Clinton SHAMED Bush into cutting into his vacation to "empathize"

[BurtWorm]

What kind of "leader" is it who is slow out of his seat and on his feet and thick with his head and tongue?

A Bush kind of leader.


http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room//index.html

Where's George?



Yesterday, while the rest of the world was watching aghast as the Asian tsunami death toll rose for the third straight day, it seemed a little improper to War Room that America's president seemed to be taking the disaster in stride. Midway through a holiday at his Crawford ranch the president spent Tuesday morning "clearing some brush," according to White House deputy press secretary Trent Duffy.

As the death toll surpassed 45,000 on Tuesday, not much appeared to have changed. Associated Press correspondent Deb Reichmann reported that Bush had spent the day "biking," "strolling around his ranch," and "pondering tax reform." To be fair, Reichmann did note that he was monitoring the disaster -- and having some friends over, too.

But while Bush remained out of sight in Texas, his predecessor struck a higher profile. "It is really important that somebody take the lead in this," former President Bill Clinton said on the BBC's Today Programme. "I think one of the problems is when everybody takes responsibility, it's almost like no one's responsibility."

Clinton's comments -- and their tacit suggestion that Bush was passing the buck -- didn't sit well with the White House. As the Washington Post reported after Clinton's BBC appearance, "Many Bush aides believe Clinton was too quick to head for the cameras to hold forth on tragedies with his trademark empathy. 'Actions speak louder than words,' a top Bush aide said, describing the president's view of his appropriate role." Another of the Post's White House sources took an even less thinly veiled jab at Clinton: "He didn't want to make a symbolic statement about 'We feel your pain.'"

But Clinton's comments -- and the widely allegation by a U.N. official that Western countries were being "stingy" with disaster relief funds -- may have led the White House to take a more empathetic tack. At a meeting with the press, Bush announced that he'd made calls to the leaders of the worst-hit countries, and assured them that the United States' relief effort "is only the beginning of our help."

"This has been a terrible disaster," the President went on to say. "I mean, it's just beyond our comprehension to think about how many lives have been lost. I know that our fellow citizens are particularly troubled to learn that many of the deaths were young children, and we grieve for their families, their moms and dads who are just, you know, heartsick during this -- during these times."

[Sparkly]

1. "Trademark Empathy?"

What's wrong with that?

What's wrong with a "symbolic statement about 'we feel your pain?'"

[BurtWorm]

It's too manly for the Republicans.

Shows too much decisiveness and ability to act correctly on impulse.

[tanyev]

4. It's sure a lot better than

trademark arrogance, or trademark hubris, or trademark vindictiveness, or.....need I continue?

[Stephanie]

12. Trademark belligerance, trademark drunkenness

trademark ignorance

[blm]

32. trademark greed, trademark untruthfulness, trademark incuriousness

et al.

[blue neen]

9. Exactly what I was thinking, Sparkly.

It is the very least Bush could have done. But what is wrong with us--the man wouldn't know the meaning of the word "empathy." He probably doesn't know how to pronounce it either.

Leave it to them to blame another one of their endless screw-ups on Clinton.

[DakotaDemocrat]

23. I wonder what he'll say...

Will something be on the march?
Who will bring it on?
Will anyone share their love?

He mentioned this morning about prevailing over this, like it was an evil menace that needed fighting. Mr. President, the tsunami is gone, it left behind chaos and its not hiding in Iran or Syria.

I hate to even start, but nothing was done by the leader of the free world about the largest national disaster we've ever faced...because he was waiting for speechwriters. Oh, and clearing brush.

I think someone should get a DR Field and Brush Mower - might save ya a wee bit of time to focus on other things...

[Stinky The Clown]

29. If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times

These are the "HATE" years. We have no time for empathy. We have no time for humanitarian efforts. We have no time for inclusion. We have no time for fairness.

Only hate.

How many times do I need to repeat this?????

Sheesh

(but I still love you :loveya: )

[fryguy]

2. is "clearing brush" some euphemism?

it always seems that when something significant happens, * is off at the ranch "clearing some brush"......i might be just a liberal city-slicker, but why is he always off tending to the ranch instead of the country? is brush really such a pressing matter, or is it the white hosue's way of saying he's drunk off his ass and can't come to the phone?

