? The number of African lives he saved by finally rousing the American government to substantive preventive efforts [something Smilin' Bill never managed] doesn't equal the number of Iraqi lives he slaughtered - but it's still a meaningful number.
posted by Joe Beese at 7:44 AM on December 20, 2008 [3 favorites]

I wish the media would put an eight-year moratorium on reporting anything about this man after he leaves office, with the exception of his obituary.
posted by Lipstick Thespian at 7:45 AM on December 20, 2008 [4 favorites]

Bush did almost as much for Africa as Bono and Bill Gates.
posted by twoleftfeet at 7:54 AM on December 20, 2008 [3 favorites]

but it's still a meaningful number.

Yeah. He's a shitty president and a shitty human being, but his work on HIV/AIDS in Africa is the one genuinely positive accomplishment of his eight years in office.
posted by EarBucket at 8:02 AM on December 20, 2008

I wish the media would put an eight-year moratorium on reporting anything about this man after he leaves office, with the exception of his obituary.

...or his trial.
posted by gman at 8:03 AM on December 20, 2008 [2 favorites]

Complete sentences stun nation
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 6:46 AM on December 20

Not sure of your source for this but it deserves proper attribution.
posted by fuse theorem at 8:06 AM on December 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

With a multi-volume set of things to loathe Bush for, you went for the one - perhaps the only - thing to be said in his favor? The number of African lives he saved by finally rousing the American government to substantive preventive efforts [something Smilin' Bill never managed] doesn't equal the number of Iraqi lives he slaughtered - but it's still a meaningful number.

Giraffe was referring to Reagan and Bush Sr.
posted by milarepa at 8:12 AM on December 20, 2008 [2 favorites]

At this point you have to laugh because otherwise you'd want to run headlong into a wood chipper.
posted by photoslob at 8:15 AM on December 20, 2008 [2 favorites]

It's sort of telling that throughout the entire ordeal of his presidency the only time I ever liked him was when he flashed that huge shit-eating grin after dodging the first shoe.

Nice duck, Mr. President. Now get the fuck on out of here.
posted by Ryvar at 8:17 AM on December 20, 2008 [7 favorites]

I hope our children is finally learning something from all this.
posted by trip and a half at 8:19 AM on December 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

I remain proud of my country in spite of George W. Bush and anyone who voted for him in 2000 and 2004, but especially 2004.

It ain't easy.
posted by bardic at 8:23 AM on December 20, 2008

I remain proud of my country in spite of George W. Bush and anyone who voted for him in 2000 and 2004, but especially 2004.

Remain proud? You sure that feeling didn't reappear after November 4th of this year?
posted by gman at 8:38 AM on December 20, 2008

All you people who voted for him and are now pretending you didn't . . . I will remember. For a long time.
posted by Peach at 8:38 AM on December 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

Rarely is the question asked: is our children have enough shoes?
posted by johnofjack at 8:52 AM on December 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

With one month left in George W. Bush's presidency, he contemplates how the public will view him

Poorly, Mr. President.
posted by Flunkie at 8:55 AM on December 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

Oooh. Is this where we can throw rhetorical shoes?

Bush will be remembered as a lying, ignorant, stupid, no-account, momma's boy, weasely, inarticulate, mean spirited, torture-enabling war criminal who nearly ruined his own country. He'll be celebrated as the worst president in history. He'll be remembered as the man who let 9/11 happen, who killed hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan, who mismanaged the government into bankruptcy. He will be hated the way Hoover and Nixon are hated. If I could have foreseen this 8 years ago, the last 8 years would have been easier to take.

Oh, and that destroying the environment even further as it teetered on the brink of collapse thing. Yeah that.

But at least he never shot his friend in the face. Now that would make for some lulz.

(And also, if we're qualifying the "we" who survived Reagan, don't forget the thousands dead in Central America because of that man's evil view of the world.)

But other than that, he's outta here clean.

