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Ear to the Ground

Bush Faces Rare Criticism at Forum

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Posted on Apr 6, 2006
Harry_Taylor
From crooksandliars.com

Harry Taylor tells Bush at a packed Charlotte open forum: “I have never felt more ashamed of, nor more frightened by my leadership in Washington, including the presidency.... I feel like despite your rhetoric, that compassion and common sense have been left far behind during your administration.”

At a North Carolina open forum, a man named Harry Taylor rose and told the president: “I would hope from time to time that you have the humility and the grace to be ashamed of yourself inside yourself.” (video)

Washington Post:

CHARLOTTE, April 6—Harry Taylor got the chance Thursday to do what frustrated liberals across the country have wanted to do for a long time: He stood up and told off the president.

And in its own way, that’s just what the White House wanted.

President Bush flew here for the latest of his open-forum events, an innovation for a leader who until recently stuck to scripted meetings with screened audiences. At a time of dwindling public support and of charges of Bush’s being isolated, the idea was to put him in front of crowds for spontaneous exchanges to show he is not afraid of criticism.

By the time Bush landed in Charlotte, these audience-participation sessions had produced some skeptical questions, some interesting back-and-forth, and even a few off-script comments by a famously disciplined president.

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By G. P. Vaughan, April 11, 2006 at 4:20 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Definite plant, Bush is NEVER that composed when confronted.  Anybody check on Harry?  Well rehearsed, though!

Report this

By C. M. Baxter, April 9, 2006 at 5:46 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

Mr. Bush eschews public confrontations with his detractors (such forums are usually screened and choreographed before hand) unless, of course, those of the public whose opinions he has adopted surround him.  A good example of this was his “open- forum” meeting with citizens of Charlotte, NC on April 6th.  Since Bush carried the state in both elections, the meeting was, according to one reporter, a “love fest” until a man named Harry Taylor rose and calmly, politely and succinctly leveled his grievances at the president.  Bush interrupted him saying, “I’m not your favorite guy,” which brought a burst of laughter from an audience more fitting for the Jerry Springer Show.  Unruffled, Mr. Taylor continued his statement amid the shouts and boos of the audience until Bush magnanimously commanded them to “Let’im speak.” What struck me about this incident was Bush’s response, not to Mr. Taylor, (he gave Taylor no response) but to the audience.  As I watched I could plainly see Mr. Bush drawing courage not from some inner source but directly form the crowd of hecklers.  He was safe.  He didn’t have to be afraid of Mr. Taylor because the audience was…I almost wrote “behind him” but I’ll change that…because the audience was in front of him, between Taylor’s stated grievances and his, Bush’s, responsibility to reply in an “open-forum” that he himself had chosen to conduct.  Let’s suppose, just for fun, that the audience had not laughed at the president’s remark but had remained quietly attentive while Mr. Taylor spoke.  Suppose that they had then turned to the president, awaiting his response.  That would have left Mr. Bush and Mr. Taylor standing face to face with nothing but silence between them.  No audience, no distractions; just silence.  How long would that silence have lasted and what would have been the president’s reply?  Would he have giggled stupidly as in the real meeting?  And how magnanimous would he have been toward his opponent with an audience that needed no shushing?

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By Ron Harwell, April 9, 2006 at 11:08 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Everyone is missing the point about this “critic”. All these events are carefully staged so there can be no dissidents, protesters, or opposition to Bush hitting the spotlight. This was planned and allowed to happen. This is more PR to indicate Bush is in charge. The man was a plant, that is all and as the mid-term elections draw near, as the ‘08 election closes, there will be more “critics” in the crowd asking those really “tough” questions. He has given the finger more than once to the press and is doing that daily to all of us. Don’t buy into this show.

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By Ricardo Palacio, April 9, 2006 at 5:55 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Great Harry! I admire your courage. You are articulate and bright, and know what shame and grace mean. Too bad Bush doesn’t have a clue. Arrogance does that. Thank you for speaking up.

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By David, April 7, 2006 at 1:06 pm #
(Unregistered commenter)

http://thankyouharrytaylor.org/

I left my message at
10:16AM Friday - 2510 messages
11:10AM Friday - 2880 messages +370
12:16PM Friday - 3220 Messages +340
12:41PM Friday - 3330 Messages +110
1:42PM Friday - 3610 Messages +280

Report this

By felicity smith, April 7, 2006 at 10:52 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

#6724 Did Harry say he was a liberal?  I must have missed it.  Talk about “sticking your head in the sand”.  I think you meant that accusation for Mr. Bush who was fully informed by Clinton etal of the terrorist threat to this nation and disregarded it because it came from the Clinton administration.  Remember, 9/11 happened on the Bush watch not the Clinton watch. As far as the war we’re in, who started it? Neat trick that.  Start a war with the Iraqi people who were never the enemy and then declare you’re protecting the American people from the terrorists none of whom were Iraqis, but a few certainly are by now.  Confused yet?

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By C. M. Baxter, April 7, 2006 at 9:01 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Hey, Larry:  AARRGG!  Maybe someday BUSH and his friends will wake up and realize that we are at war.

Nancy:  What is actually revealed by both speakers in this exchange is the fact that it is psychologically impossible to extricate one’s self from one’s own character.  And Bush’s character is clearly revealed in the contrast as that of a vulgar, morally repugnant, Texas beer-joint big mouth.  I do, however, agree with the “smirking monkey” description.

Been there, done that, Larry?  Huh?

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By Halsey, April 7, 2006 at 8:55 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

America desperately needs more people like Harry Taylor to stand up and demand accountability of this Administration.

Our Founding Fathers would be proud of Mr. Taylor. I know that I am.

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By Roger Drowne EC, April 7, 2006 at 8:39 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Hello Harry

Use ( HARRY / ROCKWELL ) image at…

http://www.RogerART.com

Any way U Like

Thank U 4

Getting Up, Standing Up, Jumping Up

4 All OUR Rights

As they say in Vermont,

You R A Piss-A

Report this

By lynn, April 7, 2006 at 6:54 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

So maybe a tactic is to disguise oneself as a supporter to get into the pre-screened audience, then stand up and fire off criticism? What if hundreds of people did so?

Report this

By nancy simmons, April 7, 2006 at 6:33 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

What a smirking monkey! Bush arrogance coupled with his ignorance of the lives of real people in this country is totally revealed in this exchange. Way to go Harry--I salute you-A true patriot!

Report this

By Larry, April 7, 2006 at 6:32 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Poor Harry and his liberal friends would rather
have someone like Clinton who “stuck his head
in the sand” and ignored terrorists for 8 years.
War’s execution is never perfect in fact it is
always ugly but maybe someday Harry and his friends will wake up and realize that we ARE at war and be thankful that we have a president who is more
concerned with protecting Americans than what
others may think of us.

Report this

By Delia, April 7, 2006 at 5:50 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Of course he’s “not afraid of criticism"--he doesn’t even HEAR it.

I love the slobbery-wet-kiss style of the WAPo’s report:
“And in its own way, that’s just what the White House wanted.”—right. They LOVE it when Bush is exposed to the real world, as he’s such a skilled debater…
“famously disciplined”—try “incredibly aloof.”

Report this

By John Mahoney, April 7, 2006 at 5:29 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

Good on you, Harry.

I hope you haven’t made the Secret Service’s Little List of Domestic Suspects & Threats.

Report this

By sherri, April 7, 2006 at 12:10 am #
(Unregistered commenter)

I totally agree with Harry. However asking someone with no morals if they sometimes are ashamed was a waste of breath. GREAT JOB HARRY!

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