Bush to parachute solo for 80th birthday

[Pachamama]

Bush to parachute solo for 80th birthday

Former president plans two jumps Sunday
Saturday, June 12, 2004 Posted: 9:57 PM EDT (0157 GMT)

CRAWFORD, Texas (CNN) -- Former President George H.W. Bush plans to jump from a plane -- again. It's all part of this weekend's events celebrating his 80th birthday.

The nation's 41st president will make two parachute jumps in the skies over his presidential library in College Station, Texas, marking the fifth and sixth times the former president has jumped out of a plane.

The first time wasn't his choice. As a young Navy pilot during World War II, Bush had to bail out of his plane after it took enemy fire. The other three jumps occurred after he left the White House.

More info: http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/06/12/bush.parachute/index.html

My Note: Maybe Junior will go jump and go down with him and we can save the taxpayers money by doing a 2fer-1 state funeral after they are flattened like pancakes after jumping.... Sorry, I actually genuinely mourned the death of Ronald Reagan as a human being and felt compassion with his family (even though I disagreed with a lot of his policies) - in the case of 41 and 43, it would really feel like a national holiday if they "left us"....

[MrPrax]

1. MACHO!!!!!

I feel the power of a great dynasty of men as they fly through clouds...reminds me of the opening sequence in 'Triumph of the Will'

Cue the Wagnerian soundtrack....

[LittleApple81]

2. But I read on another thread that Britt Hume is jumping with him?

Is that true??? Amazing how low (or is it high then low) these media puppets are willing to go.

[bluedog]

12. thats what we're hearing

by the way, is the resident flying the plane? LOL :puffpiece:

[Thor_MN]

22. If he was, wouldn't you want to have a parachute on?

[ElectroPrincess]

14. Not Macho ... Grandma does Tandems! :P

I just read the article, George HW Bush is no more brave as our machA Mothers and Grandmothers who choose their first *tandem* parachute jumps at the age of 80 y.o. Believe it or not, it's happening all the time.

In the late 70s I was blessed to be in a position to meet physical qualifications as one of the first groups of women to attend Airborne School at Ft. Benning. I must give credit where credit is genuinely due though ... my gutsy petite mother. I took leave and showed her the North Shore where the huge waves and nation-wide surfing competitions were ongoing. That sweet ole gal (100 lbs soaking wet) looked at one brave surfer atop that mountain of a wave and quipped, "I could do that." That cracked me up ... Go Mom!

Back on point (mercifully :P) Old bloated attention seeking white men like HW Bush and Novak are WOOSIES! My mother and grandmother can do that in their fuzzy slippers (vice combat boots). ;)

IF George H.W. Bush *jumps solo* today at the age of 80, he has my profound respect. However, if he chooses to jump tandem like that old coot Bob Novak, today ---> he deserves no more respect than the average Grand Ma Ma.

Although I must reach deep down to set aside resentments, overall I must render a sincere AIRBORNE SALUTE to George HW Bush for his true and honorable combat service. Although the vast majority of us *hate* his policies, unlike Dubya, he was an brave fighter pilot during WWII. The above cannot be denied.

[montana_hazeleyes]

3. Maybe he's so ashamed

of the murderous ape-child he's released upon this earth that he's secretly trying to kill himself.

[Rebel_with_a_cause]

4. He's desperate to salvage the Bush name

Too late.

[dArKeR]

28. I agree, it's publicity stunt only. If he wanted to do it, in his heart,

he'd just go do it with a few friends and family. Why make it into a Media Macho Circus? An example of an Immoral person pretending to be a Christian to gain the Fundamentalists votes.

[bushwakker]

5. More Rovian PR puffery*

[Ironpost]

6. When he bailed out of the plane

during WW11 wasn't that solo also. He's whole crew perished.

[ElectroPrincess]

15. yes

Yes, we recognized HW's brave and patriotic service during WWII. No one is denying that he served with distinction and honor then. What I'm referring to now can be considered by some as "attention seeking" as he could have done this as a family and friend event.

Forgive me for my crass attitude. However, a average civilian, man or woman, who's never served in the military, jumping tandem is a commendable act of bravery for their family and friends to treasure.

However, both Novak and Bush have these *tandem jumps* staged as media events. Watching a treasured member of our family jumping tandem is cool. George HW Bush staging a tandem jump to HORDES of media is a pretty sad attempt to bail out his son.

My Momma and Grandma are brave for *just haning on* during a tandem jump, while IMO old Bob and George are just old, has been, mugging for the cameras, dried up, bloated, posturing kooks. And yeah, I'm biased but unashamed of also presenting the facts. <eg>

On edit: P.S. What the heck is this "skydiver's pin" that HW Bush is to be awarded? He's NOT deserving of the real US Army's Airborne Wings. Dammit that media ploy is shameful. He didn't run 7 minute miles in boots, pump an endless number pushups, drop from 34 and 250 feet towers while Sergeant Airbornes yelled at him, and hump 30 pound parachutes.

If they award HW Bush legitimate US Army Airborne Wings, from the legit school at Fort Benning, GA, I will be beyond disgusted at the hypocrisy. That's just plain wrong :(. He was an honorable pilot but he didn't do NEAR what's required to be classified as "Airborne." Damn!

[Cooley Hurd]

19. "HW's brave and patriotic service during WWII?"

No one is denying that he served with distinction and honor...

Hi ElectroPrincess. :hi: You might want to read up on Poppy's "bravery" during WW2:

http://www.rense.com/general47/hero.htm

George Bush Sr Is No
WWII Hero

By John S. McDonald
1-1-04

<snip>
I am an 82 year old Navy pilot and I am outraged at television's depiction of George Bush Sr.'s Pacific experiences. Now, I hear a book is forthcoming - Unbelievable!!

I was in the Pacific at the same time as Bush and flew the same Avenger airplane. A small room in the rear of the Avenger was occupied by the radioman. The gunner went through the room to get up to his turret. Both wore a harness to which a chest type parachute could be attached - The gunner had to come down out of the turret to put on his chute.

Bush said he was hit by anti-aircraft fire and the plane caught fire. Bush's squadron was primarily used for patrol and saw very little combat. Bush claimed he warned the crew, over the intercom, to get out - got no answer and he could not yell back because of the armor plate behind him.

He decided they were dead, so he bailed out. First, he failed to say he switched his mike from radio to intercom. Then being blocked by the armor is a bold faced lie! There was a sizable gap on either side of the armor. I used this space to call to my crew several times.

The tough old Avenger simply did not catch fire!! It had self sealing gas tanks. In six months of operations, I never saw an Avenger catch fire. If the oil or hydraulic systems were damaged, great clouds of white smoke would stream out of the planhe. I have no idea how many times i saw planes returning to their carriers trailing smoke but never a fire.
</snip>

Poppy freaked out when his plane took a little flak and jumped out before giving his crewmen a chance to evacuate the plane.

[Tellurian]

7. Yup, above all others...

Poppy is at the root of all that is wrong with our country.
He is JR's primary puppet master and through him he intends to subjugate all of us under his PAII. The man is the personification of evil in human form.

[hang a left]

8. I shall for the sake of my serenity this morning.....

keep my very gruesome wishes to myself.

[Name removed]

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[are_we_united_yet]

9. I really hope his parachute opens

and he lands safely. I don't want to go through another round of funeral coverage anytime soon.

[izzie]

10. Silly when we are trying to take these old farts off the road.

Now we will have even more old farts thinking they are 50 and can do anything.

[Name removed]

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[sam sarrha]

13. I am sure the original crew would join this celebration if Poppy had them

Bail out over a Japanese island known for horribly torturing Americans to death..from a plane that was still flying.. and did fly to safety... hell Poppy even bailed on GWI before could stop what caused this war. No ONE from his carrier or "Last Crew" ever came and stood up for him during the election... i can understand why the crew didnt... :dunce: O8) O8) O8)

[gulliver]

21. I wonder what the family of his crew thinks.

Both of his crewmen died. Supposedly one bailed out, but his parachute didn't open. The other couldn't get out of the plane. Kinda fishy.

It's pretty bad luck for the guy whose chute supposedly didn't open. The bodies were never recovered, so I guess they must have taken Bush's word that one of the crew had time to bail out with him. But the guy supposedly managed to get out of the plane and had the bad luck to have his chute fail. I wonder how often that happens?

The other guy couldn't get out of the plane at all -- supposedly.

Only Bush really knows what happened. It's strange that in his old age he would reenact such an awful moment in his life. Is he giving fate the chance to punish him?

[TXDemGal]

16. The Bush family must have just hated

having Raygun get all the attention last week. Had to do something to shift the spotlight.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

17. Hell, it's part of a plan to fill time until the election with funerals

of ex-Presidents.

Poppy should worry if Shrubby offers to pack the 'chute.

(hehehe)

[bluedog]

18. wasn't that a party

looks like they raked in alot of cash for his library and the cancer fund.....hope it really gets there.and Babs if you read these boards.......you wear white to a funeral.....but black to a party?? have you gone color blind or just like to make yourself stand out-in the newspapers??

