Bush throws Tantrum and insults French IN FRANCE...Diplomatic DISASTER

[jackstraw45]

A contrast in leadership

Kennedy offers an elegant, diplomatic gesture of friendship and Bush* pulls it back 40 years later.

John F. Kennedy, May 30, 1961:

"Benjamin Franklin once said that every American has two homes--his own country and France. And I am sure that in this visit which I undertake that I bring to France and to President de Gaulle the appreciation, the respect and esteem of all of the people of this country who value his courage over a period of 20 years in which he has served as one of the great Captains of the West."

http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/site/docs/pppus.php?admin=035&year=1961&id=215

George Bush, June 5, 2004:

"To re-paraphrase John Kennedy, there is America and there is Texas."

Just wait for the headlines in Europe.

[mike_c]

1. oh no, please tell me this is parody....

Did dim son really say that? OMG.

[Cush]

2. yup, he said it

[jackstraw45]

4. He said it...NEXT TO THE FRENCH PRESIDENT

This man has NO control over his temper...like a 3 year old child.

[charlyvi]

38. It probably will be a parody

Once SNL hears it.

[Jack from Charlotte]

71. Ted Kennedy needs to address this.......... saying something to the effect

that President Kennedy never said anything like what AWOL/Moron said and furthermore President Kennedy wasn't so stupid or childish to insult our friends and allies..... and that you, AWOL/Moron, are no John Kennedy.

[seafan]

73. Transcript link here (WH.gov)

..... Yes, a question?

Q Thank you, sir. I would have a question for Mr. Bush. Once, President Kennedy said, "Everyone has two countries, their own, and France." And why is it that your policy tends to be pushing your country and France to divorce?

Second point, some in public opinion have accused you of state terrorism, and do you not believe that what has happened in Abu Ghraib has put you in the same basket, as it were, of Saddam Hussein, especially in the eyes of an international tribunal, and especially in light of the unfound weapons of mass destruction?

PRESIDENT BUSH: To paraphrase President Kennedy, there's America, and then there's Texas.

We have great relations with France. We work closely with the French government on a lot of issues. I just laid out a lot of the issues that we're working together on, as did the President. We're working to stop proliferation, we're working in Haiti, we're working on the continent of Africa. We're working to feed the hungry. We're working to make sure that the pandemic of AIDS gets -- the people get the help they need to arrest the pandemic of AIDS in Africa. No, there are a lot of issues we work on.

As for the prison abuse issue, I am -- I was humiliated, as was most of my country. Those soldiers didn't reflect the character of the American people. They didn't -- they stained our honor. And the world will see a full investigation of those -- of that humiliation, which will stand in stark contrast to what takes place in states run by tyrants. And there will be a full investigation in a transparent way. And those that violated rules will be held to account.

Gregory. Monsieur Gregory. (Laughter.)


(more)

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2004/06/20040605-6.html

[Tansy_Gold]

81. Was the second reporter David Gregory?

I'm assuming it was, and that was the reason for the insultingly bad pronunciation of "Monsieur Gregory". IIRC, Gregory was the reporter who, several years ago, asked Chirac a question in French and booshie boy made some asshole remark about how he was bilingual, too.

[weedthesmoke]

83. pushing your country?

If that was Gregory asking then why would he say "your"? Is he not an American too?

[arwalden]

112. If That Fucker Says "A-lot-of" One More Time I'm Gonna Scream

[mmm]

3. Americans are gonna love it!

It brings out the KKK in us.
Only Bush could think of something so fucking
stupid to say. More irritating is that republicans are gonna
love it - whatever it means.

[slor]

9. It will only be KKK types that like it...

seriously, I think most Americans really, really want to share the burden of death and the finances of war with more countries. This will show most people that his ass needs to return to crawford.

[slor]

5. Seriously...

that idiot did not really say that...PLEASE say he did not say that.

