Former majority leader Dick Armey describes how Bush refused to autograph cards for kids

[sabra]

http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200709/karl-rove/3?ca=Rs56v%2BVO0rzVtzyfesN8hIXCaHfSdz5PVuhEfdPuypU%3D

<snip>

Dick Armey, the House Republican majority leader when Bush took office (and no more a shrinking violet than DeLay), told me a story that captures the exquisite pettiness of most members of Congress and the arrogance that made Bush and Rove so inept at handling them. “For all the years he was president,” Armey told me, “Bill Clinton and I had a little thing we’d do where every time I went to the White House, I would take the little name tag they give you and pass it to the president, who, without saying a word, would sign and date it. Bill Clinton and I didn’t like each other. He said I was his least-favorite member of Congress. But he knew that when I left his office, the first schoolkid I came across would be given that card, and some kid who had come to Washington with his mama would go home with the president’s autograph. I think Clinton thought it was a nice thing to do for some kid, and he was happy to do it.” Armey said that when he went to his first meeting in the White House with President Bush, he explained the tradition with Clinton and asked the president if he would care to continue it. “Bush refused to sign the card. Rove, who was sitting across the table, said, ‘It would probably wind up on eBay,’” Armey continued. “Do I give a damn? No. But can you imagine refusing a simple request like that with an insult? It’s stupid. From the point of view of your own self-interest, it’s stupid. I was from Texas, and I was the majority leader. If my expectations of civility and collegiality were disappointed, what do you think it was like for the rest of the congressmen they dealt with? The Bush White House was tone-deaf to the normal courtesies of the office.”

:mad:

[hatrack]

1. Funny thing, Dick - and I do mean "Dick" . . .

Petty, selfish, arrogant, can't be bothered - he perfectly exemplifies your party. Strange, huh?

[Schema Thing]

2. I guess I miss the "exquisite pettiness" on the congressmembers part

in that story.

[glitch]

18. Yeah me too. Although Armey and Delay have plenty of examples to show,

none of those examples are mentioned here.

Although smearing all of Congress for the generally well known and safe to assume pettiness of Armey and Delay is petty, and nasty.

[Schema Thing]

19. Armey's a bit more complex character than Delay et al

I recently had a long conversation with his daughter at a party. She's quite the Democrat.

Armey himself advocated for conservatives to vote dem in the last election cycle (he didn't exactly go out and campaign for dems, but he did make a public statement that it would be better for the country for the congress to switch to a dem majority).

Armey's daughter said the one thing that she really just-doesn't-get about her dad's politics (which is probably her way of saying "the one thing that really disappoints me...") is that she wasn't raised in a house where there was ANY sign that the parent believed that women should not have complete reproductive freedom. Ah, politics.

[glitch]

21. I am glad the daughter is a Democrat, but being a bit more complex than Delay

isn't much of a compliment! ;)

[closeupready]

3. What is his problem with ebay? He reportedly made similar remarks

to that woman whose son was killed in Iraq, after giving her an honorary coin marking the death of her son in Iraq. Something like 'don't go selling this on ebay.'

[Canuckistanian]

10. Yeah, why do they care if it ends up on ebay?

You'd think they'd admire the entrepreneurial spirit of the person selling it.

Maybe they just don't want anyone muscling into their territory.

[closeupready]

13. I guess when you're a trust fund baby, you don't "get it" that ebay is a commercial endeavor

just like the organizations run by the CEO's who form his base. In contrast, those of us who make our money the old-fashioned way (by earning it) understand what ebay is about. What a snobbish attitude he has.

[sabra]

16. Bush last week: "eBay is an entpreneurial success story that has helped many Americans"

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2007/08/bush_economy_strong_the_proof.html#more

<snip>

“Twelve years ago, eBay did not exist,’’ the president said, noting that now it’s a $12-billion-a-year business. “eBay is an entpreneurial success story that has helped many Americans become entrepreneurs themselves.’’

[nashville_brook]

17. rove fetishizes meaninglessness -- it's a classic shame reflex

he justifies his lack of character by assuming the same of everyone else -- even children.

