Is Bush really as Dumb as he seems?

[Sandpiper]

Yes, he mangles the English language. Yes, he's extremely stage managed and is usually only good for slogans or two word answers to complex questions.

But honestly, could someone really be as dumb as Bush seems and still become President of the United States?

I want to believe that it's not possible.

[bobweaver]

1. He has "people skills," a.k.a. "street smarts," and got by on that alone.

[RoeBear]

3. I've got 'people skills' & 'street smarts'

and I'm not President. Must be more to the story.

[bobweaver]

5. ...Oh. Forgot to mention "family connections"

[Sandpiper]

8. I'm guessing you're not the son of a President

And don't have a family name, fortune, and political network you can cash in on.

[RoeBear]

32. Let me check on that...

Well I do have a family name, heck it's even the same as a former president, but no real family fortune or politcal network (although I do belong to the UAW).

[billbuckhead]

6. He's a cheerleader, a mascot, the Faux News of pResidents

:+

[Blue_In_AK]

37. Are you kidding me? Street smarts????? n/t

[hlthe2b]

2. " I want to believe that it's not possible. ..."

I know what you mean.... It is so difficult to accept what that says about Amerians to believe that someone that dumb could be pResident*.

[news_junkie]

4. Yes...

He's THAT dumb.

[Cats Against Frist]

7. Yes, I think he's dumb

And there's ABSOLUTELY NO QUESTION that as a pampered child of the BFEE, he could be "president." When the country's a monarchy, it's like being "king."

Here's the rub, though. No matter how dumb he is, he's still a genius compared to the people who elected him. That's the problem.

Need proof?

http://www.ifilm.com/viralvideo?ifilmid=2646755

"Tribal sov-ern-ty means that -- it's sov-ern."

[librechik]

9. yes indeed, if his daddy is president

doors open even if you are a doorknob.

[Spiffarino]

10. No, he's not dumb. He's extremely average.

He's just unimaginative, shallow and narcissistic. He is a mediocre middle-management type in a CEO's job. He's completely out of his depth. That's why he has to stay so close to his handlers; he can't explain his way out of a wet paper sack unless he's scripted or wearing an ear-prompter. If he gets a one-on-one interview he has to be prepped for days and will only answer very specific, pre-selected questions.

[Sandpiper]

12. That sounds about right

n/t

[teakee]

40. Right. He is a master manipulator.

Bush is narcissistic. Some of the traits are creepy how closely it relates to him.

Everyone has known the charming,outgoing, manipulating person who takes and doesn't know crap when the mask comes off. And when their mask does fall, look out.....or you will see the weak person that they truly are...adult children that have recovered from growing up in a narcissistic home or even adult children of alcoholics understand this.

[Spiffarino]

58. Alcoholics are a lot like narcissists IMO

My father was an alcoholic and I've known more than a few drunks in my life. They all shared character traits reminiscent of narcissism such as extreme selfishness and a tendency to blame anybody but themselves when things went badly. It was always somebody else's fault that they drank, yadda yadda yadda...

Growing up with a narcissistic parent must be pure Hell.

[zmdem]

11. No, that supposition is what enables him to succeed

Underestimating Bush has been an occupational hazard for his opponents. He was a two term governor of Texas and is a two term USA president. He's doing something right and his opponents are doing something wrong. Given that Bush is no George Washington, I think the underestimation thing is the problem for his opponents.

In the recent election, it was thought that anybody who wasn't Bush could defeat Bush. That proved to be wishful thinking. You'd think after three major elections the Democrats would have figured this out and got serious.

[Sandpiper]

14. I'm talking from a purely intellectual standpoint

Kerry mopped the floor with him in the debates.

[zmdem]

24. Cleaned his clock in 1st debate

two and three more problematic. Still, debating is a particular skill, not an intelligence test. Twenty years in the senate is a lot of practice for Sen. Kerry.

Intelligence comes in many forms, the ability to think on one's feet is only one of them. Is Bush some Einstein ? No. Is he an idiot ? No.

[Yupster]

35. He has some gifts

He has a real mental discipline that allows him to stay on message long past most other people.

This is a tremendous trait for a person running for president. Unfortunately it is not a very positive trait for a person serving as president.

He also has an ability to make short points while most politicians are wordy.

In the Kerry town hall debate, a lady asked Kerry about government funding being used for abortion. He went into a long explanation of the heartfelt feelings of both sides and what a difficult issue it is, and how much he respected her point of view even though he disagreed with it. Then he gave his opinion.

