• Bush Jr. Weighs In On Trump Presidency, Calling Press 'Indispensable To Democracy'
    33 replies, posted
[URL="http://www.npr.org/2017/02/27/517547987/bush-weighs-in-on-trump-presidency-calling-press-indispensable-to-democracy"]Sauce[/URL] [video=youtube;2AWuhq1AR2k]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AWuhq1AR2k&feature=youtu.be[/video] [QUOTE]Lauer noted that President Bush — who took the country to war in Iraq and who presided over an economic crisis — faced plenty of criticism from the media while in office. Lauer asked Bush, "Did you ever consider the media to be the enemy of the American people?" Bush chuckled and then answered: "I consider the media to be indispensable to democracy. We need an independent media to hold people like me to account. Power can be very addictive. And it can be corrosive. And it's important for the media to call to account people who abuse their power, whether it be here or elsewhere." Bush noted that he spent a lot of time trying to persuade Russian President Vladimir Putin to accept the notion of an independent press. That led to an exchange about the controversies involving Russia's alleged attempts to influence the 2016 presidential election, including reports of contacts between top Trump campaign officials and the Russians. Asked whether he would like a special prosecutor to look into the issue, Bush said: "First of all, I think we all need answers — whether or not the special prosecutor is the way to go or not, you're talking to the wrong guy." Bush stressed that he is not a lawyer, so he wouldn't weigh in on the best approach, but on the reports about Russia and the election, he did say, "I am sure, though, that that question needs to be answered." [/QUOTE]
I can't believe we elected someone that makes Bush look like a good president.
While he's certainly right, I really don't think George W. should be talking about journalistic integrity and the indispensable nature of the media [URL="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Gannon"]when his own administration 'planted' a journalist belonging to an ersatz news organization owned by the GOP (Who before he got WH press credentials had no affiliations with any newspaper, and no background in journalism) to ask soft questions at white house press conferences so that the President could evade difficult ones when he ordered the invasion of Iraq against the UNSC's decision in 2003.[/URL] Christ, that was a long sentence.
[QUOTE=Helix Snake;51883723]I can't believe we elected someone that makes Bush look like a good president.[/QUOTE] What a (depressing) time to be alive!
[QUOTE=Helix Snake;51883723]I can't believe we elected someone that makes Bush look like a good president.[/QUOTE] considering the shit he had to deal with he wasn't that awful
[QUOTE=Saturn V;51883784]considering the shit he had to deal with he wasn't that awful[/QUOTE] I'm gonna take a hard-disagree on this one my man. He was one of the worst, for sure. Trump might best him in shittiness, though, time will tell. He looks better than Trump, but let's keep ourselves honest here: Bush Jr. was terrible.
I literally miss Bush now. For all the crap that he stirred up when he was POTUS at least he actually acted like, you know, a human being. Flawed as hell, but at least he was trying. EDIT: Hell he even was able to laugh at himself a bit when Stephen Colbert roasted him at a White House dinner. What's Trump doing at the upcoming one? Staying at home. WTF
Did he just try to pin the blame of pulling out of Iraq on Obama when Obama stuck to a date that Bush's administration set?
[QUOTE=TheTalon;51883811]Did he just try to pin the blame of pulling out of Iraq on Obama when Obama stuck to a date that Bush's administration set?[/QUOTE] Yeah, he totally did.
[QUOTE=HappyCompy;51883800]I'm gonna take a hard-disagree on this one my man. He was one of the worst, for sure. Trump might best him in shittiness, though, time will tell. He looks better than Trump, but let's keep ourselves honest here, Bush Jr. was terrible.[/QUOTE] yeah he made some terrible fucking choices but what could you do in that political climate
[QUOTE=Saturn V;51883828]yeah he made some terrible fucking choices but what could you do in that political climate[/QUOTE] Lol, not what he did, that's for sure. Katrina? [I]Fuckin' yikes.[/I]
[QUOTE=HappyCompy;51883836]Lol, not what he did, that's for sure. Katrina? [I]Fuckin' yikes.[/I][/QUOTE] IIRC wasnt that actually because of the mayor of New Orleans or the Governor?
[QUOTE=AaronM202;51883856]IIRC wasnt that actually because of the mayor of New Orleans or the Governor?[/QUOTE] They share the blame, for sure. Bush was on vacation when Katrina slammed into N.O., and chilled there for two more days until his aides pressured him to take action. Then, he decided not to actually go to N.O. and visit, instead opting to fly over it in Air Force One. This coupled with the slow federal, state, and local response time crushed him image. Then, even as FEMA was failing to adequately respond to the crisis, Bush tells its head he's doing a "heck of a job" (the head of FEMA was later forced out of his job). Bush was out of pretty touch and limp-wristed throughout the crisis, and certainly didn't respond decisively like the situation called for.
He's definitely treading lightly with those responses, that's for sure. GWB is a GOP man first and foremost, at least.
