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Ear to the Ground

Talking Points Celebrate Bush’s 8 Wonderful Years

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Posted on Dec 9, 2008
White House / Eric Draper

Putting a positive spin on George W. Bush’s two terms in office is no easy feat, which is why the White House has sent out a two-page memo detailing the president’s numerous achievements, including his protection of “the honor and the dignity of his office,” whatever that means.


Los Angeles Times:

Titled “Speech Topper on the Bush Record,” the talking points state that Bush “kept the American people safe” after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, lifted the economy after 2001 through tax cuts, curbed AIDS in Africa and maintained “the honor and the dignity of his office.”

The document presents the Bush record as an unalloyed success.

It mentions none of the episodes that detractors say have marred his presidency: the collapse of the housing market and major financial services companies, the flawed intelligence in the run-up to the Iraq war, the federal response to Hurricane Katrina or the abuse of prisoners at Abu Ghraib.

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By samosamo, December 10, 2008 at 2:32 pm Link to this comment

By titanbite, December 10 at 7:35 am

You have totally missed the point and must have slept away the past 8 years and more. There was NO WAY the republicans were going to lose the 2000 election, they were taking it by hook or crook. And they did with the criminal help of those 5 goddamn supreme court justices that STOPPED the florida recount when little w’s lead dropped to just 154 votes. These 5 justices using orwellian doublespeak decided that to continue the recount would do irreppreiable(sp) harm to the petitioner(little w) if it contined. Meaning w would have lost. So in a phrase, w was not elected by the people, he was appointed by a criminal supreme court where all 5 of those justices that stopped the vote should be spending some very hard prison time for their crime.
And there is far too much evidence of the voter fraud of the electronic voting machines and the Ohio sec of state’s actions to disrupt the demoract’s districts to subvert those votes to once again to let little w become president. And I say ‘become’ because if anyone with some real balls investigated this AND took these people to court, there would again be some very well earned hard prison time for a lot of people. Personally, I would have sentenced them to death.
When an organization such as a political party gets organized because they did not like being kept out of power, all they have to do is quietly step back, create groups with fancy names(think tanks)(heritage, hoover, cato….) and then spend a few years or decades coming up with well thought out plans for TAKING power no matter what, then unless you admit and wise up to what was going on and do the same to counter what ever they were plotting, schemming and developing which is a very weak point of the democrats you and everybody deserve to lose what was once thought of as a well functioning society.
So your little outburst of anxiety which has some merit misses the points of why for and how whens. And yes the people are guilty of letting such a rotten sore fester and break loose like the w & dick administration did but we all slept and did not pay attention and are now paying for it big time. You will just have to try and live through this just like everybody else. Count the MSM heavily in this subversion of our government, count it and treat it as a highest priority for correction as any other aspect of what is wrong in this country.

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By Grousefeather, December 10, 2008 at 9:15 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

The Republicans are past masters of putting lipstick on a pig. Just look at the way they’ve lionized Ronald Reagan, who was nothing more than a dunce, has an airport and an aircraft carrier named after him. Before it’s all said and done, George W. Bush will have his face on Mount Rushmore.

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By titanbite, December 10, 2008 at 8:35 am Link to this comment

Ahh legacies don’t we love them? Well george W.Bush will be remembered in a very special way for me I’ll always remember him for BORROWING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS FROM MOHAMED BIN LADEN IN the 1980’s YES OSAMA BIN LADEN’S FATHER LOANED MONEY TO DUBYA AND HE NEVER PAID IT BACK arbushto harken sound familiar they should the two oil companies that dubya bankrupted and mohamed bin laden bankrolled to the tune of three hundred million dollars and he was never repaid after the bankruptcy ya think osama may have wanted his money back? since it was his money that his father would have left him in his will I think so this is dubya’s legacy lies cheats and swindles I wonder what the next ten years will bring of course I knew this all along and I would never vote for a bush ever why didn’t the american people know? or if they did why did they vote for him? that’s easy to answer they are MORONS and if you voted for bush even once you didn’t think or research your vote because you would have known like I did what dubya was all about and you would not have voted the way you did so DO NOT VOTE EVER AGAIN YOU ARE THE #&*$@*$ MORON I SPEAK OF THANKS ALOT YOU LAZY MORONS do some research before you vote everyone if you don’t you will be the next cause of disaster to this country and if you voted twice for bush castrate yourself you should avoid polluting the country with your equally moronic spawn and spare the common sense people in this country from having to clean up your ideological cesspool overflow we of sound mind and body are SICK of watching our country go down the tubes because some of us do not possess the intelligence to weigh the negative aspects of a candidate against how these negativities will affect their ability to LEAD our NATION to success and NOT vote on how successful they would be at progressing the ONE issue that you feel is important and look what that got you NOTHING abortions are up intelligent design is NOT in public schools you CAN"T go to a christian school on the public dole gay people are getting MARRIED at a faster rate than ever before and now we all know dubya LIED about weapons of mass destruction let’s take a look at what you did get for your dumbass vote HUGE governmental agencies got bigger under bush big business got bigger to the point that they’re too big to pay for thier own mistakes under bush public schools are failing because thats what dubya wanted remember you hired someone who claimed they HATE government and then MADE IT BIGGER only morons do things like this and some did it TWICE so PLEASE stop going to the poles to vote our country

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By thebeerdoctor, December 10, 2008 at 4:58 am Link to this comment

You see it comes down to this: W needs a legacy. Never mind that the entire narrative is fictional (it is not stable enough to even be called mythology) the talking points crowd has their marching orders. Remember the Goebbels method: keep lying, keep lying, eventually this crap will stick.

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By Outraged, December 10, 2008 at 1:30 am Link to this comment

Article quote: “The document presents the Bush record as an unalloyed success.

Although I’ve “heard” it is now passe’ to use the acronym LOL.  Still, I just have to say…..LOL!...LOL!....LOL!

Does anyone have a better acronym?..... I challenge you.  Sure, one could say WTF?... but that isn’t quite accurate, because of course WE KNOW “WTF” HAPPENED.  I thought about…IMHO..but, there again it seems OPINION isn’t fact… and well,,, the FACTS are obvious.  It is possible to be “less” humble and claim IMO, but… come to think of it… is “IMO”... LESS humble than “IMHO”, no, no, it isn’t.  At least not IMHO...

So…apparently girls and boys, Bush “wasn’t so bad”.  I guess they thought they’d “let us know”.  Thanks guys…. I’m confident we’ll be forever indebted to you for your insight… or was that in IYHO ....

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By samosamo, December 9, 2008 at 8:35 pm Link to this comment

Keep the country safe??!! The probability of his complicity in the 9/11 attack is far too high to grant any such thing. And just how financially safer are we after his treasonous economic policies. This prick should be the ace of spades in the card deck of terrorts with dick the joker, rumsfeld the king, rice the queen, and rove the jack of no trades.
Little w could not be a sane man, anyone having done what he has done would have long ago put a bullet through his brain but then again we are talking about someone on the take and without a conscience.

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By purplewolf, December 9, 2008 at 7:22 pm Link to this comment

knute: I would not call Bush and his rich friends income bracket as a wage bracket. A wage is something a person earns in return for some type of work done for an employer. To many of these “rich” ones never honestly earned one red cent in their lives, rather it is from old family money and corrupt business opportunities.

Robert: I get most of my news from BBCAmerica. This country(America) does not reveal much of the the news as it once used to, before the current administration and all of the censorship that has gone on since their reign, let alone honest accurate news. Also the people may think they are safer with the cctv’s, is this something they believe or is it actual fact? Having experience with some of the people who are hired to monitor the screens for this type of camera, I lack faith that they truly help in an emergency or do their jobs efficiently. However, the British people may be more observant while preforming their jobs of monitoring these screens. There is potential for good with the use of these cameras, but it is true that there could be much abuse also.

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By William deB. Mills, December 9, 2008 at 4:45 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Just to tick off a couple of points from a, shall we say, less biased, perspective than Bush’s own self-image, I might (briefly, here) mention:
1. the stain on America’s soul of treating nuclear wars of choice as legitimate policy options will for the rest of our lives undermine efforts to build a peaceful international order;

2. the intensified level of Moslem resentment about U.S. behavior that can be expected to radicalize, fragment, and destabilize Moslem states, undermining moderates and empowering extremists;

3. Bush’s emphasis on changing opponents’ tactics without addressing their concerns or the concerns of the far broader mass of (so-far) moderate Moslems that will ensure a flow of new recruits for Islamic extremism, fuelling this confrontation into the foreseeable future;

5. shortsighted support for the Israeli policy of security through overwhelming superiority in military force that is increasingly likely to lead to a cataclysmic disaster for the very exposed Israeli population;

6. arrogance about what the U.S. is capable of doing combined with incompetence in governing what it has conquered that have served to intensify Iranian hostility even as that perverse combination of arrogance and incompetence has opened the door to Iranian reemergence as a regional power;

8. the re-emergence of the Islamic resistance in Afghanistan combined with the failure of Pakistan’s democracy movement effectively to seize the initiative in the tribal regions and Washington’s increasing go-it-alone attitude of crude interference in the tribal regions that make likely a wider regional conflict in South Asia that will re-energize the global anti-Western jihad;

9. a policy on Somalia that has left the country destroyed.

After eight years of Bush, the U.S. is well down the slippery slope of imperial overstretch.

In case you think I’m forgetting the financial crisis, well, no, that’s been solved, hasn’t it, with the highly efficient outpouring of several trillion dollars (yes, that’s the estimate, so far) to protect the incomes of Wall Street millionaires?

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By Blackspeare, December 9, 2008 at 3:05 pm Link to this comment

“the honor and the dignity of his office,” whatever that means.

It means he didn’t get a BJ during the day and maybe that was the problem all along!

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By Robert, December 9, 2008 at 1:41 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

purplewolf
Either you dont know what sarcasam is or you pay half attention when you read or you just wanted a prompt for your 1,000 times regurgitated (in all mediums for the past 6 years) diatribe about the evils of Bush & co.
And those U’K. cctv are at public places; if you knew anything bout that country other than what you hear from american media you’ll know that british citizens don’t mind them and are safer b/c of them. It’s stupid to expect privacy outside your home or property.

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By californiadreamer, December 9, 2008 at 1:08 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

until enough americans realize that what bush stands for and stood for over the past 8 years is not the american standard of decency and way of life, then there will be another Bush waiting in the wings for a chance to demogogue the voters.  we need to make drastic change.  Obama should have the good sense and courage to realize that he should risk his second term by going all out in his first to implement policies that reflect all that is good and necessary for America.  I see too much moderation and waffling in his policies and he is not yet in the office.  Yes, we need change, not just as a bumper sticker but as a concrete fact that we can believe in because we see it happening.  Let Bush and Cheney retire to their segregated neighborhoods.  The mobs will know where to find them when the time is right.

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By knute, December 9, 2008 at 10:56 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

What else can you expect from an administration struggling to try and cover up as much of the stench as they can. Their refusal to see reality has always been an integral part of their loyal bushie status which was a requirement for the job in the first place. All those who had the audacity of self thought have long ago been weeded out of this white house. Another thing that should be totally expected is that our major media organizations will not question this bizzare interpetation of the last 8 years, even while everything is crashing down around us because of it. Bush and Cheney will retire to their pool sides, to party with their richER friends and laughing at all the rest of us who don’t begin to approach their wage bracket. Instead of sitting behind bars where their treasonous asses belong. Wouldn’t it be something if the bulk of the american workers thruout the nation refused to pay any taxes untill there people are held accountable ? Its obvious, if left to the politicians they never will be, and yet holding them to account for the damage , the death, the shredding of our constitutional rights, the torture, etc..all the lies is the only way america can reclaim some of its lost credibility in the world. And its that loss of respect, that same loss of credibilty that is gonna make it impossible to ever again be what we were.

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By purplewolf, December 9, 2008 at 10:15 am Link to this comment

Mud: You can forgive someone the first time that he has messed up, however Bush has messed up on purpose in favor of his haves and have mores at the expense of the rest of the world, which is in no way forgivable at all. It has been documented that thousands of lies were told just to get US stuck in his Iraq war, which was on his agenda since before July 2000, before he stole the first election. He had not honored one promise to uphold the Constitution and in fact has literally shredded or redacted it. Bill of Rights, over 80% gone, right to privacy-gone, spying upon what you check out at public libraries or buy at book stores-whether you ever read it or not-now in your personal files. You never know when that recipe for meatloaf might make you a terrorist, can’t be to sure, so they had better document that against you also. You have lost your right to protest, look into the July 2007 in the us government on the Internet as to what Bush did while the so called insight people were on recess. In fact check out the Rep. party campaign a few months ago where the reporters were arrested articles appear in Truthdig.

Do you really feel safer, knowing that this bunch of traitors have laid out plans to have neighbors spy unto their other neighbors for this insanity. How do you like all the “spy cameras” popping up all over the country. England already has one camera per every 14 people, no more privacy there and we are in close pursuit. Feel safer when your house can be raided, no-knock policy, simply from heresy and rumor without facts or evidence or warrants, that you have done something that this Administration decides is a terrorist anything and that you are an enemy combatant and can be held forever, never knowing what you are charged with.

