Althouse: "There I was, former president of the United States, with a plastic bag in my hand, picking up what I had been dodging for eight solid years."

May 27, 2010

"There I was, former president of the United States, with a plastic bag in my hand, picking up what I had been dodging for eight solid years."

George W. Bush makes a poop joke.

91 comments:

Anonymous said...: Now try to picture the future Former-President Obama making such a good natured and affably self-depricating joke.

- Lyssa; 5/27/10, 8:29 AM
Phil 314 said...: I just wonder how he feels to be
"The reason why_____________ (fill in your preferred present problem here) happened"; 5/27/10, 8:32 AM
Anonymous said...: G.W., I didn't agree with everything you stood for but Good God, I miss you dearly...; 5/27/10, 8:33 AM
Skyler said...: It's a beautiful home. Not too far from my mother-in-law's home.; 5/27/10, 8:36 AM
Fen said...: we will probably spend the next eight years cleaning up after the mess his administration

Cute, considering we wouldn't even be in Iraq or AfPak if Clinton hadn't been busily distracted with interns while Al Queda plotted 9-11.

And that's not even getting into the Frannie/Freddie mess.

Clinton even bragged that he left alot of ticking bombs behind to hamper the Bush administration.; 5/27/10, 8:39 AM
vet66 said...: At least former President Bush acknowledges it as he picks it up. Our current President kicks it down the road for others to pick up later.; 5/27/10, 8:40 AM
Joe said...: Yes and we will probably spend the next eight years cleaning up after the mess his administration left so it is a fitting analogy.

Funny how no one who complains likes to point out that NancyPelosi or Reid or Daschele were also leading America for somewhere between 25-50% of Bush's term.

It's always just Bush...guess Congress had NOTHING to do with Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac.

So Voltaire after the Election of 2012 can we in the GOP spend the next 4 years complaining of the "mess" Obama left "us?"

What's the expiration date of blame, for either party? One year, One year and one-half, two years?; 5/27/10, 8:40 AM
TWM said...: "Yes and we will probably spend the next eight years cleaning up after the mess his administration left so it is a fitting analogy."

Yeah, yeah, and you will be spouting that nonsense up until Barry is gone in 2012. And past that, actually, since you've got nothing else.; 5/27/10, 8:46 AM
Original Mike said...: Obama has now set the precident for blaming the previous Administration. It will only be fitting if he reaps what he sowed. I bet, however, the next guy will have enough class/sense not to continue the practice.

Obama really doesn't seem to get that he's the President. He's at the top. Blaming the last guy is beneath him, but he doesn't get that.; 5/27/10, 8:53 AM
Fred4Pres said...: Now try to picture the future Former-President Obama making such a good natured and affably self-depricating joke.

In a moment of candor he might admit he is doing that now in the West Wing.; 5/27/10, 8:56 AM
Wince said...: If aliens are watching this through telescopes, they're going to think the dogs are the leaders of the planet. If you see two life forms, one of them's making a poop, the other one's carrying it for him, who would you assume is in charge?

I say, if this is where we're at after 50,000 years of civilization, let's just give up. I'm serious, let's pack it in. It's not worth it. Let's just say the human race as an idea didn't quite work. It seemed good at first, we worked on it for a long time, but it just didn't pan out. We went to the Moon but still somehow wound up carrying little bags of dog doody around with us. We just got mixed up somewhere. Let's just give it over to the insects or whoever else is next in line.

- Jerry Seinfeld; 5/27/10, 9:06 AM
Calypso Facto said...: When my former boss retired and I assumed his duties he very wisely told me, "You've got 6 months to blame me for everything that's wrong. Beyond that time, everyone will just hear blaming as whining." Are you listening, Mr. President? Better late than never!; 5/27/10, 9:08 AM
GMay said...: "G.W., I didn't agree with everything you stood for but Good God, I miss you dearly..."

By 2008 I was so pissed at Bush because of crap fiscal policy and insane illegal immigration stances that I was glad to see him go.

I used to cringe at Bush's daily malaproprisms and how stupid they made him appear, but what little action Obama's actually taken, his inability to craft a coherent message off teleprompter, or even his ability do basic math and economics is just stultifying.

