been presidents who left office with their standing very low. I’m not aware of any instance in which a president left office with his standing very low
. Yet such is the case with George W. Bush and the L-dotters.
, which I’ve abridged, Bush has some defenders on the specific issue of whether he should have said anything positive about Obama in a recent speech in Canada, but no one in the thread directly takes issue with the overwhelming consensus that he was a failed president. The man they used to love with a love that was more than love, the man whose every screw-up and every liberal action they relentlessly spun as a superhumanly brilliant tactic to advance conservatism, they now see as pretty much a disaster for the Republican party, for conservatism, for America. See in particular comment # 14.
I personally feel some vindication about this, as I was highly critical of Bush while the L-dotters were worshipping him, and in fact, I was banned as a commenter from Lucianne.com several years ago because of my criticisms of Bush and of the L-dotters for their groupie attitude toward him. (My criticisms were always stated politely—I was not removed for bad behavior, but, obviously, because my views were out of step with what the site was about.)
Former President Bush Backs
Obama’s Efforts to Repair Economy
Bloomberg News, by Reg Curren
Former President George W. Bush delivered a “folksy” one-hour speech to a Canadian audience in which he backed efforts by his successor, Barack Obama, to repair the U.S. economy and financial industry, said people who attended the event. Bush, 62, made the comments yesterday, in his first address since leaving office in January, to 1,400 people attending the $400-a-person Calgary lunch, said Jason Enns, a private wealth manager who attended.
Reply 1—Posted by: mitzi, 3/18/2009 9:37:16 AM (No. 5355671)
Enns said the former president expects Obama will do a “fantastic job” and he will provide help and advice if he’s asked for it by the new president.
I don’t know that I’d interpret that to mean that Bush backs Obama’s efforts.
Reply 2—Posted by: Joe Dozer, 3/18/2009 9:37:23 AM (No. 5355672)
I cried because I had no shoes after throwing them at my idiot ex-president who can’t keep his mouth shut, until I met a man who had also thrown his smelly socks as well.
Reply 3—Posted by: PageTurner, 3/18/2009 9:39:19 AM (No. 5355679)
I thought you owed the man your silence, Mister President. Give what you owe.
By the way, we will be the judge of this.
Reply 4—Posted by: tm19macv, 3/18/2009 9:40:49 AM (No. 5355692)
PLease keep your mouth shut.
Reply 5—Posted by: FL_Absentee_Voter, 3/18/2009 9:43:10 AM (No. 5355702)
Compassionate conservatism was given a chance and look at what it got us. Thank you for your service, President Bush. Now, please go off and write your memoirs.
Reply 6—Posted by: NotYourTypicalNewYorker, 3/18/2009 9:45:55 AM (No. 5355714)
This headline is what being gracious gets you…
Reply 7—Posted by: tdp, 3/18/2009 9:52:14 AM (No. 5355740)
I’m with you, #1—I don’t interpret what he said as anything more than him sticking by the age rule that former Presidents shouldn’t openly criticize their successor. His statements were generic and vague, and as gracious as I’d expect him to be. He’s not going to be like Bill Clinton or Jimmy Carter and trash every administration but his own as soon as he’s out of the DC zip code.
Reply 9—Posted by: so_free_me, 3/18/2009 9:59:25 AM (No. 5355758)
Fantastic job??? Are you kidding? But trying to be charitable here, I suppose W has to have some standard pap to say to answer that question. And he probably wants to have nothing to do with making our economy worse by being negative.
Reply 10—Posted by: Nan, 3/18/2009 10:03:55 AM (No. 5355774)
“He was very affable,” said Yates. “My impressions of him haven’t changed. A folksy, affable guy, but I don’t agree with his policies.”
You can go to far with the ‘new tone’ act.
Reply 11—Posted by: WyoEagle, 3/18/2009 10:08:41 AM (No. 5355790)
I’d remind Dubya that someone gave us the prescription drug benefit program and the last farm bill among other spending boondoggles. I would not, with respect, go to Dubya for advice on the economy. He rammed through a couple of recent spending bills and bailouts because, if you recall, the sky was falling.
Reply 12—Posted by: mitzi, 3/18/2009 10:10:11 AM (No. 5355794)
#9, he didn’t say O is currently doing a fantastic job but rather he “expects” O to do a fantastic job.