The infrastructure has and still is crumbling while George borrows money from the rest of the world, as this country was broke long ago, for his illegal war-yes illegal, Congress was the only ones able to declare war, until Bush decided it was his right instead, even though this breaks the law. Bush has spent about 4 billion dollars per week just in Iraq, not counting his other meddling with other countries. Yet to balance his budget-ha- he cuts medical benefits for those who are disabled in his wars. He did a bang up job of restoring this country from all the hurricane damage in the past few years, in fact one year after Texas’ hurricane in 2007, only 300 yards of a 30 mile stretch of damage have been cleaned up, not very efficient. Katrina, well you’ve done a heck of a job George.

Sneaking more laws through that harm the environment, wildlife, womens healthcare and rights, in his final days, not for the betterment of anything but for his selfish retaliation of the fact that the Repugs lost this last election. Repugs have always been and still are poor losers and history has proven go out of their way to sabotage the “new boss”.

This whole 8 years have brought dishonor, corruption to the highest levels, no accountability for the crimes committed by his cronies. Shame brought to all Americans on a major scale, even to those to ignorant to realize it. More people/countries around the world hate us more than ever before. Torture, lies, scandals, incompetence, corruption, bulling, disrespect,more terrorist now due to his policies, the list is endless, these are but a few of the talking points the rest of the world already has seen George Bush for what he is, hopefully more Americans will wake up. The only good thing that might be said about him, and it hasn’t happened yet, will be when he finally leaves the White House and slinks off somewhere away from here. Like the World Court, where he and his gang should face the music and become guests of on Jan. 21,2009.

It won’t be easy to come up with anything that is truly positive about the last 8 years, but lies are believed before the proven truth and with the continued dumbing down of Americans, it will be a cake walk.

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By steve, December 9, 2008 at 10:00 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Bush will go down in history as a great President much like Reagan has and will probably get some kind of airport named after him like Reagan and his father.  But the bottom line is he and his friends deserve nothing less than to be rounded up and sent the World Court to be tried for crimes against Humanity.

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By mud, December 9, 2008 at 9:07 am Link to this comment

Looks like a case of Preemptive History Rewriting.

Tell big lies early and often George, it’s worked in the past.

Look the guy screwed up. It happens. Forgive George Bush and friends. Let him off the hook for all the pain and suffering he and his team have caused. Then jail George and his team for the duration of the US economic slump. Sorry W, that’s life behind bars for you and your depraved buddies.

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By G.Anderson, December 9, 2008 at 8:43 am Link to this comment

It will take someone else to protect us from the financial terror President Bush unleashed while in office.

As to his protection of “the honor and the dignity of his office,” I had to think for a moment about just what the article alluded to.. .

I suppose if one overlooks, the torturing of prisoners, the shredding of the constitution, the many legal and ethical scandals at the justice department, Scooter libby’s conviction and incarceration, ....then one might conclude that W. did one heck of a job.

but in order to do that one would have to be totally deluded.

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By southparker, December 9, 2008 at 8:40 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

This is so in keeping with the Bush administrations’ attempt to control and orchestrate every aspect of his time in office.  Maybe these are merely suggestions to make him feel better about himself and his abyssmal failure as president.  He has seemed a bit like a whipped dog of late, he needs some cheering up.  I have to wonder, though, if he is so adept at keeping the American people safe, why didn’t he begin before 9/11?  Read http://www.truthout.org/111208S

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By thebeerdoctor, December 9, 2008 at 7:05 am Link to this comment

Good news brother! The chocolate ration goes up to 30 grams next month. The Eurasian war is coming to a close. Yes Virginia, there really was an amusement park in Crawford, Texas, where everybody pretended to be a cowboy. The candles are lit, though the glow is waxed in black…

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By hippy pam, December 9, 2008 at 7:03 am Link to this comment

Putting ANY KIND of POSITIVE SPIN on “ole bullshits” TWO TERMS of OFFICE is IMPOSSIBLE!!!!! This “cheerleader” has SUCCESSFULLY RUINED THE AMERICAN ECONOMY-SENT MOST MANUFACTURING and PRODUCTION TO OTHER COUNTRIES-MURDERED ?how many? INNOCENT PEOPLE here and abroad-BANKRUPTED THE AMERICAN TREASURY-LIED about any/every thing-PROVED TO THE REST OF THE WORLD THAT HE IS ILLITERATE-GIVEN HIS CABINET MEMBERS FREE LICENCE TO STEAL and LIE ABOUT BUSINESSES-ALLOWED HIS FRIENDS TO “LOSE” OUR INVESTMENTS AND HOMES-.....And his own STUPIDITY will not allow him to see his own FAILURES….....LEGACY????Yeah-RIGHT!!!!

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