Link. Who would have thought, back when GWB was the hated devil, that he would one day provide solace to those who were agonizing over a far more hateful devil?
I like this picture someone put up. Do you see who it is? At first, I thought: LBJ??!? But he's too short:
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Dayum Harry!
The second photo: only after I knew who he was did he look like who he was.
His facial expressions were priceless during inauguration too. This shot shows more belly than was visible Monday. Also his wife looked beautiful as usual, even though they both are probably north of 80 years old by now. It's too bad he joined the anti-Trump bandwagon because I had nothing but respect for him prior to 2016 and I was disappointed to see him side with the Totalitarians and the Deep State.
Looks like Truman to me.
Trump haters find solace in Bush, who they used to hate every bit as much as they hate Trump now, because it has nothing at all to do with Trump or Bush.
They hate the current boogie man. Who (and what) he is is irrelevant. They thrive on hate; they need to hate someone to feel good about themselves. It really is an Emmanuel Goldstein situation.
"At first, I thought: LBJ??!? But he's too short"
Wow, you can see a lot more through that swimsuit than I can... —Sorry, just watched that SNL movie and LBJ was the Milton Berle of presidents, we hear.
Anyway, I recognized him immediately, even without my reading glasses. We have a picture of my dad swimming in Lake Ontario with two of my eldest siblings from the same era, and his body looked the same, and got the same reaction when the picture came up, "dayum!" I guess that came from growing up on a farm, but Harry worked as a haberdasher, didn't he? It was a healthier time in a lot of ways.
Born-in-log-cabin Lincoln would demonstrate his strength later in life by holding a woodcutting axe at arm's length and horizontal to the ground. Until 50 years ago or so, many people bragged about their backs being as straight as a ruler and sleeping on hard, flat beds. Simple physical activity straightens the back. People today use lumbar supporting curvy chairs because they have backs made of fat and rubber, not muscles. Chair equity.
A man could eat a lot more calories in those days without getting fat.
Bush Jr and a hamster or something similar? In 2004 the Kerry girls said their dad once gave mouth to mouth to a hamster. The Bush girls came on about a month later and said they once faced a similar situation, but the hamster didn't make it. No mouth to mouth for rodents in the Bush family.
I question the authenticity of the picture. It does not look genuine to me. Admittedly, I have no expertise in such matters.
My father, not one given to profanity, usually refrerred to him as Horseshit Truman when alone with me.
We have officially entered the "My vote for Joe Biden never happened" phase of the family political squabbles. Just like Schumer, when confronted about Biden's preemptive pardons for all of his cronies and asked about his comments on the issue of preemptive pardons said "we're looking at the future."
Well, installing Joe Biden as POTUS in 2020 with a gamed Democratic primary system is what got us here, and if you don't like it, look in a mirror.
"No mouth to mouth for rodents in the Bush family"...until they temporarily revived Biden in 2020.
Sure "we're looking at the future." You mean, "while we try to rewrite the past of nominee Hegseth."
Truman walked every day didn't he? I mean fast walking, and those brokedick old reporters had to keep up if they wanted any answers from him. His walking regime has been an inspiration for me but I don't think I could keep up either.
We just lived thru 4 years of Pure Leftist Evil.
Biden/Seig heil
Bush should be holding up a photo of Peanut.
I want the full force of the law used against Biden, his family, Liz Cheney, Adam Kinzinger, Adam Schitt, Pelosi, and most importantly - Gain of Function Fauci.
"Trump haters find solace in Bush...." We Obama/Biden haters find solace in Truman. We have to go a lot farther back in time to find a decent Democrat president.
Truman was a WWI combat veteran - field artillery, in the days when the artillery commander was his own spotter, up forward with the infantry. He was truly a macho, macho man.
JSM
I sent $50 to W’s campaign back when he was trying to win the nomination and got a beautiful Christmas card each year from him and Laura. We always looked forward to that.
I remember when I was a supporter of W. Now, being a Monday Morning Quarterback, I’m of the mind that his pressing of “the war on terror” went far beyond the justice the American people wanted after 9/11. Yes, Saddam was an evil sob, but was the war on Iraq worth the lives of our fallen men and women? Twenty odd years later all I see is a country that we “liberated” as a resentful and hate filled adversary of the USA. Like Afghanistan, the controlling legal authorities there say, “Yankee, go home!” Bush told us “Islam is a religion of peace.” Yeah, right. Thanks to Bush’s prosecuting the wars with Iraq and Afghanistan we now have the biggest Islamic invasion of Europe since the Middle Ages. Some victory, huh? Mission Accomplished, right? He must have a lot on his conscience and especially when he meets with the wounded and maimed veterans for those bicycle rides he use to take with them. Does he still do that? Well, being the “decider” has it’s consequences. I’m glad George W. Bush has a “happy place” to relax and reflect...and reflect...and reflect. It can’t be easy.
George W is looking like me: the hairline retreats as the belly embiggens.
that's right. and who knew he was so spunky in bathing trunks?
RE: Christmas cards from President Bush, my wife and I were at a family Christmas gathering while W was in office. My college professor brother-in-law was ranting (as usual) about how Bush and Cheney were war criminals and should be in jail. Somebody in the room said "Well, it's not like we get Christmas cards from them". My wife blurted out, "We do". The slack jaws and silence were priceless.
I think Bush has been careful to avoid claiming Never-Trumper status, even if he has indicated a lack of enthusiasm. I suspect that his discomfort is less a function of policy differences re the Deep State, etc., than with Trump's penchant for mockery and personal attacks that seem to charm his base. One cannot expect the patrician Bush family to be comfortable with populist sensibilities.
Wonder if the Bidens send out Christmas cards or just requests for money.
Jesus man, he is/was totally deep state. Dude should swing from a lamp post.
Truman beat Dewey...the piss out of him apparently.
Yes, Saddam was an evil sob, but was the war on Iraq worth the lives of our fallen men and women?
Removing a long-time regional problem while demonstrating the ability of the US military dominate a conventional battlefield is absolutely worth it.
Twenty odd years later all I see is a country that we “liberated” as a resentful and hate filled adversary of the USA.
The Iraq government permits us to base troops in their territory, and doesn't threaten its neighbors. They aren't our adversaries. We don't need to be best buddies, just not enemies. And much of the "hostility" is theatrics. Local and tribal politics mean certain games have to be played. It's no different than the behavior of European parties towards the US.
"You should invest in chinchilla ranching! Surefire way to get rich!"
We already heard "worse than Trump!!!" during the primaries, it will only get louder for whoever runs in 2028. The Dem will be "worse than Biden!", the Rep will be "worse than Trump", and there will be Strange New Respect for those candidate's predecessors in their party. Happens every time.
I hope Bush is doing OK. he has a sort of blank look in his eyes. He looked sorta out of it at the swearing in ceremony too. Has he gone back to drinking?
And I had doubts about the Truman pic but looked up others in the truman library, and yep that's Harry at 62 or so. Nice chest muscles for a guy who just went for a walk every day.
...and none of this sissy autoloading mechanized crap. You put your whole hand in that cannon, and you liked it.
Trump went to Bush 1's funeral and was solemn and dignified. It was a class move when most of us we're hoping for Trump to ruin the moment for these scumbags.
Bush is just going through the liberal/left standard "Oh, if we only had decent Republican President X, back, unlike that crazy stupid Hitler we have in office now".
Bush used to be chimp/Hitler as opposed to Sunny Ronnie Reagan. Reagan in office was a dumb warmonger compared to wise ol' Ike. Probably the only one who didn't get that treatment was Nixon. They hated him till the day he died.
One cannot expect the patrician Bush family to be comfortable with populist sensibilities.
Back in the day, GHWB was - according to the press - an ineffectual wimp, and later GWB was a bombastic cowboy. Neither was "patrician" (even though both were, by American standards). The rehabilitation of Republicans once they're out of office is endlessly entertaining, isn't it?
The liberal/left always put me in a bind. I didn't like Bush I or Bush II, but the leftwing MSM (but I repeat myself) was so hysterical and constant in their insults and attacks I naturally sided with them. Once they were out of office, I can look back and see awful they were. Both of them were liars. Bush I with his "No new taxes" and Bush II with his "Sadaam has WMD's". Both sabotaged Trump.
I read Bush 41 thought of Clinton as a son, and voted for Hillary. Bush 43 seems to have a Bromance with Obama. And a lot of Bushies were involved in sabotaging Trump in his first term.
Fortunately it was lazy and confused Keystone Kops evil, as led by DEI forces who couldn't keep their priorities straight or figure out which grievance group deserved priority.
"Now you be the best black, queer, female dictator the world has ever seen."
"Now you give poor immigrants all the resources we had reserved for poor black citizens."
Isn't W the biggest criminal fabrication of evidence giving Haliburton and KBR carte blanche in the Iraquistani wars killing millions and spending trillions??!!?!? I get how your shining City on the Hill nostalgia protects the Iranian arms dealer Reagan, but don't understand how a true blue Trump supporter can give George a pass.
Bushitler? It seems like only yesterday.
Much of Reddit went on a moral panic this week about banning X/Twitter links because, Nazis (of course).
I started using Reddit during Covid in 2020, and was happy to find a place with pretty open discussion on a wide range of interests. It's always been very left leaning, even in sport and entertainment subs, and I lived with that. But this week was extremely off-putting.
Everyone who suggested a live and let live approach, or spoke for free expression was called a Nazi. A photo of Musk with Israeli hostage family members was described a a Nazi posing with other Nazis. It was a perfect storm of intolerance, stupidity and hatred of Jews, and they congratulated themselves for being antifascists. I deleted the app from my phone. I'll still use the site for occasional tech or product advice, but the atmosphere for general discussion soured too much to continue.
GWB2 begat Obama, which Begat Biden as Obama2.
Nepo baby and family screw-up, who never held a job he where he actually worked in a responsible and productive manner. Can't ever forgive or forget that GWB2 ("Shrub") is responsible for Iraq War, Dept of Homeland Security, 2008 financial crisis, and letting Cheney be defacto president during his two terms in office.
Pretty pathetic when MSM lionizes him as some elder statesman, or figure of gentle rebuke towards Trump. We have Trump because of GWB2.
Perhaps worth noting that the evil and sadistic Saddam did not have an Islamic problem. The "winners" (if that word may be used) of Bush's war against Saddam was Shia cleric, Muqtada al-Sadr.
@MBJ Wolf, like Trump and like me Dubya and Laura were born in 1946, the fist year of the Baby Boom. All four of us are 78.
I don’t care if we can’t jail them, but can’t we at least force them to give up the bribe money they received?
Looks like a guy who’s not running anymore. I mean jogging. Of course he’s not running anymore.
The rehabilition of GW Bush on the left is a stunning political development of the 21st century. He was the "average" son of GHW Bush with a DUI revealed just before the election. He beat greenie saint Al Gore with a 5/4 Supreme Court ruling and hanging chads. Deep State warmonger Dick Cheney was routinely characterized as pure evil, and the Iraq "oil" invasion as proof that the US empire must be ended. Leftists threatened to leave the country (as they love to say but rarely do) back then too.
There is something predictably weird with leftist politics -- historical figures rise in value in their minds and what is old is "okay." After the Biden pause, Trump 47 is now tolerated by many and they understand what he was trying to say as Trump 45.
Thanks for the update Big Mike. My (faulty) recollection was that GWB was 58 when he left office (2001), which would have made him 82 or 83. That's exactly why I don't rely on my increasingly fuzzy memory for really important facts. Speaking of facts: there were so many Mikes in my family that my Dad (who just passed) was known as Big Mike, my brother-in-law was Michael and my initials served as my nickname. (In addition there was Little Mike my son and cousin Michael John who's son was Mikey.)
He did have an Islamic problem, which is part of why he was so brutal to the Iraqi populace. The problem is that it's not a long-term solution. He drove all Shia leadership into the arms of Iran, and destroyed his own society in the process.
In contrast, despite the problems Iraq has had since 2003, we've seen the Iraqi Shia leadership start to assert their independence from Iranian control. They may not every be hostile to it- certainly no more than, say, an American Catholic is towards the Pope- but they are increasingly willing to chart their own course.
The real blame for the mess in the Middle East falls on Clinton, for refusing to address the issue of Saddam back in the 90s, as well as Obama, who abandoned much of the US influence in the region in order to appease the Iranians, and who tried to impose regime change on Syria and Libya in the exact opposite way from Iraq: small numbers of troops and secret squirrel dipshits funding sketchy local groups.
My father always said Truman looked better in retrospect--he wasn't that much fun at the time.
My faith in humanity would be restored if the name of the little critter turns out to be Peanut.
With all due respect, I think that was Chimpy McBushitler.
Truman and the boys look like they're about ready to break out into "Y.M.C.A." Dewey was smart enough to avoid compromising photos like this one, but not smart enough to win the election.
Bush I stayed slim until his last years and then ballooned up. Bush II's following his dad on the path to Jabba the Hutt.
