The straw that broke the camels back.

[lumberjack_jeff]

Giving the Medal of Freedom to the architect of Iran Contra.

I'm done.

Howard Dean 2012.

[Nuclear Unicorn]

1. Honest question

Did the WH put him in for the award or was it leftover?

BTW - who approves these things anyway?

[lumberjack_jeff]

12. I'm sure there's someone higher on the food chain than the president.

Surely there must be. The world doesn't make sense otherwise.

:sarcasm:

[Nuclear Unicorn]

13. I'm just asking because (and take this for what it's worth)

as I understand it the president and his peeps recommend officers to become generals but the generals have to be confirmed by the senate.

I'm curious if there is a similar dynamic involved here, i.e. what if the president's predecessor recommended the award and congress approved it.

I can totally see Obama standing there going, "Do I gotta? Really?"

[lumberjack_jeff]

16. They call it the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

I'm having a hard time understanding the ambiguity.

We've wasted two years projecting our expectations on the guy and being inexhaustible in our ability to be surprised by what he does.

The one saying "Do I gotta?" is Biden.

[REP]

50. Maybe his pal Bill Clinton recommended him

[MrsCorleone]

29. Distinguished Civilian Service Awards Board did. nt

[Taverner]

2. I know how you feel

I mean, what the fucks the point if the "good guy" does shit like this???

"HEY OBAMA! THEY REALLY DON'T WANT YOU TO JOIN THEIR CLUB, SO STOP TRYING!!"

[The Backlash Cometh]

4. Maybe they have some dirt on Obama?

[Taverner]

9. Or maybe Obama never really cared for Liberals in the first place

[The Backlash Cometh]

11. I wonder how black civil rights leaders feel about that?

[SammyWinstonJack]

34. +1. nt

[ChimpersMcSmirkers]

35. I'm pretty sure when he was organizing that was his motivation.

[Taverner]

36. That's the monkey wrench in my theory

Because he was all about the little guy back then

[chidy]

64. actually, no. he wasn't.

if you're from chicago or lived there while he was a state rep and local guy, you'd know that. preznit O stepped *all over* the feet (and trammeled important efforts that black folk in the 'hood were building at the time) of "the little guy" as he moved up the ladder. all the black locals know this, we just don't talk about it so much.

bottom line: O has never been a progressive, and barely qualifies, and only under our modified definition, of "liberal." do some research. some of us chicagoan black folk have been saying this... for years.

[The Backlash Cometh]

65. I wondered how black civil rights leaders would feel about him .

If it weren't for progressives in the sixties supporting the cause, it would have been much more difficult for black leaders to make the inroads they managed to make. Someone had to be rooting for their cause in Congress. It wasn't blue dogs.

[Enthusiast]

60. You have no idea

how many times this has crossed my mind.

[BrklynLiberal]

3. George H. W. Bush is as disgusting a "human being" the rest of his family..

The term "human Being" is being used very loosely here...


GAWD>>>Howard Dean in 2012.. If only.

[EFerrari]

6. He actually leads the pack in criminality.

There's blood screaming all over Latin America because of that man.

I feel sick.

[immoderate]

20. They should cut one for General Haig while they're at it.

--imm

[XemaSab]

5. The Obama sticker on the car came and went

The Dean sticker's going to be there even when my chariot is silently rusting at the pick & pull. And who knows? Maybe it will get new life on someone else's car. :D

[Mona Blue]

7. Holy shit

Got a link?

[DainBramaged]

19. Hi Mona blues, we got LOTS of links abut the criminal past of 41

just gaze here


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x9584677

[Radical Activist]

8. Dean 2012: Centrism but with more passion!

For those who prefer dramatic gestures over policy accomplishments.

[superduperfarleft]

26. I rarely agree with you on anything, but that was funny. n/t

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

10. It's the Hug-a-Thug Gambit in the Big Chess Game.

[treestar]

14. You can't make each new thing that straw

When you were already have had several straws.

[lumberjack_jeff]

17. No. That was the one.

What would Hillary do? I dunno, but not that.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[lumberjack_jeff]

18. I'm sure the excuse would have something to do with looking forward.

Which kind of calls into question whatever it was that GHWB did to earn the award.

[Ramulux]

22. The whole looking forward thing is bullshit

Every time I hear it I want to fucking puke. Besides the fact that the republicans are not at all going along with that idea, and he is essentially forcing the dems to play by rules that inhibit us and make the republicans stronger, he constantly makes that fucking stupid car in a ditch analogy where he CORRECTLY blames the economy on the republicans. So when the mid-terms come around its perfectly OK to look backwards so you can insult the republicans financial policy, but somehow acknowledging the fact that Bush is a fucking war criminal is out of bounds? Its absurd, besides being a stupid political move hes not even abiding by it, he looks backwards all the time, he just uses that as an excuse to not pay attention to things that matter.

[formercia]

24. He didn't break the 11th Commandment

Don't get caught.

[Name removed]

21. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[burrowowl]

23. OH!

:puke:

[superduperfarleft]

25. Why Howard Dean? n/t

[lpbk2713]

27. What was the trade off here?

There has to be some sort of deal he struck with Boner to get this done. :shrug:

[ProSense]

28. Why not contact the WH and protest Bush Sr.'s Medal of Freedom?

Contact the White House

[TheWatcher]

32. I'm sure they care very deeply about what we think.

:eyes:

[Enthusiast]

61. They have clearly demonstrated

that they could give a shit what I think.

[auntsue]

56. I did, about 30 minutes ago.

Wrote a nice little note expressing my extreme disappointment. Probably a waste but at least I did something.

[auntsue]

57. I did, about 30 minutes ago.

Wrote a nice little note expressing my extreme disappointment. Probably a waste but at least I did something.

[glitch]

30. As am I. And not just for Iran Contra.

Seriously people read Russ Baker's "Family of Secrets"

[EFerrari]

31. Iran Contra makes it sound like it was one transaction

and not a career crime spree. Agreed.

[glitch]

38. Yeah, where's blm when we need her? nt

[TheUnspeakable]

41. really-here's a link to his website-5 minute video about the book

http://russbaker.com/
it's JFK,it's watergate,there's so much. First Clinton, now Obama kissing his ring-it makes me sick.

[dionysus]

33. you were done a long, long time ago.

:rofl:

[Jakes Progress]

37. How constructive.

How witty. If you need a smilie to make your point, you don't have one.

[lumberjack_jeff]

39. Thanks for the kick.

:hi:

[Name removed]

46. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Jakes Progress]

49. It is amazing what

some here will support without thinking.

[dionysus]

52. you've cut me to the quick with your false accusations.

get me to the fainting couch....

[TheWatcher]

53. And your embarrassing atempts at clever wit have almost aroused pity.

Almost.

Keep sleeping.

[dionysus]

54. believe me, your scorn is nectar to my soul.

[TheWatcher]

55. Glad to have gotten you off.

:eyes:

[EFerrari]

40. November 16, 1989

Apart from everything else, there was an anniversary vigil in El Salvador and likely all over the region and on Catholic campuses worldwide on Tuesday commemorating the slaughter of Jesuit priests in San Salvador who were instructors at the University. They opposed the brutal repression and slaughter of the people that George Herbert Walker Bush was funding.



The students of those murdered priests are now in their forties. The news of this award announced this week. of all weeks, is painful. And probably sent a signal all over Latin America.

In pictures, El Salvador Remembers
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8361950.stm

El Salvador Honors 6 Jesuits Slain by Army in 1989
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x4149162

[Romulox]

42. This wasn't the straw that broke my back, but K/R nonetheless. nt

[TheUnspeakable]

43. That's exactly what I said this morning

I'm done

[whistler162]

44. Well for those who haven't been done,

since November 5th at 00:00:001, here is a list of all the 2010 recipients.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2010/11/17/president-obama-names-presidential-medal-freedom-recipients

[JoePhilly]

45. And now ... more straw for the "Obama is evil" strawman.

[piratefish08]

48. evil, no. toady for the GOP, yes.

[JoePhilly]

58. sure he is ... yawn.

[piratefish08]

63. from your response, it appears you support GHWB being awarded the medal?

instead of just yawning, can you explain why he deserves it?

[JoePhilly]

67. The whole thing is meanigless ...

Clinton gave one to Strom Thurmond in 1993 ... and I remember the outrage from our side then (well, not).

US Presidents #s 35, 36, 38, 39, and 40 have all received it ... (Nixon 37, got screwed out of his) ... and now Bush 41 will get one. It is an "award" given for being an ex-President, and little else.

So honestly ... who F'n cares.

Clinton 42 will get one. Sadly, so will Bush 43. Obama will some day get one too ... if you become President, you'll get one too.

Yawn. It is meaningless.

Except here on DU ... here, like all things ... this is a reason for outrage.

[Le Taz Hot]

62. Perhaps you can offer up

a counter to the OP. I can certainly understand the OP's outrage. Perhaps you can explain to us why you don't find this disturbing.

[JoePhilly]

68. See my post #67 ...

The idea that THIS is the straw that breaks ones back is silly ... the award itself is meaningless.

[piratefish08]

47. K&R

[Odin2005]

51. K&R

[Enthusiast]

59. I understand your anger.

Bush the first is worthy of no praise, only condemnation.

[progressoid]

66. This will help us make bipartisan progress in the future.

:eyes: