to all you DUers who "don't know what else Bush could do" re: the disaster

[Skittles]

Our nation is watching day after day the most horrific scenes on TV most of us have seen in our LIFETIME. Bush, who is SUPPOSED to be our PRESIDENT, should ADDRESS THE NATION AND TELL US EXACTLY WHAT AMERICA IS DOING TO ASSIST WITH THE HUMANITARIAN EFFORTS. Those of you who think it's OK for him to be SITTING ON HIS ASS ON VACATION are freaking CLUELESS. STOP MAKING EXCUSES FOR THIS PIECE OF SHIT PHONY PRESIDENT.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

[babylonsister]

1. But Skittles,

"it's hard work."

[Skittles]

3. I realize that incompetent piece of shit is incapable of being a leader

it's the excuses for his behavior - from DUers no less - that has me very upset. :grr:

[Phoebe_in_Sydney]

48. I don't have much status as a newbie

but I've been pretty shocked by some of the excuses I've seen in here for Bush not being able to pull his head out of his friggin' brush.

Among the countries devastated is the world's most populous Moslem nation. Either that poor excuse for a leader of the free world can't see that this is an opportunity to show those people he isn't anti-Moslem, or he doesn't give a stuff what they think.

Either way, the US image on the world stage continues its perilous slide.

Clinton would've come forward and made a personal comment and at least made sure he was seen to be involved in the decisions about what was done.

[Skittles]

51. lord how I miss Clinton

welcom to the DU, Phoebe! You'll fit in fine here! :hi:

[MockSwede]

56. Welcome

Wish I could type it upside down for you. We don't use status here; so you don't need any, other than to speak up like the rest of us!

IF he pulled his inflated head out of his 'brush', as you call it, we'd see the biggest, messiest shit-hemorrhage in the history of politics.

I agree that he just 'doesn't give a stuff' - about Muslims, 'furriners', and 'unAmerican traitors' - basically ALL of us.

I'd rather substance over image for the US in the world but the voters screwed up again. They voted but didn't make sure their votes got counted.

UKraine gve us a great lesson in standing up and being counted; not US, I'm afraid.

Thanks for contributing!

[Phoebe_in_Sydney]

78. thanks for the welcome

Mock Swede and Skittles. I've been lurking a bit worried about getting a hard time as a newbie, but so far everyone's been great.

The bit about typing upside down for my benefit is about as rough as it's been so far. Of course, I only joined DU coz I thought it stood for Down Under ;-)

[Kahuna]

82. It's real hard..

}(

[leftchick]

2. thank you Skittles!

very well said! :grr:

[NMDemDist2]

4. death toll 63,000 and still rising

and * is biking and relaxing from his hard work


:puke:

[Stephanie]

12. Bush Biking, Relaxing at Texas Ranch

Bush Biking, Relaxing at Texas Ranch
The Associated Press

CRAWFORD, Texas Dec 28, 2004 — Besides monitoring the devastating earthquake in Southeast Asia, President Bush is biking and strolling around his ranch here and pondering tax reform and other goals in his second term.

"He's clearing some brush this morning," deputy White House press secretary Trent Duffy said Tuesday, adding that the president and first lady also planned to host friends at the ranch.

"He's doing some biking and exercising as he normally does, taking walks with the first lady, and thinking about what he wants to accomplish in the second term." <more>

link

____________________________


HE WILL ROT IN HELL

[Jo March]

25. How much brush is on that darn "ranch" anyway?

He's always clearing brush!

[Stephanie]

26. note that he will be ENTERTAINING

So 60,000 people swept to their deaths in a moment will not interfere with George Bush's plans to entertain his FRIENDS at the RANCH.

After 9/11/01, did you cancel your social plans? Or did you go ahead and PARTY?

[LynnTheDem]

37. BECAUSE of him, 100,000+ are dead; why would he give a flying about a mere

60,000 killed by a natural disaster?

He doesn't.

And 911 was the VERY BEST THING to ever happen to bush & Cartel. Three years on and they're still using it to do anything they want to do. Sick MFers, all of them.

[Jo March]

62. Lynn, he's probably proud that he's killed more than Mother

Nature. Sick man.

[LynnTheDem]

63. Proud...

And very very sick. bush and all his sociopath Cartel.