BTW, the word fantastic has more than one meaning. Fantastic: imaginative in a unrestrained or grotesque way. (Random House Dictionary)
Reply 13—Posted by: ussjimmycarter, 3/18/2009 10:17:01 AM (No. 5355828)
Good grief! Go away Mr Bush! You helped ruin devastate the Republican Party with your “compassionate conservative” nonsense. Just go away!
Reply 14—Posted by: fluffdaddy, 3/18/2009 10:22:03 AM (No. 5355840)
George W. Bush was incapable of defending his own policies as President. This interview indicates that he will be equally incapable of attacking the policiies of his successor. We aren’t looking at evidence of “class.” We are looking at massively redundant evidence that W is drifitng at sea without an ideological rudder. He never understood what he was doing. He will never understand what Obama is doing. Every word out of his mouth will further hamper the Republican effort to contrast themselves with the Dems and exacerbate their political problems. Please Mr. President, just hold your peace.
Reply 17—Posted by: dogsoldier, 3/18/2009 10:32:59 AM (No. 5355880)
Bush is and has always been a RINO and way too affable to be President.
Reply 18—Posted by: zzen01, 3/18/2009 10:56:27 AM (No. 5355961)
In this case I agree with the “Rev” Jackson… STAY OUT OF THE BUSHES!
Reply 21—Posted by: voltairesgal, 3/18/2009 11:30:20 AM (No. 5356045)
GW Bush’s fantasy of “changing the tone” in D.C. persists. It did not happen during his term in office and it is is highly unlikely that it will ever happen because leftist ideologues are the very picture of Tolstoy Syndrome. Confirmation bias is not your friend, Mr. Bush. The lefties did not like you when you served in office and they do not like you now. Turning the other cheek to those clowns is like wearing a “Don’t kick me” sign. Please, hold your peace.
Reply 22—Posted by: thewordsmith, 3/18/2009 11:30:42 AM (No. 5356046)
Listen, Obama and the Democrats would love to have George W. Bush back to kick around some more: the Rush thing isn’t panning out and none of the new designated enemies are big enough to focus lefty rage.
President Bush did exactly what was called for, he defanged the monster before it could sink its teeth into him for a fresh supply of blood to stoke the hate machine.
Reply 24—Posted by: msd, 3/18/2009 11:37:46 AM (No. 5356072)
I totally agree with above Posters who read the article and found the statement by former President Bush as backing BO. Carter/Clinton could never keep their mouths closed—anything to stir the pot of leftist hate. Additionally, may I politely request those who are telling him to “shut up” to do that themselves…
Reply 25—Posted by: americangirl, 3/18/2009 11:42:51 AM (No. 5356082)
Agree with #19, as usual. Clods indeed.
Reply 26—Posted by: msd, 3/18/2009 11:44:14 AM (No. 5356085)
Talk about misspeak—I totally DISAGREE with above Posters who read the article and found the statement by former President Bush as backing BO…
Reply 30—Posted by: msjena, 3/18/2009 12:20:06 PM (No. 5356199)
I wouldn’t get all worked up about this. It’s not first-hand reporting and the reporter puts his own spin on it. Bush isn’t going to say he wants O to fail, a la Rush. And if he did say he “expects” O to be fantastic, doesn’t that just raise expectations—expectations that O clearly cannot meet?
Reply 31—Posted by: ussjimmycarter, 3/18/2009 12:26:21 PM (No. 5356224)
I’m sorry, but look at the evidence folks! President Bush came in to office owning the congress of the United States of America and we were at peace and were prosperous as a nation. He left office in total defeat! Both houses of congress now belong to the Democrats, we have a Socialist/Communist as President, we remain at war 7 years after he started it in Iran with no end in sight and our economy is close to collapse. The Republican Party (which he was the leader for the last 8 years) is wandering in the wilderness, leaderless and without message. Now, explain to me—a conservative how that can possibly be a record worthy of not being questioned!
Reply 33—Posted by: lazyman, 3/18/2009 4:30:03 PM (No. 5356797)
Bush was great home ownership went up during his time.
Reply 34—Posted by: yorkiemom, 3/18/2009 4:39:09 PM (No. 5356815)
I’m sure some of you posters would have been sooooo much happier to have had Pres. Gore or Pres. Kerry.