[Not_Giving_Up]

6. Why is he clearing his own brush anyway??

Aren't there people who do that? Pretzels and scooters are dangerous for him, but he can go do physical labor? Does anyone believe that he's DOING physical labor?

[tanyev]

11. I think they pay to have brush

planted there so they never run out of "manly" photo-op settings.

[TheDebbieDee]

14. HAHAHAHAHA !

[fryguy]

17. nice!

laughing over here at that....

[notadmblnd]

34. Nah, they hand him a baby chainsaw for just a few minutes

to take his picture with. It makes him feel manly. He's been clearing brush on that damn ranch of his now for 4 years, I see he hasn't even been able to accomplish the simple job of picking up sticks in his own yard.

[powergirl]

55. Mr. Delegator should delegate BRUSH CLEARIN' the friggin' GARDENER

You delegate the sh** work. Not NATIONAL SECURITY AND HUMANITARIAN AID. How long will that idiot embarass our country to the WORLD!!!

[mountainvue]

61. Clearing brush

is code for getting loaded. Junior is probably on a pretty good bender right now so they can clean him up in time for the coronation.

[BurtWorm]

15. It's supposed to call Reagan to mind.

Maybe wingers take comfort when they think of their "president" yanking twigs out of the ground. :shrug:

[LittleClarkie]

27. No Reagan fan

but Reagan was ten times the man Bush will ever be.

During the funeral, when commentators asked "doesn't Bush remind you of Reagan" I wanted to shout at the screen "NO HE DOES NOT!"

[BurtWorm]

30. The Bushists are trying to make certain voters think he's Reagan II

The shrub clearing, the ranch, the cowboy clothes... all just cheap Reagan-colored fig leaves over Bushist's pitiful endowment.

[TayTay]

46. Not fair

I heard he also parks the truck, lets Barnie the dog out and watches him roust armadillo's out of tree stumps. Just sitting there for hours on end watching his dog hunt armadillos. Nice to see that Yale education wasn't wasted and that he found something he is intellectually suited for.

[bklyncowgirl]

64. To be fair to Reagan

Ol' Ronnie owned his ranch before he had any presidential ambitions and genuinely enjoyed working on it, chopping firewood, clearing brush and personally caring for his horses. I don't remember if the old boy had any cattle running on it but it was less of a photo set than the Shrub's pig farm. Since Bush by all accounts never showed any taste for the country life before 1999, one can assume that this is all for show.

Look, it worked. Alot of middle Americans saw Bush as a man of the people in part because he gets out with his chainsaw and clears brush.

[Sparkly]

18. Oh please start a new thread on that!!

I'd love to see DUers brainstorm about what "clearing brush" is really a euphemism for!!

[fryguy]

21. good call

hold on

[itzamirakul]

50. "drunk off his ass and can't come to

the phone." Funny as hell

I must be in some kind of extra silly mood tonight. :)

[MADem]

54. I think it is CODE

...for "adjusting his antipsychotic medications."

He always has that odd look (the thousand yard stare, without the horror of war behind it) before he disappears for a few days. Then he comes back, looking as normal as is possible for him, all things considered, and stays sorta low until they are sure all is well...for the time being.

They're probably working overtime at the Bethesda National Military Medical Center Pharmacy Department....gotta get everything "just so" before the "festivities" come January....

Oi, vey!

[bobbieinok]

60. code..'I don't want to be bothered'

[elehhhhna]

69. brush= nostril in Texan lingo?

[Not_Giving_Up]

3. Maybe the number is beyond his comprehension

because he ran out of fingers and toes to count on.

So, are we now to think that he didn't make a statement earlier because he was so overwhelmed?

Good for Clinton! Somebody should shame this goober! After all, he doesn't think he can shame himself.:eyes:

[Bunny]

5. "Actions speak louder than words."

Indeed they do. The whole world is watching. Not that that means anything to these douchebags, however. :mad:

[dave123williams]

26. Inaction speaks volumes about *'s character.

[Bunny]

28. Yes, it sure does. n/t

[SemperEadem]

7. yeah right

"I know that our fellow citizens are particularly troubled to learn that many of the deaths were young children"

yeah... all that cheap future labor gone. Drat!