[QUOTE=Helix Snake;51883723]I can't believe we elected someone that makes Bush look like a good president.[/QUOTE] tbh bush jr has always been a cool dude, just not pres material
"we need an independent media to hold people like me to account ... it's important for the media to call to account people who abuse their power"
I mean, Bush JR wasn't a good president, but I think he's got a good heart under it all, and he's a pretty smart guy when he's within his realm of knowledge. Unfortunately a good heart doesn't mean a good president, since his realm of knowledge isn't encompassing enough for the level a president needs imo.
[QUOTE=F.X Clampazzo;51884222]I mean, Bush JR wasn't a good president, but I think he's got a good heart under it all, and he's a pretty smart guy when he's within his realm of knowledge. Unfortunately a good heart doesn't mean a good president, since his realm of knowledge isn't encompassing enough for the level a president needs imo.[/QUOTE] [QUOTE=Wii60;51884181]tbh bush jr has always been a cool dude, just not pres material[/QUOTE] presiding over torture of civilians and suspected criminals never charged yeah, what a cool guy!!
I'd have a beer with him
[QUOTE=bitches;51884226]presiding over torture of civilians and suspected criminals never charged yeah, what a cool guy!![/QUOTE] yeah hes a bad president which is why i said hes a cool dude but not president material because of stuff like that, being the leader of the world makes you do dumb shit if your not prepared for it.
w. was always a chill guy [media]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jx7a3leZJJI[/media]
[QUOTE=bitches;51884226]presiding over torture of civilians and suspected criminals never charged yeah, what a cool guy!![/QUOTE] Sounds pretty cool to me
This is not Trump "making Bush look good," this is Bush making Bush look good with a lot of soft spin and people wearing the most [I]bizarre[/I] set of nostalgia goggles they can find. The moment Bush Jr. left office, he did the thing plenty of presidents do, and suddenly became a "good person, with a good heart," who only seems to say things that are popular and socially palatable. Almost like he's no longer a career politician who has to make weird compromises between party platform and personal belief. Never mind this pretty good post, [QUOTE=archangel125;51883737]While he's certainly right, I really don't think George W. should be talking about journalistic integrity and the indispensable nature of the media [URL="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_Gannon"]when his own administration 'planted' a journalist belonging to an ersatz news organization owned by the GOP (Who before he got WH press credentials had no affiliations with any newspaper, and no background in journalism) to ask soft questions at white house press conferences so that the President could evade difficult ones when he ordered the invasion of Iraq against the UNSC's decision in 2003.[/URL] Christ, that was a long sentence.[/QUOTE] Plenty of Old Guard Republicans are shilling this retroactive belief that they've always stood for and by the press, when the Free Press they stand for is the Fox News and CNN sort of press. Big, Corporate, Spin-doctored and unquestionably agenda driven. (Not to be confused with Small, Corporate, Spin-doctored and unquestionably agenda driven, like Brietbart and Jacobin.) People on both sides are busy latching on to this, "Trump's a threat to Freedom of Speech" meme with all the tenacity and furor they can, but if you don't think there are clear motives behind these actions that go well beyond some idealistic, altruistic support of Free Press, then you're absolutely misguided in my opinion.
[QUOTE=bitches;51884226]presiding over torture of civilians and suspected criminals never charged yeah, what a cool guy!![/QUOTE] I mean you can argue that drone strikes under Obama knowingly caused civilian casualties. In the position of presidency, you're going to have to do some terrible things. Does this make what Bush did right? Nah, not at all. But its not like every other president hasn't done equally awful things. But every president has done terrible awful things, you don't have to try and make a smug zinger when people try and say that Bush seems like an okay guy to them though.
Going to be honest, I'd have done just as bad if not worse in Bush's position. I'm not going to justify war but I can't say I'd have done better. That would be naive of me.
[QUOTE=Crazy Ivan;51884488 [B]People on both sides are busy latching on to this, "Trump's a threat to Freedom of Speech" meme[/B] with all the tenacity and furor they can, but if you don't think there are clear motives behind these actions that go well beyond some idealistic, altruistic support of Free Press, then you're absolutely misguided in my opinion.[/QUOTE] You don't think there is anything behind Trump stating that the "fake news media is the enemy of the people"?
[QUOTE=bitches;51884226]presiding over torture of civilians and suspected criminals never charged yeah, what a cool guy!![/QUOTE] Lemme know how your turn at "leader of world superpower" goes when it's your turn then yeah? Name a world leader who you think didn't do something shitty whether it was their intention or not at some point in their career and I'll gladly call you a liar. Not that it matters since my point was literally "he was a bad president but I think he has good intentions" but you're pretty keen to, whether intentionally or out of ignorance, misinterpret my post anyway so whatever I suppose.
Wow, he's so coherent.
I'll never miss Bush, but I agree with him here.
makes you wonder how many years it will take for liberals to look back on trump like he was a well-meaning oaf
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