Bush left looking like a bystander

[jhain]

( apologies for the incorrect subject line first time around)


One happy item in our New Year- foreign press:


http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/...


Bush left looking like a bystander
Roy Eccleston, Comment
January 01, 2005

GEORGE W. Bush has been hamfisted in his handling of the US response to the tsunami disaster, looking more like a bystander than leader of the free world.

Americans began learning of the catastrophe on Sunday morning, yet it was three more days before the US President publicly offered his condolences and vowed to help nations rebuild.

In the interim, Bush stayed on holiday at his Texas ranch, where aides say he monitored the growing catastrophe -- and spent time clearing scrub. <more>

Jude Hain

[saltpoint]

1. "Yeah. No problem. Do it. Send 'em a check or somethin'".

I picture Bush saying that to an aide while he is clearing brush at the Crawford ranch.

It's dangerous to have a U.S. president so disengaged that he can't respond to a tragedy of over 100,000 deaths except to go on vacation and clear brush.

The term "heartless idiot" comes to mind.

[VegasWolf]

13. Yes, or psychopath. n/t

[saigon68]

2. A SHRUB clearing SCRUB

What a nit wit. He is a violent thug and NeoCon.

[tuvor]

3. He's a stingy, lame-duck, bystander president!

He's off to a roaring start for 2005, isn't he?

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. Bill Clinton would have been back at work as fast as AF1 could fly.

And on the very first day of the disaster he would have gone on teevee and made a public statement of condolence and support and promised as much money and aid as they needed. But Clinton is bad because he got a BJ; and George Wanker Bush is a good Christian man.

[w4rma]

7. Whatever Bush is, it's NOT Christian.

Please don't associate him with Christianity, even in sarcasm.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

9. Oh, but he INSISTS he's one.

And a lot of wacko fundies absolutely believe it, which is just freaking tragic. No, of course he's not a Christian. Not even close.

[durablend]

22. The horns haven't sprouted yet...

Well at least not in public...give it time.

[Demeter]

33. Actually, They Think Bush IS God

After all, that's what he said!

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

21. THANK you.

One of the biggest complaints I have against this "president" is that he has become the poster child for Christianity.

1). George Bush speaks for HIMSELF, NOT all Christians.

2). While the Jerry Falwell "fundamentalist" Christians may embrace George Bush and his "Christianity," there are many, many, MANY other Christians who DO NOT. But realize THIS: Falwell could give a rat's ass about whether Bush has "found Christ." Fallwell is, above all other things, an OPPORTUNIST. He saw Bush as a means to an end. He rallied his forces because of WHAT HE WANTED FROM BUSH IN RETURN, not because of "Christianity."

3). I don't believe George Bush's "Christianity" for a MINUTE. I DO believe that it is a marketing tactic designed to shore up his "base."

4). Anyone who uses Bush's "Christianity" to attack ALL Christians might as well be a racist or homophobic. There really is no difference. George Bush being an ASSHOLE does NOT give people carte blanche to viciously and sarcastically attack the beliefs of people who don't like Bush ANY MORE THAN THEY DO.

"Whatever Bush is, it's NOT Christian."

:toast:

[LiberalFighter]

27. And Falwell is NOT a Christian

[TankLV]

37. Ah, true - but the ONLY representatives of the "christian" faith we see

are Fallwell, Robertson, Phelps, and a few assorted idiots and charlatans.

We don't see anyone else out there condemning these asshole face to face or in place of them. EVER.

So, unfortunately, these horrible excuses for a human being ARE your representatives of YOUR faith, and as such, until and unless JUST ONE prominent minister or spokesman who is a TRUE representative of that faith BEGINS to speak with equal presence, then it is indeed fair to condemn what we see as the examples of your "faith".

The silence from "your' side is deafening.

Therefore, we are all left to conclued that these types DO SPEAK FOR ALL CHRISTIANS, EVERYWHERE.

The silence is inexcusable.

The condemnation is very justified.

[bobbieinok]

39. there are many left Christians..Wallis from Sojourners, Bishop Sprong, etc

but just like the democrats, they are frozen out of the media....and Falwell, Dobson, and a so bapt are the only 'TV approved christians'

[Steely_Dan]

41. Absolutely Right On!

It is no different from the fact that many traditional Islamics do not condemn the radical sect of their religion.

-P

[LiberalFighter]

26. I agree... If someone is a Republican they are not a Christian!!!!

That is Republican as now populated.

[spooked]

30. You are so right w4rma & did anyone see Supersize Me?

he has no right to call himself a Christian.

Did anyone here see the documentary Supersize Me, when shown the classic picture of Jesus children could not identify him, but one took a confident guess and said he thought it was George W. Bush!

(The point was the children then all readily identified a picture of Ronald McDonald)

[Gemini Cat]

11. That's for sure!

President Clinton would have stopped his vacation and done everything he could do to help. The wanker chimp boy on the other hand, mindlessly gathers shrub no matter what the crises is.

I am now learning a BJ is a bigger deal to the 'Murkin public than a tsunami, war or 9-11.

[Scairp]

5. Link is broken

I cannot access.

[Deja Q]

6. Glad to know intl' media is not forgetting his original response. Our

own media is a bit more biased, and it ain't toward the left.

[steely]

20. you said it HT

local paper had something verging on mockery of what other nations were contributing.

[LiberalFighter]

29. Poor Widow's Offering

Luke 21
1. As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury.

2. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins.