As Paul Krugman says; "There's something very wrong with these people".

[Jo March]

64. Amen and God help us all. nt

[MockSwede]

60. Definition of "BRUSH"

see post by phoebe_in_sydney higher up. (It's suject like is "I don't have much status as a newbie".)

Seems that "Brush" means ass or asshole, as far as I can figure, in Australia. So MAYBE, that explains BUSHes or "Arbusto", too! And WE though the assholes on that ranch in TX were Americans!

[XemaSab]

81. Note well

that if he actually ran cattle on the ranch, the cattle would eat the brush. No cows = lots of brush.

You gots to wonder what he's clearing it FOR though... make a fire break? Clear mountain biking trails? Eliminate hiding places for insurgents?

Seems like brush is the natural order of the ecosystem there in Texas, and he shouldn't try to fight it.

[robbedvoter]

57. But only after "monitoring" - which is too hard work so stop saying that:

Bush Monitors Earthquake Damage From Ranch

President Bush spent part of Monday at his Texas ranch monitoring devastation from a deadly earthquake in Southeast Asia — a replay of his post-Christmas vacation last year when he was monitoring damage from an earthquake in Iran.
Bush sent letters of condolence to Bangladesh, Thailand, Sri Landa, Indonesia, India, Maldives and Malaysia — all countries affected by the Sunday earthquake and tidal waves that have killed more than 22,000 people.
"He's been monitoring it very closely," White House spokesman Trent Duffy told reporters at a briefing here. "He's seen some of the images on television."
On Dec. 26, 2003, when Bush was beginning his 2003 post-Christmas vacation here, his advisers were keeping him abreast of an earthquake in southeastern Iran that left more than 26,000 dead.
More...
http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20041227/ap...

[itzamirakul]

66. When did he start watching television?

I thought other people watched for him and then reported what they thought was important for him to know. This would be a real revolutionary step up to the real world if it is true.

If he has indeed started to watch tv, then perhaps he is even on the internetS now. Maybe even lurking in DU. (Dummmm-de-dum-dum)

[SweetLeftFoot]

61. Hard work

It is hard work for him to stay upright on the bike.

[TrustingDog]

69. his 'hard work' of killing 100,000+ Iraqis...

maybe it is in his best interest to keep his filthy crapper shut.

[ginnyinWI]

5. We the people, have no president.

The rich and the corporations do, however. He's only there for them. The rest of us are tax-paying pawns.

Fortunately, we have several good public servants at the federal level in the Senate and the House doing battle for the people. Some states have good governors. I guess they'll have to do, for now. Sigh.

[Skittles]

8. it's been so long since we've had a real president

people are starting to forget how a REAL PRESIDENT behaves.

[radar]

20. That's right

Kinda like the Madtv skit about dating - "Lowered Expectations...."
*cue singing & music

[LittleClarkie]

6. Ya ever get the feeling Cheney has a weather machine...

and he knows how to use it.

Dr. No strikes again.

Well, we did wonder how they were going to cover up for the Ohio lawsuit, didn't we?

:tinfoilhat:

[quinnox]

7. Worst Tsunami Death Toll in history

as far as we know anyway.

[starroute]

44. If you limit it to earthquake-caused tsunamis, that's true

But I found several recent flooding disasters with over 100,000 deaths at http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001440.html


1970 - Nov. 13, East Pakistan: 200,000 killed by cyclone-driven tidal wave from Bay of Bengal. Over 100,000 missing.

1971 - Aug., Hanoi, North Vietnam: heavy rains severely flooded the Red River Delta, killing 100,000.

1975 - Aug. 5, Yangtze River, China: 63 dams failed, killing an estimated 80,000 to 200,000 people from floods and subsequent famine. The Chinese government never acknowledged the event.


As I recall, the 1970 event was the one George Harrison organized a concert for -- the first of the big relief concerts.

