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Old 04-14-2004, 02:10 PM   #1486
Gattigap
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Press Conferences are not his Forte.

Quote:
Originally posted by SlaveNoMore
He should have said:

"Yes, appointing that old feeb Paul O'Neill. Next question."
Actually, I was waiting for him to say: "Are you sure I can't just say 'Trading Sammy Sosa' again?" Little self-deprecation, would be the touch of humor that people like about Bush, would serve as a nice segway into whatever platitudes he wants to utter.

I didn't stay up all night and missed most of the fire of the debate on this board, but I listened to most of the speech, and then a chunk of the QandA, on the way home. (I've read no blogs or press reports yet, though I've had the benefit of seeing arguments about the merits of several blogs while ketchupping. Thanks for that.)

At any rate, even with the blessing of low expectations for our President's performance, I was disappointed.

I learned:

* We're in a tough stretch in Iraq (true)
* We can't cut and run (true)
* Terrorists are evil (true)
* The stakes are high and this is a historic moment (true)
* He feels anguish for the soldiers, their families, and the victims of 9/11 (I'm sure is true)
* Several nifty anecdotes to which he returned frequently, including something about a tractor-trailer full of mustard gas (Whose truth are kinda irrelevant as I view them as mostly "filler" answers, thought I do agree that they're nifty)
* When I say something, I mean it. (At least as it relates to invading, you betcha.)

The reason I learned these things is that Bush used them in every single goddamned answer, regardless of what the question was.

Well, that's almost correct. He also added that:

*In answer to the question about why he and Cheney were visiting the commission together, he said something along the lines of "to answer the commission's questions, and I look forward to doing it." (In fairness, there's no answer to this question devoid of embarassment, but that should be a hint that there's a problem with the overall approach).

* When asked who we're handing the keys to the kingdom over to, he replied something like "well, that's what this guy from the UN will tell us." When I picked myself off the floor of the car, I also realized that the UN has said they may not be able or willing to send a large contingent to Iraq until the environment is safer. Fortunately, I think the UN can find a credible Iraqi authority to take over in a weekend or so, if need be.


At any rate, I didn't expect to hear anything startlingly new, but I would've thought that someone -- anyone -- would've trained Bush better to segway into his prepared bromides. "I have strongly held beliefs. I'm doing what's right. Trust me," will either resonate with people or it won't, but it's not that fucking hard to drag any question, kicking and screaming if need be, into that safe, reassuring arena. Unfortunately, Bush had to take several halting swings at several of them just to bring the question to the ground.

And whoever's in charge of prepping this man for the obvious terror of actually facing a live press corps and answering questions should be shot. "What would you count as your biggest mistake to date" is not a bolt from the blue.

No wonder the man's only done 12 of these things in four years.

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Old 04-14-2004, 02:12 PM   #1487
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Scrappleface on Bush's apology

Quote:
Originally posted by bilmore
I'd also like to admit that it was a mistake to think that I could make friends with the Democrats by pouring funding into their top political agency, the National Education Association, or by creating a huge new medicare prescription drug entitlement. I can see now that no matter how often and how much you feed an alligator, he's always looking past the food in your hand and hankering for your arm, your heart, your head. My mistake...and I'm truly sorry.
Just because a blogger agrees with what you say doesn't make it so. Or perhaps that's your point.

At any rate, to say that Bush's Medicare benefit is aimed at pleasing Dems in Congress is just one interpretation. Another, and I would argue better, intepretation is that this initiative was aimed at pleasing the nation's seniors in the important swing states like Florida. But I guess I may only think that because Bush's banner at the bill signing said it was for them. If it had said "Keeping our promise to America's Democrats" I might think otherwise. I'm easily suggestible that way.
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Old 04-14-2004, 02:13 PM   #1488
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First They Came For Howard

There is a good story by Dan Savage on Salon today about the persecution of Howard Stern by the FCC and Clear Channel. http://www.salon.com/ent/feature/200...age/index.html

I have no love for Howard, but I agree with Mr. Savage's analysis.
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Old 04-14-2004, 02:17 PM   #1489
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9/11 is Gorelick's fault for setting up "the wall"

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Originally posted by dtb
From what I have read, the only people upset about racial profiling of Arabs are the targets of it (i.e., the Arab males).
After 9/11, sure. Pre-9/11, the PC fuckers would have made the comparison to DWB stops by the highway patrol and been outraged.

Quote:
Originally posted by dtb
In fact, the NYT (although, as SS pointed out, the NYT is a for-profit newspaper, and therefore wholly untrustworthy) ran a rather interesting article about how even groups traditionally subject to racial profiling (i.e., blacks) supported racial profiling when the target was Arab males, and the purpose was anti-terrorism.
I read that, too. That poll was post-9/11. I wonder pre-9/11 if the black community would have supported profiling potential terrorists as Arabs.

As an interesting twist, I wonder what the results would be if you polled Arab cab drivers on whether they should be allowed to racially profile their potential customers to protect their own safety? I think I know what the poll would show.
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Old 04-14-2004, 02:18 PM   #1490
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Scrappleface on Bush's apology

Quote:
Originally posted by The Larry Davis Experience
Just because a blogger agrees with what you say doesn't make it so. Or perhaps that's your point.

At any rate, to say that Bush's Medicare benefit is aimed at pleasing Dems in Congress is just one interpretation. Another, and I would argue better, intepretation is that this initiative was aimed at pleasing the nation's seniors in the important swing states like Florida. But I guess I may only think that because Bush's banner at the bill signing said it was for them. If it had said "Keeping our promise to America's Democrats" I might think otherwise. I'm easily suggestible that way.
I threw it out there, not to prove the truth of the matter asserted, but as a state of mind commentary, maybe expressing the perception that I was claiming yesterday more clearly than I was able.
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Old 04-14-2004, 02:22 PM   #1491
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Scrappleface on Bush's apology

Quote:
Originally posted by The Larry Davis Experience
At any rate, to say that Bush's Medicare benefit is aimed at pleasing Dems in Congress is just one interpretation. Another, and I would argue better, intepretation is that this initiative was aimed at pleasing the nation's seniors in the important swing states like Florida. But I guess I may only think that because Bush's banner at the bill signing said it was for them. If it had said "Keeping our promise to America's Democrats" I might think otherwise. I'm easily suggestible that way.

No, no. When Bush makes a mistake, it's because he was trying to please the Dems. Or listening to France.

That is what Bush is about. Bush is never about capturing votes in swing states; he's got the Supreme Court for that.


Note: Dem support for another gazillion dollar giveaway to the elderly* was equally ill-motivated**, and equally repugnant.***


*though fewer gazillions than the Admin wanted us to know about. But I'm sure the Admin suppressed that data to only because they were trying to please Senate Dems.

**by ill-motivated, I mean pandering to a certain group of voters at public expense. I suppose it's possible, in the Bilmore world, that Senate Dems only voted for this measure to please the President and majority Repubs.

***criticism of Dems, and not just because I really want to meet Not Me so I can pee on her.
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Old 04-14-2004, 02:24 PM   #1492
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Scrappleface on Bush's apology

Quote:
Originally posted by bilmore
I threw it out there, not to prove the truth of the matter asserted, but as a state of mind commentary, maybe expressing the perception that I was claiming yesterday more clearly than I was able.
I realize that I don't have the allergic reaction to some of the stuff he links to that you do, but isn't that what Ty was doing with the Saletan article?
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Old 04-14-2004, 02:31 PM   #1493
Tyrone Slothrop
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Scrappleface on Bush's apology

Quote:
Originally posted by The Larry Davis Experience
Just because a blogger agrees with what you say doesn't make it so. Or perhaps that's your point.

At any rate, to say that Bush's Medicare benefit is aimed at pleasing Dems in Congress is just one interpretation. Another, and I would argue better, intepretation is that this initiative was aimed at pleasing the nation's seniors in the important swing states like Florida. But I guess I may only think that because Bush's banner at the bill signing said it was for them. If it had said "Keeping our promise to America's Democrats" I might think otherwise. I'm easily suggestible that way.
To follow through on the analogy re education funding, it turns out that making a deal with an alligator in which you promise it food and then not following through on the food does not make the alligator happy, even if the alligator is the minority party in the legislature.
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Old 04-14-2004, 02:33 PM   #1494
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Scrappleface on Bush's apology

Quote:
Originally posted by The Larry Davis Experience
I realize that I don't have the allergic reaction to some of the stuff he links to that you do, but isn't that what Ty was doing with the Saletan article?
I can't read his mind, obviously, but I really don't think so. He seems to CITE to the stuff, as somehow providing raw info, or at least reasoned and believable analysis. I just put mine out there to show that at least someone was as loony as I am.
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Old 04-14-2004, 02:36 PM   #1495
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Scrappleface on Bush's apology

Quote:
Originally posted by Sidd Finch
No, no. When Bush makes a mistake, it's because he was trying to please the Dems. Or listening to France.

That is what Bush is about. Bush is never about capturing votes in swing states; he's got the Supreme Court for that.


Note: Dem support for another gazillion dollar giveaway to the elderly* was equally ill-motivated**, and equally repugnant.***


*though fewer gazillions than the Admin wanted us to know about. But I'm sure the Admin suppressed that data to only because they were trying to please Senate Dems.

**by ill-motivated, I mean pandering to a certain group of voters at public expense. I suppose it's possible, in the Bilmore world, that Senate Dems only voted for this measure to please the President and majority Repubs.

***criticism of Dems, and not just because I really want to meet Not Me so I can pee on her.
You are becoming an angry, bitter, sarcastic old man with a reading disability.

I blame work pressures.
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Old 04-14-2004, 02:38 PM   #1496
Sidd Finch
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Scrappleface on Bush's apology

Quote:
Originally posted by bilmore
You are becoming an angry, bitter, sarcastic old man with a reading disability.

I blame work pressures.

What was your excuse?
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Old 04-14-2004, 02:40 PM   #1497
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Scrappleface on Bush's apology

Quote:
Originally posted by bilmore
I can't read his mind, obviously, but I really don't think so. He seems to CITE to the stuff, as somehow providing raw info, or at least reasoned and believable analysis.
2. Note to Ty, citing a blog is not evidence in support of your argument. Because some guy with a website says something doesn't mean it is true. You seem confused about that.
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Old 04-14-2004, 02:43 PM   #1498
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Scrappleface on Bush's apology

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Originally posted by Sidd Finch
What was your excuse?
Too much sex.

Strangely enough, I prefer my dilemma.
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Old 04-14-2004, 02:48 PM   #1499
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First They Came For Howard

Quote:
Originally posted by notcasesensitive
There is a good story by Dan Savage on Salon today about the persecution of Howard Stern by the FCC and Clear Channel. http://www.salon.com/ent/feature/200...age/index.html

I have no love for Howard, but I agree with Mr. Savage's
analysis.
That was a good article (and I find Howard Stern utterly repellent). My favorite quote from the article:
  • After all, what the hell good is free speech if you can't speak freely about swamp ass?
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Old 04-14-2004, 02:51 PM   #1500
Sidd Finch
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Scrappleface on Bush's apology

Quote:
Originally posted by bilmore
Too much sex.

Strangely enough, I prefer my dilemma.


Mine pays better.
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