3. "I tell you the truth," he said, "this poor widow has put in more than all the others.

4. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."

[impeachthescoundrel]

8. Link would not work for me either

It said I was not authorized to view the site(?)

[Scairp]

12. Try this one

http://theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,11824566%255E2703,00.html

[steely]

16. That's better.

Thanks

[Cha]

bush ran then and did nothing and his mo hasn't switched!..

Bush's delay is perplexing, given his experience when disaster arrived unheralded on another sunny morning in 2001, leaving thousands dead."

[Pam-Moby]

15. This is to odd-It said below when you hit the link

Forbidden
You don't have permission to access /common/story_page/ on this server

Thanks Scairp for the new link,...

[buddysmellgood]

10. Shame, shame, shame. A legacy of shame.

[CoffeeCat]

14. I'm at a loss...

...trying to understand how religious people can possibly follow Bush.

He talks the talk, when it comes to religion and spirituality. The man quotes Bible verses and speak about praying until his mouth runs dry. Sadly, when it comes to walking the walk--Bush is a compassion-less knuckle dragger, oblivious to the suffering of others.

The man had to be REMINDED to offer condolences. He had to be PRODDED to give more than a few dollars to these people.

This abmomination is not the leader of the free world. He's the bully of the United States of America.

Look how fast Bush catapulted our country into war. He couldn't get American boots on the sand fast enough. However, he drags his feet and has to be cajoled into helping millions who are suffering, hungry, cold, thirsty and mourning the loss of loved ones. He could care less. Yet, he supposedly feels SO MUCH for those poor Iraqis who don't have a democracy. Please.

When will the religious conservatives wake up and smell the stench emanating from the White House?

[Florida_Geek]

17. Your link is not working for me nt

[Skittles]

18. no, he is looking like a f***ing moron

which is EXACTLY what he is

[stellanoir]

19. No God of which I've ever been aware

or worshiped has told anyone to "go bomb the crap out of innocent civilians."

[Cha]

23. shrub "cleaning scrub"..sounds like the

carlyle candidate! So happy this Aussie site has got the chimp of the year's number!

Unfortunately the link is no longer or bad.

[Moderator]

24. here's the link and moving to Editorials

http://theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,11823026%255E7583,00.html

[Sporadicus]

25. I Would Add to That Description of *: DISINTERESTED Bystander n/t

[uppityperson]

28. It has to get worse before positive change will happen

People have to be uncomfortable enough to call for change and we haven't gotten there yet. So, while all this crap (bushite crap) is bad, if it festers enough, it will come to a head. I feel sorry for any who must suffer until this point is reached and it seems like we're getting closer.

[cosmicdot]

31. meanwhile, the U.S. MSM says ** is now 'focusing' on disaster logistics

use of the word "focuses" ... doesn't he sound resolute and strong?

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=376678 (AP/ABC)

"Bush Focuses on Disaster Relief Logistics - Bush Focuses on Logistics of Disaster Relief Such As Delivering Clean Water, Food to Survivors"

~snip~Powell said he wanted to make sure his recommendation to the president to drastically increase the aid was based on needs in the region, and not just a daily game among nations of "Can you top this?"~snip~ :crazy:

On Sunday, Powell and the president's brother, Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, who has experience with extensive hurricane damage, are leading a delegation of experts to the region to get firsthand assessments of the damage.

A congressional delegation headed by Rep. Jim Leach, R-Iowa, is to visit Thailand and Sri Lanka next week. And Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist plans to travel to Sri Lanka and India next week.~snip~

get your photo ops while they're hot ... shouldn't 'the experts' be 'leading' them? do the experts need them? do these politicians really need firsthand assessments of a cataclysmic event? on the surface, it might sound OK, but there must be more important people who are better prepared to do some good rather than Powell, Frist, Jebthro and Leach ... are these politicians really needed there? might they just be in the way of critical personnel who are actually doing something hands-on?


it's hard work to get ** up to speed :scared: ... especially at times of major disasters, i.e., 911, tsunamis, etc. ... moreso if **'s handlers are on holiday and/or if ** is in 'do not disturb' mode ... and/or if his handlers are prepping him for the coronation or his planned Social Security wrecking ball red state speaking tour ... his patience might wear thin when something like this interferes with his other focusing ... but, if they say he's focusing on logistics, it must be so :eyes: get those media creating press releases on the wires while we get some lipstick ...

has he been told yet that his corporate backers might profit or does the worry of foreign competitors have them in a quandary? it's always profits over people

for more ** 'focusing', see Google search:
http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2004-33,GGLD:en&q=bush+focusing+

[susu369]

35. We know that bu$h* is incompetent

but what about all his "grown-up handlers" - indeed, he is supposed to be surrounded with the best money can buy. No one could drop a clue?

"moreso if **'s handlers are on holiday and/or if ** is in 'do not disturb' mode"

I think you hit it right on the head - The Potemkin Village Idiot was in a "do not disturb" mode.

[bystnder]

32. Nooooo... scrubbb

**singing** I don' want no scrub. Scrub is a guy that cain' get no love from me...

[newyawker99]

36. Hi bystnder!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[daa]

34. Hundreds of billions for death

nothing for compassion and humanitarian aid. What do you expect from an asshole that destroyed Falluja?

[drdtroit]

38. George W Bush and the vacated (p)Residency! n/t

[yellowcanine]

40. Bush spent an hour clearing brush in honor of the victims - so STOP SAYING

THAT! He IS TOO compassionate!