300 Boy Scouts get sick while waiting for Bush...who never showed up

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2005/07/29/2003265505

About 300 people, most of them Boy Scouts, were sickened by the heat while waiting for US President George W. Bush to arrive at a memorial service for four Scout leaders who were killed while pitching a tent beneath a power line.

The president's visit to the Scout Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill was postponed because of severe thunderstorms and strong wind. Instead, Bush is scheduled to visit the gathering today.

But before the president's appearance was called off, many Scouts fell ill from temperatures that rose into the mid 30s Celsius, made worse by high humidity.

Half of those were treated at the base hospital, about 5km from the event arena, and released. Dozens more were sent to other hospitals, where they were in stable condition Wednesday night, said Gregg Shields, a Jamboree spokesman.

[whistle]

1. I'm sure than many more scouts would have gotten sick.....

...had Bush showed up! This Jamboree is turning out to be a major bummer for scouting.

[tocqueville]

2. mmm maybe is George afraid of being struck by the...

lightning...

an event that the Fundies would have hard to explain...

oh wait

they'll just say it was God's punishment because he wasn't going far enough on their agenda...

[roseBudd]

3. due to Bush's security protocol the scouts had to be in position 2 hrs...

before Bush's estimated time of arrival

[I Know How To Do it]

4. Bowling Green, Va, where the Jamboree, is being held is only 50 miles

from D.C.

20 minute copter ride. 10 minute talk. 20 minutes back.

1 freaking hour.

But of course the Scout leaders are now being blamed for this whole thing because they let the kids sits and stand around for 3 hours in the sun waiting for Bush.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

5. However, if there are international tensions,

and weird shit is happening, I want my president on the job, not saluting future draftees. Assuming my president is sane, sober, etc.

However, THIS president has never been on the job, so I seriously doubt that was the reason.
The little people simply don't register on his agenda. And the only international tensions that are growing have been caused by us.

[I Know How To Do it]

10. However dumb it is, it's part and parcel of the President to do these

kind of photo-op things.
Just like hanging out for an afternoon with some sports team that won the national whatever-ship.
Clinton visted the Scouts.

This isn't just any camping trip.
This is the National Jamboree. 40,000 kids were there.
A few days earlier 4 or 5 leaders burned to death.
This was to be a memorial to them.
Bush was expected to show up.
The 300 kids that got heat exhaustion got it because they were sitting around waiting for him.
He never did show up.
about an hour after the No-show is when the, blame the weather story showed up.
The following day is when the, Blame the Scout Leaders stories started showing up.

[FreedomAngel82]

19. Oh right

Us little people can't be bothered for a little visit. :eyes: It takes him twenty minutes to get there and he probably could've taken a helicopter and got there and met with the boys and then got back to "work". Oh yeah that takes a lot of time out of his schedule. :eyes:

[FreedomAngel82]

18. Oh of course

Always blame someone else even when it's CLEARLY Bush's fault. :mad: I get so sick of it! You know good and well if this was Clinton or any democrat in the White House who did this it would be ALL over the news and newspapers and rightwing radio that the president tried to kill little kids! :mad:

[Benhurst]

6. No sacrifice is too great for The Leader.

[The_Casual_Observer]

7. The bastard did the same thing 4 years ago. That time he finally

sent a video. I doubt he even did that this time, now days it's "hard work" 24/7.

[Qanisqineq]

8. poor Georgie, afraid of wind and rain

Why doesn't CNN tell me about this? Are they afraid people will realize Bush is an asshole?

[FreedomAngel82]

20. Of course

He has to keep up his image that he cares for the people and is a good "Christian" family man. :eyes: I remember he was supposed to be at the Smoky Mountains and I think weather made him late then too. Suck up George! What are you afraid you're going to melt like the wicked witch?

[Robeson]

9. Yeah, like Bush cares how many plebians got sick....

...its hard work being arrogant.

[Moochy]

11. Scouts have been having alot of bad luck lately nt

[walldude]

22. Luck? I'd call it Karma...

On the other hand those brilliant leaders might deserve a Darwin Award for pitching a tent under power lines... not to be insensative or anything it just struck me as... um... stupid.

[TahitiNut]

12. Well, Heaven forbid that he get a haircut in Air Force One!

After all, what're 300 hospitalized teen-agers compared to an evil haircut? :eyes:

[TheFarseer]

13. Could he be more of an ass?

I'm surprised he didn't show up right after this tragedy and try to pitch his social security plan to the survivors.

[SouthernDem2004]

14. True, he should use his weather control machine. /nt

[NNN0LHI]

23. Or he could just send one of his apologists out and make everything OK n/t

[SouthernDem2004]

29. Hey, If you think he controls the weather then what can logic do...

[TheFarseer]

30. OK OK, I got a little carried away there

This wasn't really his fault, but he's still an ass.

[BrklynLiberal]

15. It is amazing how they blame everyone else but NEVER take responsibility

for anything themselves. They make me sick... Literally :puke:


The following day is when the, Blame the Scout Leaders stories started showing up.

[poetsdream]

16. Blame the weather, blame the scouts..

Egad, who hasn't this man blamed for something totally inhumane and inappropriate that he has done?

Is there no end to this man's arrogance and lack of regard for humans?

[FreedomAngel82]

17. Oh good grief

Why didn't they call and say they weren't coming?! Oh yes. George W. Bush really cares for the kids. :mad:

[sakabatou]

21. News Headline: Bush lets Boy Scouts get Sick

Let's hope it shows up

[Lannes]

24. If it were a fundraiser......

[Rex]

25. WTF!!!! Did no one remember to drink water?

Of all the basic stupid mistakes. So they handed water out by the caseload...I don't believe it. I hope they get sued.

[Lefty48197]

26. They would have hung Bill Clinton if he had done this

...no doubt about it. Hung him, and burned the corpse in the streets.

[NNN0LHI]

28. And that would have been from just his fellow Democrats

Wait until the Republicans had got a hold of him.

Don

[Lefty48197]

32. No. No...

It wasn't the Democrats I was talking about.

[I Know How To Do it]

27. I guess Bush went today, but he turned it into a Military Recruitment Op

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=533&e=2&u=/ap/20050731/ap_on_go_pr_wh/bush_boy_scouts

[Rose Siding]

31. Just TRY to imagine the coverage if this had happened to Clinton

I'm not suggesting that hundreds of parched boys should be piled up like cordwood right at the toes of the bejeweled presidential Tony Lamas, just noting the media's schitzophrenic behavior.

I see a parade of cable scouts with tear stained cheeks. Radio: 24/7. Drudge: Was Clinton really losing at a card game when he betrayed the scouts?.....Rush: Everyone KNOWS that Clinton has a gambling problem.......Hannity: So is it fair to say, Ann, that all Democrats endanger children?

Woodruff was talking about that haircut at LAX right up to the end.

[Lisa]

33. kids used to collapse from heatstroke and dehydration ...

... as they waited on the streets of Tehran, for the late Shah's motorcade to drive by. A friend who grew up during that era noted that the Shah had ordered teachers to bring their classes to cheer and applaud him -- and punish anyone who tried to leave, even to go to the bathroom!

That wretched dictator used those poor children as props. Ever since I heard that, I've had very little tolerance for for politicians, regardless of their political affiliation, who do that kind of thing.