Something
July 16, 2001 10:23 AM Subscribe
Something about "fighting your own battles" prevented my Dad from doing stuff like this for me when I was a kid.
Now that it's all out in the open, I do find the prospect of Dick Cheney and George Bush the Elder running the United States pretty disquieting. It's obvious Bush the Younger doesn't do anything more in the White House than he did when he was "running" that baseball team in Texas, but you'd think they'd continue to at least give the appearance that he some input into what's going on.
posted by m.polo at 10:37 AM on July 16, 2001
posted by m.polo at 10:37 AM on July 16, 2001
Page B3, Washington Post: two gigantic photos of t-ball games on the South Lawn.
Junior is just too busy to talk to foreign nationals. Give him a break, guys!
posted by jennak at 10:44 AM on July 16, 2001
Junior is just too busy to talk to foreign nationals. Give him a break, guys!
posted by jennak at 10:44 AM on July 16, 2001
Maybe there's actually a tradition of fighting your own battles in your family, tiggle...
posted by DiplomaticImmunity at 10:49 AM on July 16, 2001
posted by DiplomaticImmunity at 10:49 AM on July 16, 2001
(Note: not that I think a t-ball game for disabled children is a bad thing. I think it's great. But it seems like every weekend Bush is on summer vacation.)
posted by jennak at 10:50 AM on July 16, 2001
posted by jennak at 10:50 AM on July 16, 2001
in a way it is comforting that he has a mentor. But just in a slight way.
i still think the whole election thing was a coup.
posted by th3ph17 at 10:53 AM on July 16, 2001
i still think the whole election thing was a coup.
posted by th3ph17 at 10:53 AM on July 16, 2001
The former president told the prince that President Bush's "heart is in the right place"...
I laughed really hard when I read this, because that phrase has been uttered quite a bit in our house to describe one of our dogs that is about as sharp as an orange. No need to be on the defense Tiger, its a good link.
posted by machaus at 10:57 AM on July 16, 2001
I laughed really hard when I read this, because that phrase has been uttered quite a bit in our house to describe one of our dogs that is about as sharp as an orange. No need to be on the defense Tiger, its a good link.
posted by machaus at 10:57 AM on July 16, 2001
Can we please not use the phrase "fighting battles" with respect to Bush? I don't want to give him any ideas...
posted by websavvy at 11:11 AM on July 16, 2001
posted by websavvy at 11:11 AM on July 16, 2001
Was your dad a former President of the United States TTT? I think it is good that the President can count on the fact that his father has established relationships with other world leaders.
posted by gyc at 11:21 AM on July 16, 2001
posted by gyc at 11:21 AM on July 16, 2001
What gyc said. When you're the most powerful person in the world, I say draw on all the help you can get. If he were going it alone and screwing it up, would we then be saying "why doesn't he get his dad involved?"
posted by frykitty at 11:29 AM on July 16, 2001
posted by frykitty at 11:29 AM on July 16, 2001
I'm sure that it was just a friendly call to remind the Saudis who's really in charge. Wouldn't be prudent for 'em to get too critical of US policy, now, would it?
posted by snakey at 11:33 AM on July 16, 2001
posted by snakey at 11:33 AM on July 16, 2001
Yeah, I wish my dad would have called Prince Abdullah on my behalf when I was younger, too.
posted by eoligarry at 11:37 AM on July 16, 2001
posted by eoligarry at 11:37 AM on July 16, 2001
" I think it is good that the President can count on the fact that his father has established relationships with other world leaders."
um... they voted for junior, not his father.
posted by jcterminal at 11:44 AM on July 16, 2001
um... they voted for junior, not his father.
posted by jcterminal at 11:44 AM on July 16, 2001
Great, so his father has established relationships with other world leaders. Does that make it permissable for him to be incapable of doing so?
He's our president, and he should try to start doing his job.
posted by nickd at 11:46 AM on July 16, 2001
He's our president, and he should try to start doing his job.
posted by nickd at 11:46 AM on July 16, 2001
Hmm, I don't know someone, let's call him X, and I need to undertake sensitive business with him. Someone with whom I have a close relationship and unquestioned trust does know X. On my behalf, they call X as a means of introducing me and in the process they vouch for my credentials and intentions -- as they can, because they know me. That's how I got my first job. Sounds like networking to me.
posted by Dreama at 12:05 PM on July 16, 2001
posted by Dreama at 12:05 PM on July 16, 2001
The day Dubya asks a politician that actually did good things for the world for advice, I will sleep soundly. Instead, tonight I'll just remember all the damage Bush Sr. did to the world.
posted by vandoren at 12:06 PM on July 16, 2001
posted by vandoren at 12:06 PM on July 16, 2001
One of my favorite stories about Michael Moore of "Roger and Me" is that Moore and Dubya were having some kind of argument, and Dubya told Moore to "get a job." So Moore went home and called his dad and asked him to buy him an oil company or a major-league baseball team.
Unsure if this is true, but just the thought of Moore Senior's bemused reaction cracks me up every time.
posted by GaelFC at 12:12 PM on July 16, 2001
Unsure if this is true, but just the thought of Moore Senior's bemused reaction cracks me up every time.
posted by GaelFC at 12:12 PM on July 16, 2001
I have a few problems with daddy Bush getting overly involved.
1. He was no great shakes himnself and thus lost though the incumbent.
2. He now tells the Arab prince not to worry because son looks with favor upon the Arab cause. Maybe this is so, but Arabs are complaining that the U.S. leans too heavily in favor of Israel. What we have then is two guys speaking our of two mouths rather than one guy speaking out of two mouths (saying nice things to all).
3. When Bush the father left office he quickly got on Rev Moon's payroll for speeches. (see Consortium news for full rundown). And this means his view is perhaps not in the best interests of our country but is instead tinged with the idea that he is now a bought mouthpiece.
4. Finally: Bush the Son would do well to Be His Own Man. Let his record be his and not his father's. For better or worse. And note that 45% of the major staff people at higher levels are from the father's era. And error, in my judgement.
posted by Postroad at 12:29 PM on July 16, 2001
1. He was no great shakes himnself and thus lost though the incumbent.
2. He now tells the Arab prince not to worry because son looks with favor upon the Arab cause. Maybe this is so, but Arabs are complaining that the U.S. leans too heavily in favor of Israel. What we have then is two guys speaking our of two mouths rather than one guy speaking out of two mouths (saying nice things to all).
3. When Bush the father left office he quickly got on Rev Moon's payroll for speeches. (see Consortium news for full rundown). And this means his view is perhaps not in the best interests of our country but is instead tinged with the idea that he is now a bought mouthpiece.
4. Finally: Bush the Son would do well to Be His Own Man. Let his record be his and not his father's. For better or worse. And note that 45% of the major staff people at higher levels are from the father's era. And error, in my judgement.
posted by Postroad at 12:29 PM on July 16, 2001
Bush Sr. wasn't a bad president, per se... he just got steamrolled by an awesomely more charismatic politician. That, and the "read my lips" thing... oh, and the tidbit about him being out-of-touch with the common man, when he thought the laser price-reader at a grocery store was a modern marvel, a half dozen years after it became completely commonplace.
And since we're stuck with GW for another couple years, I have no problem with Bush Sr. helping Bush Jr., who literally needs all the help he can get.
posted by crunchland at 12:37 PM on July 16, 2001
And since we're stuck with GW for another couple years, I have no problem with Bush Sr. helping Bush Jr., who literally needs all the help he can get.
posted by crunchland at 12:37 PM on July 16, 2001
On the one hand, better to draw upon advice from those with experience than to pig-headedly make mistakes.
On the other hand, there are better ways to do this.
(For instance, when Tony Blair called Clinton in the early hours to get him to persuade Gerry Adams to enter into the Good Friday agreement: something that only became public much later.)
All former presidents are entitled to briefings from the CIA, but the elder Bush seeks them far more frequently than any other ex-president, the officials said. The briefings were referred to at the CIA, which Bush Sr. once headed, as "president's daddy's daily briefing," the paper reported.
"Still Dunce the second reigns like Dunce the first."
posted by holgate at 12:42 PM on July 16, 2001
On the other hand, there are better ways to do this.
(For instance, when Tony Blair called Clinton in the early hours to get him to persuade Gerry Adams to enter into the Good Friday agreement: something that only became public much later.)
All former presidents are entitled to briefings from the CIA, but the elder Bush seeks them far more frequently than any other ex-president, the officials said. The briefings were referred to at the CIA, which Bush Sr. once headed, as "president's daddy's daily briefing," the paper reported.
"Still Dunce the second reigns like Dunce the first."
posted by holgate at 12:42 PM on July 16, 2001
One would have at least thought that through the electoral process the people of the United States might have attempted to choose a President with some foreign policy abilities.
Obviously that hasn't happened. Nobody is going to compare dubya to James Monroe after he's gone.
It's a shame that during the times when excellent foreign policy could help to shape the future of the world that we've got a complete nebbish in office who has to have his father make diplomatic calls for him.
If I were a wagering sort, I'd bet that most of the people that put dubya in office were more concerned with his tax cuts and promises of more money in their pockets than they were with what he was going to do with the other 90% of his time. Lucky for me that I don't usually bet.
posted by liquidgnome at 1:27 PM on July 16, 2001
Obviously that hasn't happened. Nobody is going to compare dubya to James Monroe after he's gone.
It's a shame that during the times when excellent foreign policy could help to shape the future of the world that we've got a complete nebbish in office who has to have his father make diplomatic calls for him.
If I were a wagering sort, I'd bet that most of the people that put dubya in office were more concerned with his tax cuts and promises of more money in their pockets than they were with what he was going to do with the other 90% of his time. Lucky for me that I don't usually bet.
posted by liquidgnome at 1:27 PM on July 16, 2001
If he's either going to sink or swim, I'd rather Bush Sr. throw him a life jacket. That way he doesn't end up drowning us all...
posted by ry at 2:12 PM on July 16, 2001
posted by ry at 2:12 PM on July 16, 2001
GaelFC, you are correct; on his cable TV show, Moore went around and asked all the candidates if they would jump in a mosh pit for his endorsement. Most of them were amused byt declined respectfully. Smirk was the only one who was overtly rude; answered first by instructing Moore to "behave", and, when pressed further, snapped out with "Why don't you go get a real job?"
The next scene was of Moore on a pay phone, "Hey, Dad, yeah, um... can you like, give me a baseball team or an oil company to run?"
I died laughing.
[Alan Keyes was the only one to take Moore up on the offer. He got even more respect from me after that]
posted by jammer at 2:15 PM on July 16, 2001
The next scene was of Moore on a pay phone, "Hey, Dad, yeah, um... can you like, give me a baseball team or an oil company to run?"
I died laughing.
[Alan Keyes was the only one to take Moore up on the offer. He got even more respect from me after that]
posted by jammer at 2:15 PM on July 16, 2001
Alan Keyes was the only one to take Moore up on the offer [of jumping into mosh pit for endorsement]. He got even more respect from me after that
At the next debate, Gary Bauer attacked Keyes for supporting the "pro cop killing" music that was playing at the mosh pit rally....by "The Machine Rages On."
And then *I* died laughing. (But this was still second to the pancake flipping incident.)
posted by jennak at 2:28 PM on July 16, 2001
At the next debate, Gary Bauer attacked Keyes for supporting the "pro cop killing" music that was playing at the mosh pit rally....by "The Machine Rages On."
And then *I* died laughing. (But this was still second to the pancake flipping incident.)
posted by jennak at 2:28 PM on July 16, 2001
Keyes also showcased his vocal talents on The Tonight Show. I wonder why that didn't garner him any extra votes.
posted by gyc at 3:09 PM on July 16, 2001
posted by gyc at 3:09 PM on July 16, 2001
The aim of Bush Sr.'s call, placed before Secretary of State Colin L. Powell was sent to the region late last month, was to reassure the prince that the strained relations between the United States and Saudi Arabia were not permanent, the officials said.
Date they will end: January 20, 2005
posted by benjh at 3:43 PM on July 16, 2001
Date they will end: January 20, 2005
posted by benjh at 3:43 PM on July 16, 2001
I wonder why that didn't garner him any extra votes.
It did. Imagine how few people would have voted for him had he not appeared on the Tonight Show.
posted by kindall at 3:51 PM on July 16, 2001
It did. Imagine how few people would have voted for him had he not appeared on the Tonight Show.
posted by kindall at 3:51 PM on July 16, 2001
Iran-Contra was an officially sanctioned and executed (no pun intended) program of treason during the former 12 year term of Daddy Bush.
What subversion might we expect now that he is back in control? How many people will die? How many democratic governments (other than our own) will be thwarted?
Those are the questions on my mind.
posted by nofundy at 6:35 AM on July 17, 2001
What subversion might we expect now that he is back in control? How many people will die? How many democratic governments (other than our own) will be thwarted?
Those are the questions on my mind.
posted by nofundy at 6:35 AM on July 17, 2001
It's obvious Bush the Younger doesn't do anything more in the White House than he did when he was "running" that baseball team in Texas
Uh oh... You don't suppose Dubya is just biding his time until he can turn around and sell the United States for millions in profit, do you?
posted by owen at 12:12 PM on July 17, 2001
Uh oh... You don't suppose Dubya is just biding his time until he can turn around and sell the United States for millions in profit, do you?
posted by owen at 12:12 PM on July 17, 2001
See, I think Bush Sr. should have just run again. He was only President for four years: he could be President for another four. It would have been more honest. And while I hated him with a passion as white-hot as a thousand suns, I don't believe him to be either stupid or inept. He'd screw us, but at least I think he could play the Russians off of the Chinese better than his son has been able to.
posted by Ezrael at 10:15 AM on July 18, 2001
posted by Ezrael at 10:15 AM on July 18, 2001
This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments
I know I post too many Bush links.
I know I'm an asshole. I know I'm not funny. &c...
I just thought it was a good link and some people might enjoy reading it.
//* End saving critic's time and energy... *//
posted by TiggleTaggleTiger at 10:29 AM on July 16, 2001