In Their Own Words:

July 6, 2001 4:46 PM

In Their Own Words: Why Americans Approve or Disapprove of Bush. Sample quote from one who approves: "Because he's from Texas & so am I." Sample from one who disapproves: "Because Bush is a weenie."
posted by acridrabbit (31 comments total)

Oops.. Link here. Sorry.
posted by acridrabbit at 4:48 PM on July 6, 2001

I have read tha answers and it makes me worry about the future of our country and the mess we have made of education.
posted by Postroad at 5:01 PM on July 6, 2001

Thank god we have the education president at least.
posted by crasspastor at 5:05 PM on July 6, 2001

"At least he isn’t having sex with anybody"

Poor, poor Laura.
posted by owillis at 5:09 PM on July 6, 2001

How is he supposed to have anything left over for Laura, when he spends all his time raping the planet?
posted by Optamystic at 5:44 PM on July 6, 2001

Postroad: me too. Sad. Alternately sad, and funny. No, just sad.

I despair! *with back of hand to forehead*

I'm being silly, but it's true. The bulk of the responses scare me - such blatant misinformation and ignorance.
posted by acridrabbit at 5:50 PM on July 6, 2001

It goes both ways.

Ask Clinton supporters why they supported him during his 8 years and you'll get equally idiotic answers.

The poll shows ignorance on both sides. It has nothing to do with republican/democrat.

(although it's amazing how posters can turn any thread into partisan views)
posted by justgary at 6:02 PM on July 6, 2001

Um, justgary? I didn't se any mention of politics until your post.


posted by alan at 6:19 PM on July 6, 2001

Then you're not looking.
posted by justgary at 6:22 PM on July 6, 2001

Actually justgary, if you were looking you would have found the farcical anti-bush sentiment on the bottom half of the page.
posted by crasspastor at 6:27 PM on July 6, 2001

Wow. That looks a lot like all the anti-bush/anti-clinton arguments we've had here.
posted by dogmatic at 6:38 PM on July 6, 2001

The poll itself does a good job of showing the general ignorance of the american public regardless of which party they support.

My comment was regarding the slow turn towards partisan politics this thread will inevitably turn.

Carry on...
posted by justgary at 6:38 PM on July 6, 2001

haven't heard anything bad about him

Wow, these people must not read newspapers, watch TV, surf the net, or think for themselves. Oh, I forgot, a Republican most likely made this response; at least that explains that answer.
posted by Bag Man at 7:05 PM on July 6, 2001

Here are my favorites so far (with partisan comments dedicated to justgary)...

"He has not done nothing too terrible"
Wow -- what a ringing endorsement!

"Because I just think -- I don't know"
Dammit, W.! No fair answering a poll about yourself!

"Because he delegates his stuff"
"Cheney, get in here an' wipe mah bottom!"

"Because he's a Christian lined up with the word of God. I'm a Christian and I believe God has called him in to be our president."
Errr... no, that would be Antonin Scalia.

Carry on...
posted by Dirjy at 7:12 PM on July 6, 2001

A reason for registering disapproval: She does not like him. God again, eh?
posted by rschram at 7:25 PM on July 6, 2001

I like the guy who said he approved of Bush because Bush was helping big business. It sure is time that somebody helped out the little guy in the Porsche.
posted by Hildago at 9:28 PM on July 6, 2001

Wow. That looks a lot like all the anti-bush/anti-clinton arguments we've had here.

Very true, and just a little scary.
posted by justgary at 9:37 PM on July 6, 2001

It struck me that, of those I read, I got the impression (yes, lots of qualification here) that the critical comments tended to be better argued. If that's right, is it because people tend to support the status quo unless they have a reason not to, or just that Republicans are stupid?
posted by andrew cooke at 12:31 AM on July 7, 2001

[If that's right, is it because people tend to support the status quo unless they have a reason not to, or just that Republicans are stupid?]

It would seem to me that when the whole clinton mess was going on that it appeared to the casual observer that the anti-clinton forces had more reasoned arguments.

My run-ins with my fellow americans concerning politics are disturbing enough in real life. I wouldn't read this article for under four figures.
posted by revbrian at 1:17 AM on July 7, 2001

As taught in any 'debating' class, it's always easier to fight for the 'against' side than the 'for' side.
posted by justgary at 1:23 AM on July 7, 2001

We are forgetting this is an open-ended question.. and thus people would probably want to answer as generally as possible.

Ask any stranger about their preference for something and they won't instantly pump out a bulleted list of points.

[I did enjow seeing the more thoughtless answers, tho. I wonder how well I might have done.. or you?]
posted by charlesw at 3:17 AM on July 7, 2001

"Delegating" was brought up several times as a reason for job approval.

I had never head of this being a quality desired or admired in a president until Dubya came along. It's amazing how low Americans' expectations of the man are.
posted by jennak at 7:06 AM on July 7, 2001

One person approves of Bush because he "likes breakfast." Hahaha.
posted by jennak at 7:11 AM on July 7, 2001

Boy, other people sure are stupid.
posted by dong_resin at 7:34 AM on July 7, 2001

I like pancakes, can I be President?
posted by machaus at 8:40 AM on July 7, 2001

I'm disturbed by the "He's from Texas and so am I and Texans can do no wrong" answers. I'm sure Texas is nice and all, but yeesh, get over yourselves! Alaska's bigger anyway, and as for geographical pride, Brooklyn's seems a little more justified.
posted by amyscoop at 12:49 PM on July 7, 2001

Andrew: I think all the comments are stupid. Kind of deer-in-headlights stupid. I don't know what that proves, but I don't really understand Gallup's interest in qualitative data of this kind.
posted by rschram at 12:54 PM on July 7, 2001

Alaska's bigger anyway

Yeah, and if Texas gets too uppity, Alaska plans to split into two states and make Texas third biggest.
posted by kindall at 1:28 PM on July 7, 2001

One person approves of Bush because he "likes breakfast." Hahaha.

If you try to remember back a few years it was a big deal that Bill liked to eat at 'Mcdonalds'. Letterman even had a skit talking to Mcdonald Employees (or was it Leno?) who said it showed Bill was a 'regular' guy.

Looks like what you eat has always been a reason for approval.
posted by justgary at 3:00 PM on July 7, 2001

As taught in any 'debating' class, it's always easier to fight for the 'against' side than the 'for' side.

That's crap. In collegiate debate, anyway, most rounds are won by the affirmative. During elimination rounds, the vast, overwhelming, bulk of the majority of coin flip winners choose to be affirmative.
posted by norm at 10:28 PM on July 7, 2001

That's crap.

And you are certainly entitled to your opinion.

I'll be the first to tell you I have no experience with 'competitive' debating. 99.9 percent of the people who answered the poll are in the same boat.

In the debating I was required to do each side begged for the negative unless they were passionate about the positive. The positive always took more research because the negative could come from so many angles.
posted by justgary at 1:02 AM on July 8, 2001