People hated Truman at the time. But there was a wave of nostalgia when the Truman died and the interview book Plain Speaking came out during Watergate. People came to think that Truman was at least honest and didn't make big money out of politics. Chicago (the musical group) even made a song and record about Harry. Since then, more and more of Harry's mistakes have come to light, but the thought that pro-Soviet Henry Wallace could have been president instead keeps Harry's reputation high.
Truman was in much better shape than I thought and W is starting to go to seed.
Dubya has been eating good. He may be slacking off on brush clearing at the ranch.
Funny
You married Truman. You dated JFK.
That is funny. I enjoyed seeing the Bush Christmas card & non Christmas cards at my Mom's and Stepdad's home.
His mudda was a hamster, and his fodda smelled of elderberries.
Letting in millions of illegals, shipping these illegals on airplanes -all hours of the night to every corner and city in our nation - while Biden/Democrats/Media denied it all.
That is massive level Soviet BS -that actually happened.
The cherry on top of their horror-show - is we the tax payer get to pay for it all.
Bush (the second) is a far more personable and likable as a person than the personally repugnant Trump, but Bush is a war criminal who lied to justify our invasion of Iraq. As president, he was ultimately responsible for the erection and maintenance of a network of prisons in several countries in which many untried and mostly innocent persons were held for years without trial or evidence, many (if not all) of those prisoners subject to repeated torture. Many of those we held and tortured were kidnapped for bounty. Bush and the myriad of other responsible key figures in his administration have escaped not just prosecution and imprisonment for their crimes, but even any long-lasting disgrace or harm to their reputations.
Still think Bush 2 worse than Trump 1. Hope Trump 2 not worse. I always take solace that Reagan ended on a high note after election night 1980 was the worst for me.
Douglas MacArthur and William Donovan were not Truman fan-boys. My own view is, he was kinda like Jimmy Carter with an attitude.
As for putting your hand in the cannon - lots of ordinary people face deadly hazards every day in their work. It's their job.
In the summer of 1962, I was the sole operator of a bad-ass beast of a machine that created racks of molded plastic ear tags for cattle. Every minute, the two halves of the machine would separate about a foot-and-a-half, exposing a single tab (HOT!) that I had 10 seconds to grab and remove before the machine slammed shut again. If your gloved hand slipped on the first grab, the second try better be mighty quick. Sometimes, you knew "mighty quick" was not going to be "quick enough".
When sanity screamed "NO", the machine retaliated by setting off loud alarms that set off an even more alarming foreman who rushed in from another room. My small workplace (just room for the machine, myself and the boxes behind me, where I stacked the ear tags) was tightly sealed because of the noise and heat from the machine).
It took about two hours and much cursing to get the machine running again. They didn't fire me because I was the "Fucking New Guy" and none of the others were going to take the job. I lasted the summer before heading back to college. I kinda got used to the possibility of having my hand crushed between two hunks of red-hot steel. Far worse was the lingering consequence of a "bad" fart in my tiny, hotter-than-hell room.
You got Islam, you got problems.
Bush II was creative, if nothing else: he invented the Crusade for the benefit of Muslims.
He and Cheney should be swinging from gibbets.
Truman turned my father's family from D to R but I never asked why. But they stayed so even for the fellow Irish Catholic so it was something deep enough. Then Bush 2 got my dad to finally vote D in his last election in '04 over the war.
"Truman turned my father's family from D to R but I never asked why...."
My father voted for Republicans — I wouldn't say he "was" a Republican — but he liked Truman... as a person, I think, but also for ending the war.
I think Korea, where my uncle was sent, had something to do with it.
I never heard my parents talk about the Korean War. By contrast, they were both in the army in WWII.
Since the reply function has been deprecated by the blogress, as James Taranto used to call her, I will go back to quote and reply, or "call and response" I guess.
"Bush (the second) is a far more personable and likable as a person than the personally repugnant Trump."
Maybe, just maybe, you should think about whether your response to Trump has to do with the way he has been presented to you by the media you favor, since you don't really seem to have a list of horrific crimes, which with regards to Bush, whom I once heartily defended on this blog, I agree.
I had to rethink a lot of things and my conscience will never be completely clear for having supported Bush Jr, McCain, and Romney. You should try examining your priors. A lot of leftists are rooting for Trump. It's almost a movement, kind of like in Alice's Restaurant.
Yes, of the three (I don't know about Big Mike) Laura is the youngest and Donald is the oldest. George is in between.
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