AN APOLOGY FROM A BUSH VOTER: I was wrong to have voted for George W. Bush

[ProSense]

Doug's apology

AN APOLOGY FROM A BUSH VOTER

By Doug McIntyre

Host, McIntyre in the Morning

Talk Radio 790 KABC

There’s nothing harder in public life than admitting you’re wrong. By the way, admitting you’re wrong can be even tougher in private life. If you don’t believe me, just ask Bill Clinton or Charlie Sheen. But when you go out on the limb in public, it’s out there where everyone can see it, or in my case, hear it.

So, I’m saying today, I was wrong to have voted for George W. Bush. In historic terms, I believe George W. Bush is the worst two-term President in the history of the country. Worse than Grant. I also believe a case can be made that he’s the worst President, period.

Snip...

After five years of carefully watching George W. Bush I’ve reached the conclusion he’s either grossly incompetent, or a hand puppet for a gaggle of detached theorists with their own private view of how the world works. Or both.

Presidential failures. James Buchanan, Franklin Pierce, Jimmy Carter, Warren Harding-— the competition is fierce for the worst of the worst. Still, the damage this President has done is enormous. It will take decades to undo, and that’s assuming we do everything right from now on. His mistakes have global implications, while the other failed Presidents mostly authored domestic embarrassments.

Snip..

So, accept my apology for allowing partisanship to blind me to an obvious truth; our President is incapable of the tasks he is charged with. I almost feel sorry for him. He is clearly in over his head. Yet, he doesn’t generate the sympathy Warren Harding earned. Harding, a spectacular mediocrity, had the self-knowledge to tell any and all he shouldn’t be President. George W. Bush continues to act the part, but at this point whose buying the act?

Does this make me a waffler? A flip-flopper? Maybe, although I prefer to call it realism. And, for those of you who never supported Bush, its also fair to accuse me of kicking Bush while he’s down. After all, you were kicking him while he was up.

You were right, I was wrong.

http://www.kabc.com/mcintyre/listingsEntry.asp?ID=432586&PT=McIntyre+in+the+Morning

[valerief]

1. He broke it. Now he should fix it. n/t

[OwnedByFerrets]

4. All that is really important now

is "Are you gonna vote to help fix your mistake?". Or just shrug your shoulders and say "Oh Well, thats water under the bridge"

[valerief]

6. No. He broke it. He shilled for them. He should fix it.

[DanCa]

2. I was wrong for voting for Nader in 2000.

I am so sorry for doing that. I'll never make that mistake again.

[blonndee]

9. Dan,

you're just fantastic. :hug:

[jwirr]

13. Dan, your vote can be understood. The Green Party had a very

good platform just not the power to win in 2000.

[DanCa]

17. A lot of my Dem Conversion has to do with Senator Durbin from Il

That man was so kind and warm to me at the pan conference- where I might him at I just can't describe his kindness. Trust me a party that his Dick Durbin in is gold as far as I am concerned.

[Scoot420fla]

38. I second that remark

and I was in florida when I did it. Im sorry guys :(

[GCP]

54. Welcome to DU Scoot!

And thanks for the apology - although the pukes would probably have still found a way to steal the election somehow. :toast::hi:

[dorkulon]

68. I wasn't.

Nader was a rare gem--a candidate who isn't full of shit. But then, I live in NY, and knew Gore would take my state anyhow.

[NNadir]

3. I really have no use for him.

He's still a fucking cretin.

[lonestarnot]

5. blah blah blah bitch. Give your vote to the dog next election.

And further fucking more, he's not MY fucking president, he is a diebold selectee chimpturd nazi.

[Sadie5]

12. Lonestarnot got that right

I have exactly the same opinion of * for prez.

[nam78_two]

63. LMFAO

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

Diebold selectee chimpturd Nazi


Thanks for that! :rofl:
It even rhymes...:)

[alfredo]

7. Make sure your republican friends and family get to see this.

[EST]

8. No forgiveness granted until such time as a little more

self examination forces you to peek past those idiotic ideological blinders and take a dispassionate look at Carter and some of the other people you've wronged, now that bush has disappointed you. Phew! Scorned lover apologia stinks!

[DavidDvorkin]

10. The insistence of so many on including Jimmy Carter in that list

Bugs me no end.

[stevietheman]

22. Yeah, I'd say Carter was mediocre rather than saying "worst",

and I'd also apply that to Harding.

[Endangered Specie]

46. In my book Carter was more than "mediocre"

if anything, he was to honest to be president.

[charlie]

11. If he'd take the next step

and vow not to vote Republican until that party has been burnt down and rebuilt, his apology would be worth listening to. Disavowing Bush means little if you'll vote Repub in the future. Bush isn't a bad politician in a sane party, he's a perfect expression of that party.

[SammyWinstonJack]

14. Oh boohoo! "Sick of the Clinton shenanigans and couldn't imagine

a President Gore.." :puke: :grr: :banghead: Thanks for everything asshole!

[The Cleaner]

60. Please be more forgiving.

A person comes over to our side and you do nothing but call them an asshole - now how is that going to go over with this person?

"You finally came to your senses - now F@*K YOU!"

That just doesn't go over well.

I personally know a couple of people who had a similiar experience - and are now Dems.

Please reconsider your approach.

[TwentyFive]

65. Welcome to DU - and THANKS for standing up for the good in people.

We should be welcoming these people home with open arms. Not kicking them. Ok...maybe a give them a little crap, but only if we all do it with a tongue in cheek.

[tabasco]

69. Sick of Clinton shenanigans. LMAO.

Maybe a lesson learned is that people's personal lives should be left personal?

[longship]

15. A lot of this happening these days.

Bill Handel, the morning guy on KFI-AM 640, who voted for Dubya twice, has also confessed that he was wrong. Handel professes to be a moderate, but many of his pronouncements put him a bit right of that. Ms. Longship listens to him every morning so I get to hear him often. He's better and more interesting than Jerry Springer, if that means anything. Still, I cannot stomach many of his issue positions. He's smart, but doesn't seem to think through things very well. For one thing, how can a true moderate vote for Chimp twice?

Just some thoughts.

[yorkiemommie1]

16. He needs to read this on air 10 times for each time

he has supported * and the Neocons on his show because reading this once is not going to get through to the knuckleheads.

[Eric J in MN]

28. Good idea. NT

NT

[durrrty libby]

18. Talk is cheap moron

And , btw...you're still an ass, and never give your opinion about anything.

Now get Jimmy Carter off that list.....fool

[Octafish]

21. Carter wasn't in the thrall of the MI-Complex

As President, Jimmy Carter tried to fix the problems he inherited as a result of the crazy Vietnam War.

He also had to deal with OPEC and the world economic system hanging on whether or not someone uncrimped the oil hose.

Instead of pretending the problem didn't exist, Carter tried to do something about it: encouraging conservation, funding alternative energy supplies and even putting solar panels on the roof of the White House.

Unlike many of the occupants since, he was an Annapolis grad and a US Navy officer -- loyal to the Constitution and the country.

Carter did the same as President -- He used every minute in office to try and make this a better country and a safer world for ALL Americans.

He was stabbed in the back by the CIA, Pentagon, Wall Street and Big Oil. Those new to the subject might want to GOOGLE "Safari Club" and "October Surprise."

[blonndee]

23. Thank you for defending that lovely man.

He may not have been the Best President Ever but from what I've read,the harsh criticism of him as a person and a president has been grossly unfair.

But you know what they said about "no good deed." :-(

P.S. The unfair treatment to which I allude isn't meant to refer to any postings here, necessarily.

[OzarkDem]

26. Totally screwed up economy wasn't Carter's fault

blame the Arab oil embargo and a host of other problems for causing double digit inflation. It took two Reagan terms and one Bush term before the economy righted itself again.

[philly_bob]

55. Reference to Safari Club links

Octafish, thanks for reference. I hadn't heard of Safari Club stuff, although I have heard of October Surprise.

Googling Safari Club leads to a lot of unrelated links. Here's what I think you're talking about:

http://www.spitfirelist.com/f524.html
http://www.spitfirelist.com/f522.html

Interesting reading. I don't know the source, and much of it is new to me. But I looked for contradictions with what I do know, and couldn't find anything.

Basically, the idea is that after Watergate, when Congress clamped down on intelligence, the spooks 'out-sourced' intelligence activities to Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Which would explain (1) why the U.S. didn't have independent info sources in middle east and (2) why regressive regimes like Pakistan and Saudi Arabia are such staunch allies in the War on Terrorism.

The references also point out connections between Saudis and Bush family dating back to before Watergate.

[ProSense]

19. Everyone has been asking:

When are the sheeple going to wake up?

One just did. A few more and maybe the chorus to impeach the WH moron will grow louder!

Bush is a failure!
Bush is a failure!
Bush is a failure!
Bush is a failure!

[lonestarnot]

24. Fuck that ! The election was stolen. Why don't you go cheer with

them? It never was about their "team" bushitler is the cheerleader, cheers better served by him, the pussy. This is our fucking country not a goddamned team! sports hmmmmmf.

[ProSense]

27. Keep your fucks to yourself. Your pissed off shouts are just as

stupid as the importance you're attributing to this symbolic BS!

[lonestarnot]

29. Keep your cheerleading to yourself! and which shout are you

referring to and what symbolic bullshit or is that bastard shit?

[ProSense]

31. Is your name in my post that you responded to? n/t

[lonestarnot]

32. What in the fuck are you attempting to say?

You don't have to beat around a bush with me.

[ProSense]

34. Somehow I don't thing you'd understand! n/t

[lonestarnot]

35. Well somehow I don't think you can communicate clearly.

[karynnj]

20. So much of this seems a lie

For example, he says he was upset when we let Bin Laden escape at Tora Bora. John Kerry was one of the few to critize that at the time and he was blasted by virtually the entire media. Even in 2004, some of the Democrats disputed Kerry's comment on this. He also claims he wasn't convinced on Iraq - did he speak out on that?

After giving many pre-2004 examples of Bush being the worst President in history - he ignores that the US has elections every 4 years. He says:

"The President’s January 7th, 2004 speech on immigration, his first trial balloon on his guest worker scheme, was a deal breaker for me. I couldn’t and didn’t vote for him in 2004. And I’m glad I didn’t. "

The question is did he vote at all and what did he tell his audience. A RW talk person saying this in october or November 2004 would have been a real genuine action - that was when he needed to kick Bush to help bring him down. And we wouldn't have called him RW words like waffler or flipflpper - if he made enough noise, we would have called him a hero.

[ProSense]

30. According to this,

not in 2004:

I’ve talked so often about the border issue, I won’t bore you with a rehash. It’s enough to say this President has been a catastrophe for the wages of working people; he’s debased the work ethic itself. “Jobs Americans won’t do!” He doesn’t believe in the sovereign borders of the country he’s sworn to protect and defend. And his devotion to cheap labor for his corporate benefactors, along with his worship of multinational trade deals, makes an utter mockery of homeland security in a post 9-11 world. The President’s January 7th, 2004 speech on immigration, his first trial balloon on his guest worker scheme, was a deal breaker for me. I couldn’t and didn’t vote for him in 2004. And I’m glad I didn’t.

[karynnj]

37. He says he didn't vote for Bush,

but:
He doesn't say that he voted for Kerry (or anyone)

And, as he's writing this NOW,

He likely didn't speak out before the election on his conclusion that Bush was a disaster.

[ProSense]

40. That's the impression I got:

He's a Bush supporter and he's just disappointed!

[Hekate]

25. I have to say that is an impressive rant.

:wow: That man has just spat out the Kool-ade all over his broadcasting booth.

I think he needs to be thanked for doing so publicly, and maybe some of our gentler members can bring him along a bit further. Perhaps he will begin to see that it was the wingnuts that deliberately divided the nation and turned "liberal" into a dirty word. He doesn't have to become a Democrat -- but it sure wouldn't hurt if he started voting Dem in the general elections for president.

Hmm. Has anybody tried telling him about Diebold yet? Refer him to Lou Dobbs for that.

Hekate

[lonestarnot]

33. I'm going to give this the 5th recommend as it demonstrates

what duers think of bushitler appologists.

[Gregorian]

36. It's not George Bush. It's the Republican party.

And I hope these regretful people can see beyond just George.














edit- SHEEN!

[Old and In the Way]

39. He's obviously no judge of political character.

He's dead wrong about Carter, too. Carter was caught in an historic realignment of oil geopolitics that had significant impact on our omestic economy and he was a hostage to the Iranian Hostage Crisis; of course, he was flogged by the Republican Press (yes, they were no better in the 70's). He had the right energy policy for the US. If he had gotten another term, we would not be shedding blood for oil in the ME. Perhaps he made a mistake with the Mujahadeen...but I doubt Republicans would even count this as one of his sins.

[Ino]

41. Screw him

He castigates Bush, then says "The Democrats are EQUALLY bankrupt" and blames THEM for not checking the power of a run-amuck majority -- as if they could, as if none have tried.

This idiot, and all other pseudo-repentants like him, will vote Repug again with the rationale that it was just Bush and their next candidate is the best choice only because their guts say "(name of Dem candidate) is unthinkable."

Screw all of them.

[Minnesota_Lib]

42. K&R...this is a Con talking, yes he is going to dislike Carter and Clinto

...that is a given. The important part is that he sees the light about Bushco.

We tend to forget that a democracy thrives on debate. We need a two-or better party system to keep checks and balances. I don't know this guy from Adam, but I now repect his political beliefs even though I disagree with most of them. Why? Because he sees a basic truth about Bushco which means he truely cares for our democracy. We work for the same thing in different ways. Admittedly, his ways are misguided, but he obviously does care for democracy.

The point is that we need to be patient and take it one step at a time. This guy sees Bushco for what it is and we should not jump on him because he does not walk lock-step. That is why I hate the right, because they demand walking in unquestioning lock-step.

He has seen the light at the end of the tunnel....let him find the rest of the path. Don't condemn him because he is still trying to find his way out. Work with him...but let him find his own way.

Reading his excellent piece, I'd say he is already half-way there. We can't afford to alienate this guy and other cons like him. We all have a common enemy.


Peace out...

[Chulanowa]

43. I fail to sympathize

NOW you're repentant, now that it's popular to say you're not happy with the president? What, did you wake up on January 21st, 2005 and go "Gosh I won't be voting for him again, so I can pretend I'm sorry I'm did when and if the time looks good to do so!"

I don't believe anyone who says they're sorry for voting for Bush, because I know all of them would do it again given the chance. They all hate you and I unyieldingly, and even if they talk bad about Bush when nobody's looking, they still regard that monstrous imbicile Reagan to be God's second son.

[w4rma]

44. Idiot. "Equally bankrupt"? "Where are the heros?" He still has an immature

outlook on the world and thinks a great "hero" will come out of the blue. He is the one sniping at the sidelines while others fight for *him*, particularly while Democrats fight for him and he snipes at them and labels them as equally bad as Repugs. This guy is still going to vote for Republicans all the while denouncing the "president" whose policies their leadership defended and still defends.

[WilliamPitt]

45. This. Is. Fucking. GREAT.

There is an interesting mishmash of nationalism, blindness, bad information and more than a little dogging of the Democrats in this, but by and large, I think this kind of article from a Bush voter - if widely disseminated - may be seminal, especially in the '06 midterms.

Also, whatever his bad data may be, the author definitely means it.

It is too much to ask for people who think this way to vote Democratic. If we think tactically (and we have to), we simply want them to stay home in November. Midterms are won by the margins; recent history has midterm voter turnout at about 35%, which makes midterm elections a fight between the bases of the opposing parties.

Get stuff like this out, and we might be able to convince enough of their 17.5% to not bother in November. It's worth considering, anyway.

[ProSense]

50. Excellent point!

That's exactly what happened in 2004 (see post 30).

[Skidmore]

59. Tell them that if they want more of the same pain, vote

for the usual suspects the Republican party has to offer and the same old tired, never-changing lies they try to pass off as a platform.

[lostnfound]

47. Our media system pukes up Doug McIntyres..

Until he says "I was wrong about Al Gore.." he can go to Baghdad AFAIC

That worm isn't fit to polish Gore's shoes...

What the hell doesn't he like about Gore? His personality, probably.
And what was it he liked about Bush? His personality, probably.

Not fit to vote for head cheerleader.

[Skidmore]

48. And he'll line up dutifully behind the next Rove candidate next election.

Being wrong doesn't mean they will change. I don't think he said anything about how this affects his support for future candidates or that he'll be less partisan in the future and more realistic in his choices.

[progressoid]

49. Yep. And, the scary thing is it took him over 5 frickin years

to figure out his mistake.

[LeftofU]

51. I want the money back...

thieves!

[Tennessee Gal]

52. This part is BS!

None of this, by the way, should be interpreted as an endorsement of the opposition party. The Democrats are equally bankrupt. This is the second crime of our age. Again, historically speaking, its times like these when America needs a vibrant opposition to check the power of a run-amuck majority party. It requires it. It doesn’t work without one. Like the high and low tides keep the oceans alive, a healthy, positive opposition offers a path back to the center where all healthy societies live.

Tragically, the Democrats have allowed crackpots, leftists and demagogic cowards to snipe from the sidelines while taking no responsibility for anything. In fairness, I don’t believe a Democrat president would have gone into Iraq. Unfortunately, I don’t know if President Gore would have gone into Afghanistan. And that’s one of the many problems with the Democrats.

----------------------------------------


Invading Afghanistan was justified. Invading Iraq was not. Had the * administraiton remained focused on Afghanistan, eliminating Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda, the mess in the Middle East would not be where it is today.

[robbedvoter]

53. Wasn't his fault. Both elections were stolen, so the few voters are

blameless in my book. Other than providing cover for the steal (kinda like Nader did in 2000) thay didn't really caused this. They were to few to put bush in power - let's never forget that.

The majority rule is broken here.

[fordnut]

56. at least you aplogized

I have a friend and a sister that voted for George W in both
elections and they won't admit that they made a mistake voting
for the s.o.b what is it with repukes whats so good about
George W?he is the worst president ever.

[DemReadingDU]

57. good news to see again

5/10/06
Rightwing Radio Host Posts Stunning Apology for Supporting Bush!
Detailed Essay Excoriates Administration and the Republicans on Every Point
Doug McIntyre's Brutally Honest Essay Makes Him the Latest BRAD BLOG 'Intellectually Honest Conservative' Award Winner!

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=2813



K&R

[ProSense]

61. Good! Thanks! Another link:

We Were Right

[walldude]

58. Swell.. while I appreciate the fact that the man

is smart enough to admit when he is wrong, somehow I imagine he wasn't so humble when attempting to smackdown "liberals" and their objections to the Bush administration. Yes dude, you were wrong, and I was right. I was right every time I said Bush was an incompetent fuck destined to destroy America and it's reputation. Now that he and his crony's have just about managed to put the final nail in the coffin of America you want to come back and say "oops I was wrong". It'd make a great photo, you standing in front of the coming mushroom cloud saying "oops, sorry, I was wrong..."

[Martin Eden]

62. It's one man's opinion, which includes this:

With a belated tip of the cap to Ralph Nader, the system is broken, so broken, it’s almost inevitable it pukes up the Al Gores and George W. Bushes. Where are the Trumans and the Eisenhowers? Where are the men and women of vision and accomplishment? Why do we have to settle for recycled hacks and malleable ciphers? Greatness is always rare, but is basic competence and simple honesty too much to ask?

I happen to think that an Al Gore presidency would have been great for this country. But that's my opinion.

[Joey Liberal]

64. Apology not accepted

By voting for Bush, you have sentenced this country to 8 years of hell. And it will take many years to recover from the Bush reign of error.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

66. This Is 3 Months Old Already, In Case You Weren't Aware.

This made its rounds on DU already months back.

[EVDebs]

67. Bush either incompetent or a 'hand puppet', or both. QED.

""...either grossly incompetent, or a hand puppet for a gaggle of detached theorists with their own private view of how the world works. Or both.""