[sandnsea]

8. No action, no empathy

Typical Bush. That's the problem.

[Stephanie]

10. Bush made calls to the worst-hit countries TODAY!

They cannot spin their way out of this. Bush is guilty of a complete and disgusting lack of human decency and so now they are trying to make empathy seem like a bad thing.

Bush made those calls TODAY -

__________________



Wed Dec 29,12:00 PM ET
AP

In this photo released by the White House, Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2004, President Bush (news - web sites) speaks with Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga from Crawford, Texas on Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2004. (AP Photo/The White House, Eric Draper, HO)

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/041229/480/wx10112291657

________________________

[BurtWorm]

13. Imagine the words of solace pouring off of that silver tongue!

"It's...hard. It's really...hard."

[fryguy]

20. he's got pictures of himself on his walls.....

....what an arrogant asshole! ain't like they're pictures of him with other leaders or anything, they look like him giving the "thumbs-up" to troops....keee-rist, why didn't his parents give him a GI Joe when he was a kid so he could have worked out all his solider fantasies...

[bpilgrim]

33. and he's try'n to PROSTITUTE our troops AGAIN

notice the picture over his shoulder :puke:

that is getting REAL old and OBVIOUS even to republicans

peace

[Lisa]

37. note the prominent picture of himself ...

This is how he furnishes his special conference room at the "Western White House"? Photos of himself parading before the troops in his finery?

[Malva Zebrina]

38. Oh and just take a look at the photo on the wall

Is that a photo of the AWOL Commander in Chief all dressed up in his flight suit, having just flown a jet onto the decks of the USS Abraham Lincoln?


This is most obvously a staged photo. There is NO ONE in that room? He wandered in there all by his wittle self, to pick up the phone and speak to Kumaratunga?

Puleese.

I am so sick of these staged events. We have a Potempkin wannabee president who plays a president on TV.

Just look at his facial expression of "deep concern"

I don't believe for a minute he is talking to anyone at all.

[Stephanie]

42. I don't believe he's talking to anyone, either

This is exactly like that photo they fucking SOLD as a fundraiser of him talking on the phone on AF1 supposedly on 9/11. Another STAGED PR LIE by the Rovianites.

[TayTay]

47. Maybe Laura was busy ...

And e couldn't find anyone to dial all those big numbers for him. It is pretty taxing, after all.

[mountainvue]

62. Stock photo? n/t

[jmowreader]

66. Look at the room he's in. Look close.

Crawford, Texas, is the proverbial wide spot in the road. There is NOTHING there.

This boardroom is in his house. The man has a BOARDROOM in his house. Who has a fucking boardroom in his house?

Also notice the walls. He has photos of himself hanging in his private boardroom. What's up with that?

[leesa]

68. This house was built as a "safe" house from which they could plot

their nefarious deeds. They might be bugged in any of the public buildings.

[wicket]

16. Clinton got them good

And they know it. What a bunch of sniveling assholes they are.

[hollowdweller]

58. That's the thing about Clinton. He never is the Bully or Name Caller, but

he has a way of getting the point across. All that time the Repubs hounded him and hurled hate at him he really never sunk to their level but as a Christian he "didn't return evil with evil" and because of that I believe they could never get him.

[GetTheRightVote]

19. That man simply makes me sick to my stomach, more reasons

to be disgusted with him, Why don't someone * put him in the middle of a earth quake so he can really feel their pain, what an A* hole he is ....... God I hate that man.

:kick:

[impeachthescoundrel]

24. God I hate him too

[impeachthescoundrel]

22. Is there a link for the Clinton video?

[Viva_La_Revolution]

25. The unmitigated gall of this man makes me ILL!!!

"This has been a terrible disaster," the President went on to say. "I mean, it's just beyond our comprehension to think about how many lives have been lost. I know that our fellow citizens are particularly troubled to learn that many of the deaths were young children, and we grieve for their families, their moms and dads who are just, you know, heartsick during this -- during these times."