Bush said "Carol" ?? 'As long as I'm president, government money won't be used to fund abortions.'

In my opinion, Bush won that exchange.

He did the same thing to Gore twice in his debates. After long answers by Gore, he gave short and to the point answers that I think had him coming out ahead to most people listening, especially undecided voters who were half-listening.

Anyway, Bush is no Thomas Jefferson and may not even be a Chester Arthur, but he has some gifts which make him a good politician.

[davidwparker]

22. He is dumb. He succeeds because of family ties.

Oh, you mean you can't pick up the phone and get an ambassador on the line? Everytime he screwed up, daddy or one of daddy's friends, has balled him out. It's not him. It's his connections.

[zmdem]

27. His father lost his re-election

Plainly the electorate rejected G. H. W. Bush. How did that help junior ?

[ProfessorGAC]

53. Iran Contra, zmdem

That hurt his dad BADLY! The hangover from that was incomplete when a charismatic dem ran against him. That made him toast.

But, in the intervening years, daddy was no longer as tarnished by Iran-Contra, so name recognition, political contacts & massive fund raising channels helped Li'l Georige in ways that only the son of a recent ex-prez would have benefitted.
The Professor

[Blue_In_AK]

38. What he's doing "right"...

...is knowing how to rig elections.

[giant_robot]

56. I can't agree with that statement.

Did we underestimate the depths to which Rove & Co. would stoop? Probably. Did we underestimate the stupidity of the American electorate? Certainly. But just look at what the man has done over the past 4 years. Did he f**k up a debate to create the illusion of stupidity? Does he actually want to sound like an idiot during press conferences? Occam's razor states that the simplest answer is most often the correct one, and I'm afraid that means our president is a stone-cold dumbass with a famous daddy.

[beam me up scottie]

13. He didn't accidentally "get" religion.

He saw his ticket to power and he grabbed it. He is stupid in many ways but he is also greedy and cunning. He found that if he pushed the right buttons the sheeple would follow, like rats to a piper.

[Disturbed]

17. A Silverspoon Sociopath with

average IQ but increasing brain damage from years of alcohol and cocaine use. Almost anyone with a background that he has had can become Pres. Rove and Cheney are the real power behind this mediocre person.

[BrklynLiberal]

18. Good description.

[beam me up scottie]

21. Agreed.

I do think that he had much more help getting where he is today. It is all about image. I keep picturing the "wizard of oz" standing on a chair behind the curtain.

[cags]

15. I think hes dumb in a psychopath kind of way

Thier ideas are dumb and make no sense, but they are very smart in how they get what they want done. I don't think hes really a stupid man, just a psycho

[lady lib]

16. He's pretty shrewd at (dirty) campaigning.

In all other areas, though, he comes across as average, but neurologically impaired (gee, how did that happen?)and ADD.
Oh, and he's obviously language disordered. Nevermind, he's dumb!

[jjtss]

26. I agree with Ladylib and......

Add to that his total contempt for the voters. He has 52% of them completely snowed and it is the reason for his irritating smirk!!!!

[The Sheik]

19. No, he's not that dumb.

He just wants to look like joe sixpack even with his large plantation in Texas and his gobs of money.

[zmdem]

25. Regarding money

Bush is less wealthy than Cheney, Kerry, or Edwards.

P.S. - Bush has no plantation.

[The Sheik]

28. I know he is less wealthy.

And I call it a plantation because thats what it seems like, rather than the "ranch" everbody calls it.

[zmdem]

31. It's neither a ranch or a plantation

It's a big chunk of land with a house on it. Wouldn't mind having one for myself, but doesn't look likely ;)

[Hippo_Tron]

29. But he's trying to portray that he isn't privilaged, which is bullshit

Both Bush and Kerry have more money right now than most Americans could ever dream of making in their lifetime, there's no difference.

[zmdem]

33. All I know is what I read in the papers

and I never supposed that Bush isn't a silver spoon guy. Many of our political leaders are/have been: Washington, Jefferson, both Roosevelts, the various Kennedys. You can probably add to the list.

[Hippo_Tron]

36. I'm not criticizing him for his money

I'm criticizing him for trying to portray himself as a common man and attacking Kerry for his multiple houses when clearly both men are of privilaged backgrounds.

[zmdem]

45. Fair enough (n/t)

[davidwparker]

20. He's dumber than most people think.

He became "president' because of his family connections. His grades kept him out of Texas State University. Daddy got him into Yale when Texas State University turned him down.

[LiberallyInclined]

23. His "c" average at Yale is virtually meaningless-

Legacy students like he are allowed to appeal a failing grade to a board of regents, where it is generally changed to...you guessed it- "c".