And thank whatever spirits there may be for Barack Hussein Obama. Sometimes history seems to have a plan.
posted by fourcheesemac at 8:56 AM on December 20, 2008 [3 favorites]

Giraffe was referring to Reagan and Bush Sr.

Ah.

Reading comprehension. I lacks it.
posted by Joe Beese at 9:11 AM on December 20, 2008

"But Bush, who was ranked by a panel of historians as the worst president in American history, is hoping future academics are kinder to him than contemporary pundits."

Ahh, the old "panel of historians" trick. I'm a historain, and this is silly. Who the heck empanelled them? Who were they? What did they say, exactly? And why? What are the criteria? Wouldn't need to see a considerable distance into the future to make any solid judgment? Lordy!
posted by MarshallPoe at 9:14 AM on December 20, 2008 [4 favorites]

Wubya won't Wendell.
posted by mandal at 9:14 AM on December 20, 2008

the bush administration couldn't find a bathtub small enough to drown the government in, so they ran it head first into a wood chipper instead
posted by pyramid termite at 9:27 AM on December 20, 2008 [4 favorites]

Did he ever actually make the pie higher?
posted by grapefruitmoon at 9:41 AM on December 20, 2008 [2 favorites]

He'll have to endure everyone's scorn, anger and derision for the rest of his life. I don't know if any of it will pierce that elephant-like hide of egotism, self-righteouness and hubris — after all, it never did seem to during his presidency, but if it does, well, that's a pretty severe punishment.

But I still want him to go to jail for the rest of his life.
posted by orange swan at 9:43 AM on December 20, 2008 [3 favorites]

a Bush Legacy Project, under the auspices of Karl Rove, is said to be at work on reinventing the president's image.

Doesn't that just say it all? I don't remember any previous outgoing president embarking on a national PR campaign design to improve how he will be perceived. I prefer "puppet of forces greater than he who'll all have lucrative jobs waiting for them once he's gone, while he sulks down on the ranch clearing brush and sipping O'Douls." Proof of the worst sort of power the executive branch can muster, in trashing this country and millions of people abroad. The sort of thing that happens when a shiftless frat kid gets too much power.

Ah well. So long, Chuckles. Don't let the door smack your ass on the way out. On second thought, let it.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 9:47 AM on December 20, 2008 [2 favorites]

I don't think that anyone will ever say again, "Oh who cares what those clowns in DC do, it won't effect my life."

Sad to say, there are people saying and writing that today, and every day. Go to any community discussion board where politics is allowed, even here in the bluest of blue states, and you'll see it.

I do have one good thing to say for W. While he was groping German Chancellor Merkel, he refrained from barfing on her.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 9:58 AM on December 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

Bushes Auto Bailout as remembered by the Detroit Free Press

I have no idea what the boots are meant to signify, except maybe that the rich get their presents this year.
posted by mrzarquon at 10:02 AM on December 20, 2008

his work on HIV/AIDS in Africa is the one genuinely positive accomplishment of his eight years in office.

Bush reinstituted the Reagan's Mexico City Policy, more commonly known as the global gag rule, that cut off funding to any organization with even an indirect connection to abortion. As a result of that many family planning clinics in Africa were denied access to condom donations by USAID. The shortage of condoms is a major factor in the spread of AIDS in Africa.

As part of his religious abstinence program Bush required that any sex ed content include information on the "lack of effectiveness of condom use."

So, no, Bush doesn't get credit for AIDS accomplishments. His policy was "don't have sex or you die." His policies have resulted in the deaths of untold men, women and children.
posted by JackFlash at 10:26 AM on December 20, 2008 [10 favorites]

George W. Bush ... contemplates ... how the public will view him
I suspect a lot of the public look forward to visiting him at the Bush Family Grave, Dancehall and Public Lavatory.
posted by Grangousier at 10:27 AM on December 20, 2008 [10 favorites]

Thank you, JackFlash. I was thinking about making the same point about the wide-reaching and multidimensional negative impact of the global gag rule on people's lives and health, but I had just decided to let it go because I'm about to go out for the day and I hate dropping an assertion in a thread if I can't stick around to argue the details.
posted by cybercoitus interruptus at 10:34 AM on December 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

It takes quite a man to fuck a country for eight straight years, so I kinda, sorta see your point.
posted by tommasz at 10:38 AM on December 20, 2008

"Please," Bush whimpers, his lips pursed in mock desperation, "don't kill me."

The ugliness of a sitting governor mocking a prisoner's plea to spare her life horrified Carlson, especially after he looked up the transcript of Karla Faye Tucker's appearance on Larry King Live and discovered that nowhere did it show the prisoner asking Bush to stay the execution.

That pretty much said everything I needed to know about this "man".
posted by cytherea at 10:59 AM on December 20, 2008 [12 favorites]

You have to admit, though, the guy had spunk.
posted by Astro Zombie at 11:08 AM on December 20, 2008

Give him and Cheney each a parachute and a pocket knife and push 'em both out of a plane over the tribal areas of Pakistan. Only then will the mission be accomplished.
posted by Camofrog at 11:12 AM on December 20, 2008 [2 favorites]

In the brief epilogue after the final battle of Sekigahara, Ishido is disgracefully captured alive, and Toranaga has him buried up to his neck in the untouchables village. Passerbys are offered the opportunity to "saw at the most famous neck in the realm" with a wooden saw, and "Ishido lasts three days, and dies very old."
posted by and for no one at 11:21 AM on December 20, 2008

final pollkatz comparison
posted by troy at 11:32 AM on December 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

Did he ever actually make the pie higher?

Yes. By shrinking it horizontally.
posted by fleetmouse at 11:34 AM on December 20, 2008

Did he ever actually make the pie higher?

Yes. It is now out of all of our reach.
posted by Devils Rancher at 11:35 AM on December 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

You have to admit, though, the guy had spunk.

And their names are Jenna and Barbara.
posted by gman at 11:37 AM on December 20, 2008 [3 favorites]

That's interesting, a mod decided to delete my posting, I suppose because I used some harsh wording, and point out that the guy is a murderer and war criminal. To whoever it is that did the deletion, care to point out WHY the post was deep-sixed? What did I say that was not accurate? Or was I not nice enough? Here's the thing - every American has blood on their hands, the blood of Iraqi and Afghani women and children. We'll be paying for Bush's crimes for many, many years. Do you not want to be reminded of this cold, cruel fact? Did I strike a nerve that forced you to delete those words? He gave the order to out a CIA operative. This is treason. EOS.
posted by dbiedny at 11:51 AM on December 20, 2008 [6 favorites]

He'll have to endure everyone's scorn, anger and derision for the rest of his life. I don't know if any of it will pierce that elephant-like hide of egotism, self-righteouness and hubris — after all, it never did seem to during his presidency, but if it does, well, that's a pretty severe punishment.

Really? Screwing over your entire country and a few other ones, making disastrous blunders of global proportions, lying about them, and then smirking and wondering if you'll be remembered wll for them...you really think that's offset by having your feelings hurt?
posted by Legomancer at 11:53 AM on December 20, 2008 [2 favorites]

I now think "The Man Who Horrified Tucker Carlson" would make an excellent epitaph.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 12:10 PM on December 20, 2008

To whoever it is that did the deletion, care to point out WHY the post was deep-sixed?

I'd like to know why as well. Did the flags outweigh the favourites or some shit?
posted by gman at 12:12 PM on December 20, 2008

I never thought I would see a MeFi link to the Cornwall Standard Freeholder.
posted by philfromhavelock at 12:13 PM on December 20, 2008

I wonder if he'll have more shoes thrown at him.
posted by dunkadunc at 12:13 PM on December 20, 2008

I suspect a lot of the public look forward to visiting him at the Bush Family Grave, Dancehall and Public Lavatory.