Makes Bush appear the be a genius by comparison.; 5/27/10, 9:09 AM
garage mahal said...: George who? Them last 8 yrs? Poof. Gone. Didn't happen.; 5/27/10, 9:18 AM
Original Mike said...: "Makes Bush appear the be a genius by comparison."

Yeah, I wouldn't have though that possible, but there it is.

I was talking to a woman yesterday who had been an Obama supporter, but had reached the point that she was really disgusted with him. Her conclusion was that "the aliens had gotten to him". I think she was kidding about the aliens, but she was obviously sincere in her disgust.; 5/27/10, 9:23 AM
Original Mike said...: Hey, garage! Go back to the Palin thread and check out the photo of Palin and her family butchering a moose.; 5/27/10, 9:27 AM
Palladian said...: "George who? Them last 8 yrs? Poof. Gone. Didn't happen."

We're all going to want your magical ability to poof away the memory of the current administration in a couple of years. Hell, even you'll probably be glad to be able to poof it away by that point.; 5/27/10, 9:28 AM
GMay said...: "George who? Them last 8 yrs? Poof. Gone. Didn't happen."

Dude, you can't even tell it's a horse anymore. You guys have whipped it into a pile of bloody mush.

I'm still waiting for one of you leftist geniuses to point me to all the financial regulatory legislation the Democrats were furiously working on to stave off the economic collapse that happened on their watch.; 5/27/10, 9:30 AM
Joe said...: "George who? Them last 8 yrs? Poof. Gone. Didn't happen."

Of course, unless you're one of the millions of Afghans, Iraqis or Africans that benefitted from his Administration...

Oh that's right, he did NO good, for anyone!; 5/27/10, 9:30 AM
MadisonMan said...: I think the US is constantly cleaning up from previous Administrations' messes.

Because, you know, no President is anywhere near perfect.; 5/27/10, 9:33 AM
Roger J. said...: Saw an interesting bumper sticker (but not on a prius, mind you, a BMW SUV): Jan 2009, End of an Error. I am having one made that says Jan 2009, beginning of a catastrophe--it will fit nicely on the back of my Toyota Tundra (the one with the big engine.); 5/27/10, 9:35 AM
X said...: was it a poop joke or a Democrat joke?; 5/27/10, 9:38 AM
Paul Kirchner said...: Since Reagan, it seems to be the fate of every president to make his predecessor look good.

Which is not to say that I was happy with Bush. Unfortunately, by claiming to be a conservative while consistently deviating from conservative principles, he did a lot of damage to the GOP and made the conditions ripe for the election of someone like Obama.; 5/27/10, 9:40 AM
MadisonMan said...: he did a lot of damage to the GOP and made the conditions ripe for the election of someone like Obama.

See? See? It really is all Bush's fault!; 5/27/10, 9:47 AM
bagoh20 said...: There is simply nothing lamer than blaming your predecessor.

It accomplishes nothing positive in your job duties and makes you look like a child.

It's only possible when you have no record to be likewise critiqued.

It's a shallow diversion from not having solutions.

It shows that you are not willing to take on the responsibilities of the position.

It's always possible regardless of what your predecessor did, because no job gets done perfectly, especially a political one where even good action can be criticized for being the wrong direction politically.

I can't imagine a more damning propensity in a leadership job.

Imagine if you hired a person to run your business and they dealt with every problem by blaming you for screwing it up before they started. Inspires confidence, doesn't it? But you can just hire another one to do the same, over and over. Now your going bankrupt, so, now what do you need?

Leadership and effort.; 5/27/10, 9:49 AM
Original Mike said...: "See? See? It really is all Bush's fault!"

In that sense, it most certainly is. I do blame Bush for Obama's election.; 5/27/10, 9:54 AM
bagoh20 said...: There is simply nothing lamer than blaming your predecessor.

It accomplishes nothing positive in your job duties and makes you look like a child.

It's only possible when you have no record to be likewise critiqued.

It's a shallow diversion from not having solutions.

It shows that you are not willing to take on the responsibilities of the position.

It's always possible regardless of what your predecessor did, because no job gets done perfectly, especially a political one where even good action can be criticized for being the wrong direction politically.

I can't imagine a more damning propensity in a leadership job.