[unblock]

46. these are earthquake death tolls,but tsunamis surely accounted for a chunk

http://neic.usgs.gov/neis/eqlists/eqsmosde.html


Date Location Deaths Magnitude Comments
January 23, 1556 China, Shansi 830,000 ~8
July 27, 1976 China, Tangshan 255,000
(official) 7.5 Estimated death toll as high as 655,000.
August 9, 1138 Syria, Aleppo 230,000
May 22, 1927 China, near Xining 200,000 7.9 Large fractures.
December 22, 856+ Iran, Damghan 200,000
December 16, 1920 China, Gansu 200,000 8.6 Major fractures, landslides.
March 23, 893+ Iran, Ardabil 150,000
September 1, 1923 Japan, Kwanto 143,000 7.9 Great Tokyo fire.
October 5, 1948 USSR
(Turkmenistan, Ashgabat) 110,000 7.3
December 28, 1908 Italy, Messina 70,000 to 100,000
(estimated) 7.2 Deaths from earthquake and tsunami.
September, 1290 China, Chihli 100,000
November, 1667 Caucasia, Shemakha 80,000
November 18, 1727 Iran, Tabriz 77,000
November 1, 1755 Portugal, Lisbon 70,000 8.7 Great tsunami.
December 25, 1932 China, Gansu 70,000 7.6
May 31, 1970 Peru 66,000 7.9 $530,000 damage, great rock slide, floods.
1268 Asia Minor, Silicia 60,000
January 11, 1693 Italy, Sicily 60,000
May 30, 1935 Pakistan, Quetta 30,000 to 60,000 7.5 Quetta almost completely destroyed.
February 4, 1783 Italy, Calabria 50,000
June 20, 1990 Iran 50,000 7.7 Landslides.

[hangemhigh]

9. As we say back home..

he is as worthless as tits on a boar. Did we really expect him to rise to the occasion with leadership, generosity and compassion? He is behaving true to form.

[Skittles]

10. no, we don't expect it of him

we know the bar has been lowered below ground level for that piece of garbage. What I refuse to tolerate is the excuses I've been reading IN THE DU for this atrocious behavior. :grr:

[uppityperson]

11. Exactly. Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh n/t

[shance]

13. Very, very true. Such tremendously damaging leadership.

through both the neglect of the important issues and direct focusing and investing time, energy and money into policies that are inflicting great harm on our planet as a whole.

Thank you for pointing out what should be obvious to all of us.

I think his performance and the entire Administrations lack of leadership and horrific policies have created some "shock and awe" in all of us, which is what many of them apparently want to create, and how they essentially want us to respond.

Its important to keep some perspective, and you helped give me some needed perspective tonight.

[spanone]

14. Don't expect compassion from the king. He doesn't fuck with his minions.

[FreakinDJ]

15. Those "Brown Skinned people" can't govern them selves........

If that doesn't explain exactly what Bush thinks about all of those killed in the disaster then I don't know what does.

what makes anyone think Bush is any thing but a deceitful selfish little frat boy is a mystery to me

[CelticWinter]

16. Humanitarian (cough, choke, gag)

Did you honestly expect him to do anything more than he already has? Lets face it these poor countries have nothing he wants so why would he be bothered to concern himself. I dont see any compassion coming from that 'neck of the woods', how sad.

[Skittles]

18. he is doing exactly what I expected

I'm upset with the excuses over his behaviour; it is nothing short of OBSCENE.

[AgadorSparticus]

53. OBSCENE and a complete affront to any sense of humanity

whatsoever. this piece of shit human trash in crawford is an ANIMAL. i'm so fucking pissed off. ARRRRRRRRRGH!!

[candle_bright]

17. What would Kofi do?

I wish I could search better, because I'll bet that Kofi Annan and others are NOT on vacation. Anyone know?

[tabasco]

23. When did Kofi become President of the United States?

I'm sure he's doing a lot more than the piece of Crawford pigshit.

[candle_bright]

33. Right

But don't you think if we could show what Kofi was doing it could be negative to the Chimperor?

[tabasco]

36. I measure Presidents against other Presidents...

not against the leader of the UN. The leader of our Nation should make us proud with his leadership on the world stage. Bush does not understand the simplest leadership responsibilities. He is a mere stuffed shirt for the corporate interests, just like Reagan. But unlike Reagan, Bush can't even fake it.

We have soldiers dying in a hopeless quagmire and a massive natural disaster overseas and Bush taking it easy on the pig farm. Great leadership from the laziest President we've ever had.

