Obama: George W. Bush 'Loves This Country And Loves Its People'

[Newsjock]

Source: TPM

President Obama on Wednesday at a Democratic fundraiser in Dallas applauded former President George W. Bush on the eve of the opening of his presidential library.

"I’m really looking forward to attending the Bush library opening tomorrow," Obama said, according to a White House pool report. "One of the things I will insist upon is whatever our political differences, President Bush loves this country and loves its people and shares that same concern, and was concerned about all people in America, not just those who voted Republican. I think that’s true about him and I think that’s true about most of us.”

Obama also promised to continue his charm offensive aimed at Republicans. "Occasionally I may make some of you angry because I’m going to reach out to Republicans and I’m going to keep on doing it,” Obama said, according to the report. “Even if some of you think I’m a sap, I’m going to keep on doing it because that’s what I think the country needs.”

Read more: http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/obama-bush-loves-this-country-loves-its-people

[Fumesucker]

1. Ticks love dogs

[lastlib]

48. And mosquitos love humans...

and all three suck the blood out of the object of their love. Bush and his neo-con allies are blood-suckers, pure and simple.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

2. Well, that was unfortunate.

[babylonsister]

3. What was he supposed to say?

I imagine he gagged just a bit.

[man4allcats]

10. I doubt he gagged.

While he may not have been able to comment in the manner he might have wished to, kissing ass is both unnecessary and uncalled for.

[sabrina 1]

14. As George Carlin said 'it's a club, and you ain't in it. After the shock of the 'close' relationship

between the Clintons and the Bushes, nothing about our phony 'democracy' shocks me anymore.

We are on our own. And to think we once thought there was even a remote chance of the Bush war criminals being brought to justice.

How naive we were.

[Taverner]

78. [phone] I was going to post this myself

[grasswire]

82. there is no justice -- there is "just us" nt

[RKP5637]

101. Quite true, and many Americans are woefully obtuse IMO in comprehending

the NEW America wherein often D=R=I in matters of $$$$$. I really don't think many Americans have any clue of how far removed they are from the ruling elite be it corporations, politicians and/or religions. ... often guppies and lemmings ...

[hfojvt]

26. I suppose the truth is out of the question?

Even at a Democratic event.

[struggle4progress]

46. +

[Cha]

90. "In his own twisted way"?

[UnrepentantLiberal]

95. He didn't gag at all.

He meant every word of that.

[MannyGoldstein]

4. Given that Obama's largely embraced Bush's economic and "security" policies...

I'd expect no different.

[SammyWinstonJack]

5. ...

[tularetom]

6. Trashing Social Security is part of a "charm offensive"?

I'm not sure about the charm part but it sure as hell is offensive to me.

[kentuck]

7. He should have sent the Secretary of Transportation...

or some lower-ranking official to represent the White House at this contrived event.

[JEB]

88. DEQ official to oversee the opening

of the G.W. Bush sewage treatment facility.

[Bonobo]

8. Not enough "puke" smilies in the world for this one. nt

[Ron Green]

9. Domestic violence.

The abused keeps reaching out to the abuser.

The children suffer.

[JEB]

11. That sick phuck loves his own ass and nothing else.

[HughBeaumont]

12. Yeah . . . loved it so much, he turned it over to Wall Street and the MIC.

Who, in turned, consumed the largesse, got all of the tax breaks, stole all of the wealth, killed our soldiers and Iraqi citizens by the cemetery-load, burned America's workers, torched their progress and dreams of a retirement and left US with the BILL.

So fuck him and fuck anyone who defends this war criminal or the laissez-fail capitalism we're yoked with. George Dubya Bewsh and his Administration should be in the HAGUE.

[deutsey]

16. Yeah, he loved it as much as Obama's other hero, Reagan, did

Really...stop the lovin' guys. I don't think we can suvive any more of your kind of love.

[Buzz Clik]

37. Well, that was particularly steamy, even for DU bullshit.

[deutsey]

38. Glad you liked it

[Buzz Clik]

41. Oh, my. I actually don't like steamy bullshit.

I guess I should have made that clear.

[deutsey]

43. I guess I should've put this

[ladjf]

13. Why would Obama go down to Texas and suck up to Bush? The guy is a traitor and war

criminal, lucky to not be in prison.

[sabrina 1]

17. I guess it's necessary to pay homage to the real rulers of the country, and it has the added

benefit of 'making the Left angry'.

[KoKo]

21. What's with that? Why does he feel so much disdain

for the Left? Not even the Left but all the Democrats who voted for him to undo the damage Bush did.

Is he losing it? Something has snapped inside him? I can't make sense out of his need to make such a statement. But, it's very worrisome since we have close to four more years of this.

[ladjf]

53. If you will recall, shortly after Obama's first election, he said something to the effect that

Reagan was either his hero or roll model, I've forgotten which. But, either way, that stunned me to hear it. Reagan was an unmitigated disaster for which America continues to pay dearly. I'm afraid that our President is a closet Republican who ran as a Democrat for expediency's sake.

[loyalsister]

63. He never said either

He said that Reagan's presidency was transformational. And, that he also hoped to be a transformational president.

Haters jumped on it and assumed he meant he wanted to be like Reagan, when he never claimed he wanted to go in the same direction.

I swear people look for reasons to be angry at the president.

[ladjf]

70. Obama might not have specifically said that Reagan was his role model. However, he made

it clear during the primaries of 2008 and the early days of his Presidency that Reagan was a person that should be emulated.

"As early as the Democratic primary in the winter of 2008, then-candidate Obama proffered Ronald Reagan as a role model to be emulated – much to the Clinton’s chagrin – should he capture the White House. “I think Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that Richard Nixon did not and in a way that Bill Clinton did not,” he confessed to reporters during the Nevada primary – an admission that nearly came back to haunt him with Democratic voters.

Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2011/02/05/reagan-obama-big-difference-presidents/#ixzz2RUf7ObDe
"

You, in my opinion, are just parsing words to defend Obama.

I am a person that voted for Obama. I preferred him to Hillary because he opposed the Iraq invasion. I was thrilled that he was elected the first time and also when he defeated Romney.
But, I haven't had to "search for reasons" to disapprove of his policies. I had search for things to be happy about.

You apparently think he is great. Think what you wish.

I am terribly disappointed with his performance and will be happy when we elect a President that seems to be for the mainstream Americans.

[loyalsister]

71. Parsing words?

It's not necessary...

"I think Ronald Reagan changed the trajectory of America in a way that Richard Nixon did not and in a way that Bill Clinton did not,”

Bush Sr., Bill Clinton, W, and Obama were all on a track that has followed the Reagan admin. Obama wants to be a transformational president that changes the trajectory.
As in getting off the Reagan train. How exactly is wanting to change the trajectory emulating the content of Reagan's policies?

I have been disappointed with the CCPI, but am not so intellectually dishonest as to claim that I know he wants to be like Reagan because he may do something I really really don't want him to do.

[ladjf]

74. Our dialogue has quickly morphed from being a discussion about our views of Obama to your

pointed assertion that I, unlike you, am an "intellectually dishonest" person claiming that Obama is emulating Reagan because he is making policy with which I don't agree.

Please read the following sentences carefully if you want to understand my beliefs.

I am disappointed with Obama's performance as President. I don't know or care who he might be emulating. I will be glad when we have a Democratic President who seems to be standing up for the majority of Americans.

[forestpath]

15. Gag me. And he's not just "reaching out." He's kicking Dems in the teeth.

[Bluenorthwest]

18. It's one thing to speak diplomatic words about the former resident but the slam at Democrats was

not necessary. Obama's sounding like a broken record.

[kelliekat44]

66. Because the President respects his office and is decent human being...

must we slam him for being gracious and being bigger than we are? The man and his family are under constant threats of being harmed, he has the weight of this dysfunctional government on his shoulders and a citizenry that only bitches and complains but adds nothing resolving or solving our problems and we can't even give him credit for a few moments of human decency...Wow!!

President Obama, I don't agree with every decision that you make but I highly respect you and appreciate your decency.

[BlueStater]

67. How is it "human decency" to praise a war criminal? N/T

[KoKo]

19. “Even if some of you think I’m a sap, I’m going to keep on doing it.."

Has he been reading comic books from the 50's? "Sap?" Or was it just a Freudian Slip?



This comment from TPM'er at the site seems to be appropriate reply:

Stoneyjack • 4 hours ago

Pathetic, pandering Obama looks forward to the day when he, Dubya & Zipper Bill can walk the links arm in arm, chuckling & reminiscing.

[tritsofme]

20. How dare the President of the United States act like an adult!

Outrageous.

[sabrina 1]

22. Adults pay homage to war criminals?

Unless of course you don't think lying a country into a wrong war, instituting torture as a policy, killing hundreds of thousands of innocent people are not war crimes. I guess all war criminals claim to 'love their countries'. I can think of a few others who have made that claim also. But, they didn't get away with it.

If you believe Bush loves this country, and I imagine you wouldn't say it if you didn't mean it as that would be lying, then you also don't believe the US CAN commit war crimes. Sorry but I don't subscribe to that theory and could never, ever be in the same room with any war criminal where I am expected to pay homage to him/her.

[Arkana]

50. "George Bush? Fuck that guy. He's a rich entitled asshole

who was born with a silver spoon up his ass and he hates middle-class America."

Would that be more to your liking? Should the President have said that?

[sabrina 1]

58. The President should have begun investigations into the lies told by the Bush

administration, the torture memos, the collapse of the economy, etc etc. Then he would not be in a position of having to praise any war criminals, they would be busy trying to defend themselves instead of building libraries with obscene amounts of money. Nixon who in retrospect, is beginning to look good compared to gang of criminals, at least had to leave office. But I guess we still had some standards back then. Not nearly enough, or his cohorts Cheney and Rumsfeld et al would have never again managed to get so close to the WH.

But we are now beginning to accept the sad state of our democracy, which in many ways is better than the false hopes we had during the Bush years, that we actually did still have any standards at all. Now maybe we can begin to rethink what to do about it. We have failed, spectacularly as today's obscene 'show' clearly demonstrates.

[Arkana]

87. What on earth does this have to do

with what he said at the library dedication?

You perpetually outraged wacko birds are all missing the central point: WHAT SHOULD PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA HAVE SAID AT THE DEDICATION OF THE PRESIDENTIAL LIBRARY FOR HIS PREDECESSOR?

[Number23]

99. "perpetually outraged wacko birds"

[GeorgeGist]

32. What part of SAP do you not understand.

U.S. Engaged in Torture After 9/11, Review Concludes

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/16/world/us-practiced-torture-after-9-11-nonpartisan-review-concludes.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

[Buzz Clik]

36. +1

I never cease to be amazed at the level of childishness and hate express at this place.

We could use a few more adult voices.

[KoKo]

54. President says some say he's a "SAP" and that's Adult?

He pokes stick in eyes of Dems who voted for him and says he will keep doing it and those shocked by that are being childish and full of hate? It seems PBO has a disdain for "some of his voters" that he can't keep quiet about. In fact he says he's going to keep doing what has bothered them. Like "Chained CPI" for the Old Folks where he works with Repugs. He's gonna keep doing it. And Fracking...he's gonna keep doing it, Killing innocents as collateral damage with his Drones...he's gonna keep on doing it...Trade Agreements like TPP/EURO....he's gonna keep on doing it...Trans Canadian Pipeline...he's gonna keep on doing it...

===============
“Even if some of you think I’m a sap, I’m going to keep on doing it because that’s what I think the country needs.”

[WI_DEM]

23. On the whole this is how an incumbent president speaks about any of his predecessors...

it is not unexpected.

[GeorgeGist]

33. sap

[PufPuf23]

24. Obama should do some reaching out to many of us who voted to put him in office

rather tha rub salt in the wounds.

Obama protects and panders to war and financial criminals.

[smirkymonkey]

93. +1000

I am quite frankly disappointed and disgusted by this comment.

[Recursion]

25. You want him to say "George W. Bush was a shithead"?

I sometimes think some of us are stuck in junior high...

[BlueStater]

34. Nope.

I'd like him to toss his murdering ass in prison for crimes against humanity instead of attending a ceremony honoring the bastard. In a sane world, this would happen. Unfortunately, we live in anything but that.

[Buzz Clik]

39. In a sane world, leaders try their political enemies for war crimes and throw them in jail?

[BlueStater]

45. You look at GWB as nothing more than a "politcal enemy"?

Wow.

[Recursion]

62. Will we jail every Democrat in Congress who voted for the war too? (nt)

[Buzz Clik]

72. This is not about me. You were suggesting that Obama initiate war crimes proceedings against Bush.

I am suggesting it would be a horrible idea.

Remember what a wonderful, uniting time Clinton's impeachment proceedings brought? Nixon's Watergate hearings? Multiply that times ten. Obama would be viewed as a vengeful opportunist, and it would be decades before we saw another Democrat in the White House.

[BlueStater]

80. Oh, bullshit.

People were against Clinton's impeachment because they recognized it as the partisan sham it was. On the other hand, any investigations into Chimp-boy's presidency would be completely justified and any criminal charges against him would be fully supported by the American people once all the facts are revealed.

Doing the right thing shouldn't be a decision made based on what is popular or because of fear of some possible political consequence that I personally doubt would even happen. The man led 4000 Americans to their deaths over a lie. Maybe some people just want to sweep that under the rug and let it go but I'm definitely not among them.

[leveymg]

103. Only the war criminals.

You're saying absolution is a rational national policy?

[Buzz Clik]

104. Absolution? Where did that come from?

Someone is calling for absolution?

[leveymg]

105. The 13th Century Catholic Church. It's now become a fixture of the American Presidency, as well.

In effect, that's what the policy is.

Definition of ABSOLUTION
: the act of absolving; specifically : a remission of sins pronounced by a priest (as in the sacrament of reconciliation)
See absolution defined for English-language learners »
See absolution defined for kids »
Examples of ABSOLUTION

He asked the priest to give him absolution for his sins.
<the jury's verdict of “not guilty” was absolution in the eyes of the law, but the verdict would always be “guilty” in the court of public opinion>

First Known Use of ABSOLUTION
13th century

[Buzz Clik]

106. Wow.

This is absurd. Typical for DU, but absurd nevertheless.

When you get caught trying to pawn off ridiculous hyperbole, simply back off. Don't make it worse by acting like this.

[leveymg]

110. I only say what I see. Rarely do I "back off' so as to avoid bruising convention.

If you think opinion expressed on DU is typically absurd and hyperbolic, why do you stick around? There are other places, like the National Review Online and perhaps The New Republic where "serious people" rule and the idea of prosecuting Presidents for conducting optional wars is never seriously entertained. You do want to be considered a "Serious Person", don't you? Seriously.

[Recursion]

61. I'm glad I live in a country where the President cannot just toss someone's ass in prison

Some big name lawyer (Shapiro?) tried to indict George W. Bush in Vermont on 3000 counts of murder; that would be a place to start.

[KoKo]

47. RECURSION....no...it's PBO who seems stuck in Junior High

Last edited Thu Apr 25, 2013, 01:28 PM - Edit history (1)

He didn't need to poke stick in eyes of what he refers to as "some" Democrats who voted for him by saying this. And, what President calls himself "a sap?" It's truly undignified.

“Even if some of you think I’m a sap, I’m going to keep on doing it because that’s what I think the country needs.” "

[democrank]

27. I want to gag.

[graham4anything]

28. The President should always be polite. To be rude lowers America.

[Seeking Serenity]

83. I'll be darned. You said something I agree with.

I'll be darned.