[jackstraw45]

8. HE SAID IT

A french reporter asked him a tough question referencing the Kennedy quote...disgusted, he pulled out his earpiece and insulted the nation of France.

[pinto]

15. missed it, what was the question?....n/t

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

22. He was also being asked if he was a terrorist...

He pulled out the earpiece, alright, and threw it down...but not before three failed attempts to interrupt the reporter. Finally he just muttered under his breath until she was finished and gave her...and anyone listening...a big ol' Texas-sized "up yours."

It is particularly insulting after all of the "Howard Dean could NEVER be president because of his temper" crap. You want to see temper? Watch the replay of this...if any of the news channels have the balls to show it.

[lebkuchen]

56. That's what happened to Tenet

He dared to question the King and got canned. Some democracy.

[Ms. Clio]

75. Such a public display only convinces me that he acts even worse in private

and provides some confirmation of the factual accuracy of the much-disputed Capitol Hill Blue piece from yesterday, about Bush's "obscene tantrums" and bizarre behavior.

[PurityOfEssence]

97. dingdingding

You are so right. He's a deeply shallow, mean little nobody, and people like this are always MUCH worse in private.

He will have his comeuppance, and he's going to have a miserable time in Europe right now.

[The Backlash Cometh]

40. Are all Texans this undiplomatic?

Or did the Dixie Chicks have it right?

[leftistagitator]

63. Nope, most Texans have manners

We don't tend to travel abroad as much as you Yankees do, but most of us would never go to someone else's country and badmouth it in front of their national media. Especially if we went there looking for help. But that's frat-boy* for you, he doesn't consider the words he's saying before he says them, or after for that matter.

[RapidCreek]

68. Bush isn't a southerner and he isn't a Texan either...in spite of his

put on Texas Twang. He's a Connecticut preppy elitist who seeks to appeal to ignorant rednecks with his good ole boy act.

RC

[The Backlash Cometh]

103. Bingo.

You nailed him.

[The Backlash Cometh]

102. First, I'm not a Yankee...second, you bring up a grim picture.

Bush really isn't just a Texan, he's a Texan mixed with the worst of the Ivy League snooty Northerner.

[emulatorloo]

65. Sorry, Bush is from Connecticut and don't you forget it!

He is nothing but a Play-Texan (PS nothing against Connecticut)

ON EDIT clarify

[WolverineDG]

66. HELL NO WE'RE NOT!!!

My momma taught me to mind my manners & be a gracious hostess & guest. She also said, "You can give it money, dress it up, and take it out, but white trash is still white trash." (which is the 2nd worst thing she ever said about anybody. The absolute WORST thing she would call someone is a "Yankee carpetbagger.")

W, apart from NOT BEING A REAL TEXAN, is the epitome of both white trash and Yankee carpetbagger.

dg

[dave29]

70. no we're not

where's Ann Richards when you need her.

[booksenkatz]

76. Here she is!

:)

[Athletic Grrl]

105. heehee

I got called "Ann" while in heated debate on another board last week. The moron didn't realize I took that as a compliment. :bounce:

[AspenRose]

95. Ann Richards...diplomatic; Lloyd Bensen....diplomatic;

Barbara Jordan, God bless her soul....diplomatic.

What do these three have in common?

They're Texans (REAL Texans...) and Democrats.

[lolly]

6. ???

What exactly is it supposed to mean, anyway?

[bobbieinok]

7. it means 'either you are an American or a super-American' no other choice

[stopbush]

46. This whopper compares to his "let's just say those terrorists aren't

a threat anymore" POS at his SOTU.

This is the a-hole who said our *great* relationship with Japan went back 150 years, ignoring WWII. Instead of taking the EASY way out and saying something like, "Ben Franklin was right, JFK was right, and I hope that sense of home never fades," he played the cowboy card. He simply can't help himself because he's a simple-minded, callow, shallow asshole-of-a-fucking-entitled-dictator-wanna-be-hillbilly with about as much class as a rat's anus.

What a fucking embarrassment!

