Cherie Blair: "Bush 'stole' the presidential election"

[KansDem]

This appeared in the news on Saturday. No doubt someone on DU posted it then, but for those of us without weekend internet access, I thought I'd post it here.

Bush 'stole' the presidential election

PTI< SATURDAY, JANUARY 24, 2004 08:20:21 PM >

LONDON : In a forthright view that is likely to embarrass her husband, Cherie Blair, wife of Prime Minister Tony Blair, is reported to have observed that George W Bush "stole" the US presidential election from Al Gore.

"Cherie Blair still believed that Bush had stolen the White House from Gore," author Philip Stephens wrote in his book "Tony Blair: The Making of a World Leader. "

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/443220.cms

:dem:

[AP]

1. Tony Blair actively campaigned for Gore. He was very anti-Bush throughout

2000.

[DBoon]

2. My tinfoil hat theory

Bush's manipulation of Blair over Iraq is a deliberate effort to wreck the Labour Party.

Any takers?

[Avonrepus]

4. i met Cherie Blair

At the 2001 Labour party in Brighton when i was 16, somewhere there is a photo of my friends and her posing LOL. She seemed very friendly.

Also lets not forget, not only did Blair support Clinton, he based his election campaign and his, 'Third Way' on Clinton and the Democrats.

As for the tinfoil hat theory, if the party really thought Blair was going to ruin the party he'd be out the door, just like Thatcher back in Nov 1990. Even still the Conservatives stand virtually no chance of overturning Labour's majority, i mean it took Labour 14 years to overturn the Conservative majority or 145 in 1983 and the Conservatives have gained 2 seats since 1997 against a Labour loss of 6.

Thats my opinion anyways.

[IkeWarnedUs]

3. Thanks for posting - I found more

I did a Google News search and found there is another story about the book and Mrs. Blair's comments on Bush. I was able to pull the story up under a free link on The Independent Online - Europe, which says it was originally published by The Cape Argus (South Africa). The same story was also published in The Times of London (which you need a subscription to access), Times of India, Melbourne Herald Sun (Australia), and Femail.uk.com.

<snip>

Mrs Blair's refusal to toe the line over her husband's dealings with Bush surfaced when the Blairs were guests of the Bushes for the first time in February 2001.

As they flew to Camp David, says Stephens, "Cherie Blair still believed that Bush had stolen the White House from Democratic candidate Al Gore".

Mrs Blair was uncomfortable with the idea of her husband "cosying up" to Bush. Once the Blairs arrived in America, Cherie kept her views to herself and went out of her way to make friends with Laura Bush. But when the Bushes came to Britain several months later, Mrs Blair could not resist taking on the president.

The conversation turned to the death penalty. Bush, as governor of Texas, had signed more than 150 death warrants, but Mrs Blair, a leading human rights lawyer, bluntly told him executions were immoral and a violation of human rights. The death penalty was, she said, an affront to fundamental principles of justice.

more: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=24&art_id=vn20040126104526763C426433&set_id=1

[BayCityProgressive]

5. I would really like to know

why Blair supported the war. It is obvious the Blair's despised Bush...so I wonder what motivated them to do this?

[Arugula Latte]

6. I've never heard a good explanation for this

...still mystified. Tony, Tony, Tony. You lie down with AWOL moron dogs, you wind up with fleas.

[hippyleftist]

7. bush is a fascist

[K-W]

8. If Blaire believes that right or wrong Bush will succeed,

he may just be trying to pick the winning horse. Or he simply values Britains status as America's number one ally above all else. The US does still have some pretty massive power whoever is running it. If Bush and his ilk are in power for terms to come, this could pay off economically for Britain big time. Even if Bush is ousted, Britain can still point to a record of loyalty to us. Sure he may have prefferred to suck up to Gore than to Bush, but he must feel he has to suck up to the president regardless for the good of the status quo in britain.

[bluescribbler]

9. I think you're right.

The U.S. is Britains most important ally. Blair would be making a huge mistake to break with the U.S. simply because he disagrees with the current occupant of the White House. It could poison U.S.-U.K. relations for decades to come.

:beer: