Geldof To Bush: Many People View Him "as a walking crime against humanity."

[orleans]

I don't know how, but eventually we arrive at the great unspoken. "See, I believe we're in an ideological struggle with extremism," says the President.

snip

I don't want to go there. I have my views and they're at odds with his, and I don't want to spoil the interview or be rude in the face of his hospitality. "Ah, look Mr. President. I don't want to do this really. We'll get distracted and I'm here to do Africa with you." "OK, but we got rid of tyranny." It sounded like the television Bush. It sounded too justificatory, and he doesn't ever have to justify his Africa policy. This is the person who has quadrupled aid to the poorest people on the planet. I was more comfortable with that. But his expression asked for agreement and sympathy, and I couldn't provide either.

"Mr. President, please. There are things you've done I could never possibly agree with and there are things I've done in my life that you would disapprove of, too. And that would make your hospitality awkward. The cost has been too much. History will play itself out." "I think history will prove me right," he shoots back. "Who knows," I say.

It wasn't awkward. It wasn't uncomfortable. He is convinced, like Tony Blair, that he made the right decision. "I'm comfortable with that decision," he says. But he can't be. The laws of unintended consequences would determine that. At one point I suggest that he will never be given credit for good policies, like those here in Africa, because many people view him "as a walking crime against humanity." He looks very hurt by that. And I'm sorry I said it, because he's a very likable fellow.
http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,1717934,00.html
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1717934,00.html

yes bob--he looked hurt when you said that. sometimes the truth hurts. or is he so isolated and bubbled-up that he truly has no clue how he is perceived by people? did it come as a surprise to him as much as that reporter's comment about $4/gallon gasoline? or did he simply expect that you'd be so happy about what he was doing for africa, and that you'd be so happy getting the presidential "links" and m&ms that you wouldn't allow yourself to disagree or stand up to him on any level?

either way--thank you for saying it. thank you for letting him know. thank you for giving him a momentary glimpse of what we, the people, (in this country and in the rest of the world) really think of him.

i'd say the odds are 50/50 he didn't have a clue.

[msongs]

1. sorry to say congressional dems are afraid of bush and have caved to him for 7 years nt

[annabanana]

2. He doesn't hear it often enough, probably because so few people

are allowed inside the bubble of enablers.

[jazzjunkysue]

3. "And I'm not saying that to blow smoke up his rear just because he's doing some piece on me."

Wow. I'm so proud of my president.

I hope more people have the guts to tell this little war monger the truth to this face.

He's pathological, if he really believes he can have compassion for the people on one continent, and at the same time bomb innocent Iraqi's to hell because they had the bad luck to be born over his oil.

President Sociopath

Glad someone told him off.

[orleans]

16. bush is so damn disgusting -- i don't see how we have been able to bear it

all these years.

[Metta]

4. He's superficially likeable, Bob, but only if you squint your eyes, hold your breath and look

really hard. Your gut was right. He's the cause of much confusion and should be brought before the Hague before spending the rest of his life in Guantanamo.

[orleans]

5. insead he'll probably run off to Paraguay

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=2946491&mesg_id=2946491

[Kablooie]

6. What the hell is Bush about? It's wierd.

He offers help to Africa but then authorizes horrors and nightmares to everyone else.

He always sounds like he honestly thinks he's a good honorable person but has done so
much damage to the whole world in so many ways. And he doens't seem to see that.

It's very strange.

I hope someone writes a good book someday about who this affable asshole is.

[CJCRANE]

8. I imagine Cheney & Rumsfeld

weren't bothered about Africa and let Shrub do whatever he wanted.

All his other policies were pretty much written in advance by the PNACers.

[pacalo]

9. And while he forsakes his own constituency in the U.S. (which includes even Democrats).

This one epiphany of humanitarianism signals that the any-&-all-entitlements-that-help-the-lesser-affluent-Americans-are-evil political party could be trying to soften its harsh attitude toward people of color. They would love to have that constuency in their corner at election time; they just don't want to work too hard for it in between election periods. God knows how much money they've spent on hush money/techie expertise & how much risk is involved in their current strategy of keeping a sector of voters off the registration polls.

[pacalo]

7. "A walking crime against humanity."

More people who are granted access to the boy king need to put a reality pin into that protective bubble.

[DemoTex]

10. The four indictments of Nuremberg are simple enough for even Bu$h to understand:

1. Conspiracy to Wage Aggressive War

2. Waging Aggressive War, or "Crimes Against Peace"

3. War Crimes

4. Crimes Against Humanity

Simple. Bu$h is guilty of all four, and he knows it. No matter what he says. He knows he is guilty.

[yurbud]

11. why is it some rich guy says this to Bush but our elected representatives won't?

[orleans]

15. maybe there is still a little rebel left in bob--maybe he is

one of those people who still believe we can change the world for the better
(unlike those in congress)

[yurbud]

17. I don't expect Congress to be idealists, but they should at least represent us

[elehhhhna]

12. Can someone look up Bob's address at GITMO? He deserves a nice card.

& flowers, maybe.

[librechik]

13. fortunately Bob is a Brit

only the Queen can send him to prison

[elehhhhna]

14. lol. wanna bet?

Former Gitmo detainee speaks out - AOL Video

Former Gitmo detainee speaks out. WhiShafiq Rasul, a British citizen detained at Guantanamo for over two years, ...tells his story and explains why the ...

video.aol.com/video-detail/former-gitmo-detainee-speaks-out/1215764593


edit to say I'm sorry that sounded snarky.

[leftofthedial]

18. I never found towel-snapping frat boy mass murderers

to be "likeable."

maybe it's just me . . .

[orleans]

19. no, i don't think it's just you. i never find them ammusing either. n/t