Imagine if you hired a person to run your business and they dealt with every problem by blaming you for screwing it up before they started. Inspires confidence, doesn't it? But you can just hire another one to do the same, over and over. Now you're going bankrupt, so, now what do you need?

Leadership and effort.; 5/27/10, 9:56 AM
bagoh20 said...: Tell us what Bush would have needed to do to prevent Obama from blaming him.

Well that's too hard.

With perfect 20/20 hindsight now, tell us what Bush should have done differently. This is a serious question. I'm interested.; 5/27/10, 10:01 AM
garage mahal said...: In that sense, it most certainly is. I do blame Bush for Obama's election.

Then Bush must have done a lot wrong worthy of blame.; 5/27/10, 10:08 AM
Original Mike said...: "Then Bush must have done a lot wrong worthy of blame."

Yeah, he did.

Did you check out that picture, garage?; 5/27/10, 10:10 AM
Hoosier Daddy said...: Did you check out that picture, garage?

Heh. He'll just say it was photoshopped.; 5/27/10, 10:13 AM
Hoosier Daddy said...: Can't let proof get in the way of some good old frothing hate.; 5/27/10, 10:13 AM
AllenS said...: 1.3 trillion stimulus dollars, gone, poof.; 5/27/10, 10:18 AM
garage mahal said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 5/27/10, 10:19 AM
garage mahal said...: Did you check out that picture, garage?

I tried:

Block reason: Forbidden Category "Intimate Apparel/Swimsuit"

It was a picture of Sarah Palin with a knife in hand butchering a moose?; 5/27/10, 10:21 AM
Tank said...: With perfect 20/20 hindsight now, tell us what Bush should have done differently. This is a serious question. I'm interested.

Some of us did not need hindsight:

Not invade Iraq.

Go to Afghanistan, kill as many AQ and their supporters as possible, destroy their areas, bomb their santuaries, and leave.

No drug entitlement.

No No Child Left Behind.

No bailouts.

No tarp.

No insane Freddie and Fannie lending.

Take out the veto pen and send billions of dollars of spending back to the Congress.

Plus lots more that many of us knew then.; 5/27/10, 10:23 AM
Hoosier Daddy said...: It was it a picture of Sarah Palin with a knife in hand butchering a moose?

Better, she was using her nails.

But I know it is a very difficult concept that someone whose father took her hunting at a tender age would have also taught her how to dress her kills.

Hell I taught my daughter how to fish and also filet. Is it that really much of a stretch for you or is it just your frothing hate getting in the way?; 5/27/10, 10:23 AM
Original Mike said...: Are you kidding? There's no intimate picture at the link.

There is a picture of the family butchering a large animal. Can't tell what Sarah might have in her hand.; 5/27/10, 10:24 AM
garage mahal said...: Palin may know how to actually field dress a kill. I've seen zero evidence she does. Until I do, it's my opinion she doesn't.; 5/27/10, 10:26 AM
AllenS said...: I demand to see a video of Obama being born in Hawaii. If there isn't one, then he was never born in the US.; 5/27/10, 10:30 AM
Original Mike said...: 'I've seen zero evidence she does."

How convenient you can't see the picture.; 5/27/10, 10:31 AM
Hoosier Daddy said...: Palin may know how to actually field dress a kill. I've seen zero evidence she does. Until I do, it's my opinion she doesn't.

Fair enough. Obama may actually be brilliant but until I see his transcripts I'll reserve my belief he's got a good gift of gab and not any smarter than a used car salesman.; 5/27/10, 10:32 AM
Hoosier Daddy said...: How convenient you can't see the picture.

Being a hack tends to blind one to reality.; 5/27/10, 10:33 AM
Roger J. said...: Garage--I gotta tell you man--you are getting into truther/birther territory here. This isnt like you.; 5/27/10, 10:37 AM
Joe said...: Some of us did not need hindsight:

Not invade Iraq.

Really, so we leave a man in charge of a huge amount of oil who has a propensity to invade his neighbors and support terrorism. I mean it had worked so well since 1991. No, you’re wrong the goal of “transforming the Middle East” is the best long-term goal the US could have formulated for the region.

Go to Afghanistan, kill as many AQ and their supporters as possible, destroy their areas, bomb their santuaries, and leave.

And leave behind, what? Is this how you parent your children? Berate them, punish them and then leave the room without suggesting an ALTERNATIVE course of action? Is this how you manage? “You screwed up. Bob, you’re fired!” And then you leave?

