Bush's biggest mistake: Cheney

[cynatnite]

snip:
Bush will forever be remembered for 9/11 and the Iraq War, the latter of which seems to introduce the most important factor in his presidency: Dick Cheney. As hated as Bush is today, Cheney seems to be doubly so, and will be forever ingrained in the minds of Americans after his near-Darth Vader appearance at Obama's historic inauguration. In analyzing this highly criticized administration, I find Cheney to have been the misguiding figure during Bush's presidency, and he has forever tarnished the reputation of the 43rd president of the United States.

snip:
This change makes me wonder, what would a George Bush presidency have been without Cheney? Would we have gone into Iraq? Hindsight is 20/20; however, I think that it is a worthwhile subject. Was a potentially successful president doomed by a vice-presidential selection?

http://media.www.thedepauw.com/media/storage/paper912/news/2009/02/27/Opinion/Bushs.Biggest.Mistake.Cheney-3653184.shtml

[Tangerine LaBamba]

1. Bush's biggest mistake:

breathing.

[brettdale]

2. Intresting post

I think bush forgot about "compassionate conservative" the day he took office.

[tularetom]

3. Nah Cheney got his way by pumping up the little twit

He got bush to think he'd be seen as tough and macho if he started a war or two, wars that made cheney brazillions of dollars. He weaseled his way past daddy bush and into the vice presidency because he knew what a spineless and brainless idiot bush jr. was and knew he could be easily manipulated.

Cheney may have pulled the strings on all the shit that went down but it could not have taken place with a president who had even an ounce of character, integrity or courage. Baby bush would have been a loser in any event. He never even had a shot at mediocrity.

[Old and In the Way]

10. A perfect capture of the essence of the Bush-Cheney error

a twitteriffic synopsis. :cheers:

[NYC Liberal]

4. What a pantload. "his unending respect for the office and the ingratiating nature of his spirit"

Please. He was just as complicit as the rest. He had NO respect for the office, nor was his spirit "ingratiating." Just search DU for some of the many stories of him showing what a bully and an asshole he really is in private.

Bush to G8: 'Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter'
Bush says if younger, he would work in Afghanistan
Bush Commutes Libby's Prison Term in CIA Leak Case
Bush: I'm Envious Of Soldiers Serving "Romantic" Mission In Afghanistan
Bush to mother of soldier killed in Iraq: "Don’t go sell (presidential coin) it on eBay.”
Dubya Brings 13-Year-Old To Tears
Bush, Merkel, and the quickie neck rub - The Boston Globe
Black America Today: Bush tells CBC he's 'unfamiliar' with Voting Rights Act

[Ghost in the Machine]

5. Cheney chose himself as Dumbya's V.P. ..

Besides that, Bush doesn't have it in him to be successful, potentially or otherwise... he always has been, and always will be a complete and utter failure as a human being... he's something I'd scrape off the bottom of my shoe before I stepped in pig shit, just so he wouldn't contaminate the pig shit...

[DJ13]

6. Revisionist bullcrap to make Bush look better

They were partners in crime.

Laurel without Hardy would have flopped.

Simon without ize would have been dull.

Bert without Ernie is just a sockpuppet.

[Ichingcarpenter]

7. They forget the story of his life before his presidency

which foretold his presidency. He was a coward, a loser and and psychopath
who blew up frogs for fun as a child.

What a bunch of crap

[Mind_your_head]

8. I don't know why I keep going back to this, but I believe george was

deeply, deeply hurt by the death of Robin Bush.....and he never recovered. And EVERYTHING we have suffered as a nation stems from THAT (not being addressed properly ~ his mom going out golfing instead of talking/mourning with her husband and children, etc. Why did Babs go out golfing? That's not a 'normal' way to react in an extremely personal CRISIS/TRAGEDY.)

[KonaKane]

11. What makes you think the Bush's are "normal"?

They certainly aren't, by any stretch and evidenced by their own psychotically dysfunctional lives. They are a privileged clan of sociopaths, who make it clear what led to things like the French Revolution.

[Mind_your_head]

13. Well, they are behaving normally......as in the case of cancer.....

....an uncontrolled growth that totally overwhelms any "healthy" growth, which will eventually drain and "kill the body".

In that sense, they are totally behaving 'normally'. Recognize these people for what they are.

[Tab]

9. You're implying Bush was calling the shots.

I disagree.

I think Cheney was in charge, and played Bush from the very beginning.

I mean, who else would you hire to determine who should be your vice president and that person would ultimately come up and say "well, actually, I'M the best one you'll find."

It stank from the very beginning.

[ConcernedCanuk]

15. AHA! - there is intelligence south of us -

.
.
.

GeeDubya was just the pawn at the top of the pile

I don't think the Dim-Son had one original thought regarding ANYTHING the USA has done for the last 8 years

I believe he was TOLD what to say and do

or "go to his room"

which I think he did a few times, and then proceeded to get drunk/stoned . . .

George was just a pawn for the PNAC gang while they raped the taxpayers of trillions of dollars

If GW wasn't a "Bush" kid

he'd be a homeless person

[norepubsin08]

12. Bush's biggest mistake was being born

he is classic text book case of why we need abortions!

[Marr]

14. It's a very interesting question. The answer depends on who you replace Cheney with, since

Bush Jr. was basically just a vainglorious moron, and would've been led around by whoever ran his Administration. I've no doubt that Bush believed he was in charge, but all he ever *really* did was choose between the options his corrupt staff handed to him. He didn't have the knowledge or interest necessary to be his own man.

[malaise]

16. I think his father was way more influential

Cheney was his pick.