Iraq is a terrible disaster! It's beyond our comprehension that 1300 US troops and 75,000-100,000 Iraqi citizens are dead, many of them children. What have we done to the hearts of the Iraqi people, and the hearts of the Americans whose family members have died over there? What an ASS!

[journalist3072]

31. Bush

I still find it hard to reconcile that a majority of Americans would stand in line for hours and hours to vote for this major league asshole loser.

He really should be ahamed of himself.

Part of leadership means showing compassion, and expressing the emotions that many peopl feel during a crisis.

How I wish Clinton was still President. To me, he will always be President.

[itzamirakul]

51. Where did you get the idea that a

majority of Americans stood in line to vote for Bush? The huge numbers of African Americans who were the main people who stood in line for up to 10 hours were Democrats and they were there to vote for John Kerry. You are right about one thing...they were the majority....unfortunately their votes were stolen...once again....

Bush voters were in districts that had ample voting machines, etc and few stood in line for more than 15 minutes.

[journalist3072]

53. You're right

I don't believe a majority of voters voted for Bush. That was sarcasim on my part.

[itzamirakul]

65. OK n/t

[flordehinojos]

35. can the calls be corroborated? are there really any leaders that hecalled?

everything bush says is so rote and canned. It is like he has fitted everything into a mold and freedom is not free to float in thought, or expresssion, or policies, or liberties...not even in the act of grieving is there freedom to grieve ... he makes it sound so molded and so canned, so constricted and so restricted? Can anyone brake the chains of his power grab?

[Stephanie]

43. It would be possible to ask the WH what time he called

And then look at the schedules of the leaders and see where they were at that time.

[48pan]

36. This is GREAT!

If he comes out right away, we can say he was grandstanding and if he waits we can say he doesn't care and his vacation is more important than a world disaster.

Either way, we win. Keep hammering him.

[Malva Zebrina]

39. it may be

but to who do we say these things?

[48pan]

41. Say them to annoying right wingers. It makes them mad. NT

[spanone]

40. What the fuck is the matter with 'we feel your pain'?

Seems like an appropriate thing to say if you mean it.

[fooj]

59. Right On!!

No shit! The inhumane bandits can't FEEL anything...heartless sob's! Just another example of making fun and berating in order to deflect attention from themselves!!! Accountability? Responsibility?? WTF? Bullies play by their own set of rules...:mad:

[depakid]

44. Does anyone need further evidence that Bush is a sociopath?

This is about as good as it gets.

The only empathy this man is capable of comes from aides who know that they had better put on appearences or risk losing their "political capital."

[Stephanie]

45. sociopath

fucking scary

[LynnTheDem]

48. "beyond our comprehension to think about how many lives have been lost"

And the 100,000+ Iraqis dead BECAUSE OF bush?

Obviously they too are far beyond bush's comprehension.

[flordehinojos]

49. have you noticed how cnn's anderson cooper is ... holding 2 hour specials

on the tsunami tragedy with plenty of photos of bodies on the streets, and bodies being cremated in mass cremation rites? ... and yet, not a one photo of the dead caused by Bush bombs and bullets in Iraq?

NOW that would be a perfect use of comparing/contrasting for them their selective use of televised tragedies.

[LynnTheDem]

52. Yep I've noticed. And you can bet the IRAQIS and the entire WORLD have

noticed.

Just a little something extra to make the planet hate us that much more.

[Disturbed]

56. Four more years of this Sociopath.

It's gonna be a hard four years!!!

[LynnTheDem]

57. Maybe the repugs will wake up to the destruction bush is.

Stranger things have happened. Not gonna hold my breath though.

[TabulaRasa]

63. Is there any chance

of a tsunami localized around this fucker? God, I hate him ... every fake, smirking fiber of his existence. What an absolute disgrace of a human being. Nobody wants your phone call, you piece of garbage. Go back to clearing brush. It might be the only use you have on this planet.

[Bridget Burke]

67. Nope. Crawford is definitely Tornado Country.

Tornados can cause widespread damage--or be quite selective. Almost as good as a lightning strike.

Not that I'm making any suggestions to any hypothetical Supreme Being...