Really and so AQ and the Taliban wouldn’t have just picked up where they left off, with even more Afghans in support. This is a pipe dream I see at least once a week. “We teach them towel heads what for and then we leave.” All we taught the “Towel Heads” is that the US will kill you, mayhap, but will never stick around to help you. What you’re going to impoverish and immiserate Afghanistan even MORE than it already is, by your action and that will teach the poor, starving, disease-ridden Afghans you mean business? You’re going to bomb Afghanistan back to the 11th Century from its present 12th Century status and that’ll “learn’em gude?”

No drug entitlement.

No No Child Left Behind.

Ok, fair enough

No bailouts.

Again, OK, I guess but the RAL bail-outs began under Obama.

No tarp.

Ah good idea, let the international banking system collapse. You know when the Depression became the DEPRESSION and not just the Crash and Recession of ’29? When banks around the US and then Europe failed. WAS TARP THE solution, I don’t know. Was there an alternative, possibly, IF you could find some way of making bank shareholders and depositors whole, without bailing out the improvident banks. Would you care to provide a plan, which you can demonstrate was developed CONCURRENTLY with TARP that would do this? Otherwise I leave you with the US Army aphorism, “Better to do the wrong thing, then and there than to think of the right thing six hours too late.” You may not have liked TARP, but it restored a degree of confidence and liquidity, and you MUST have a better idea, from then, not a better idea 19 months after the fact. I do, honestly, await your alternative to TARP.

No insane Freddie and Fannie lending.

H’mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm I think people with the last name of Dodd, Hastert, and Franks had a bit to do with that…so let’s broaden the complaint.

Take out the veto pen and send billions of dollars of spending back to the Congress.

Ok that’s a fair cop……..

Plus lots more that many of us knew then.; 5/27/10, 10:47 AM
Brian said...: Dresser - new meaning - One who is skeptical about whether or not Sarah Palin actually knows how to field dress a moose.

Garage is a dresser.; 5/27/10, 10:49 AM
Michael said...: Garage: I think you have discovered the single most damning thing about S. Palin: she cannot demonstrate to your satisfaction that she can field dress a Caribou. Let us all stipulate that you are correct, that you are correct on stilts, that you have discovered the equivalent of a cheap cure for cancer except it is in the category of finding things that SP cannot do, or cannot prove that she can do. I think you are right. I think you have it. Can we now say that you have won, that every single idea that appeared stupid on its face was, in fact, correct? And if we do will you shut the fuck up about the field dressing? I would expect you cannot prove that you can carve a horn out of ivory and call in red deer, but that is for another time.; 5/27/10, 10:49 AM
garage mahal said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 5/27/10, 10:51 AM
garage mahal said...: How convenient you can't see the picture.

From the brief description on that old thread it doesn't sound like I'm missing much. Again, standing over a kill getting your picture taken over a kill made by somebody else doesn't mean you know how to carve it up yourself! That was the assertion originally made that I don't believe. Why this is so fucking hard to fathom is beyond me. I know how, but most people don't. Even if someone shows you how, you really don't know until you do it yourself.; 5/27/10, 10:52 AM
Anonymous said...: Roger J.: Garage--I gotta tell you man--you are getting into truther/birther territory here. This isnt like you.

What the bloody fuck? It's exactly like him.; 5/27/10, 10:56 AM
Anonymous said...: Yes and we will probably spend the next eight years cleaning up after the mess his administration left so it is a fitting analogy.

I wouldn't exactly call what Obama is doing "cleaning up" (except in the sense of what his pals and cronies are doing.)

Rather, Obama has really stepped in it and is now tracking it all over everyone's new white carpet

All the time while our enemies increase the pace of their operations to exploit Obama's weakness.

Just imagine the mess we'll have to clean up after this deluded crowd.; 5/27/10, 10:56 AM
Original Mike said...: Good job, Joe (I couldn't summon the energy).

I will add that the Dems had an even bigger Medicare drug bill they wanted to pass.

And my reading of histroy is that Bush made an efort to curb Freddie and Fannie but was bloclked by the aforementioned Dems. That said, he should have gone to the matt over it and he didn't.; 5/27/10, 11:00 AM
Anonymous said...: Rather, Obama has really stepped in it and is now tracking it all over everyone's new white carpet

Oops, I'll probably get some grief for writing "white carpet."