[mmm]

11. he he he... I don't know either

but if we stick around here long enough, someone
will figure it out

[Massacure]

13. Call me stupid, but I don't see whats so upsetting either.

[mmm]

20. any way you cut it the statement is very insulting

GW Bush: The Fuckwit President

[jackstraw45]

21. Read the two quotes CAREFULLY

Think about it.

I'm trying to think of a way to simplify this.

Kennedy: Americans + French = Friendship

Bush says he's going to rephrase that equation and says that

Americans - French + Texas = Friendship

He DROPPED France from the Kennedy equation.

It's an INSULT plain and simple.

[Massacure]

36. Ah, I think see I now

That is mean of him.

[0007]

116. In other words we have ourselfs who needs France!

A slam against Kennedy and France.

[yardwork]

25. Welcome to DU.

What's upsetting is that Bush took a gracious comment made by a former American president that was complimentary to France - and dropped the reference to France.

The fact that he replaced the reference to France with a reference to the state where he served as governor just adds to the rudeness of the comment.

In effect, what Bush* said to the French is this: "Somebody I don't agree with once made a nice comment about France's friendship with the U.S., but I don't think you deserve to be considered friends, so I'm just letting you know that Americans don't give a damn about France, and besides, Texans are even better than Americans."

Bush*'s statement was incredibly rude and boorish, and violates every known diplomatic standard.

[Kinkistyle]

115. Half of America (and Texas) probably are ecstatic about this.

They are probably rolling with joy and laughter about how their Prezdint "don't kiss no froggie ass" or something to that effect. No matter how crass it appears to us, Bush just struck a note with his "base constituency".

[Zinfandel]

117. Very nice interpretation, yardwork...well done.

[RobinA]

108. I Don't Either

I don't even know what it means. I must be missing somthing. What does what Bush said have to do with France. Or having a tantrum.

[stopbush]

50. Simple: all Americans have two homes, the USA and Texas.

[belle]

87. It means, "unlike that commie JFK, i do NOT think of France as my home."

Whether he actually intended to say something more subtle about Texas being different from the rest of America is another question. me, I tend to doubt it. another bungled Bushism. i think he *really* meant:

"Bunch of frogs, you suck. Screw you guys, I'm going home. well, anyway, i wish I was."

[charlyvi]

10. Huh?

What's the context? What did he MEAN? OMG

[jackstraw45]

16. French reporter asked a tough question referencing quote

Bush angrily took out his earpiece and said that what Kennedy said about the US and France being linked in friendship no longer applies.

Kennedy was saying that for Americans, France will always be there in friendship.

Bush basically rephased that to say that for Americans, Texas is all we need and screw you France.

[in_cog_ni_to]

90. He SAID that???!

said that what Kennedy said about the US and France being linked in friendship no longer applies.

Please say no.

[randr]

12. And the asshole is not even a Texan!

[stepnw1f]

14. Well, They Are The STupid Party.

Never using the brains they were born with or without.

[susu369]

17. re-paraphrase ?????

there is no such word is there?

:wtf:

Of course, this only adds to the laughingstock's idiotic statement.

[mmm]

28. he he he... ain't that great?

What exactly is he re-paraphrasing, anyway? :)
Had he paraphrased JFK's statement once already?

Bush is so stupid it hurts.

[starroute]

96. And 'paraphrase' means to say the same thing in different words

Not to trash the original statement and say something entirely different and probably insulting.

[kalian]

18. Oh shit....

if he really did this, then the world will really see him for what
he is: a fascist dictator hell-bent on world domination or bringing
about the nutcase religious fundie "rapture".

To the world, I'm sorry for the idiot that we have as our "leader".
I truly am sorry.

[asjr]

19. I don't know who is really in charge at the WH, but they

should tie him up, gag him, and dump him in a closet until November.
He has pissed off enough countries.

[charlyvi]

26. I Agree

It's sad when the President (selected, I know, but his ass is still sitting in the West Wing) is the worst possible ambassador we have!

[cliss]

23. I just looked at the photo of those two shaking hands

on Yahoo news. It was a funny photo. Jacques Chirac towers above Bush as they shake hands. Bush is about 8 inches shorter, and he looks up at Chirac. Bush has this strange pleading look on his face. Really weird. It looks ridiculous.

At the same time, Chirac is holding up his left hand and has it pointed at bush with the index finger extended. Great body language!

He's saying, "look, you fool. I'll shake hands with you, but I've got more sense than you, and I won't be intimidated".

[tamdon29]

24. Don't think Kennedy would say that;

He was ASSASSINATED in TEXAS

I was LMAO during the whole press conference. It was like something out of Saturday night Live. Tragicomically embarrassing us on the world stage, Yessir!!

[Neecy]

43. uh-huh

Aside from the grotesque diplomatic insult to the French, I was creeped out that he'd 're-paraphrase' Kennedy to gratuitously include the state in which Kennedy was murdered.

Is there no depth to which this little bastard won't sink? What a no-class, brainless, arrogant little SOB.

[aquart]

58. Well, I hear the Texas vote is in play, despite redistricting.

[name not needed]

27. Mr. Bush,

Vous monsieur, êtes un idiot.

[slor]

29. OK...Who has the video?

I refuse to believe he would say something so fricking stupid until I see the video myself.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

32. He said it. Really. Enjoy the video...

:toast:

[charlyvi]

34. Link Please....

to the video.

[jackstraw45]

51. He really said it..it was a tantrum

He got asked a tough question and flipped out.

[charlyvi]

30. Just Goes to Show...

the French media has more balls than our media. They made poor little shrub unhappy---and made him throw a tantrum. I hope Russert was watching this.

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

33. To hell with Russert...I hope HANNITY was watching...

"You're going to hurt the president! You're going to hurt the president! Don't you know that by saying that you are going to hurt the president????"

LMAO

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

31. Ugh...

That statement's repulsiveness is matched only by its incoherence.

[many a good man]

42. Hear! Hear!

I think that statement describes a lot of things that come out of his mouth...

[mandyky]

35. Tell me you're kidding!

Oh god, can this idiot be THAT STOOOOOPID??

[tamdon29]

47. It was a laugh a minute

Did anyone catch him answering a question that had been posed to Chirac by an American reporter. The American reporter had asked Chirac about Weapons of mass destruction and if he thought Iraq was better off today. The reporter ended with the salutation Mr. President, and Bush thought he was referring to him! Hilarious. Chirac said merci and was about to answer and Bush cut him off! Was LMAO. Did you catch Bush pronouncing monsieur 'Monshur' and then laughing about it. What a rube!

[aquart]

60. Best, toniest schools in the country. They don't do rubes.

George is a strong argument against private schooling.

[Bandit]

37. So now any Texan is Un-American by Bush* standards

They don't meld in his statement. There is America and then there is Texas. They are not the same thing in Bush*'s eyes so he is saying he is not American but Texan. "You are with us or against us". I wonder if he means Texas when he says that. Who is he speaking for now a days? There is America and there is Texas.

[hlthe2b]

49. You are definitely overthinking it with regard to Bush's intent...

Caught offguard, with no understanding of Kennedy's statement or its significance, and only knowing his contempt for France means he won't dain to mention its name, he grasps for his fallback for everything: US great...Texas great... Texas the heart of the US....Change quote that Bush* no understand to US and Texas.....

[lostnfound]

62. I haven't seen it but it reads like a poor attempt at humor..like

'Well AMERICA may feel that way, but TEXAS doesn't.'

[hlthe2b]

64. yes... I think so..... Bush has always thought he could

joke his way out of any difficult situation. Unfortunately, without any kind of awareness of history, other cultures and sensitivities, his "jokes" backfire all too often...

[PurityOfEssence]

98. Exactly

What we need is a keyed-in balloon in the upper left of the frame whenever Junior speaks with a translator interpreting his "thoughts" for us. Perhaps Garrett Morris is available, and he could do it in screaming monosyllables.

[Buns_of_Fire]

53. Well, like the TV ads kept saying...

"Texas -- It's Like A Whole Other Country..." :shrug: Maybe bunnypants is trying to goad Governor Goodhair into attempting to secede -- or maybe he's trying to goad the rest of the U.S. into kicking them out. Which would be a shame, since (1) Commander Codpiece isn't even from Texas (and the sane residents there are taking an underserved bad rap), and (2) I think the Pig Farm could be put to good use in another five months or so as our very own domestic Gitmo. And I know who I'd nominate to be the first resident...

[tainted_chimp]

77. Commander Codpiece !!

I love it!

:toast:

[FizzFuzz]

39. I wish the damn headlines would hit HERE!!

Please please, something that the mainstream media will finallly be unable to push under a rug. Or a blow-dried hairpiece for that matter.

[PatGund]

79. Hell no....

Under normal circumstances they wouldn't cover shrub doing this. Besides, right now CNN, MSNBC and Faux are going to be the freaking Reagan Memorial channels for the next week or so, so *ANYTHING* the unelected fraud is going to do, will be swept under the rug.

[kskiska]

41. That's Our Boy!!!

I just knew he'd f**k this up somehow. This will be tomorrow's headline all over the world.

[Tight_rope]

74. Why didn't we just send Colling Powell? "What a disgrace: Bush"!!

Sitting here shaking my head. "Bush is such a disgrace"

[Lars39]

44. Also, if I saw correctly, Bush had to be told to shake Chirac's hand

at the end of the press conference. Bush is an absolute embarrassment to the US.

[belle]

91. Reportedly he also kept the Pope waiting fifteen minutes.

which is simply Not Done. esp. since this Pope doesn't have that many minutes left.

He is, besides everything else: a total boor.

[smiley_glad_hands]

45. I hope and pray to God that there are--

childproof locks on the "football"

[benddem]

48. He is losing it

I don't have the link sorry
Bush Appears To Be Going Off The Deep End
By Doug Thompson
Capitol Hill Blue 06-04-04

President George W. Bush’s increasingly erratic behavior and wide mood swings has the halls of the West Wing buzzing lately as aides privately express growing concern over their leader’s state of mind.
In meetings with top aides and administration officials, the President goes from quoting the Bible in one breath to obscene tantrums against the media, Democrats and others that he classifies as “enemies of the state.”

Worried White House aides paint a portrait of a man on the edge, increasingly wary of those who disagree with him and paranoid of a public that no longer trusts his policies in Iraq or at home.

“It reminds me of the Nixon days,” says a longtime GOP political consultant with contacts in the White House. “Everybody is an enemy; everybody is out to get him. That’s the mood over there.”

In interviews with a number of White House staffers who were willing to talk off the record, a picture of an administration under siege has emerged, led by a man who declares his decisions to be “God’s will” and then tells aides to “fuck over” anyone they consider to be an opponent of the administration.

“We’re at war, there’s no doubt about it. What I don’t know anymore is just who the enemy might be,” says one troubled White House aide. “We seem to spend more time trying to destroy John Kerry than al Qaeda and our enemies list just keeps growing and growing.”

Aides say the President gets “hung up on minor details,” micromanaging to the extreme while ignoring the bigger picture. He will spend hours personally reviewing and approving every attack ad against his Democratic opponent and then kiss off a meeting on economic issues.

“This is what is killing us on Iraq,” one aide says. “We lost focus. The President got hung up on the weapons of mass destruction and an unproven link to al Qaeda. We could have found other justifiable reasons for the war but the President insisted the focus stay on those two, tenuous items.”

Aides who raise questions quickly find themselves shut out of access to the President or other top advisors. Among top officials, Bush’s inner circle is shrinking. Secretary of State Colin Powell has fallen out of favor because of his growing doubts about the administration’s war against Iraq.

The President's abrupt dismissal of CIA Directory George Tenet Wednesday night is, aides say, an example of how he works.

"Tenet wanted to quit last year but the President got his back up and wouldn't hear of it," says an aide. "That would have been the opportune time to make a change, not in the middle of an election campaign but when the director challenged the President during the meeting Wednesday, the President cut him off by saying 'that's it George. I cannot abide disloyalty. I want your resignation and I want it now."

Tenet was allowed to resign "voluntarily" and Bush informed his shocked staff of the decision Thursday morning. One aide says the President actually described the decision as "God's will."

God may also be the reason Attorney General John Ashcroft, the administration’s lightning rod because of his questionable actions that critics argue threatens freedoms granted by the Constitution, remains part of the power elite. West Wing staffers call Bush and Ashcroft “the Blues Brothers” because “they’re on a mission from God.”

“The Attorney General is tight with the President because of religion,” says one aide. “They both believe any action is justifiable in the name of God.”

But the President who says he rules at the behest of God can also tongue-lash those he perceives as disloyal, calling them “fucking assholes” in front of other staff, berating one cabinet official in front of others and labeling anyone who disagrees with him “unpatriotic” or “anti-American.”

“The mood here is that we’re under siege, there’s no doubt about it,” says one troubled aide who admits he is looking for work elsewhere. “In this administration, you don’t have to wear a turban or speak Farsi to be an enemy of the United States. All you have to do is disagree with the President.”

The White House did not respond to requests for comment on the record.

[Bombero1956]

52. Wow...shades of Nixon

John Dean had it right when he compared Nixon and Bush and noted the similarities, he even has an enemies list.

[Renew Deal]

54. Here is a link

Capitol Hill Blue - June 4, 2004

President George W Bush's increasingly erratic behavior and wide mood swings has the halls of the West Wing buzzing lately as aides privately express growing concern over their leader's state of mind.

In meetings with top aides and administration officials, the President goes from quoting the Bible in one breath to obscene tantrums against the media, Democrats, and others he classifies as "enemies of the state."

Worried White House aides paint a portrait of a man on the edge, increasingly wary of those who disagree with him and paranoid of a public that no longer trusts his policies in Iraq or at home.

"It reminds me of the Nixon days," says a longtime GOP political consultant with contacts in the White House.

"Everybody is an enemy; everybody is out to get him. That's the mood over there."

In interviews with a number of White House staffers who were willing to talk off the record, a picture of an administration under siege has emerged, led by a man who declares his decisions to be "God's will," and then tells aides to "fuck over" anyone they consider to be an opponent of the administration.

http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/printer_4636.shtml

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

69. Here's the link to the above article.

http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/printer_4636.shtml

I don't know the reliability of the source, however.

[pinniped]

55. Does that moran POS * really think it's from TX?

Fake wannabe Texan.

[BringEmOn]

57. My interpretation: There are Americans and there are a$$holes

Not meant to insult good Texans...just the garbage in the Whitehouse and congress.

[SCRUBDASHRUB]

59. Someone posted this on Kerry's online forum:

"A reporter mentioned that John Kennedy once said that Every One has two countries, Their own, and France. And then she proceeeded to ask a question. (CNN)

Bush answered ................. To paraphrase Kennedy, America has two countries...America and TEXAS Followed by his usual smirk.

What a disgrace this person is to our great country."

[AgadorSparticus]

84. and there you have it. screw you france. we've got america and tx.

OMFG!!!!!!! he's not stupid. he's shamelessly passive aggressive (playing it off as a joke, if that is what he was doing. haven't seen the video of it yet) and as mean as a mad hornet.

he's just vile. and now, it sounds like he's a psychotic alki who is losing touch with reality. he seems to be under the delusion that he REALLY is king and that he doesn't need to mind his manners around world leaders. just vile.

[belle]

92. His "humor" has always been like that. I'm constantly amazed...

by the people who still say they'd like to have a beer with this assclown. It's always been just incredibly obvious to me that not only is he a trainwreck of a President, he is, on a personal level, a total fuck.

[AgadorSparticus]

100. how is that humor? i think people use "humor" to hide behind their

terrible remarks. i agree. he is a total fuck. i can't imagine what he must be like on a casual level and uninhibited. the racism, the biotry, the mysogeny, the ignorance...ugh. and people like this shit???

[buycitgo]

61. CSPAN carrying "DDay Memorial" at midnight EST

dunno if that includes this wonderful episode of Bushworld, but I'm taping just in case

can't wait

[FlaGranny]

67. Damn!

Just when you think he can't get stupider - he gets stupider. How far and how low can he go?

[spotbird]

72. Transcript.

Transcript: Bush, Chirac Press Conference

Saturday, June 05, 2004

The following is a transcript of a press conference that took place June 5, 2004, in Paris, France:




Yes, a question?

Q: Thank you, sir. I would have a question for Mr. Bush. Once, President Kennedy said, "Everyone has two countries, their own, and France." And why is it that your policy tends to be pushing your country and France to divorce?

Second point, some in public opinion have accused you of state terrorism, and do you not believe that what has happened in Abu Ghraib has put you in the same basket, as it were, of Saddam Hussein, especially in the eyes of an international tribunal, and especially in light of the unfound weapons of mass destruction?

PRESIDENT BUSH: To paraphrase President Kennedy, there's America, and then there's Texas.

We have great relations with France. We work closely with the French government on a lot of issues. I just laid out a lot of the issues that we're working together on, as did the President. We're working to stop proliferation, we're working in Haiti, we're working on the continent of Africa. We're working to feed the hungry. We're working to make sure that the pandemic of AIDS gets — the people get the help they need to arrest the pandemic of AIDS in Africa. No, there are a lot of issues we work on.

As for the prison abuse issue, I am — I was humiliated, as was most of my country. Those soldiers didn't reflect the character of the American people. They didn't — they stained our honor. And the world will see a full investigation of those — of that humiliation, which will stand in stark contrast to what takes place in states run by tyrants. And there will be a full investigation in a transparent way. And those that violated rules will be held to account.

Gregory. Monsieur Gregory. (Laughter.)

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,121882,00.html

[tamdon29]

82. cleaning up the transcript

He said let me "re"-paraphrase. There at it again.

[spotbird]

94. They don't do fair play.nt

[jackstraw45]

111. Did he definitely say reparaphrase?

I can't remember now that they've scrubbed the transcript.

[catmandu57]

78. Christ, wait until tomorrow

when he compares his ilegal misadventure ro the fighting of WWII and the liberation of France.

[jackstraw45]

80. News vacuum...Reagan is it for the next 2 weeks....

Time to step back and wait for the 24-7 Reagan tributes to end.

[La Resistance]

85. kick

this needs to stay in the consciousness

[in_cog_ni_to]

86. OMG! Would someone PLEASE cage this animal

until we can vote his ass out of office?! I am just mortified....so embarrassed by that idiot.

[weedthesmoke]

88. I can't defend what bush said but I'll say this about the questions

The first one was pushing all blame on the US for any distance between France and us and the second one was equivalent to asking if we have stopped beating our wives yet. They were not "tough" questions they were scapegoating and ignorant statements hidden beneath question marks.

[PurityOfEssence]

101. Those are legitimate questions

Who the fuck are we as a people or government to expect to be accorded the decorum one would deserve as decent people? The French Government hasn't insulted and attacked the U.S. Government repeatedly; they merely had the effrontery to not bow down and accede to our every ugly demand. For their "disobedience", we've insulted, chastised, ridiculed and harassed them. WE are the guilty party, and WE were the ones who have been the boorish louts. To ask why isn't unfair skewing of reality, it's a fair damned question. Sure, it's got a point of view, but we do it in return, and they're entitled to ask.

As for the "beating your wife" bit: we're admitted torturers. Our OFFICIAL policy is that we have the right to do so. We scorn the World Court and any other that wants to have power over nations and individuals, yet want them to do our bidding against those we dislike. That's beyond hypocrisy. We suck, and we vent our rage on anyone who questions our god-given right to suck or attempts to dispel our image of moral rectitude. We are out of line, and part of why we continue to be so is that nobody calls us on our crap.

If you think questions like this are unfair, then you believe in privilege.

[arwalden]

113. Nail. Head. --- Squarely Hit!

Excellent analysis and explanation.

-- Allen

[0007]

118. Right on!

[sandnsea]

104. Blaming Bush's policy

Specifically. And Bush's policies are making relations with France nearly impossible.

The second was point blank. We've gone to war over WMD that don't exist, tortured prisoners, thumbed OUR noses at international law and the Geneva Conventions. Is that not the beginnings of a Saddam Hussein? When do we cross the line? 20 deaths and rapes, 50, 100? 3 years, 5 years? This isn't an aberration, it's a pattern. It's not pretty but we better own up to it or we'll never be able to stop it.

[jackstraw45]

107. Are you kidding?

God I hope so.

There is legitimate outrage in much of the world over the incredible hubris of this government, especially in light of the torture scandal.

Bush* deserves to get tough questions and instead of answering them intelligently, he insults his host nation.

Shows his complete LACK of character.

[AspenRose]

89. Yet one more good reason to elect that "French-looking" Kerry

to the White House.

Heh.

[Deja Q]

93. Ok, let Texas secede then, it belongs to Mexico in the first place.

"To re-paraphrase John Kennedy, there is America and there is Texas."


What can I say? This is *'s strangest comment to date, he just doesn't have a fucking clue, a fucking care, or perhaps both. (he does have a clue and a care, but only for his business buddies who don't even need to pay him money to get what they want.)

[Cronus Protagonist]

99. I can understand why he is so upset

I don't think Chirac has changed his position. Here's a direct quote from Chirac from the past....

http://bushspeaks.com/home.asp?did=127

[many a good man]

106. The United States of Texas!!!

To re-paraphrase President Kennedy, there's America, and then there's Texas. -- GWBush* 5-5-04

Unbeknownst to its people and the world, the United States of America has been taken over by one if its own states: the former Republic of Texas. The dictatorial un-elected president is the former governor of the oil-rich state that has taken control of the federal government and is upending foreign relations and domestic tranquility.

President Kennedy, former Senator from Massachusetts and war hero, represented a civil, Eastern, Europe-facing vision of America. Bush*, OTOH, represents a Texasized version of America: diplomacy by six-shooter, and a wild wild west sense of frontier justice.

The first battle in the coup occurred in 1963 when President Kennedy was shot dead in cold blood in Texas. Today marks the completion and recognition of Texas's successful overthrow. Today Bush told the French that now they're talkin' to the United States of Texas, not the old USA.

[burrowowl]

109. Why do they (U$)

let him out of the country?

[jackstraw45]

110. Good question....

Believe me, we'd keep him in Crawford if we could.

[BabsSong]

114. I take that as a goddamn insult to the other 49 states of this Union!!

I've had this Texas-shit up to my arm pits. I don't do the twang and the boots and the ten gallon hats. I am not Texas and neither is the rest of the country. In fact, this reminds me of when I was a child in elementary school in the 50's and Alaska was to become a state. The news was all about the tizzy the Texans were in because they now wouldn't be the biggest state, etc. Grow up. He in this remark is basically telling this country that he feels loyalty to Texas and not the rest of us. Do you know that when he is residency at Kennebunkport vising Dad that they fly the Texas flag outside, not the presidential flag??? When he is gone, they take it down. When I saw that I wondered "so are you telling us that you are the President of Texas"---if so, get on your horse and get the hell out of here and out of the lives of the rest of the people in this country. Go back to the pig farm!!!!!!