A disgusting vat of filth that no self-respecting intelligent person would wade into.

Originally posted by Not Bob
Is this funny Hank or serious Hank?

What's a "funny Hank"?

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally posted by nononono
I don't remember those headlines (of nasty, sideways comments made to Clinton at official White House events and then taken by the other party to the media), but I will grant you I am sure there was frostiness from time to time.

In what context, though? A social situation is an inappropriate venue for that. If he just couldn't hold his tongue (and these people are professional politicians - geez), he should have stayed home. That after Webb's utterly and unnecessarily rude behavior about the photo line, Bush had the grace to seek him out (have you ever had to do tha? It is not easy.) says something positive about Bush. That he didn't continue to accept the rude behavior reveals his well-known flashes of temper, which he also should check. And Webb's subsequent publicizing of it - pathetic, dirty, juvenile and opportunistic.

None of this is to suggest that Webb should not feel the way he does. But if he can't handle the whole job, he shouldn't have it at all.

Wow. Talk about thin skins. It's amazing Bush survives if he can't handle a guy who doesn't want the photo op.

You may recall, a key Rover(TM) tactic in some of the races this fall was to broadcast photo op photos of various Dems with various Rs and imply an endorsement where none existed. There were two ads on the Boston stations that did this. So, expect Dems in tight states to avoid photo ops with borderline Republicans in the future - including the President.

It's the bed the Rs made.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Not Bob
Is this funny Hank or serious Hank?

Hank is always happy. but Bob when will the back and forth end?

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by ironweed
What's a "funny Hank"?

it seemed redundant to me also.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally posted by ironweed
What's a "funny Hank"?

Be honest. We laugh at Hank all the time.

[nononono]

Originally posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy
Wow. Talk about thin skins. It's amazing Bush survives if he can't handle a guy who doesn't want the photo op.

You may recall, a key Rover(TM) tactic in some of the races this fall was to broadcast photo op photos of various Dems with various Rs and imply an endorsement where none existed. There were two ads on the Boston stations that did this. So, expect Dems in tight states to avoid photo ops with borderline Republicans in the future - including the President.

It's the bed the Rs made.

Don't translate my sense of the importance of manners to Bush's having thin skin. Nor me. But please tell me you're not suggesting in your last sentence that once someone is rude (assuming arguendo, etc.), you're entitled to be a complete jerk forever after. Hellooooooo, standards, people. Rise above. If for no other reason than civility* and propriety. This is why I believe in these things. Without it, people just unleash their inner assholes, it goes down and down and down, and the world is a less pleasant place overall.

And please, your suggested explanation for Webb's photo op rudeness is post hoc, at best.


*Oh, Lord, please don't let this devolve into the elevator argument again.

[Not Bob]

Originally posted by nononono
I don't remember those headlines (of nasty, sideways comments made to Clinton at official White House events and then taken by the other party to the media), but I will grant you I am sure there was frostiness from time to time.

I am too lazy to search for the specific comment, but Dick Armey made some statement after a budget meeting after the House flipped in 1994 where he crowed to the press about how explained the new reality to Clinton, and that Bill just gulped.

Originally posted by nononono
In what context, though? A social situation is an inappropriate venue for that. If he just couldn't hold his tongue (and these people are professional politicians - geez), he should have stayed home.

I am with you on this. Completely.

Originally posted by nononono
That after Webb's utterly and unnecessarily rude behavior about the photo line,

Huh? It's rude not to wait in line to have your photo taken with the President? Why?

Originally posted by nononono
Bush had the grace to seek him out (have you ever had to do tha? It is not easy.) says something positive about Bush. That he didn't continue to accept the rude behavior reveals his well-known flashes of temper, which he also should check. And Webb's subsequent publicizing of it - pathetic, dirty, juvenile and opportunistic.

I suspect that he saw Webb, knew that his son was in Iraq, and figured that the polite thing to do would be to ask how he was. All very nice of him, I agree. We disagree that Webb not waiting in line to have his picture take with Bush was rude, so there was no "continuing rudeness."

Originally posted by nononono
None of this is to suggest that Webb should not feel the way he does. But if he can't handle the whole job, he shouldn't have it at all.

Rudeness at a party is a disqualification for a political job? I didn't like the way that the President put his head on that bald guy without permission, but the voters disagreed with me in 2004.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally posted by nononono
Don't translate my sense of the importance of manners to Bush's having thin skin. Nor me. But please tell me you're not suggesting in your last sentence that once someone is rude (assuming arguendo, etc.), you're entitled to be a complete jerk forever after. Hellooooooo, standards, people. Rise above. If for no other reason than civility* and propriety. This is why I believe in these things. Without it, people just unleash their inner assholes, it goes down and down and down, and the world is a less pleasant place overall.

And please, your suggested explanation for Webb's photo op rudeness is post hoc, at best.


*Oh, Lord, please don't let this devolve into the elevator argument again.

Civility, Rove and Bush in the same paragraph. Give me a break. This administration believes in assholism as the proper approach to all politics. They have made a habit of charging their opponents with supporting terrorists and being unAmerican, even while they laid the groundwork for al Qaida in Iraq.

Not all Dems have conceded that they have to play at the level to which Bush has stooped, and many rose above it in the election. Pelosi et al. are working hard to rise above it now, but Bush is on probation in my book until we see how he behaves.

Webb did not. His campaign from the beginning attacked Bush and Company bare-knuckled and no-holds barred. He's not going to stop now. Bush has earned having opponents like Webb.

[nononono]

Originally posted by Not Bob
I am too lazy to search for the specific comment, but Dick Armey made some statement after a budget meeting after the House flipped in 1994 where he crowed to the press about how explained the new reality to Clinton, and that Bill just gulped.

I am with you on this. Completely.

Huh? It's rude not to wait in line to have your photo taken with the President? Why?

I suspect that he saw Webb, knew that his son was in Iraq, and figured that the polite thing to do would be to ask how he was. All very nice of him, I agree. We disagree that Webb not waiting in line to have his picture take with Bush was rude, so there was no "continuing rudeness."

Rudeness at a party is a disqualification for a political job? I didn't like the way that the President put his head on that bald guy without permission, but the voters disagreed with me in 2004.

He refused to go through a reception line. At a reception for newly elected member of Congress. Hosted by the President. Yes, if he can't "get" that, he needs to go back to Statesman 101.

Second, yes, I said statesman. I still expect politicians (particularly once elected to Congress or similar positions) at least to aspire to be statesmen, however much they may fail. Much like I expect diplomats to be somewhat diplomatic.

Not to defend Armey, but at least that sounds like business.

[nononono]

Originally posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy
Civility, Rove and Bush in the same paragraph. Give me a break. This administration believes in assholism as the proper approach to all politics. They have made a habit of charging their opponents with supporting terrorists and being unAmerican, even while they laid the groundwork for al Qaida in Iraq.

Not all Dems have conceded that they have to play at the level to which Bush has stooped, and many rose above it in the election. Pelosi et al. are working hard to rise above it now, but Bush is on probation in my book until we see how he behaves.

Webb did not. His campaign from the beginning attacked Bush and Company bare-knuckled and no-holds barred. He's not going to stop now. Bush has earned having opponents like Webb.

Greedy, um, I didn't mention Rove....

And weren't we talking about Webb's behavior? It's not that helpful to reach into the vat for yet another sweeping set of condemnations and conclusions. For the record, I'm mostly okay with brutal politics. I think politicians who stoop to cheap stunts and who can't behave reasonably properly in public, allowing for personality variations to some pretty significant degree, come across like angry little boys stamping their feet, and I've no respect for that when it's grown men*.


*"Men" being an incorrect stand-in for "men or women," but it worked with the beginning of the sentence, and I'm neither apologizing nor suggesting anything by it.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by nononono
Greedy, um, I didn't mention Rove....

What office does Rove hold?

These guys confuse:

1) frankness in a negotiation room- as you point out NNNN, that is business

2) cheap shots in a political campaign- again fair game

3) pointing out that the First Lady is likely an accomplist to murder if not actually the one who pulled the trigger- reporting a crime

with being rude at a formal reception. it was pagaent, rudeness is not acceptable.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
What office does Rove hold?

These guys confuse:

1) frankness in a negotiation room- as you point out NNNN, that is business

2) cheap shots in a political campaign- again fair game

3) pointing out that the First Lady is likely an accomplist to murder if not actually the one who pulled the trigger- reporting a crime

with being rude at a formal reception. it was pagaent, rudeness is not acceptable.

Fuck you.

Originally posted by Hank Chinaski
an accomplist to murder

it was pagaent, rudeness is not acceptable.

Fucking brilliant.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally posted by Greedy,Greedy,Greedy
Fuck you.

he could have bled on several people. he choose you. think about why.

[Greedy,Greedy,Greedy]

Originally posted by nononono
Greedy, um, I didn't mention Rove....

And weren't we talking about Webb's behavior? It's not that helpful to reach into the vat for yet another sweeping set of condemnations and conclusions. For the record, I'm mostly okay with brutal politics. I think politicians who stoop to cheap stunts and who can't behave reasonably properly in public, allowing for personality variations to some pretty significant degree, come across like angry little boys stamping their feet, and I've no respect for that when it's grown men*.


*"Men" being an incorrect stand-in for "men or women," but it worked with the beginning of the sentence, and I'm neither apologizing nor suggesting anything by it.

Oh, come on, this is just more Bushy whining.

Yeh, Webb's an asshole. He ran as an asshole, he got elected as an asshole, and for the next six years he intends to be an asshole.

It's not all the Dems, it's just Webb. But I gotta say, I'm going to enjoy having him around.