[ProfessorGAC]

54. And, This Was The Period of Ivy League's Highest Grade Inflation

The legacy grade inflation of the Ivy League was never worse than it was in the 60's. There will be no flunking out of rich legacies during the Vietnam War. They were hiding out from the draft at Yale, and donors' sons and legacies were NOT going to be flunked out so they'd lose their deferment. Not gonna happen.

So, at the absolute PEAK of legacy grade inflation, this dunce graduates with <C average. Yeah, and i'm underestimating him! Right! He's an idiot.
The Professor

[Stirk]

30. He's exactly what he seems: an idiot from a priviliged womb.

Bush Jr.'s presidency is just a symptom of our rabidly anti-intellectual, uneducated, trash TV culture. The people of this country are either too stupid to see the problems Bush represents, or too cynical and hopeless to give a damn.

Either way, he's a mascot for a declining empire and yes, a complete fool.

[beam me up scottie]

34. You are right of course. Dumb is an understatement.

The fact that he is the "leader of the free world" both terrifies and repulses me. Looking at us from a global perspective, I could just die of shame. I live in a red state and he has become the poster child for the anti-intellectualism movement.

[American Tragedy]

39. Yes, he is.

[moondust]

41. Certainly not a statesman. More of a cult figure.

Compare him to Clinton or countless other statesmen past and present...and try to keep a straight face! Murkans love the rugged individualist persona even if fake and not so smart (Reagan, too).

[FM Arouet666]

42. Dumber than he seems?

Bush has never had to work for a living. He has never had anxiety about his future. No suffering to achieve an accomplishment. Everything has been given to him. When he faltered, all was made right by his family. The same is true of the presidency. Is the man dumb? I don't know, he is certainly ignorant, which translates to mental laziness. Does it also mean a lack of capacity? Again, I don't know. But, lets put it this way, I would not be surprised if his IQ was really the 92 that a recent political humor web page falsely spread.

[leftofthedial]

43. he's stupid and aggressively ignorant

but cunning and mean

[Seeing Red]

44. Short answer: yes

he either is 1) really that dumb, or 2) he and karl rove are so brilliant that they've been able to convince the rest of the world (and half of America) that he is. My guess is the former.

He's so incompetent that minor successes (or not-so-bad failures) appear to be major accomplishments. THATS how he became the president.

I'd like to believe that it's not possible too, but I don't see any alternative. They're simply living in a different world

[newyawker99]

49. Hi Seeing Red!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[Why Syzygy]

46. Box

The square minded, narrow focused, box thinkers seem to be the 'get aheads' at this point in time.

Hope that changes SOMEDAY.

[eridani]

47. Stupidity and ignorance are two very different things

He has normal or above average intelligence (nothing wrong with the CPU, just some I/O problems), but being pig-ignorant and proud of it is a choice.

[Squall]

48. There is a brilliance behind his "stupidity."

Fumbling over words the way he does, Bush actually uses it to his advantage to connect to his support base. In fact, he even points it out in his campaign stops. When you act in a manner where you don't appear to be intellectually above the average person in many regards, you are both less intimidating and that much more comparable to the average Joe. In fact, I'll go off on a limb and say that I wish Kerry would've borrowed some of that in his campaign.

[Mr_Spock]

50. NO, he is dumber...

This is the stupidest person I have ever seen in politics. Yeah, let's run the country on gut reactions :eyes:

[mopaul]

51. he's the stupidest man i've ever seen on t.v.

i believe he's hopelessly stupid, and even brain damaged.

[spanone]

52. Remember the movie 'Being There' with Peter Sellers???

Same script.

[Sparkly]

55. Yes

I understand the argument on the other side of this (that it's a ploy to lower expectations, etc.). But I think he's dumb as a box of rocks and getting dumber -- not just because of low innate ability, but also because of character faults like laziness and dishonesty that got him through life without study, effort to learn and achieve, and the discipline to work.

[Flying Dream Blues]

57. I think

he may not be as dumb as he seems in intelligence, (there are times when average intelligence seems a reach) but as evidenced by his comments to the Black Caucus ("not familiar" with the Voting Rights Act!!! Where was his handler before THIS meeting??), he is as ill-informed as he appears.

IMO he is simply incurious and uninterested in learning or in reading anything more difficult than My Pet Goat, the Left Behind series or that latest pulp mystery, as he recently boasted of. He is the epitome of the average intelligence, lazy underachiever with a hugely distorted sense of personal entitlement.