tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post4294927907451191657..comments2024-03-29T00:04:32.434-05:00Comments on Althouse: "I came with the idea of changing the tone in Washington, and frankly didn't do a very good job of it."Ann Althousehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01630636239933008807noreply@blogger.comBlogger165125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-78092872462523307082008-12-19T13:41:00.000-06:002008-12-19T13:41:00.000-06:00Parker was surprised: "Oh my good grief, who woul...Parker was surprised: "Oh my good grief, who would have suspected that you would be among the silly post-facto armchair generals?"<BR/><BR/>Actually, it wasn't ex post facto, it was contemporaneous. It was blatantly obvious at the time. We ejected Iraq from Kuwait with 450,000 troops. We had about half that number to control a huge country. Absurd. <BR/><BR/>But we all hoped for the best when our commander in chief said it was the plan. You know Marines, salute, and say "yes sir, yes sir, three bags full" and carry out the order.Skylerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10574746114813075566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-21874848578139386012008-12-19T11:56:00.000-06:002008-12-19T11:56:00.000-06:00Skyler,"In this case it means when the 4th ID is s...Skyler,<BR/><BR/>"<I>In this case it means when the 4th ID is stymied in Turkey, the war can be postponed.</I>"<BR/><BR/>Oh my good grief, who would have suspected that <I>you</I> would be among the silly post-facto armchair generals?Kirk Parkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05921711310191924997noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-54228741106468957652008-12-19T10:53:00.000-06:002008-12-19T10:53:00.000-06:00"I came with the idea of changing the tone in Wash..."I came with the idea of changing the tone in Washington, and frankly didn't do a very good job of it."<BR/><BR/>Wasn't his fault.Original Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01714345479248980398noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-5983435642557892062008-12-19T10:46:00.000-06:002008-12-19T10:46:00.000-06:00Well, I went over to Loafing Oaf's "test blog." It...Well, I went over to Loafing Oaf's "test blog." It seems he's not blogging about torture, either. Guess it's a boring topic--a big yawn!--to him.<BR/><BR/>Pfooey.reader_iamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17352836883752091339noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-81047266123666374442008-12-19T10:26:00.000-06:002008-12-19T10:26:00.000-06:00Sugar said... On September 12, 2001, if you would ...<I>Sugar said... <BR/>On September 12, 2001, if you would have promised the country that on this man's watch, no further terrorist attacks would hit our homeland, Congress would have immediately passed legislation to make Bush the fifth face on Mt. Rushmore.</I><BR/><BR/>I doubt it. <BR/><BR/>The "I don't care if everything else went bad, he Kept Us Safe" meme didn't exactly work with Mt Rushmore faces for Truman, Eisenhower, JFK, Nixon, or Reagan for their instrumental actions "Keeping Us All Safe" from a foe several thousand times more dangerous and lethal than Al Qaeda. <BR/><BR/>(We lost more Americans in the Cold War, annually, to conflict and actions facing the Bear and Chicoms and their proxies, in every Administration from Truman through Reagan's first term - than lost Americans on an annual basis from 9/11 or Bush's wars.)<BR/><BR/>Like it or not, there is far more to being the Chief Executive than a near-monomanical obsession with a small band of "Evildoers" capable of killing only a few hundred or thousand Americans, tops...<BR/>A CEO who ignores everything else to dwell on one aspect of the business they were hired to do is a short-lived CEO. Bush - if the Dems ran someone other than Kerry - or they could have had elections any month from early 2005 onwards, would have been fired.<BR/><BR/>He screwed up nearly everything else past "Evildoer" defense and failed to lead well even on that after 2002. <BR/><BR/>A face on Mt Rushmore for Bush would be like one for Jimmy Carter's die hard supporters liking him for just one thing. <BR/>"He may have screwed up everything else, but He Is Great because he brought morality back to DC after Watergate.)<BR/><BR/>Even in panic, post-9/11, people were urging Bush to calm down a little and put his "Evildoers" in perspective against the myriad of other threats and challenges to the American people, like....<BR/><BR/>The dangers of corruption in Congress and in companies and on Wall Street threatening America's future. Of greater dangers and challenges overseas than a small pack of 3,000 stateless jihadis.<BR/>A health care crisis that kills more Americans every year than "terrorist Evildoers" have done to the West in 40 years.<BR/><BR/>Of becoming fiscally reckless and failing to veto a single spending bill reaching his desk for 7 years.<BR/><BR/>Of out-doing LBJ and growing the Fed Gov't with no check on present taxes to pay for his proflagicy - just dumping deferred Bush taxes on future generations. For ignoring that he had proved that Reaganomics - tax cuts for the wealthy magically grow revenue, "Trickledown" makes workers prosperous, Free Trade creates great new American jobs replacing lost ones - that Reaganomics had failed to work by 2004.