[rucky]

23. I thought Cheney once said we can all get retrained for new jobs.

and when pressed for specifice, he said "selling on e-Bay" as his example.

[proud2BlibKansan]

24. Remember when Cheney claimed the economy was great

because so many people were selling stuff on ebay?

[closeupready]

25. Doesn't it make you kind of wonder if "I could sell it on ebay" is a patronizing joke

that the elites tell each other, yukking it up and smirking, mocking those who haven't been as materially successful as they have been? Sort of like that self-deprecating joke that, "I'm not worried, because <fast food restaurant/mega discount superstore> is always hiring. ha, ha." It just sounds so smug, rolling the eyes and whining, "watch it end up on ebay."

[indepat]

4. Jesus, hard to believe a 'puke thinks junior has shortcomings

[groovedaddy]

5. You're absolutely right, Dick

They're a bunch of assholes! But then, so are you!

[Bethany Rockafella]

6. And that's one of many differences between Clinton and Bush...

Clinton has Class! Bush has none!

[Corgigal]

7. Thanks for posting this

I read this just yesterday and I thought that paragraph sums up Bush and his buddy Rove. Entitled, snug assholes who don't care about the average citizen at all. Read the article DU'ers.

[Ganja Ninja]

8. Funny how more and more we catch republican's waxing ...

nostalgic about Bill Clinton. Turns out they liked him a lot more than they thought.

[blm]

9. but...but...our wonderful media LOVED BUSH and told voters he was SOOO lovable

and charming and is straightforward.....and always says what he means.....sterling integrity....really....here....have a beer....and watch me hit this ball.

[Sapere aude]

12. Remember Bush was the guy you would want to have beer with.

Not me. To bad Dick didn't ask Bush to have a beer with him. I think he'd get the same reaction as the card signing.

[Venus Dog]

11. Interesting that he's now telling this story

when he was one of junior's biggest cheerleaders. Boy, all the rats are really jumping ship to let the cheese stand alone.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

14. I Read The Whole Article...

Karl Rove leaves his job after being rolled in the last election he "managed"... I always thought the fear of him here and the magical powers attributed to him were laughable...

Read the article...His failure is as old as getting unsatisfactory remarks in kindergarden for conduct; he didn't get along well with others...

Good riddens to bad rubbish

DSB

[vireo]

15. He probably didn't want to sign because Clinton had done so

Or maybe he was afraid it wouldn't attract any eBay bids.

[WI_DEM]

20. the real reason is that Bush is afraid some kid would throw it back in Armey's face.

[provis99]

22. Bush even offends Dick the Prick

Remember Armey is the guy who moved out of his home state of North Dakota, because he decided it was too liberal. And moved to Texas. That's like moving from Boston to San Francisco because Boston is too conservative.

Yet this story is one more example of Bush the Sociopath. He totally lacks any human empathy at all, the classic definition. But, though he's a sociopath, he'd be fun to have a beer with, apparently.

[Starbucks Anarchist]

26. Yet Bush will deface a flag by signing it.

:eyes:

EDIT: Anyone have that pic?

[baldguy]

27. Items with the Presidential signiture end up on ebay all the time.

[OnceUponTimeOnTheNet]

28. * is selfish, plain and simple. Afraid someone might make money off his! autograph.

I find many pubs to be this way, out to get whatever they want, whomever they step all over to get to it. Ridiculously upset if they feel someone gets one up on them. A constant feeling of self-entitlement, greedy, and selfish. It's all about me, me, me for them.

[KiraBS]

29. Clinton has clearly has a love of Children..

you only have to see how well Chelsea turned out compared to the Bush Twins.

When Tony Blair left office, there were photos shown of Bill Clinton with little Leo Blair on his lap or Clinton pushing his buggy. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/915964.stm
You can tell a lot about a person when a child will go straight to them, Bush is creepy looking and a
complete narcissist. He can't relate to anyone else. Making a child's day, giving him something valuable is not something he can understand.