[ElectroPrincess]

20. This is sick ...

The US Army is whoring itself for George HW Bush. All the damn training I did; and seeing my best friend get dogged out of Airborne school. Why? Because she was deemed as too ugly to be a woman in the Airborne. All the men and women who busted their a**es through that three week course are spit on today.

I'm shocked that the US Army "powers that be" let this happen?!? I don't care if he's the 41st president, he didn't go through the three week course to earn this prestigious award. My brother did, many of his fellow soldiers who DIED in Vietnam's 101st Airborne Division EARNED these wings. But George HW Bush did not hump the grueling course that's required for this award. Again, IMO the Army officials are nothing but political WHORES who will award Bush 41 Airborne wings today.

Gee, all you have to do to earn one of the most prestigious and honored badge in the military is be a high political official and of blood relation to the Bush Dynasty (plus five spaced out technically solo jumps) ... and POOF, you're awarded one of the most coveted badges in the United States Military = Airborne Wings.



Gee, what was I thinking :P.

On Edit: Hi alg0912. Thanks for the background and education. Please forgive me - everyone at DU because I have to walk away from the computer today. Yep, I have an Irish temper and am presently pissed. Catch ya tomorrow. <warm wishes and hugs>

[C_eh_N_eh_D_eh]

23. To the tune of "Battle Hymn of the Republic"...

Someone tied a reef knot in the paratrooper's chute
Someone tied a reef knot in the paratrooper's chute
Someone tied a reef knot in the paratrooper's chute
And he ain't gonna jump no more

<chorus>
Glory, glory, what a heckuva way to die
Glory, glory, what a heckuva way to die
Glory, glory, what a heckuva way to die
And he ain't gonna jump no more

We scraped him off the field with a Swiss Army knife
We scraped him off the field with a Swiss Army knife
We scraped him off the field with a Swiss Army knife
And he ain't gonna jump no more

<chorus>

We put him in an envelope and mailed him to his mom
We put him in an envelope and mailed him to his mom
We put him in an envelope and mailed him to his mom
And he ain't gonna jump no more

<chorus>

His mother wasn't home so we slipped him under the door
His mother wasn't home so we slipped him under the door
His mother wasn't home so we slipped him under the door
And he ain't gonna jump no more

<chorus>



Are there other verses to that song? I remember in Cub Scouts we used to add on "Boy, was Akela in trouble that day", but I never heard the original version.

[DemonFighterLives]

24. Wolf was orgasmic over this huge event

I had to change the channel.

[AlGore-08.com]

25. This was covered LIVE on CNN

When he reached the ground, Gorby gave him a hug, a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of vodka. I'm not making this up.

Now CNN is replaying the jump while the talking up the "charitable" nature of this jump and barbeque, and how fit and "fresh" GHWB looks, even though he's 80. And they gushed over the fact that Chuck Norris jumped at this same event, although earlier.

This testosteronefest - - er, election - - has jumped the shark so many times it's not funny.

[AlGore-08.com]

And they cut back in live to cover his f*ing press conference

About how important it is to f*ing exercise and how nice his f*ing birthday party was.

Unf*cking believable.

[ElectroPrincess]

27. Have to add ...

I had to come back and add Mr. Machismo Karate King, Chuck Norris, also jumped TANDEM, i.e., all you have to do is "hang on" like my sweet 80 y.o. Grandmother. <eg> Wooosies (Bush and Norris) to stage this as a media event. I wonder if the Golden Knights are going to give Chucky the coveted Airborne Wings too?

I haven't felt this disappointed since they took away the Army Ranger's Black Beret. :( I never thought the Airborne would stoop this low for free publicity. Shameful WHORES = the military who supported this political a** kissing goat rope. :P But someday I'll tell you what I really think about this tawdry political stunt. <eg>

[Pachamama]

33. BushCo is low on supporters these days...have to bring out the Ex-Commies

...what a joke...I thought I was going to puke when Gorbi was Wolfies guest commentator during the CNN broadcast of Raygun's funeral...he suggested that the country needs to back Dubya inhonor of Reagan :puke: :puke:

[Occulus]

26. May his primary chute fail to open

and he be forced to use the emergency one. May his shorts be full of shit when he safely lands.

[wjsander]

30. Well, he didn't end up jumping solo afterall...

Did you see him landing, holding his arms and legs up while his partner did the work? It's like a kid being pushed by a grownup on a bike and saying "Look! I'm riding a bike!"

I guess it runs in the family to have someone else do all the work for them while they take the glory.

[homelandpunk]

31. PULL!!

;>

[Name removed]

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