Well there was San Francisco's attempt to rename the 'Oceanside Water Pollution Control Plant' to the 'George W. Bush Sewage Plant' on election day. Unfortunately, Proposition R failed.
posted by ericb at 12:35 PM on December 20, 2008

More shoes should be thrown at W, except they should also be covered in dog shit.
posted by illiad at 12:43 PM on December 20, 2008

I'll give you credit for one thing George - you provided a lot of laughs. So long funny man.
posted by gfrobe at 12:49 PM on December 20, 2008

I'll give you credit for one thing George - you provided a lot of laughs. So long funny man.

Unless you were a family member of one of the 4000+ American soldiers killed in Iraq, or a family member of the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis killed because of the U.S. occupation.

But hey, you gotta break a few eggs to make a laughter scramble, right?

For fuck's sake...
posted by dbiedny at 12:57 PM on December 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

To whoever it is that did the deletion, care to point out WHY the post was deep-sixed?

I'm just guessing at this, but was yours the long rant (which I agree with, BTW) that happened to mention the "big black inmate named Bubba..."? That stereotype could be seen as offensive.
That might be why.
posted by newpotato at 1:08 PM on December 20, 2008

If he somehowe managesd to pardon the shoe guy, then I'd be impressed.
posted by Artw at 1:11 PM on December 20, 2008

newpotato - yes, that was the one. And while I might have gone a bit overboard in my wording, discussion of this guy just makes my blood boil. He's done more damage to this country than any single person in my lifetime, and it angers me to my core. Then there are the snarky comments like the one I responded to a few posts ago - sorry, I can't find a shred of funny in any of this, and I know that if one of my family members died in this criminal's immoral "wars", I'd be out for blood. But that's just me, for those of you who find humor in any of this, shame on you.
posted by dbiedny at 1:18 PM on December 20, 2008

I don't think that anyone will ever say again, "Oh who cares what those clowns in DC do, it won't effect my life."

Or how about, "Oh there's no difference between Democrats and Republicans!"

(sorry Nader voters, ya really screwed the pooch on that one)
posted by Afroblanco at 1:46 PM on December 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

Except, Afroblanco, Gore won. This blame Nader stuff is really distracting.
posted by brundlefly at 1:54 PM on December 20, 2008

Also... this Bush fellow? Not a fan.
posted by brundlefly at 1:54 PM on December 20, 2008

Failing to win past the margin of dickery is not winning.
posted by Artw at 1:59 PM on December 20, 2008

gfrobe : I'll give you credit for one thing George - you provided a lot of laughs. So long funny man.

dbiedny :

Unless you were a family member of one of the 4000+ American soldiers killed in Iraq, or a family member of the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis killed because of the U.S. occupation.

But hey, you gotta break a few eggs to make a laughter scramble, right?

Kinda reminds me of a comment I once saw on a Pink Floyd discussion board. It went something like :

"Yeah, I know that WWII was horrible and a lot of people died. And it's sad that Roger Waters' dad had to die in it. But if all of that had to happen for a movie like The Wall to be made, then so be it!"

pretty sure it was a joke, though.
posted by Afroblanco at 2:02 PM on December 20, 2008

I don't think that anyone will ever say again, "Oh who cares what those clowns in DC do, it won't effect my life."

Maybe not.
But you are aware that 59,934,814 people voted against any meaningful change.
posted by notreally at 2:05 PM on December 20, 2008

Except, Afroblanco, Gore won. This blame Nader stuff is really distracting.

True, but all the same, I was in college at the time, and had to take a bunch of shit from both my "granola" and "contrarian" friends for supporting Gore. "There's no difference between Democrats and Republicans, dude! They all take corperate money, dude!"

grrrrrrrrrrr

So hopefully maybe we can put that one to bed, finally.
posted by Afroblanco at 2:05 PM on December 20, 2008 [2 favorites]

That's interesting, a mod decided to delete my posting, I suppose because I used some harsh wording, and point out that the guy is a murderer and war criminal. To whoever it is that did the deletion, care to point out WHY the post was deep-sixed?

It would be great if you could not use metafilter threads as anal-rape-revenge-fantasy outlets, mostly. Ranty righteous displays are bad enough around here with throwing in some gleeful caricature of Black Men Will Fuck You In Prison whammy.

If you really want to talk about this, do it in Metatalk, where the comment I'm quoting should have been in the first place. The blue is not the place to throw down about your issues with moderation policy, and this needs to be the last comment in this thread on the subject.
posted by cortex at 2:10 PM on December 20, 2008 [4 favorites]

"There's no difference between Democrats and Republicans, dude! They all take corperate money, dude!"

They're still both right-wing parties, to differing extents.
posted by dunkadunc at 2:13 PM on December 20, 2008

I predict pardons for rummy, gonzales and addington. yoo will be hung out to dry, which in turn will lead to him implicating cheney, who still won't be prosecuted.

anyone up for a bet? paddy power so far is letting me down.
posted by krautland at 2:15 PM on December 20, 2008

giraffe, if I could give multiple favorites, i'd be all over your comment like [thing] on [other thing that sticks to thing].
posted by LMGM at 2:19 PM on December 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

They're still both right-wing parties, to differing extents.

Because, obviously, this country would be no different today if we'd had 8 years of Nobel-Peace-Prize-Winning-Gore instead of War-Criminal-Bush.
posted by Afroblanco at 2:21 PM on December 20, 2008 [6 favorites]

The greatest christmas gift of all is the last image of president bush that will live on in the public mind: him ducking a shoe flung at him in utter contempt along with the words, "this is a goodbye kiss from the Iraqi people, dog!"

Just beautiful.
posted by Aquaman at 2:30 PM on December 20, 2008 [2 favorites]

While, yes, it's generally not an appropriate subject for humor, in the case of this particular president, I think it's more than appropriate to fantasize him as the object of prison rape. Do not forget about the Iraqi children and women raped to death in Abu Gharib, or what he did to the people of New Orleans. Frankly, rape is too good for that man.
posted by cytherea at 3:00 PM on December 20, 2008 [2 favorites]

...this needs to be the last comment in this thread on the subject.

Apparently, that was not clear enough.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 3:22 PM on December 20, 2008

It was clear enough, but I believe it to be wrong. Frankly, it reeks of uttering a bourgeois platitude when confronted by the abyss and elevates social conventions over the very real suffering, torture, and rape than this "man" is responsible for, which a rudeness of a much greater magnitude.
posted by cytherea at 3:35 PM on December 20, 2008 [2 favorites]

Then, by all means, start a metatalk thread on the subject and be clear about what, exactly, needs defending if you feel that strongly about it. That's what that part of the site is there for. I don't want to keep babysitting black-man-rapes-you-in-prison-lol repeats over here.
posted by cortex at 3:38 PM on December 20, 2008

True, but all the same, I was in college at the time, and had to take a bunch of shit from both my "granola" and "contrarian" friends for supporting Gore. "There's no difference between Democrats and Republicans, dude! They all take corperate money, dude!"

I voted for Nader because I believed he best reflected my beliefs, and never gave Gore supporters any grief. That's more than I can say for a lot of bitter Gore supporters who felt like directing their frustration at something -- anything -- afterwards.

So hopefully maybe we can put that one to bed, finally.

Hopefully.
posted by brundlefly at 3:47 PM on December 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

I voted for Nader...

Thanks for giving the world 8 years of Bush.
posted by gman at 3:51 PM on December 20, 2008 [2 favorites]

Hopes dashed.
posted by Kirth Gerson at 4:02 PM on December 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

Okay, okay. I kinda regret bringing up the Nader thing now. And really, it wasn't just the Nader supporters who insisted that there was "no difference" (although they certainly were the loudest). Lots of nonvoters expressed a similar opinion, and used it as a justification for their personal dereliction of duty. Hell, as irritated as I was by the Nader supporters, at least they voted.

In any case, if the last eight years can tell us anything, it's that there is a difference between Democrats and Republicans.

And now for some (much needed) humor : Supreme Court Overturns Bush v. Gore
posted by Afroblanco at 4:05 PM on December 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

[Can't really be much clearer about this. Drop it or take it elsewhere, period.]
posted by cortex at 4:39 PM on December 20, 2008

He kept us safe for 8 years!

(I have started hearing this meme recently from my republican family; it appeared literally overnight)
posted by Auden at 4:46 PM on December 20, 2008

Bush: 'Our Long National Nightmare Of Peace And Prosperity Is Finally Over'
- The Onion [January 17, 2001 | Issue 37•01]

published 3 days before his inauguration.
posted by Auden at 4:57 PM on December 20, 2008

In any case, if the last eight years can tell us anything, it's that there is a difference between Democrats and Republicans.

I seem to remember many democrats supporting, explicitly and implicitly, so much of the crap that occurred over the last 8 years. Shit, Hillary Clinton still defends her Iraq vote. I agree that there's a difference, but it's not as vast as you're proposing.
posted by milarepa at 5:35 PM on December 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

He kept us safe for 8 years!

(I have started hearing this meme recently from my republican family; it appeared literally overnight)

Yeah, I marvel at how the republicans cast themselves as the party of security, when it was under their watch that the WTC was destroyed and a passenger plane was flown through the most heavily guarded airspace in the world and crashed into the fucking headquarters of the United States Department of Defense.

And people ate it up. Jesus Christ, it's totally mind bottling.
posted by milarepa at 5:41 PM on December 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

I would wish for Mr. Bush to face a fair trial by a jury of his peers; to be found guilty on every count; to receive the maximum penalty for war crimes, treason, and his myriad of other crimes; and for the results to be televised.

I do not believe that Mr. Bush would face the music nearly as well as Saddam Hussain who, for all his crimes, a brave ending of it. I believe that Mr. Bush would shit his pants on national television.
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 5:44 PM on December 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

"Kept us safe"??

9/11, Iraq, Afghanistan, NOLA...?
posted by lupus_yonderboy at 5:50 PM on December 20, 2008 [2 favorites]

It was clear enough, but I believe it to be wrong. Frankly, it reeks of uttering a bourgeois platitude when confronted by the abyss and elevates social conventions over the very real suffering, torture, and rape than this "man" is responsible for, which a rudeness of a much greater magnitude.

Puh-leeze! Calling you out on your idiotic black man prison rape tripe is now "uttering bourgeois platitudes when confronted by the abyss"? Yeah, ok.
posted by milarepa at 5:54 PM on December 20, 2008

Not sure of your source for this but it deserves proper attribution.

It does. I got it from my dad, who emailed it to me from somewhere else. I had no idea where it came from, originally, but thanks for calling it out.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 6:40 PM on December 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

He kept us safe for 8 years!

(I have started hearing this meme recently from my republican family; it appeared literally overnight)

I think that meme was started by Peggy Noonan.
posted by homunculus at 6:45 PM on December 20, 2008

Auden: "Bush: 'Our Long National Nightmare Of Peace And Prosperity Is Finally Over'- The Onion [January 17, 2001 | Issue 37•01]"

It's worth comparing the satirical Onion article to the predictions of Bush's presidency from the very serious Peggy Noonan: Bush, a Modest Man of Faith.
posted by octothorpe at 6:55 PM on December 20, 2008

And people ate it up. Jesus Christ, it's totally mind bottling.

Is that like when things are crazy and your mind is trapped in a bottle?
posted by gman at 7:05 PM on December 20, 2008

Oh and the "Bush kept us safe" meme is straight from a white issued memo meant to be a guide for talking about Bush's legacy:

Titled "Speech Topper on the Bush Record," the talking points state that Bush "kept the American people safe" after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, lifted the economy after 2001 through tax cuts, curbed AIDS in Africa and maintained "the honor and the dignity of his office."

posted by octothorpe at 7:06 PM on December 20, 2008

it's totally mind bottling.

That might have been one of those "The G is close the T key" moments, or else your statement is its own proof. Hmm...
posted by Devils Rancher at 7:49 PM on December 20, 2008

"He maintained the honor and the dignity of his office."

"So it's worse to get blown by an intern than it is to fabricate evidence to start an illegal war that ends in the death of hundreds of thousands of people?"

"Welcome to the Republican party, son."
posted by Optimus Chyme at 7:50 PM on December 20, 2008 [2 favorites]

Kept us safe? Why does nobody remember the anthrax attacks?
posted by MarvinTheCat at 8:16 PM on December 20, 2008

He kept us safe for 8 years!

Yep, that's why I pretend to be German when traveling abroad. Never had to do that before 2001.
posted by Tenuki at 8:34 PM on December 20, 2008

Puh-leeze! Calling you out on your idiotic black man prison rape tripe is now "uttering bourgeois platitudes when confronted by the abyss"? Yeah, ok.

You might want to pay closer attention. I didn't make the prison rape comment. I don't make prison rape comments. I just found the squabbling over the niceties of what is and what isn't an appropriate comment to be wildly insensitive and disrespectful to the uncountable number of people murdered, and the hundreds if not thousands tortured and raped in prison under that man's orders.

Those people's lives have been destroyed. I know how painful it is like to lose one close loved one, but I cannot imagine the scope of horror that so many people have suffered. In the face of that, I think questions of propriety are meaningless and insulting.
posted by cytherea at 9:28 PM on December 20, 2008 [1 favorite]

Do not forget about the Iraqi children and women raped to death in Abu Gharib

Were women and children "raped to death" in Abu Ghraib? A quick google search doesn't provide any support for this assertion.
posted by Kraftmatic Adjustable Cheese at 9:29 PM on December 20, 2008

Auden writes "He kept us safe for 8 years! (I have started hearing this meme recently from my republican family; it appeared literally overnight)"

Lisa, can I buy your rock?
posted by orthogonality at 9:30 PM on December 20, 2008 [2 favorites]

Thanks, octothorpe, for the Peggy Noonan piece from 2000. Some of it is hilariously off the mark: Mr. Bush will strengthen the foundations of today's prosperity so the long boom continues. Some if it was spot on: Mr. Bush has the awkwardness of the convicted, meaning roughly, "I'm a mess, or at least have been; I'm not a hypocrite but I've been that too. I am utterly flawed and completely dependent. And at least one bit is downright eerie: The next president may well be forced to shepherd us through the first nuclear event since World War II, the first terrorist attack or missile attack... the Big Terrible Thing is coming, whether in India-Pakistan, or in Asia or in lower Manhattan.

How did Peggy Noonan know?
posted by twoleftfeet at 9:36 PM on December 20, 2008

Were women and children "raped to death" in Abu Ghraib?

Forgive my rhetorical flourish made in a fit of emotion. There are accounts of women and children being raped(nsfw) and tortured, and of the violated women being murdered by their families in "honor" killings after their release. And of course, Seymour Hersh claimed that mothers witnessed the sexual abuse of their children, apparently recorded on videotape. And the senate bipartisan report indicates that Bush gave the green light to the abuses in the prison.

So, yes, I should have been more careful with my choice of words. Then again, I'm not sure being concerned with the correct choice of words is the appropriate, or even human, response to horror.
posted by cytherea at 11:11 PM on December 20, 2008 [2 favorites]

Fixed Seymour Hersh link.
posted by cytherea at 11:24 PM on December 20, 2008

My husband's grandma wants Bush to stay in office until they produce a "birth certificate for that Muslim." (!)

And I have to work with her, too. Good times.
posted by 8-bit floozy at 7:30 AM on December 21, 2008

your husband's grandma can probably have her walking frame kicked from under her
> But you are aware that 59,934,814 people voted against any meaningful change.

yet another legacy: the axis of bush die-hards. it remains a worry, actuarially.
posted by de at 7:53 AM on December 21, 2008 [1 favorite]

In the face of that, I think questions of propriety are meaningless and insulting.

How about the notion that jokes about rape period are out of line?
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 9:29 AM on December 21, 2008 [3 favorites]

I think it's more than appropriate to fantasize him as the object of prison rape

This side discussion may be better suited for MetaTalk if you'd like to belabor it. cortex and I (and many people flagging comments) disagree.
posted by jessamyn at 9:45 AM on December 21, 2008

He's going to come out of the closet when he leaves office.
posted by deusdiabolus at 11:14 AM on December 21, 2008

[For the last time: if you need to continue this metadiscussion, you know where Metatalk is.]
posted by cortex at 11:36 AM on December 21, 2008

I voted for Nader...

Thanks for giving the world 8 years of Bush.

you know, i'm glad someone else thinks so, too. because for years I went around blaming people who voted for Bush for his election, but in the end I don't think anybody can possibly deny that Ralph Nader's Zero Electoral Votes (to repeat: that's ZERO electoral votes in an election where Gore lost even though he had the popular majority) clearly weighed too devastatingly in Bush's favor for Gore to win that election. The 50,456,002 people that made up George Bush's 271 electoral votes (assuming, of course, that none of them were stolen or otherwise falsified) were NOTHING compared to Nader's voters. Really, those Nader voters should be dragged out into the street and pistol-whipped for giving Bush that zeroth electoral college he needed for the victory.
posted by shmegegge at 1:46 PM on December 22, 2008 [4 favorites]

Sorry, but didn't Gore lose Florida by 537 votes and Nader got 97,421 votes? Nader voters should indeed be dragged out into the street and pistol-whipped for giving the election to Bush.
posted by gman at 3:08 PM on December 22, 2008

Even worse the fuckers are crawling back into their "Obama will be just the same as McCain" smug-zone even as we speak.
posted by Artw at 3:10 PM on December 22, 2008

I voted Nader because he represented what I believed in, as opposed to Kerry.

schmegegge can pistol-whip me now. Or throw a shoe, it doesn't matter.
posted by dunkadunc at 3:16 PM on December 22, 2008

I voted Nader because he represented what I believed in

Yeah, this blame-Nader sentiment has always struck me as undemocratic.
posted by brundlefly at 4:08 PM on December 22, 2008

I think most people would agree that Americas two party system and the fact that the furthest to the left you can get in mainstream American politics is basically center right are both matters of concern. Also that Ralph Nader is never ever going to be anything whatsoever to do with any change to that, and that people who pretend overwhise tend to be a little self aggrandizing and silly, not least Ralph himself.
posted by Artw at 5:28 PM on December 22, 2008 [2 favorites]

please tell me that in the nursing homes of 2060 you schmucks aren't going to be arguing about ralph nader and how the creamed corn wouldn't be genetically engineered if some hadn't voted for him in 2000

it's history, get fucking over it
posted by pyramid termite at 9:12 PM on December 22, 2008

it's history, get fucking over it

Will it be OK if we talk about how Bush destroyed the planet 50 years ago?
posted by gman at 4:05 AM on December 23, 2008

how do you propose to do that suspended in space without a planet to support you?
posted by pyramid termite at 6:24 AM on December 23, 2008

You assume by "the planet", I mean Earth?
posted by gman at 6:37 AM on December 23, 2008

do you mean to say that you live on another non-earth planet where ralph nader's 2000 candidacy is still relevant?
posted by pyramid termite at 8:12 AM on December 23, 2008

I think maybe you guys should move to planet Get a Room and go touch each other in your sensitive spots there, maybe.
posted by jessamyn at 8:16 AM on December 23, 2008 [1 favorite]

i knew planet dorm mother wasn't all the brochures said it was
posted by pyramid termite at 8:23 AM on December 23, 2008

I don't have any sensitive spots. This was lighthearted banter on my part. Group hug?
posted by gman at 8:25 AM on December 23, 2008

yeah, it was lighthearted banter- i'd hug you, gman, but i'm afraid of that rolling pin above us
posted by pyramid termite at 8:27 AM on December 23, 2008

He kept us safe for 8 years!

I am hearing this discussed on NPR with Bob Woodward right now. They keep saying that there have not been any terrorist attacks in the US since 9/11,
and yet...
posted by thetruthisjustalie at 11:51 AM on December 30, 2008