Yea, yea, I know - I am a racist, I was born a racist, and nothing I do or say will ever change that - right?; 5/27/10, 11:01 AM
bagoh20 said...: rdkraus,

Do you think those alternative policies would have turned out just dandy and created no problems? Because it would be pretty easy to tear them down even before we see the unintended consequences.

Just for one, imagine Iraq today with Saddam in power, his sons in waitng to be even "better" at despotism for at least the next 50 years, the sanctions gone, Iraq and Iran in a nuclear race and both vying for the opportunity to destroy Israel separately or in unison controlling the entire gulf oil supply. Saddam continuing to murder and torture his people by the 100,000s per year. Europe and others funneling tons of cash and hardware to them unhindered. Of course we could then invade and fix all that, or wait until we had no choice a little later. Or as now, we could have the first free democratic Arab nation. Is there really any better accomplishment toward peace in the most dangerous part of the world. That's just one. I agree with you on some of them, but I have no confidence that our preferences would not be worse. And we don't actually have to pick, we are just talking.

I respect tough decisions being made, even when the choice is not my preference. I do not respect avoiding them and blaming others who did handle their responsibility with courage and grace, mistake or not.; 5/27/10, 11:02 AM
Original Mike said...: "I know how, but most people don't. Even if someone shows you how, you really don't know until you do it yourself."

It getting to the point I don't believe you. It ain't rocket science, but you're treating it like it is.

Got any pictures, garage?; 5/27/10, 11:06 AM
bagoh20 said...: "I demand to see a video of Obama being born in Hawaii."

Did they smack the newborn on the ass or fire up the teleprompter to get him to cry. And did he cry out Buuuuuuush!; 5/27/10, 11:06 AM
Mark said...: Now try to picture the future Former-President Obama making such a good natured and affably self-depricating joke.

Yeah, his "jokes" tend to run in the stealthy-middle-finger vein.; 5/27/10, 11:09 AM
Unknown said...: Interesting the same people who piled on Dubya for 8 years are the ones doing the bitch and whine, bitch and whineact today. Not unlike their Messiah.

Dubya, at least, shows some class and a sense of humor.

Fen said...

we will probably spend the next eight years cleaning up after the mess his administration

Cute, considering we wouldn't even be in Iraq or AfPak if Clinton hadn't been busily distracted with interns while Al Queda plotted 9-11.

And that's not even getting into the Frannie/Freddie mess.

Clinton even bragged that he left alot of ticking bombs behind to hamper the Bush administration.

Don't forget:

Subprime mortgages (Willie)

Refusing Bin Laden when Sudan offered him on a silver platter (also Willie)

Increasing the deficit four times as much in 1 year as Dubya did in 8 (Zero)

Making the country a vulnerable laughingstock with his kowtowing (more Zero)

vet66 said...

At least former President Bush acknowledges it as he picks it up. Our current President kicks it down the road for others to pick up later.

It what Democrats have done since 1913.

rdkraus said...

With perfect 20/20 hindsight now, tell us what Bush should have done differently. This is a serious question. I'm interested.

Some of us did not need hindsight:

Not invade Iraq.

Go to Afghanistan, kill as many AQ and their supporters as possible, destroy their areas, bomb their santuaries, and leave.

Hate to tell you, but it was Iraq that gutted Al Qaeda, not A-Stan. Bin Laden was dumb enough to take Dubya's challenge and, in so doing, by killing a lot of Iraqi civilians and saying they should be proud to be martyrs, ruined the organization's rep in the Moslem world.; 5/27/10, 11:10 AM
bagoh20 said...: "It ain't rocket science, but you're treating it like it is."

Yea, where I'm from, Western PA, most boys learned it as pre-teens, as well as how to stalk, shoot and kill, but I have no doubts that Palin is a better hunter than me. But capable women don't surprise conservatives who see them everyday.; 5/27/10, 11:13 AM
The Crack Emcee said...: GWB is a very good man.; 5/27/10, 11:21 AM
Hoosier Daddy said...: Roger J.: Garage--I gotta tell you man--you are getting into truther/birther territory here. This isnt like you.

Maybe he's sane when talking about ribs or rehabing gas guzzling Beemers but nothing can put garage in a Sullivanesque fit of raging denial like a Palin thread. Its absolutely out of his realm of comprehension that somone who was taught to hunt would also be taught to field dress their kill.

Now that real heroine Hillary on the other hand really did dodge sniper fire while leading a Spec Ops team in Bosnia. You better believe it buddy.; 5/27/10, 11:32 AM
Hoosier Daddy said...: I know how, but most people don't. Even if someone shows you how, you really don't know until you do it yourself."

Actually garage, its so easy even cavemen did it.; 5/27/10, 11:34 AM
bagoh20 said...: I agree,Crack. It seems clear when you note how he handled the press, his enemies, his home, his personal development and his responsibilities. Even though I disagree with much of his policy, I respect him as a man and that goes along way with me.; 5/27/10, 11:34 AM
bagoh20 said...: "Actually garage, its so easy even cavemen did it."

Oh shit, that's beautiful! Geico would like a call from you.; 5/27/10, 11:37 AM
MadisonMan said...: its so easy even cavemen did it.

And where is the evidence that they did?

(Ducking); 5/27/10, 11:38 AM
Original Mike said...: "And where is the evidence that they did?"

I saw this cave painting once ...; 5/27/10, 11:45 AM
bagoh20 said...: We are the evidence. Except for vegetarians who descended directly from sheep.; 5/27/10, 11:50 AM
garage mahal said...: It getting to the point I don't believe you. It ain't rocket science, but you're treating it like it is.

It's not rocket science, but we're talking about Sarah Palin here. You have to know what you're doing knowing how to pinch off and removing the bladder so urine doesn't spoil your meat, tying off the intestines above the rectum to prevent shit from spoiling your meat.; 5/27/10, 12:28 PM
Original Mike said...: So. No pictures, eh?; 5/27/10, 12:29 PM
garage mahal said...: I have boxes of pics, even one of me and my buddy dressing a roadkill we found on the side of the road, what's your email?; 5/27/10, 12:40 PM
Trooper York said...: Not that there's anything wrong with that.; 5/27/10, 12:41 PM
Original Mike said...: Fair enuf.; 5/27/10, 12:48 PM
garage mahal said...: Technically you're supposed to call the sheriff first if you find and take a roadkill. We skipped that step as we both had a few beers and it was getting dark, and an off duty deputy stopped by and called in the tag for us. My idiot friend said to the deputy "wouldn't be the first time I dressed a deer in the dark!". Which is a no-no, I'm surprised to the deputy didn't put 2 and 2 together.

Most times all you get is a bunch of stew meat off a roadkill though, as they are all busted up from getting hit. Am I grossing everybody out?; 5/27/10, 12:59 PM
Original Mike said...: Personally, my favorite part of the story was where you were driving by after having a few beers.; 5/27/10, 1:08 PM
Hoosier Daddy said...: Most times all you get is a bunch of stew meat off a roadkill though, as they are all busted up from getting hit. Am I grossing everybody out?

Actually more surprised than anything. I never figured you for a scavenger.; 5/27/10, 1:08 PM
Trooper York said...: Wait a minute...this was a deer or a possum or something...I mean this is Wisconsin....your real name isn't Gein....right...RIGHT!!!; 5/27/10, 1:19 PM
Trooper York said...: I'm a scared Norton!; 5/27/10, 1:20 PM
Hoosier Daddy said...: I have boxes of pics, even one of me and my buddy dressing a roadkill we found on the side of the road, what's your email?

What does that prove? I don't know you from Adam so for all I know, it's an internet photo of Darryl and his other brother Darryl skinning some week old opposum on some Louisiana backroad.

My bet is the only thing you ever skinned was your knee when you fell off your Big Wheel last month.; 5/27/10, 1:24 PM
garage mahal said...: C'mon, I couldn't have just made that up.; 5/27/10, 1:27 PM
Trooper York said...: I have an idea garage. Email me some of the photos and I will post them in a continuing series much like I do with the bathtubs and the camel toe that everyone sends me.

As long as the roadkill is of course...err...not human....glup.; 5/27/10, 1:31 PM
Bruce Hayden said...: If I were to pick one thing that distinguishes George W. Bush from Barack Hussein Obama II, I would say that the former is really a nice guy. I am not saying that Obama is bad, mean, or such, but rather, you could never see him using that sort of self-deprecating wit. He doesn't come across as having any warmth whatsoever (yes, I know that people often differ greatly between public and private).

I love the picture of Bush and his wife. I got such a feeling of warmth and love there. And, I appreciate that he blames his success on her.

As he said, you cannot really evaluate a Presidency except through the 20/20 lens of hindsight, and I think that a lot of us are missing him more and more as the Administration of his successor unfolds.; 5/27/10, 1:34 PM
garage mahal said...: Trooper
You got a deal.; 5/27/10, 1:40 PM
Hoosier Daddy said...: C'mon, I couldn't have just made that up.

Of course you could. You're a liberal. You guys have been making stuff up out of whole cloth for the last half century.; 5/27/10, 1:44 PM
Original Mike said...: He also joked about the comedown of post-presidential life, saying he realised how different his life was when he was walking his dog Barney through his new neighbourhood.

‘There I was,’ Bush said, ‘former president of the United States, with a plastic bag in my hand, picking up what I had been dodging for eight solid years.’

He still gets followed around by the Secret Service, doesn't he?; 5/27/10, 1:45 PM
Original Mike said...: Just trying to picture the Secret Service guy hanging out, trying to look discrete, while Bush is bending over picking up dog poop.; 5/27/10, 2:22 PM
dix said...: "They were still booing him while we were on stage"

Nigel Tufnel
Spinal Tap; 5/27/10, 2:28 PM
Dust Bunny Queen said...: Most times all you get is a bunch of stew meat off a roadkill though, as they are all busted up from getting hit. Am I grossing everybody out?

No.

I've 'salvaged' deer that we accidently hit with our old Landcruiser. You are right. Much of it is pretty messed up, because it has been unexpectidly tenderized by your grill guard.

Once on the way to work at a lumber yard where I was the bookkeeper two pheasants flew out in front of my car. I brought them to work, cleaned them and got a plastic bag from one of the guys so I could put them in the fridge for the rest of the day. Saved the feathers for Christmas ornament decorations. Pheasant for dinner the next day. They weren't too bad because I was going pretty slow.

:-D; 5/27/10, 5:54 PM
Trooper York said...: Hey it's up. Garage Mahal's Road Kill Korner.

Sort of like Kiner's Korner but with out all those pesky Mets.; 5/27/10, 8:19 PM
Mark said...: Sorry, I'm from deep Hill Country, and road kill wasn't on the menu.

(But Garage's point about tying off the rectum and being careful with the bladder were absolutely correct, making me think he at least knows how to clean a carcass.); 5/27/10, 10:44 PM
Synova said...: "I think the US is constantly cleaning up from previous Administrations' messes."

I think this is most nearly true. And I think we may make a conservative of MadisonMan yet.

Because we do constantly have to "clean up" previous messes from previous mess makers. Understanding that is a big motivation to prefer making smaller changes at any given time and prefer making changes more slowly, after having time to see what affect they have. Caution means less clean up.; 5/28/10, 2:21 AM
Synova said...: "Go to Afghanistan, kill as many AQ and their supporters as possible, destroy their areas, bomb their santuaries, and leave."

Identify supporters. Bomb with what? There were those who said turn it all to glass. Sure. Guess that would have worked.

Less than that... how do we get there, where do our planes land, how do we supply?

No matter the military brilliance of Democrats... it can't be done from Okinawa.

Iraq we can get to, but even there we were severely hampered by the fact that we were denied access through Turkey.

Bush was criticized directly by Obama and many other less impressive persons (frequently in these blog comments) for not marching us into Pakistan. We supply Afghanistan overland through Pakistan. We had to have permission to do that. We *had* permission to fly out of a couple of the other "stans" to support our Afghanistan mission and one of the first things Obama did was piss someone off so we lost a great deal of that capacity.

When someone says that, without hindsight, they know very well that we should have limited our operations to Afghanistan, it only reveals ignorance.

Drop a nuke or two and turn the whole place to radioactive slag like the judgment of almighty God on the guilty and innocent alike... that we could have done.

People wanted to. Bush said no.; 5/28/10, 2:36 AM