<BR/>For stuffing the Fed Gov't with incompetent hacks, anti-science theocrats. For failing to reconcile legal issues and trying to use his political capital to steamroller.<BR/>For helping destroy the Republican Party outside "The Base" States - narrowing, rather than broadening it's potential voter demographics.<BR/><BR/>Memorializing Bush II may be hard to "spot" appropriately for decades - until the impact of what positive things as well as the damage to and decline of America in his time is sorted out. He won't be on Mt Rushmore, obviously, but he won't be seen as only fit to have a sewage treatment plant in San Francisco named after, either..Cedarfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00602418702398818596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-59035191938253156112008-12-19T10:24:00.000-06:002008-12-19T10:24:00.000-06:00Bush apparently sat (slept?) through a briefing be...<I>Bush apparently sat (slept?) through a briefing before the storm where this was discussed but did not ask a single question.</I><BR/><BR/>Hell the governor of Louisiana was why not Bush?Hoosier Daddyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12872965118921894534noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-31839557975327156332008-12-19T09:43:00.000-06:002008-12-19T09:43:00.000-06:00When Mr. Bush says that no one anticipated the bre...<I>When Mr. Bush says that no one anticipated the breach of the levees in New Orleans, he is precisely correct. What was anticipated is that the levees might be OVERTOPPED.The difference in the 2 scenarios, incl. esp. the fact that damage from overtopping would have been much more limited, is too obvious to detail here.</I><BR/><BR/>Actually, you are wrong. The way the Lake Pontchartrain levees are constructed, overtopping (and yes you are technically correct, what everybody was worried about was that the levees would be overtopped) would have led to scouring on the land side of the levees followed by breaching. This would have been much worse than the flooding that did occur because it would have been much more rapid. In fact to illustrate what overtopping the levees would mean, earlier that spring one of the local agencies hung banners from second story windows in the French Quarter to demonstrate how high the water would rise if the Lake Pontchartrain levees were overtopped (and subsequently breached) by a hurricane storm surge. The storm surge from Katrina was 30 feet at Biloxi. If that surge had pushed against the levees at New Orleans--which are only 17 feet in places--the results would have been rapid and catastrophic overtopping of the levees followed by multiple breaches from scouring. Only because the storm turned slightly east at the last minute was New Orleans spared the full brunt of the storm. The local news repeatedly relayed this exact scenario starting Saturday morning. I know, I must have heard it a hundred times because I had the radio or television on that whole weekend as I prepared to evacuate and left town. <BR/><BR/>Bush apparently sat (slept?) through a briefing before the storm where this was discussed but did not ask a single question.Freder Fredersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01498410102809290399noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-33732361281661701732008-12-19T09:06:00.000-06:002008-12-19T09:06:00.000-06:00Mr. Frederson--When Mr. Bush says that no one anti...Mr. Frederson--<BR/><BR/>When Mr. Bush says that no one anticipated the breach of the levees in New Orleans, he is precisely correct. What was anticipated is that the levees might be OVERTOPPED.The difference in the 2 scenarios, incl. esp. the fact that damage from overtopping would have been much more limited, is too obvious to detail here. Nonetheless, you and many people like the Wash Posts's Eugene Robinson have used Mr. Bush's indisputably correct statement as an example of his stupidity.This is one small example of how the passsage of time may yet confirm what he said, and directly contradict what you say.He was right; you are wrong.Arthurhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13896950270544996023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-82281279880988079592008-12-19T08:50:00.000-06:002008-12-19T08:50:00.000-06:00I disagree with many of the things Bush has done, ...<I>I disagree with many of the things Bush has done, but I still hold him in very high regard. </I><BR/><BR/>This is my opinion exactly. I think he made some bad decisions policy wise and personnel wise, but he seems like a fundamentally decent man to me. A man with honor, hokey as that sounds.Shannahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15709594638793030086noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-73230612347246811572008-12-19T08:37:00.000-06:002008-12-19T08:37:00.000-06:00Theo, check out zombietime and you'll see quite a ...Theo, check out <A HREF="http://www.google.com/search?client=safari&rls=en&q=site:zombietime.com+communist&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8" REL="nofollow">zombietime</A> and you'll see quite a bit of activity from communist organizations who openly use the term communist.Kyloshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04209978297037782885noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-70843830083772891992008-12-19T08:35:00.000-06:002008-12-19T08:35:00.000-06:00The choices we were given were Bush vs. Gore and B...<I>The choices we were given were Bush vs. Gore and Bush vs. Kerry. Given those choices today I would STILL vote for Bush.</I><BR/><BR/>I think that sums up my feelings toward the Bush presidency. Considering how lackluster he was as a candidate, it boggles the mind that Gore/Kerry was the best the Democrat party could come up with.<BR/><BR/>It was almost as if they DIDN'T want to win.Hoosier Daddyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12872965118921894534noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-29789608119792431342008-12-19T08:33:00.000-06:002008-12-19T08:33:00.000-06:00I have found that in order to have good decision-m...<I>I have found that in order to have good decision-making and a White House that functions well, that the President needs to articulate a set of principles from which he will not defer.</I><BR/><BR/>That is a profoundly important point. I hope Obama is listening.<BR/><BR/>Sadly, Bush's principles were deep, but not broad.<BR/><BR/>Still, his decision --on principle -- to stay in Iraq and support Petraeus as the mob clamored for retreat was an act of great political courage.Henryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14520113896946845614noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-43421338791530579432008-12-19T08:27:00.000-06:002008-12-19T08:27:00.000-06:00Roger, sorry about the loss of your dog. At 62 yea...Roger, sorry about the loss of your dog. At 62 years of age, I find myself going to a lot of funerals. Went to another one yesterday.AllenShttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08848966772462502893noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-31710488659092803032008-12-19T08:15:00.000-06:002008-12-19T08:15:00.000-06:00The choices we were given were Bush vs. Gore and B...The choices we were given were Bush vs. Gore and Bush vs. Kerry. Given those choices today I would STILL vote for Bush.<BR/><BR/>Kerry is an empty suit and Gore is a borderline lunatic who embarrasses himself every time he opens his mouth.ballyfagerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16946523913002020541noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-28821833967697622502008-12-19T08:13:00.000-06:002008-12-19T08:13:00.000-06:00Roger J., I'm late to the conversation but my cond...Roger J., I'm late to the conversation but my condolences on the loss of your pet.Hoosier Daddyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12872965118921894534noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-61672679805582615422008-12-19T08:12:00.000-06:002008-12-19T08:12:00.000-06:00On September 12, 2001, if you would have promised ...On September 12, 2001, if you would have promised the country that on this man's watch, no further terrorist attacks would hit our homeland, Congress would have immediately passed legislation to make Bush the fifth face on Mt. Rushmore. This country has the memory of Dori from Finding Nemo.<BR/><BR/>The guy deals with more real world, life and death, SERIOUS CRAP before lunch each day than 99% of his libtard critics deal with in their whole pathetic lives.<BR/><BR/>I guess that's one of the great things about this country. Disingenuous ingrates are allowed to mock and ridicule a man who wakes up every day fighting for them. But it's the man who is fighting that makes this country great. Not the chihuahuas nipping at his heels.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01849431891183555818noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-43733773679397892762008-12-19T08:10:00.000-06:002008-12-19T08:10:00.000-06:00To All President Bush haters, pot belly, vane, dum...To All President Bush haters, pot belly, vane, dumb, inarticulate, sneaky, and all the other colorful words you can think of, the fact is, he kept your fat asses safe so you could speak and write things like this. This man tried. BHO will protect HIS ass for sure, I doubt he's really interested in protecting yours. You ALL owe President Bush a dept of gratitude.Brookehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08478712697352050769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-80993174386817611692008-12-19T07:56:00.000-06:002008-12-19T07:56:00.000-06:00Theo said: "There is no longer a vast internation...Theo said: "There is no longer a vast international semi-clandestine organization run from Moscow that largely subsumed the name "Communist.""<BR/><BR/>That's a wild leap of faith. Back in the thirties, forties and fifties people were saying the same thing, yet we now have uncontrovertible proof that they were there. Ayers and company were certainly in that group. There's no reason to think that all of this simply vanished.<BR/><BR/>It much easier to assume that they began working through the democrat party. Not all democrats are communists, of course, but especially for the past six years they have been in almost total control of that party.Skylerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10574746114813075566noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-29824062154870679762008-12-19T07:49:00.000-06:002008-12-19T07:49:00.000-06:00Body language says a lot. He looks beaten down.Body language says a lot. He looks beaten down.kjbehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02205930548533839170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-29592423226952409472008-12-19T07:24:00.000-06:002008-12-19T07:24:00.000-06:00William F Buckley used to slump during interviews....William F Buckley used to slump during interviews. Looked awful when he did it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-56882676762208725672008-12-19T07:03:00.000-06:002008-12-19T07:03:00.000-06:00Skyler: Good observations re the military aspects...Skyler: Good observations re the military aspects of the war and Petraeus. You obviously know what you're talking about.<BR/><BR/>Blue Collar Todd: I have no problem calling someone a Marxist, which certainly applies to Ayers, for example. There are Marxists of all stripes everywhere, some, for example, more idiotic than others, who comment here.<BR/><BR/>No, my point is that the word "Communism" has taken on the meaning left to us by its 20th century manifestation: The international movement initially largely controlled and financed by the Soviet Union and its agencies, such as the Comintern. That is the classic meaning people associate with various Red Scares, the fellow-travelers of the 1930's, the McCarthy era, etc., etc.<BR/><BR/>There is no longer a vast international semi-clandestine organization run from Moscow that largely subsumed the name "Communist." That is as dead as the Whigs of the 18th century. It seems faintly ridiculous these days to call someone a Communist, as if that would conjure up all those old associations with a truly dangerous international conspiracy.<BR/><BR/>I think a more accurate and telling term today is simply "Marxist." To me, at least, that may be more a term of derision than fear, because of the manifest and hideous failures of classic Marxist-Leninist philosophy in actual practice. Anyone who believes in Marxist-Leninism after the 20th century, and who thus is a Communist in my sense of the word, is an obvious fool, and so much less dangerous than he or she might have been 60 or 70 years ago.<BR/><BR/>Anyone who believes in Marxism without Lenin may or may not be dangerous or a fool, but I think we need to call that on a case-by-case basis, and not use a term that conjures up the ghost of Uncle Joe and his vanished minions in Moscow.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-48036250424483056572008-12-19T06:50:00.000-06:002008-12-19T06:50:00.000-06:00Worst.President.Ever.Worst.President.Ever.American Liberal Elitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01825437003662822978noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-87643234493463728792008-12-19T05:34:00.000-06:002008-12-19T05:34:00.000-06:00"George W Bush the torturer"Frankly, if that's wha..."George W Bush the torturer"<BR/><BR/>Frankly, if that's what it's taken to keep us safe - something the report is ultimately ambiguous about - then here's someone hoping Obama does it even better.<BR/><BR/>Get a clue about the real world.Host with the Mosthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17688942020227316003noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-24955673397015914882008-12-19T01:54:00.000-06:002008-12-19T01:54:00.000-06:00It's true the Bush years have been relatively scan...It's true the Bush years have been relatively scandal free. Myself, I'm happy with the way Bush has conducted the WoT, but I'm not happy at all with the way he allowed spending to get out of control. NCLB and Medicare prescription drug benefits are, frankly, statist programs that should never have happened under a Republican. The effects of the drunken spending spree the Republican and later Democratic Congresses went on will be felt for generations. Far longer than Iraq and Afghanistan.<BR/><BR/>Then the bank bailouts. That had been building since the CRA under Carter, but Bush deserves his share of the blame for continuing the policy of artificially inflating the percentage of American homeowners. I still can't decide if he knew what was coming and decided to kick the can into 2009, or if he was really caught flatfooted.Erichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10330712047609650184noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6329595.post-47633400231598789782008-12-19T01:38:00.000-06:002008-12-19T01:38:00.000-06:00Frankly, I suspect Bush drank before this intervie...Frankly, I suspect Bush drank before this interview. He actually slurs his speech a bit. And how does he have a pot belly when he's such a fan of exercise? From the drink! I'd probably drink too, if I was leaving as big a mess behind as he is. <BR/><BR/>HArd to feel sorry for him, though. He had a policy of torture. The report came out this week, though Althouse didn't find it blog-worthy.LoafingOafhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17398399168775034527noreply@blogger.com