[candle_bright]

41. Okay

Then let's figure out what other Presidents were doing. Annan is Secretary General of the UN, and don't you think that he was probably not on vacation, though? Wouldn't that be important as an example of the international body?
And what the Chimp should have been doing.

[idiosyncratic]

19. I heard Clinton on the radio today making a suggestion

And I wondered . . . "Hmm. Where is the rResident?"

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

21. It needed to be said, you said it, therefore I SALUTE YOU.

:toast:

[Stephanie]

24. I SECOND your salute

Well said.

WTF???? DU is getting gentrified.

[Daisey Mae]

22. He is a dreadful President and No Christian could look up to him....

"YOU WILL BE JUDGED BY YOUR DEEDS".......He is a hideous human or perhaps he really is an alien or of course.....a chimp......He is totally invested in killing, violence and forced starvation,not to mention homelessness.....HE JUST DOESN'T CARE.....He is a deadly evil asshole......

[CelticWinter]

27. Chimps are more compassionate

than this non-human. Honestly I think with this 'thing' (and thats all I can think to call him without getting on the most wanted list)has burned all the bridges for America, and someday we will suffer from his actions.

[NoFederales]

28. Speak to the Nation

He could bloody well address the calamity to the Nation and explain how the USA will help, lay out a workable plan whereby we may all help. Transportation of water, foodstuffs, clothing,and medicines is a major obstacle to local aide. But the flaming asshole is compassionately insulated from suffering by his misanthropic minions--I am ashamed that such a one could be called a leader of Americans.

NoFederales

[radar]

29. Oh Yeah...

"Transportation of water, foodstuffs, clothing,and medicines..."

We've got the biggest air & naval logistics forces in the world; they could be a BIG help getting needed stuff to the right location.

...But, they are being run ragged moving material to Southwest Asia to kill our fellow man.

[Skittles]

31. I am completely disgusted, noF

just when I think I cannot be any MORE digusted with bush he manages to do it. He makes me ashamed and embarrassed for my country every g.d. day.

[NoFederales]

38. The Feeling is Known

How many times have I asked myself, "can it get any worse?" Nah! there has to be a limit, but no, it can get toxically much nastier. And all for what? Power?, Glory?, Material Things?, Self-Deification?

But what hurts more is the "half" of us who enable these misanthropes to walk in front of us. I am not in despair, but patience is stretched; and could I but snatch the flame from his candle, such would I do. Ah, but Hell, such thoughts before I retire; may his nightmares consume him.

NoFederales

[deadparrot]

30. Giving some significant money towards the victims wouldn't hurt, either.

[juajen]

35. I just heard on CNN that * would have something to say on this disaster

tomorrow, relief efforts, and so forth, FWIW.

[Skittles]

40. NOT GOOD ENOUGH

he has already demonstrated he f***ing SUCKS as a leader; he's a g.d. DISGRACE.

[Debs]

32. No Question

Bush is a total waste of precious oxygen. He should turn in his oxygen users permit, and allow a decent human being to use it.

[Zenlitened]

34. Has he even strolled out to the gate to give a 15-second sound-bite?

I've had the news on all evening, and haven't seen or heard a thing from him.

Unreal.

[Skittles]

39. F*** NO, he's doing the same thing now he did on 9/11

NOT A G.D. THING

[Disturbed]

42. If he had an ounce of compasion...

he would call off the hidious Coronation and forward that money to relief efforts.

[Stephanie]

45. I made the exact same suggestion

As have others

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=203x201623

[Stephanie]

54. He's goiing to speak today

Four days too late.

[Stephanie]

43. Search Yahoo News - there is nothing on him

No photo ops at all today.

[Skittles]

68. DAYS LATER the bastard makes an AUDIO ADDRESS

FROM F***ING CRAWFORD - AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA HE MAKES ME SICK

[Catchawave]

47. That's it....

...our president should be helping us deal with this great sadness that's affecting the whole world right now.

Bush is not....my...president!

[femme.democratique]

49. I agree, re: disasters it could just as easily be us....and worse for Bush

we'd lose 100,000 and wouldn't be able to blame the "terah-ists"

He's an irresponsible pathetic excuse for a Prez.

[Stephanie]

50. He's an appalling disgrace

I don't want any association with him. Can I get a divorce?