[edhopper]

29. I'm sorry

"One of the things I will insist upon is whatever our political differences, President Bush loves this country and loves its people and shares that same concern, and was concerned about all people in America, not just those who voted Republican. I think that’s true about him and I think that’s true about most of us.”

I saw no evidence during the Bush years that this was true.
I think his administration went out of it's way to hurt Democratic voters.
As for "loving his country", he almost loved it to death.

Kim Jong Un and Bashar el-Assad also love their countries.

[Blue Owl]

69. Exactly, I don't recall the GOP making one attempt at compromise.

It was their way or the highway.

Clearly Pres. Obama is reading off the money party's script here...

[G_j]

30. puke

[lpbk2713]

31. Bush loves poor people.

That's why he made so many of them.

[wordpix]

35. WHA? Clinton just said the library is the latest effort to rewrite history!

[mick063]

40. let me clue you in mr. president

No Republican will ever, ever declare that you loved our country. When you open your library, the teabillies will spit on it.

What you need to worry about is if the progressives will spit on it as well.

[JoePhilly]

42. Apparently, Obama should have kicked Bush in the balls.

At least that seems to be the consensus.

[Fire Walk With Me]

44. War criminals are GOOD. Think GOOD thoughts. n/t

[HughBeaumont]

68. FORWARD thoughts! We can't CHANGE the past!

The Bewsh Admin should be thrown in the Hague and STARVED.

We also need to get over and ABOLISH this notion that America is ALWAYS the Good Guy. NO we're fucking not.

[Newest Reality]

76. ++Good!

We must act mature here and honor this man, because we equate maturity with being nice and quite and polite at all times, no matter what. You see, it is more about proving how decent we are than acknowledging and deploring the sheer contempt for us that George W. revealed while he catered to the interests of the Neocon agenda.

That kind of maturity reminds me of how you must behave in a 1st-grade classroom as you are molded to accept and even relish in the kind of behavior a war criminal indulges in.

So, he get's away with it and this is a nice time to remember how mature we should be about it, of course. The Status Quo is far more important than decimated veterans, and the lists of results we have to bear the burden of as a society thanks to people like George W. and his partners in crime.

That's infamy, not something to honor. Yes, these are thought crimes so I shall desist and go to room 101 for some therapy now.

Victory Gin for all! The library is open.

[Arkana]

49. Please tell me we're not going to make an issue out of something he said

at a Presidential Library dedication.

[babylonsister]

51. Ha! Surely you jest!

Any opportunity to lambast Obama is happily accepted by so many.

[Fire Walk With Me]

77. When it's coddling a war criminal who has put this nation into disastrous debt to ripen it for

smash-and-grab ala' austerity (shock doctrine/disaster capitalism), then yes. Bullshit is bullshit, is all.


Note: The Bush disaster family are among those buying up the world's largest aquifers in a bid for hydraulic empirism.

[JoePhilly]

84. The perpetually outraged needed this chance to vent very badly.

The Boston bombing last week knocked all of their standard outrage topics right out of the news. So their outrage has been trapped and building up inside them.

If they didn't have this opportunity to release some of their endless outrage, some of them would explode.

[sakabatou]

52. Oh really?

[Blue_In_AK]

55. I suppose he has to say something like that

but still it's gag worthy.

[sendero]

56. good cop....

.... defends misunderstood bad cop.

It's all a game folks.

[Lint Head]

57. Bush sat by while 3,000 people, he supposedly loved, were incinerated.

Then he said Bin Laden didn't matter.

[Gin]

59. Its a good old boys club and we will never belong.......

[darkangel218]

85. +1

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

60. Yeah. In the same way that Henry Ford loved his factories and his workers.

[Rex]

64. Sure go ahead and cover for his crimes, you really shouldn't lie for the BFEE.

Yet, this is exactly what I expect - Obama to be nice no matter what. I know I wouldn't be.

[Initech]

65. Bush loves people? Right.

Let's look at how many people died on his watch:

- 4000+ on 9/11. Bush ignored clear and concise warnings that an attack on American soil was imminent.

- 3000+ when Hurricane Katrina hit. Had the Republican party not lobbied for deregulation a decade earlier the levees would not have leaked.

- Over 4500+ in two unnecessary wars, not to mention the countless Iraqi and Afghan civilians that were killed so the BFEE and their criminal friends could loot the national treasury.

Bush loves people? Think again.

[librechik]

75. Sociopaths like Bush are incapable of love, Mr. President.

I know that seems impossible to someone like you. But it's true.

[Octafish]

79. That's why he killed so many of us.

True love, like in Psycho.

[zeeland]

81. I received a phone call from DC to impeach Obama.

It was a robocall from some group called Republican something or other.

it was yesterday from this #202-810-0485. So while Obama is blowing smoke up
Republican ass they are trying to organize an impeachment. Yes, I think you
are acting like a sap Mr. President.

[Honeycombe8]

96. And some Dems tried to get groups going to impeach Bush.

It works both ways.

Bush will show up at Obama's dedication to his own library and say nice things, and Republicans will skewer Bush for doing it.

I take no issue with Obama's thoughts on Bush.

[JEB]

86. I'd rather be listening to the POTUS

comment on the war criminal's sentencing. Their is no Hope for this country.

[ellie]

89. The mere fact someone had to say it

makes me believe it is a lie.

[Apophis]

91. That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard from him.

[bluestate10]

92. I don't dispute President Obama's observation. I do think that GW Bush loves this country

deeply. But GW Bush's solutions for making the country a better place to live were grossly misguided.

[Douglas Carpenter]

94. occasions like this are meant to be times of kindly and lofty platitudes - not to be taken too

seriously - it is simply the correct role of the sitting President at such an event to say nice things .. to do anything less would be seen as crude

[mick063]

97. I understand your well intended path of taking the high road.

The problem is that times have changed.

Our President is vilified by the Tea Party in every way imaginable. The Republican Party walks lock step with them as well as major media outlets.

The Robber Barons are stealing from all of us. ALEC is shaping our country into a profit centric monster. It is now acceptable to teach impressionable 4th graders that Jesus rode a dinosaur. Women deserve rape because of their attire. The once untouchable public sector collective bargaining is being systematically crushed. Extremist Supreme Court Justices are allowing our Democracy to be sold to the highest bidder. Nation building is a credible foreign policy. Trade agreements are rapidly expanding unspeakable working conditions abroad. It is criminal to use the term vagina but acceptable to probe them. Low level appointees are being needlessly filibustered. Sequestration is a miserable compromise.

Let me make this clear. Bush did not love our country. Bush was a facilitator in rapidly changing our country in to a nightmare.

There is no high ground anymore. The right redefined the rules. Now is not the time to play nice because the future of this country is on the line.

Now is the time to take on a "Tea Party" like personality. Now is the time to become the crude assholes. They are not playing nice anymore. We cannot afford to play under a different rule set. Compassionate Conservatism was thrown in the dumpster.

Stop coddling the dipshits that are destroying our nation!!!!!!

[Arkana]

100. Pretty much.

It's one of those "close your eyes and think of England/baseball/whatever" moments.

[flvegan]

98. Don't blame me, I voted for Kucinich. n/t

[leveymg]

102. This reaching out thing of his is an uncontrolled compulsion. Like unwanted groping.

What does he think he'll accomplish by praising every leading conservative on the planet as a "true champion of liberty" and "great friend of America"? Tea and sympathy?

[gordianot]

107. I was a little worried Obama would visit Rush Limbaugh when Rush was in the Hospital in Hawaii.

They were both there at the same time.

His praise of George W. Bush is the same man who in public asked for an aide to give him a hand cleaner after he first shook hands with Barack Obama.

Barack Obama has some issues cozying up to those who truly hate him.

[damnedifIknow]

108. There should be reaching out

but after eight years of lies and distortion who should be reaching out to who?

[leveymg]

109. Here's the reaching out that should be done>