http://media.kansascity.com/smedia/2012/11/29/13/42/oJ2at.SlMa.81.jpeg
Our first vice president since Matty Van Buren to get elected in his own right following the end of his running mate's term, he's not looking too well lately. Should he die, lots of obits will acknowledge him as a "moderate" and the Last of the Pragmatists when aside from cutting a deal with the Dems over tax hikes and signing the ADA he groveled before Reaganism and conservatives since Ronnie beat him for the nomination in 1980. It doesn't help that no decent bios exist (a shock actually).
Does he deserve a second look?
― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 27 December 2012 20:17 (eleven years ago) link
In the end, his bio will be: one errant sperm of his led to the worst presidency of our lifetimes.
― Zero Dark 33⅓: The Final Insult (Eric H.), Thursday, 27 December 2012 20:23 (eleven years ago) link
haha yeah his sex life ended up being a lot more damaging than clinton's
― iatee, Thursday, 27 December 2012 20:24 (eleven years ago) link
now there's an obit
― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 27 December 2012 20:24 (eleven years ago) link
iatee & Eric H otm
― Johnny Fever, Thursday, 27 December 2012 20:27 (eleven years ago) link
Handled the Gulf War tolerably well. "Voodoo economics". ADA. Not a neo-con (at least in its present incarnation). Otoh, Dan Quayle.
― Canaille help you (Michael White), Thursday, 27 December 2012 20:27 (eleven years ago) link
The only way Poppy Bush looks any good is if you compare him to his son. Or to Reagan. Remember that millions of voters, upon reflection, preferred Ross Perot to this guy.
― Aimless, Thursday, 27 December 2012 20:28 (eleven years ago) link
He was largely an empty suit his whole political life. It's his post-presidency years, buddying up with Clinton and occasionally disagreeing with his son that made me think he wasn't such a bad guy (relatively speaking).
― Johnny Fever, Thursday, 27 December 2012 20:30 (eleven years ago) link
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_mg7D3kYysfw/Rp2PiFfXMXI/AAAAAAAACXA/9Bb1hAwWwQ8/s400/clinton_bush0508.jpg
― buzza, Thursday, 27 December 2012 20:30 (eleven years ago) link
he also ditched the nra over jackbooted thugs comment.
― goodbye normative genes (Hunt3r), Thursday, 27 December 2012 20:40 (eleven years ago) link
Wimp or simp?
― Your Favorite Album in the Cutout Bin, Thursday, 27 December 2012 20:52 (eleven years ago) link
he wasn't such a bad guy (relatively speaking)
He's the only president in my lifetime I could imagine being related to, for better and for worse.
― Zero Dark 33⅓: The Final Insult (Eric H.), Thursday, 27 December 2012 20:56 (eleven years ago) link
lol Clinton kind of reminds me of some of my extended relatives.
― Johnny Fever, Thursday, 27 December 2012 20:57 (eleven years ago) link
WILLIE HORTON should be in the lead of his obits
― (REAL NAME) (m coleman), Thursday, 27 December 2012 21:09 (eleven years ago) link
morbs' favorite president! he is an old dude, hope he goes peacefully
― k3vin k., Thursday, 27 December 2012 21:11 (eleven years ago) link
I get the "not a bad guy" thing but can't square it w/his ruthlessness and opportunism. He voted against civil rights in the 60s, engineered Iran contra...actually he was a prick
― (REAL NAME) (m coleman), Thursday, 27 December 2012 21:13 (eleven years ago) link
always professed to not remember where he was/what he was doing when JFK was shot
― If I was a carpenter, and you were a douchebag (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 27 December 2012 21:14 (eleven years ago) link
Hell I don't remember where I was then either
― fiscal cliff huxtable (latebloomer), Thursday, 27 December 2012 21:16 (eleven years ago) link
He didn't engineer Iran Contra -- he was a willing co-conspirator, meeting with Arab leaders to get their dough.
― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 27 December 2012 21:17 (eleven years ago) link
The ultimate Company Man - one so professionally boring that even after years of wearing the dual hat of Oil Man and CIA Operative you actually did kinda believe him when he said that he was "out of the loop" on Iran-Contra. Being the father of George W., Neil & Jeb is probable cosmic blowback for being the son of a Nazi financier.
― Elvis Telecom, Thursday, 27 December 2012 21:20 (eleven years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XnOnDatqENo
― Elvis Telecom, Thursday, 27 December 2012 21:22 (eleven years ago) link
"Sadd'm"
― your damn bass clarinet (Eazy), Thursday, 27 December 2012 21:24 (eleven years ago) link
Highlight of the presidency
― fiscal cliff huxtable (latebloomer), Thursday, 27 December 2012 21:24 (eleven years ago) link
pretty indefensible for his role in iran-contra -- including (especially) pardoning the main players. i'm kind of amazed at how completely that's been forgotten (along with everything else about iran-contra,).
i'm not so keen on the gulf war either, tbh.
― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Thursday, 27 December 2012 21:29 (eleven years ago) link
http://www.topchinatravel.com/pic/about-us/world-vip-travel/-US-ex-president-George-Bush-and-his-wife.jpg
― your damn bass clarinet (Eazy), Thursday, 27 December 2012 21:30 (eleven years ago) link
He seems like maybe a less terrible person than his older son or his wife, but that's a low bar. The least-awful Republican president of the past 50 years is not high praise either. Can't think of any grounds on which he's actually somehow defensible.
― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Thursday, 27 December 2012 21:36 (eleven years ago) link
http://www.corbisimages.com/stock-photo/rights-managed/WL010925/george-bush-and-jennifer-fitzgerald
― buzza, Thursday, 27 December 2012 21:36 (eleven years ago) link
Barbara hasn't aged a day since 1975. Of course, she already looked about 100.
― Johnny Fever, Thursday, 27 December 2012 21:38 (eleven years ago) link
Image keywords
Caucasian ethnicity
― buzza, Thursday, 27 December 2012 21:39 (eleven years ago) link
http://www.corbisimages.com/images/Corbis-IH055332.jpg?size=67&uid=588acb60-23e7-4932-b50f-2e7583ee76b8http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/01384/Bush_Snr_and_Pups_1384851i.jpg
― pplains, Thursday, 27 December 2012 21:46 (eleven years ago) link
rather symbolic donchathink
― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 27 December 2012 21:47 (eleven years ago) link
http://www.eyerocketbooks.com/images/Bush_Guitar.jpg
― pplains, Thursday, 27 December 2012 21:47 (eleven years ago) link
I love the line in The Final Days about how Al Haig told RNC Chairman Bush that the smoking gun had been found in the Watergate tapes and the president would likely have to resign.
When asked what Bush's reaction had been, Haig said that "he opened himself into assholes and shit himself to death."
― pplains, Thursday, 27 December 2012 21:49 (eleven years ago) link
First president since Truman? LBJ? to wear glasses in public on a regular basis.
Last one too.
― pplains, Thursday, 27 December 2012 21:50 (eleven years ago) link
Bwah ha! xp
― Johnny Fever, Thursday, 27 December 2012 21:50 (eleven years ago) link
I really miss the days when you didn't have to include the "H.W." when referring to this guy.
don't we all.
― packt like phoebe cates's dad in a chimney (strongo hulkington's ghost dad), Thursday, 27 December 2012 21:51 (eleven years ago) link
i kinda feel like no one can be director of the c.i.a., even for a year, and not be a complete asshole.
― packt like phoebe cates's dad in a chimney (strongo hulkington's ghost dad), Thursday, 27 December 2012 21:53 (eleven years ago) link
don't forget we have him to thank for Clarence Thomas
― (REAL NAME) (m coleman), Thursday, 27 December 2012 22:11 (eleven years ago) link
Oh shit, that's right.
― Johnny Fever, Thursday, 27 December 2012 22:12 (eleven years ago) link
don't forget: we have him to thank for loathing broccoli.
― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 27 December 2012 22:20 (eleven years ago) link
never forget:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ervjj_qRXXQ
― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Thursday, 27 December 2012 22:35 (eleven years ago) link
2 Bad Neighbors
― billstevejim, Thursday, 27 December 2012 23:01 (eleven years ago) link
"It's your sons, Jeb Bush and George Bush Jr.!"
http://www.hwdyk.com/q/images/twobadneighbors_12.jpg
― Gollum: "Hot, Ready and Smeagol!" (Phil D.), Thursday, 27 December 2012 23:03 (eleven years ago) link
http://youtu.be/GkyBfJfcIoM?t=23s
― pplains, Thursday, 27 December 2012 23:06 (eleven years ago) link
ebruceii 9 months ago
This video makes me want to punch that old man Bush in his effing face. HE was the person running the CIA when THEY brought that shit into our cities to pay for wars in Central America under President Reagan. Glad that old scumbag is dead.
― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 27 December 2012 23:07 (eleven years ago) link
ebruceii is clairvoyant.
― Johnny Fever, Thursday, 27 December 2012 23:08 (eleven years ago) link
Poppy Bush never had an Alec Baldwin tell him "Nice guy? I don't give a shit. Good father? Fuck you. Go home and play with your kids!
― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 27 December 2012 23:14 (eleven years ago) link
Being the father of George W., Neil & Jeb is probable cosmic blowback for being the son of a Nazi financier.
Also ironic for him being the son of the first national treasurer of Planned Parenthood.
― Canaille help you (Michael White), Thursday, 27 December 2012 23:19 (eleven years ago) link
'never understood lemonade myself...not my forte.'
― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Thursday, 27 December 2012 23:19 (eleven years ago) link
Carter is sort of an Old Testament figure. He has a limited feel for practical politics, and the high horse can be tiresome, but his force of will is like the God of the Jews. He remembers slights, and he comes with both the olive branch and the sword. https://t.co/SNMF1S3IIT— Richard M. Nixon (@dick_nixon) December 5, 2018
― Your sweetie-pie-coo-coo I love ya (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 5 December 2018 20:48 (five years ago) link
dick nixon is such a dork
― The Poppy Bush AutoZone (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 5 December 2018 20:49 (five years ago) link
jeez if he'd had a sword all along he shoulda whipped it out when he was campaigning for re-election
― resident hack (Simon H.), Wednesday, 5 December 2018 20:50 (five years ago) link
― The Poppy Bush AutoZone (upper mississippi sh@kedown),
as Nixon said about Ike: "...in the best possible sense."
― Your sweetie-pie-coo-coo I love ya (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 5 December 2018 20:59 (five years ago) link
LGM alerted me to this long essay about the history of climate change politics published last August, and the Bush I administration's attempt to quash the science: https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/08/01/magazine/climate-change-losing-earth.html
― Your sweetie-pie-coo-coo I love ya (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 5 December 2018 21:21 (five years ago) link
there was some semi-interesting stuff in that Bag Man podcast about how HW tried to quash the investigation into Spiro Agnew
― President Keyes, Wednesday, 5 December 2018 21:22 (five years ago) link
Don’t go all wobbly on us Claire. https://t.co/rRwmjT9bgc— Doug Henwood (@DougHenwood) December 6, 2018
― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Friday, 7 December 2018 16:44 (five years ago) link
it's so lame to feel compassion toward others
― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Friday, 7 December 2018 16:51 (five years ago) link
I’m with @tenuredradical. I really hate the whole “rest in hell motherfucker!!!!” 🔥🔥🤘🤘🤘🔥🔥 trend but I guess I would be.
― Trϵϵship, Friday, 7 December 2018 16:55 (five years ago) link
Think the cure for this is go talk to a long, long line of people whose close family are dead because of his fucking wars?
― mfktz (Camaraderie at Arms Length), Friday, 7 December 2018 19:11 (five years ago) link
yeah if anything the rest in hell motherfucker trend is a sign of increased awareness and worsening allergy to false narratives
― resident hack (Simon H.), Friday, 7 December 2018 19:17 (five years ago) link
Uh...
I do too, then I think: w/ drones strikes, Obama killed vastly more Afghans, Iraquis and Pakistanis - children & parents, leaving 1000s of orphans - than Bush, also deporting an unprecedented number of immigrants, & so presidential virtue is pretty damn complicated, isn't it?— Claire Potter (@TenuredRadical) December 6, 2018
Anyone who had her for a history professor should get a refund.
― louise ck (milo z), Friday, 7 December 2018 19:25 (five years ago) link
there is no way that is remotely accurate
― Οὖτις, Friday, 7 December 2018 19:28 (five years ago) link
Obama didn't have anything like this on his hands:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halabja_chemical_attack
― Οὖτις, Friday, 7 December 2018 19:29 (five years ago) link
her tweets are bad, but who is she?
― rob, Friday, 7 December 2018 19:29 (five years ago) link
she's right that presidential virtue is pretty damn complicated. no one gets into or out of that office with clean hands. but there is such a thing as factual accuracy and that "vastly more" has no contact with reality.
― A is for (Aimless), Friday, 7 December 2018 19:31 (five years ago) link
Presidential virtue isn't complicated, there is none.
― louise ck (milo z), Friday, 7 December 2018 19:33 (five years ago) link
yep
― flappy bird, Friday, 7 December 2018 19:34 (five years ago) link
no president can be an "american hero" - another thing that bugs me with all this pagan death cult shit
― flappy bird, Friday, 7 December 2018 19:35 (five years ago) link
there are very few indisputable "american heroes"
Bill WilsonMLKJackie Robinson
that's off the top of my head. anyone else?
― flappy bird, Friday, 7 December 2018 19:37 (five years ago) link
― Οὖτις, Friday, December 7, 2018 11:29 AM (ten minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
bush didn't really have direct responsibility for this in any way. improved relations with iraq and exports of chemicals, weapons etc. were a policy instigated by reagan
― ( ͡☉ ͜ʖ ͡☉) (jim in vancouver), Friday, 7 December 2018 19:40 (five years ago) link
I think there's a not-small number of heroes - abolitionists, civil rights workers (from women's rights to gay rights and all stops in between), labor organizers, etc..
― louise ck (milo z), Friday, 7 December 2018 19:42 (five years ago) link
Dawn Powell
― Your sweetie-pie-coo-coo I love ya (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 7 December 2018 19:42 (five years ago) link
to say there is no such thing as presidential virtue is facile and incorrect. each president makes thousands of consequential decisions that affect millions, if not billions of people. some percentage of these are intentionally beneficial and not based wholly upon cynical political calculation. pretending every president is being of pure viciousness is stupid and just reinforces a false conservative narrative about progressives.
― A is for (Aimless), Friday, 7 December 2018 19:43 (five years ago) link
OtmThat’s bably a controversial opinion on ilx though
― F# A# (∞), Friday, 7 December 2018 19:45 (five years ago) link
Probably*
Committing or actively aiding crimes against humanity tends to zero out "intentionally beneficial" acts IMO. John Wayne Gacy made a lot of kids happy when he did his clown act.
― louise ck (milo z), Friday, 7 December 2018 19:47 (five years ago) link
To disregard those acts, one must assume that you can't be President without doing horrible, inhuman things for indefensible reasons. If true, then we deserve to be wiped off the face of the planet.
― louise ck (milo z), Friday, 7 December 2018 19:49 (five years ago) link
heroism is generally portioned out in small doses, but to a surprisingly large number of people. it's nearly impossible to maintain a conspicuous heroism consistently over decades, and we should never expect it of anyone. but ascribing more than the ordinary amount of heroism to G. H. W. Bush is just the usual political posturing.
― A is for (Aimless), Friday, 7 December 2018 19:53 (five years ago) link
I’m not saying Bush was good I just think it’s gross to gloat at someone’s death. I thought the same thing about people cheering when Bin Laden was killed.
― Trϵϵship, Friday, 7 December 2018 19:58 (five years ago) link
If true, then we deserve to be wiped off the face of the planet.
It's closer to true than most of us would like to admit, but your conclusion is just more hyperbole.
― A is for (Aimless), Friday, 7 December 2018 19:58 (five years ago) link
Donne was wrong.
― louise ck (milo z), Friday, 7 December 2018 19:58 (five years ago) link
It makes the left look like assholes when they act like this for figures who 99% of America consider to be nothing like Bin Laden.
― Trϵϵship, Friday, 7 December 2018 19:59 (five years ago) link
― Trϵϵship, Friday, December 7, 2018 11:58 AM (one minute ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
ok i was going to give you shit for your initial statement but now that you've made it clear you extend this courtesy to bin laden i find you more consistent
― ( ͡☉ ͜ʖ ͡☉) (jim in vancouver), Friday, 7 December 2018 20:01 (five years ago) link
I think it's a positive development in the Trump era that people are much less eager to cede to media narratives about "profiles in courage" or whatever and the "gloating" is, like Simon said, more of a corrective on this sickness than simply being glad a 94-year-old man finally died
cheering when Bin Laden was killed was muted anyway because it happened a decade after 9/11 and two awful unnecessary wars. it was a dulled, cloudy, anticlimactic feeling. if he were taken out in Tora Bora I think Americans would've celebrated as they did at the death of Hitler, not that much of a stretch.
― flappy bird, Friday, 7 December 2018 20:02 (five years ago) link
xp. my reaction is more sam jackson in a time to kill
― ( ͡☉ ͜ʖ ͡☉) (jim in vancouver), Friday, 7 December 2018 20:03 (five years ago) link
Shakespeare was right:
Tired with all these, for restful death I cry,As to behold desert a beggar born,And needy nothing trimmed in jollity,And purest faith unhappily forsworn,And gilded honor shamefully misplaced,And maiden virtue rudely strumpeted,And right perfection wrongfully disgraced,And strength by limping sway disablèd,And art made tongue-tied by authority,And folly, doctor-like, controlling skill,And simple truth miscalled simplicity,And captive good attending captain ill.
Tired with all these, from these would I be gone, Save that to die, I leave my love alone.
― A is for (Aimless), Friday, 7 December 2018 20:04 (five years ago) link
Jarvis Cocker was right:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xd6E1JpwMj4
― Your sweetie-pie-coo-coo I love ya (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 7 December 2018 20:08 (five years ago) link
many xps - Alfred, why Dawn Powell?
― flappy bird, Friday, 7 December 2018 20:09 (five years ago) link
hottake: probably at least 50% of American presidents are both war criminals AND "decent people." It's function of being at the helm of American Empire.
― Fedora Dostoyevsky (man alive), Friday, 7 December 2018 20:09 (five years ago) link
― flappy bird,
She wrote well and was no one's fool, hence she's a hero.
― Your sweetie-pie-coo-coo I love ya (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 7 December 2018 20:12 (five years ago) link
fortunately i have never cared what 99% of America thinks (fuck "Family Feud")
― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Friday, 7 December 2018 20:23 (five years ago) link
no argument there but I think the usual definition of "American hero" excludes artists, business, and most people... it's someone that made a (largely) selfless and substantial contribution and impact on the country/world... so Bill W. is obvious, MLK as well. Jackie Robinson also an easy pick despite being paid for his work. Jonas Salk is another big one I forgot. the guy that invented air conditioning? maybe.
xp
― flappy bird, Friday, 7 December 2018 20:27 (five years ago) link
xp we know, morbs.
― A is for (Aimless), Friday, 7 December 2018 20:28 (five years ago) link
the "war criminal" stuff always seems a bit glib to me. there are valid criticisms of FDR's conduct of WW2 but i still wouldn't be comfortable throwing it in the same category as W's invasion of iraq.
― (The Other) J.D. (J.D.), Friday, 7 December 2018 20:34 (five years ago) link
For me it's simple: how many Americans had their lives improved thanks to a president's leadership? Hence my not giving two shits about James Polk's comfy residence in the upper echelon.
― Your sweetie-pie-coo-coo I love ya (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 7 December 2018 20:36 (five years ago) link
here's a Poppy grace note I learned: James Baker snuck in a Morton's steak and a bottle of Grey Goose one time that Jefe was in the hospital.
― Your sweetie-pie-coo-coo I love ya (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 7 December 2018 21:26 (five years ago) link
I assume everyone who wanted to read Maureen Dowd's lengthy paean to her friendship with Bush has done so w/out a link here.
biggest yuk: GWHB referred to Dubya as "my son Quincy"
― a Mets fan who gave up on everything in the mid '80s (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 11 December 2018 01:34 (five years ago) link
that picture of them in front of the Xmas tree is something else
― flappy bird, Tuesday, 11 December 2018 04:57 (five years ago) link
Can't wait till we get back to normal. pic.twitter.com/QtdjNgKBCB— Dennis Perrin (@DennisThePerrin) May 30, 2020
― brooklyn suicide cult (Dr Morbius), Wednesday, 3 June 2020 11:31 (three years ago) link