[Catherine Vincent]

52. You can't do or say much while you're in recovery.

[Bridget Burke]

55. Perhaps he'll stage another pep rally?

Get out there with his bullhorn & try to keep from smirking.....

Meanwhile, his "people" are wondering how to get leverage from this disaster thing. Make part of the contribution a "loan"? Ask for military support in exchange? Plan to send in missionaries?

Realistically speaking, a swift, simple, heartfelt message of condolence followed by assurances of aid would have been good PR--as well as the decent thing to do. But even that's beyond him.

[Jon8503]

58. Skittles, absolutely correct. The German President was one who

cut his vacation short to see what they could do to help.

Somebody tell me does it take this long to prepare Bush to get in front of reporters to speak or is he so clueless about what to do, what is it? This is unbelievable.

[itzamirakul]

67. They gotta write the script first, then he has to memorize it, ,

then he has to be rehearsed so that when he finally faces the cameras he will not SOUND rehearsed. It takes time to be spontaneous if your name is George Bush.

[freeplessinseattle]

75. plus sober him up, that can take awhile! (nt)

[wadestock]

59. Unless there's a business opportunity, why bother?

You forget that it is out of our individual good wills that we deal with these things.

If we were to show such eye opening concern for people like this, don't you think we'd blink an eye about the 100s of thousands we've killed in 2 Iraq wars now?

Your outrage is well founded. Once again America, under the leadership of scum bag neocons and businessmen, has defined itself as no real champion of good will and democracy, but rather consumed with its own self interests.

Concerning the scum bag businessmen who now run our country and who fake religion while they enjoy a nice 8 mile high ride from point A to point B, you might want to remind yourself that aside from their 1 millimeter thick false exterior, there is an empty soul. You might as well try and squeeze a rock to get orange juice than expect any true humanity from these people.

[Dees]

65. You're 100 % correct.

Is it too much to ask that he at least act presidential even if his heart isn't anywhere close to being in it. Hell, there's brush to clear and friends to entertain. When the going gets tough the weak head for Crawford. What a pitiful disguise for a leader.

[driver8]

70. Do these countries have oil? No -- chimp doesn't care. n/t

[HughBeaumont]

71. Right on.

We spend more on wasteful pork and inaugurations. Stop defending this amateur corporate fluffer.

[proud2BlibKansan]

72. THANK YOU SKITTLES

I too am stunned at some of the comments here on DU.

The dispshit is CLEARING BRUSH.

Hello??????

I do not see how anyone can justify the behavior of this moran.

[priapis]

73. =>25 million TOTAL aid is 2 hours worth of Iraq's 250 million A DAY cost

sort of puts it in perspective

[KoKo]

74. He's an Armaggedonist....he thinks this is God's plan....it's pitiful

but really what can he do. It brings us closer to the Messiah arriving.

[journalist3072]

76. Bush

This farce masquerading as President needs to get off his ass and do his damn job.

This totally reminds me of the over 7 minutes he spent on his ass in that classroom in Florida on 9/11. I talked to a Repug friend of mine about it, and she asked me what did I want BUsh to do on 9/11 instead of sitting in that classroom.

I told her I wanted him to get off his ass, quit looking like he was dumbfounded, and galvanize his government into action. I told her I wanted him on the phone, making calls to ensure everything was being done to respond to the attacks, and try to do everything in his power to limit the possibility of further attacks that day.

An it just amazes me that in order to defend Bush, the Repugs continue to piss on Clinton.

[despairing optimist]

77. What? And interrupt his football games?

Do you want him to choke on another pretzel? Have some compassion.

(Truth is, I share your outrage. That guy's the pits, and I mean no offense to Pittsburgh.)

[Muddy Waters Guitar]

79. Maybe Bush actually welcomed the tsunami disaster

as part of the twisted Rapture thinking that he and his colleagues espouse. Plagues, storms, disease, and suffering-- hey, some of these fools probably fantasize about it, and if the Rapture's coming soon, in their minds, why do anything to worry about or prepare the future? Dubya and his ilk repulse me.

[Stephanie]

80. kick

needs to be said AGAIN

[Kahuna]

83. Just heard on AAR news, new death toll number is at 117,000.

:cry: