Gov Watch
Golf-gate!

Kennebunkport, Maine, July 6, 2002.
"I don't want some mom whose son may have recently died to see the Commander-in-Chief playing golf. I feel I owe it to the families to be as -- to be in solidarity as best as I can with them. And I think playing golf during a war just sends the wrong signal. ... I remember when [Sergio Vieira] de Mello, who was at the U.N., got killed in Baghdad as a result of these murderers taking this good man's life. And I was playing golf -- I think I was in central Texas -- and they pulled me off the golf course and I said, 'it's just not worth it anymore to do.' "
--George Bush, interview with Politico,
The president is taking a lot of heat for his claim, in an interview with Politico, that he gave up golf "in solidarity" with the families of service members killed in Iraq and elsewhere. He said he made the decision following the assassination of the United Nations representative in Iraq, Sergio Vieira de Mello, on August 19, 2003. But there are a few problems with his chronology.
The Facts
George W. Bush played golf fairly regularly when he first became president, both before and after the invasion of Iraq in March 2003. Golf professionals praised him for his "smooth swing" and his 15 handicap. He would sometimes interrupt his golf game for impromptu back and forth with reporters, as on this occasion, on August 4, 2002, in Kennebunkport, Maine, when he denounced the latest suicide bombings in Israel.
After calling on "all nations to do everything they can to stop these terrorist killers," Bush returned to the business at hand with barely a pause. "Thank you. Now watch this drive."
He was playing golf near his Crawford, Tex., ranch, five months after the invasion of Iraq when the shocking news arrived of the bomb attack on United Nations headquarters in Baghdad, and the death of the U.N. representative, Sergio de Mello. On this occasion, Bush interrupted his golf game on the 11th tee and returned to the ranch to put on a suit before denouncing the bombers as "enemies of the civilized world."
Bush played golf at least two times at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland after de Mello's death. The first occasion was on Sept. 28, when his partners included Sen. Don Nickles (R-Okla) and Rep. John Boehner (R-Ohio), according to an AP report. The next occasion was on Columbus Day, Oct. 13, when he played with his old Andover/Yale chum, Clay Johnson, and Richard Hauser, general counsel with the Department of Housing and Urban Development. According to the AP, his tee-off shot went into the rough.
Some bloggers have speculated that Bush's real reason for giving up golf is connected with his knee problems, which flared up in December 2003, and caused him to abandon his normal jogging routine.
The Pinocchio Test
I am not competent to judge the real reason for President Bush's decision to give up golf. But the fact that he played golf twice after the assassination of de Mello casts doubt on the explanation he gave to Politico. If the White House provides any further elaboration, I will post it.


Posted on May 15, 2008 at 12:18 PM ET
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Posted by: George Bush is a Turd | May 15, 2008 12:47 PM
Wow. He (pretty much) gave up golf to show solidarity with the troops. I can't even respond to this horsesh@t anymore. Bush really imagines himself to be a grand martyr. What a phoney.
Posted by: mruth | May 15, 2008 12:53 PM
I "give up" golf every other time I play too ; )
Posted by: JakeD | May 15, 2008 12:59 PM
Hey, let's cut the guy some slack! Next to giving up piloting jets in favor or drinking alcohol, and giving up drinking alcohol in favor of being married, giving up golf in solidarity with the families of 4,000 dead soldiers is the greatest sacrifice this person has ever made in his life. All things are relative, you know, so give him the credit he deserves.
Posted by: Stonecreek | May 15, 2008 1:00 PM
Too bad he didn't give up the presidency. Now that would have been a grand sacrifice and everyone would have benefited.
Posted by: jensen | May 15, 2008 1:02 PM
jensen:
Under your scenario, Dick Cheney would be President today. Be careful what you wish for.
Stonecreek:
Yes, I am sure you are right -- Bush has not sacrificed anything -- I'm curious, though, when was the last time you had to console loved ones from those 4,000 dead soldiers or had a live hand grenade tossed at you?
Posted by: JakeD | May 15, 2008 1:11 PM
Here's an idea... to REALLY show solidarity with lost troops, he could resign out of shame and take Cheney with him.
250 days till the end of the Bush administration.
Posted by: CardFan | May 15, 2008 1:15 PM
CardFan:
Only the Congress can impeach and convict the Vice President of the United States. Luckily, for both Bush and Cheney, DEMOCRAT House Speaker Nancy PATRICIA Pelosi took that option "off the table" ...
Posted by: JakeD | May 15, 2008 1:19 PM
"Only the Congress can impeach and convict the Vice President of the United States. Luckily, for both Bush and Cheney, DEMOCRAT House Speaker Nancy PATRICIA Pelosi took that option "off the table" ..."
Umm, okay, that's Democratic, not Democrat, and what's the big deal about her middle name? Is Patricia supposed to signal some "furren" influence, cause all it makes me think of is elementary school.
I usually at least get the inference from JakeD, but this is beyond me.
Posted by: HM | May 15, 2008 1:30 PM
HM:
No nefarious intent -- I would have to double-check whether that is her real middle name too -- I was simply trying to be as consistent as humanly possible ; )
Posted by: JakeD | May 15, 2008 1:36 PM
Bush is handicapped at two Pinocchios to begin with, so this is just as honest as anything else he says.
Posted by: bissron | May 15, 2008 1:37 PM
There is something deeply troubling about the President of the U.S. stopping in the middle of a golf game to condemn killings in a war of his creation, and then immediately diverting attention to himself and his "drive." That's breath-taking. Secondly, giving up something that means nothing to the rest of the world is horribly egocentric.
Did any of you see the marvelous 12 minute rant by Keith Olberman on MSNBC on this subject? It's a masterpiece. Unfortunately, Dubya isn't intelligent enough to understand all those big words Olberman uses. But maybe someone in the White HOuse can explain it to him.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 15, 2008 1:38 PM
From: "Head of State"
http://headofstate.blogspot.com/2008/05/golf-as-expiation.html
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Golf as Expiation
From Reuters:
"U.S. President George W. Bush said on Tuesday he quit playing golf in 2003 out of respect for the families of Americans killed in the war in Iraq."
Golf As Expiation
By Guru Alano Jeffries Lipmiano, adviser to former heads of state Amin, Taylor, Nixon et al.
Many have criticized President Bush for his statement that he gave up golf as a way of making a personal sacrifice to show solidarity with those fighting and risking their lives in the war in Iraq, a war that he largely created.
However, I think that it is difficult to see the value and importance--the weight and value of such a personal sacrifice--until we examine it more closely.
I recall meeting with Mobutu Sese Seko, I believe it was in the late 1960s. He had just finished his plundering of the Zairian (now Congolese) economy after deposing Joseph Kasavubu in a bloody coup, raping the natural resources of the nation, and had lured the former Minister of Education back to the nation on the assumption that he would be amnestied, only to be tortured and then murdered by Mobutu's minions.
I recall the scene vividly, Seko sitting atop an ornate Louis the XVII original, running his right hand through a hand of rubies. "I am satisfied, Guru, but I cannot yet find full and complete satisfaction. There is a vague feeling of irritation, or disquiet. Perhaps I am taking my people in the wrong direction."
Table tennis, I recommended. Give up table tennis, your favorite sport after your evening repasts. With this sacrifice, you will show that you too are willing to deny yourself what is important, that you too will bear the burdens of want, as does the nation. Seko smiled, as several rubies fell from the bag to the floor.
I, too, remember vividly, the events of 1973. Pinochet had just overthrown Allende in a bloody coup, and he had just then declared himself "Supreme Chief of the Nation". The General had begun his "disappearing" of political opponents, in which over 2000 were killed and about 30,000 tortured.
"Guru," he said one evening, as we sat in the Massage Room of the Presidential Palace, "There is a pain in my lower back that emerges whenever I hear the shouts of imprisoned former associates from the courtyard, a pain that no massage can remove. Please, tell me, how can I rid myself of this continuous suffering?"
I looked to the plate of Maté and Alfajores (fried Argentinian bread) that sat on a tray beside the massage table. "You must make a show of sacrifice to rid yourself of the tension of the difficult removal of your treasonous enemies, General." I pointed to the tray. "General", I said, "Mate' es fine. No mas."
He smiled, instructed a satrap to remove the tray. The following day, the vanishing of the Disappeared once again flowed without imposition or bar.
It was only months later that I sat with Nixon and Kissinger. It was late at night, the three of us seated in the Oval Office, tumblers of scotch before us--all but Nixon's untouched--and Nixon shoulders hunched low over his desk, the desk lamp against the night sky framed in the window behind him casting his face in an eerie glow.
"It's the goddamn press, Henry. They want to hang us. Why don't they realize what I am trying to do for them, Henry? Peaceniks, Hippies, Yippies, and the damn New York Times. One day, when this has all passed, passed us on, then they'll realize, then they'll understand how hard I worked, how hard I tried..." The tumbler shook in his hand, and all that could be heard was the ice lightly clinking against the heavy glass. "What can I do, Guru? What can I do?"
I looked to the gilt framed picture on his desk, of Nixon playing the piano, Pat beside him. "You must sacrifice. You must abstain. The piano is your sacrifice to the lives so bravely being lost in Vietnam. Just as they have given up their freedom to play stringed ebony instruments in the Southeast Asian jungles, so you too shall put aside this desire. For them. "
He looked at me with a silent, poignant, smile, as a tear slowly ran down his cheek. "Henry", he said, waving his hand "Tell Ramon to remove the piano from the East Room and put it in the basement. And have him bring another bottle of Scotch."
There are many such tales of deep sacrifice for the good of one's nation, taken with a full and insightful vision of what the nation has suffered, and taken with a full understanding of what that suffering entails.
The sacrifice of golf is no mere folly, not a trivial and thereby horrifying statement by a man so out of touch throughout his entire life with the meaning of actual suffering, by a man whose lifelong values have been so skewed by the cosseting of pain, infliction of deprivation, error, and the human consequence of his actions by an ever-present familial safety net that he cannot even conceive of the notion of risk inherent in actual sacrifice, by a man in thrall to his own limitations and such fears of those limitations that he has walled himself in from all that might possibility contradict it.
No. It is not.
Golf is a sacrifice, a man giving up the very peace and solace, the removal from daily life, that his war has removed from those that his actions have sent into sands of Iraq.
And so I say, Mr. President, put your putter aside with honor, and with pride. And with the knowledge that you too have made a great sacrifice, fully in keeping with the actions and goals that you have taken on behalf of this nation.
Cite:
Head of State
http://headofstate.blogspot.com/2008/05/golf-as-expiation.html
Posted by: Anonymous | May 15, 2008 1:43 PM
Welcome aboard, Robert Hewson : )
Posted by: JakeD | May 15, 2008 1:46 PM
Right. Dubya gave up golf in solidarity with the mothers of our slain troops because "playing golf during a war sends the wrong signal".
First off, it's not a war. Only Congress has the constitutional right to declare war. And to my knowledge, that hasn't been done. Then, instead of playing golf, he gets up and dances like an idiot with musicians performing for him during greeting ceremonies in different countries. That's sending the right signal? What happened to the dignity and grace of the Presidency?
Posted by: W is worse than a turd | May 15, 2008 1:47 PM
What do you think the "Iraq WAR Authorization" was then? The resolution authorized President Bush to use the Armed Forces of the United States "as he determines to be necessary and appropriate" in order to "defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions regarding Iraq."
Posted by: JakeD | May 15, 2008 1:53 PM
I'm sure the families of those 4000 Americans who have died for nothing in Iraq now feel so good knowing the W made such a grand sacrifice in honor of their loss.
Posted by: BGJD | May 15, 2008 2:02 PM
BGJD:
Those 4,077 Americans who have died in Iraq serving their country did NOT "die for nothing." Nice try though.
Posted by: JakeD | May 15, 2008 2:06 PM
JakeD:
You're right. They died for the Halliburton stockholders. What were we thinking?
Posted by: Vaxalon | May 15, 2008 2:17 PM
I can hardly know what you were thining since I am completely unaware what (illegal?) drugs you are consuming. They died to protect the U.S. and for freedom's sake.
Posted by: JakeD | May 15, 2008 2:21 PM
More bad news. Playing golf, or any other diversion from screwing up the country, I fully support.
Posted by: David B | May 15, 2008 2:22 PM
JakeD,
What do you think the "Iraq WAR Authorization" was then?
Whatever the Congress did, it isn't actually a formal declaration of war.
The current conflict in Iraq is indeed a military engagement that Congress has authorized. But it isn't an actual declaration of war.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 15, 2008 2:34 PM
Legally, it is a Constitutional "Declaration of War".
Posted by: JakeD | May 15, 2008 2:37 PM
This is not Fact Checker worthy....
Posted by: vcsmith | May 15, 2008 2:51 PM
The only people sacrificing for this sordid war are the Military and their families and the American taxpayers. The rest of us have been asked to just go on about our daily lives and not to show fear. It's hard to do that when we are fed constant fear lines by a President and Administration who want to be seen as FDR-type war Presidents. George Bush is not FDR or Lincoln or Wilson or even LBJ. He's a man who got in way over his head by pandering to the religious right and the hawks of his out-of-date party. His legacy will be corruption of the Justice Dept., the disaster of Iraq, an economy in the toilet, the destruction of civil rights of American citizens, and the inability to lead his own party in directions most of the Country want to move. Congratulations, Mr. President. Thank God we will be done with your intransigence soon.
Posted by: Harold F. Crockett Jr. | May 15, 2008 2:53 PM
JakeD:
Our men and women of the military did not die for nothing in this war as you have said. But McCain seems to have disagreed with you on this one. According to him they died for oil.
"My friends, I will have an energy policy that we will be talking about, which will eliminate our dependence on oil from the Middle East that will -- that will then prevent us -- that will prevent us from having ever to send our young men and women into conflict again in the Middle East," McCain said.
Posted by: KQ | May 15, 2008 2:56 PM
KQ:
Well, McCain did not say "Our boys died for oil and nothing else." Unfortunately, he is right that our dependence on oil has made the Middle East more important to U.S. foreign policy than it would be otherwise. That's the sad reality.
Posted by: JakeD | May 15, 2008 3:07 PM
JakeD,
The popular name is the "Iraq War Authorization" but the actual title of the resolution is "Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002". That isn't a declaration of war.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 15, 2008 4:05 PM
Are you a lawyer?
Posted by: JakeD | May 15, 2008 4:09 PM
The nation is not at war. No war has been declared by an act of Congress.
As long we are insisting on accurate facts, check the caption on the first photograph--when did Kennebunkport slide south into MA?
Posted by: jdc | May 15, 2008 4:14 PM
Maybe that's why Bush is "sliding" backwards?
Posted by: JakeD | May 15, 2008 4:24 PM
This business where the "fact checker" rushes into GOP lies and invariably comes out with 2 pinnocchios strikes me as suspect. A cynic might think it's more damage control than "fact checking".
Posted by: Anonymous | May 15, 2008 4:51 PM
JakeD,
I'm not a lawyer. But perhaps you'll take a lawyer's word for it that it was not a declaration of war.
From wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Declaration_of_war_by_the_United_States):
The February 6, 2006, testimony of Alberto Gonzales to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing on Wartime Executive Power and the National Security Agency's Surveillance Authority, however indicates otherwise:
GONZALES: There was not a war declaration, either in connection with Al Qaida or in Iraq. It was an authorization to use military force. I only want to clarify that, because there are implications. Obviously, when you talk about a war declaration, you're possibly talking about affecting treaties, diplomatic relations. And so there is a distinction in law and in practice. And we're not talking about a war declaration. This is an authorization only to use military force.
Of course, you are too pig-headed to admit you are wrong. But I'm putting the information out there for the reasonable people reading this blog.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 15, 2008 5:46 PM
So, wait a minute, Gonzales was right all along?!
Posted by: JakeD | May 15, 2008 6:04 PM
This is not Fact Checker worthy....
Posted by: vcsmith | May 15, 2008 2:51 PM
********************
I agree, though the reprint of the "headofstate" piece (http://headofstate.blogspot.com/2008/05/golf-as-expiation.html) that it elicited is priceless. That's a great piece!
Posted by: abqcleve | May 15, 2008 6:09 PM
On this matter, Gonzales was right and you are wrong.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 15, 2008 6:15 PM
to have gone to yale and harvard bush must have had tutors sitting in class with him at the same time.this goes to show you can take any human being and place him/her in the white house and surround them with adequate functioning people.
Posted by: ron | May 15, 2008 6:27 PM
you might be am idiot if your name is JakeD
or Rat-the. In fact thay are thay don't have a life I think thay should go to the trailer-park and marry their sisters!!!!!!!!or their cousins or the goat or what ever!!!
Posted by: black republican | May 15, 2008 8:19 PM
George "Ain't the National Guard Fine" Bush, after sending 4,000+ soldiers to their deaths, mocks their memories and degrades the office of the President even futher (didn't know that was possible). Yes, these brave men and women died for what they thought was the interests of their country; it's only George Bush that made their sacrifices meaningless.
Posted by: omyobama | May 15, 2008 8:58 PM
Now if he would just sacrifice Dick Cheney...
Posted by: PhilV1 | May 15, 2008 9:23 PM
JakeD,
What, no witty repartee? No word parsing? Not big enough a man to admit you were wrong, huh?
That's what I thought.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 15, 2008 10:42 PM
GO OBAMA
GOP BLOODBATH DEM TIDAL WAVE
or change you deserve....sponsored by Effexor anti-depresant and the GOP
BUSH IS A LIAR ROVE IS A CROOK
Posted by: Anonymous | May 15, 2008 11:17 PM
KILL YOUR SON FOR OIL
Posted by: Anonymous | May 15, 2008 11:21 PM
Why did we elect the dumby to office?
Posted by: Anonymous | May 15, 2008 11:29 PM
We actually voted this man into office twice. I beg the American people to look pass race and gender, to vote for the Democratic ticket this fall. I'm an Obama supporter, but would just assume take either over Sen. McCain. The maverick label is gone. He has now crossed over to the partisan antics of the old GOP, while still touting his record as uniter. This is shameful on so many levels. Obama/Clinton 08
Posted by: Antoine | May 16, 2008 8:51 AM
Bush also gave up critical thought,religion,reading,generosity,humbleness,taking responsibility to show solidarity with the troops.
Posted by: Bushisfullofbrownieifuknowwhatimean | May 16, 2008 10:34 AM
Not at all. I finally found something I disagree with Gonzales on.
Posted by: JakeD | May 16, 2008 12:21 PM
JakeD! You can only defend an idiot for so long before you start sounding like the idiot. Give it up and keep what little dignity you have left.
Posted by: Luke | May 16, 2008 1:03 PM
Sadly, this does not surprise me..
Did I mention.. SADLY?
Posted by: Vance McDaniel | May 16, 2008 3:27 PM
Luke:
Let me guess -- you're defending Obama?
Posted by: JakeD | May 16, 2008 3:47 PM
It's amusing to see how many posters must resort to name-calling when they can't come up with the thoughts they need to articulate an argument of any substance.
Posted by: 5tein | May 16, 2008 3:48 PM
I think two pinocchios is a little heavy. He played a lot of golf for years, then an event happenend, then he only played two more times over the following 5+ years. While not exactly stopping due to the event, that's very close. One pinocchio would be plenty.
Posted by: The Angry One | May 16, 2008 3:58 PM
This waste of DNA is patently evil. Worst mass murderer in our nation's history.
I don't believe when he says "hello".
Posted by: Alexis | May 16, 2008 4:01 PM
who are you saying is the worst mass murderer in our nations history Alexis? Why is everyone being overly dramatic about their dislike? It is kind of scary when people talk with so much hate. It reminds me of crazy terrorists. Cant we all agree that this presidency has prevented another terrorist attack from happening since 9/11, and that this is great feat?
Time will show everyone the truth. Or our nation will elect a bad president that wont protect us from terrorist and we will be a group of people living in fear of being physically attacked.
Posted by: lindsey | May 16, 2008 4:35 PM
Alexis:
Truman killed MANY more by dropping 2 A-bombs. At least get your facts straight.
Posted by: JakeD | May 16, 2008 4:57 PM
And this poll says it all. You won't believe these results!
Posted by: promancis | May 16, 2008 5:41 PM
The majority of the American people didn't elect Bush in '00.
Too bad the only election in this country that's not based on popular vote is THE MOST important election for the country.
Posted by: Jerry | May 16, 2008 7:27 PM
You guys seem to be having fun. Is there any chance all this back-and-forth is just whimsical? I enjoy it when it is on the relatively light subject of golf. Then came that brilliant serious satire -- it was like a jewel in a setting -- irony among jests. What a relief after such a heavy Rovian day of slanders and stupidity from the rulers and runners and riflers on the GOP side. Does anyone besides me wonder whether many of the nasty comments on various sites -- claiming to come from Hillary or Obama supporters -- are actually from Segretti-wannabes? I just reread "All the President's Men" again -- remember all the "dirty tricks" of CREEPS sending out slander against Democratic candidates and attributing it to some other Democratic candidate?
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Posted by: z1y7upaync | May 17, 2008 7:24 AM
Wow. The election is really heating up now. But, you won't believe these poll results!
Posted by: Mike | May 17, 2008 4:15 PM
ByWWVJ
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VWu3JM
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FcqNot
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oTTGOy
Posted by: KqJmpMOKIE | May 18, 2008 7:57 AM
If McCain has the same effect on BUD that Bush did on GAS expect $15.00 bud six packs in 2012.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 18, 2008 10:04 AM
GO OBAMA
GOP BLOODBATH DEM TIDAL WAVE
or change you deserve....sponsored by Effexor anti-depresant and the GOP
BUSH IS A LIAR ROVE IS A CROOK
Posted by: Anonymous | May 18, 2008 10:06 AM
Like mother, like son. It was Barbara Bush who commented on the Katrina refugees in the Texas stadium being better off since they lived in such poverty before the hurricane. They are both utterly disconnected from the realities of most peoples' lives and it always shows up in scenarios like this.
I'm sure Bush really thinks that giving up golf is a genuine sacrifice on a par with the sacrifices of our troops and their families. "Out of touch" doesn't even begin to cover it.
Posted by: windrider | May 18, 2008 4:49 PM
Someone teach Barry Obama how many states there are. Hint 57 is not the right answer.
Posted by: Rev Wright | May 18, 2008 7:45 PM
Golf and and Flag Pins, it's gettin wild out there, just who can you trust?
Posted by: ZarDotz | May 18, 2008 7:59 PM
There are some DNC ads coming on this together with McCain's 95% discount on the time our troops will spend in Iraq. From 100 more years to 5 more, just in time for re-election.
I can't wait.
Posted by: Anonymous | May 18, 2008 8:23 PM
i wonder, if women refused to have sex until the Troops came home how quick it would end? This giving up golf is so up there with Catholics giving up meat and eating fish on Fridays for some invisible punishing omnipotent gawd - pretty lame.
Now if all the arms manufacturers gave up selling Arms that'd be a step in the right direction. But Noooooooo there's no money in that option and GW's sacrifice is further evidence of his diabolical and hypocritical nature.
Posted by: Darwin26 | May 18, 2008 8:46 PM
Geez, he took time out of his gold game to condemn a terrorist act. Sounds better than Slick Willie who wouldn't take time out of his golf game to give the go-ahead on an air strike to take out Bin Laden. Perhaps if he had, we wouldn't have had 9/11 and been in the spot we are today.
Posted by: bunkerbuster | May 18, 2008 8:47 PM
tgqcjU
Posted by: BtugwEQYYWHuueNe | May 18, 2008 8:56 PM
Now, if he sent his children to the war zone how could we have a wedding?
Posted by: cryingoverspiltmilk | May 18, 2008 9:24 PM
Good Lord. There certainly are a lot of A- hole comments from A-holes today!
Posted by: michael loehrer | May 18, 2008 9:41 PM
cryingoverspiltmilk:
"If he sent his children"....This line always makes me snicker. The hundreds of thousands of enlisted men and women who are currently serving and protecting your right to say idiotic BS like this, are not there because their Mommies and Daddies "Sent them" to the Middle East. I'm sure of Bush's daughters wanted to serve via the military, they would be. It's their lives, not his - they choose to serve the public in other ways.
Can you get that through your pea-sized hate-filled brain?
Posted by: JLSchles | May 18, 2008 10:00 PM
One other observation: Bush giving up golf (and imperfectly at that) might be trivial, but it's a hell of a lot more meaningful then the screaching the Left does, with their "General Betray-us", "Impeach the war criminal", ad nauseum, etc. Those actions have a negative net effect on this conflict by emboldening the enemny, and therefore insure the fighting men and women have to stay even longer.
Posted by: JLSchles | May 18, 2008 10:03 PM
Its safe to say the President of the United States is a bald faced liar.
Posted by: martscan | May 18, 2008 10:06 PM
JLSchles:
Please tell me exactly how troops fighting a preemptive war in Iraq protect my right to tell you that you YOU are full of it.
Posted by: martscan | May 18, 2008 10:13 PM
Ha ha. Funny funny Bush! Me laugh much. Him trick us again! Him trick about weapons of mass deduction. Ha ha! Him trick about lower taxes. Now we broke. Ha ha! Me love Bush! No to smart Obama. Him no good not like funny Bush. Bush composite conservative. Me want beer with him!
Posted by: Dave Miner | May 18, 2008 10:51 PM
And what have Democrats said for the public ear and done else wise over the years? I remember several I could tell about Mr. Kennedy and heard his comment to reporters who for some reason never brought up the subject again. Now you will tell me I should not bring up bad things on "Mr K" whie he is in the hospital. I say why not you think nothing of hounding Republicans to an early grave. God speed dear reporters
Posted by: john smith | May 18, 2008 11:28 PM
Dave Miner, you mispelled your name. According to your post it should be Dave Minor.
Posted by: NObama is good | May 18, 2008 11:30 PM
Why is everyone all shook up with this golf business, and the troops. So he played golf, and like others, they went to ballgames, enjoy the good life and so forth. Its a wasted issue.
Posted by: Filiberto | May 19, 2008 2:49 AM
Boy... if this gets you libs all worked up then Bush better keep track of each time he takes a crap and wipes his butt... if he gets that wrong your heads might explode - which might not be a bad thing - unfortuately the logic from you guys will still be the same.
Posted by: SwiftBoat | May 19, 2008 3:46 AM
Yes and Obama gave up going to his racist church............... NOT!!!!
Posted by: Anonymous | May 19, 2008 6:40 AM
Bubba gave up interns for the month of Feb. ran out of Jews interns
Posted by: Rachael | May 19, 2008 6:44 AM
Yeah I remember when Clinton gave up camel meat after firing missles into empty tents in desert, than moved on to golf with chinese money men.
Posted by: ken so phil | May 19, 2008 6:47 AM
Why is it that the first time I ever heard about "super delegates" was when black man runs for president ?
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Posted by: jum7l2wdih | May 19, 2008 6:53 AM
Takisha Bumia Johnson wrote: "Why is it that the first time I ever heard about "super delegates" was when black man runs for president?"
Uh, maybe because you weren't paying attention?
Posted by: bunkerbuster | May 19, 2008 7:02 AM
Using the approach to parsing a statement used in the Tuskegee Experiments Part II piece, Bush deserves no Pinocchios.
He said he swore off golf, and there is no evidence offered to indicate that he did not do that. That he _subsequently_ played golf merely means that he went back on his pledge, not that he did not make the pledgein the first place.
Just like while the government may not have directly infected blacks with syphillis, it certainly sat back and let their disease progress, which necessarily included innocent people becoming infected, all the while lying to the afflicted about their condition. But -- strictly speaking -- the government did not infect people with syphillis. (I guess Hillary or Michael Dobbs would say, it's not like we're talking about hardworking white people or anything.) That IS the approach the "fact checker" (yeah, right) used. President Bush's statement should merely be seen as a regrettable breach in his moral resolve.
Posted by: gbooksdc | May 19, 2008 10:15 AM
LOL, gbooksdc! At least it's not "criminal negligence" whether Bush golfs or not ; )
Posted by: JakeD | May 19, 2008 11:50 AM
Yet another LIE from the Chimp who lied to us about Iraq twice (lied about WMDS, lied about Saddam-911-AlQuaeda Link) and lied to Congress about the real cost of Medicare Part D. (D stands for Donut-hole, which many seniors are now falling through)
Chimpy quit playing golf BRIEFLY in 2003, NOT for the troops, but because he had a TORN MENISCUS and his doctor took him off golf and bike riding. Yup, he busted his kneecap.
Chimpy has been seen golfing SEVERAL times since 2003, including golfing right after Katrina hit (Brownie, yer doin' a heckuva job...now watch this drive!!). Chimpy has also played golf since 2003 with his dad and was setting up a golf date this spring with the Preznit of South Korea.
Chimpy is a lying sack of crap and anybody who still supports him is either an inbred moron or a criminal liar like he is.
Posted by: Tom3 | May 19, 2008 3:18 PM
"Bubba gave up interns for the month of Feb."
At least Clinton liked WOMEN.
Chimpy had a MALE HOOKER in the White House for two years. On day passes, which was a security breach. And OVERNIGHT on several occasions.
Chimpy also had a torrid affair with his male Yale roommate. He sent the guy off on an ambassadorship to get him out of the sight of the press.
Chimpy is the Gaii. Hell, anybody would turn homosexual if they had to live with Laura, who is a closet lesbian. So are Lynne Cheney and Condi Rice.
Chimpy has presided over the gayest White House in US history. But did the White House Press Corpse investigate his male hooker? Hell, no. They only investigate Democrats. IOKIYAR.
Posted by: Tom3 | May 19, 2008 3:22 PM
It figures the Repukes would bring up Clinton. They bring him up every time they are losing the argument. Which is always.
Clinton is NOT responsible for 9-11, despite the propaganda garbage of ABC's "Path to 9-11". That piece of crap was written by right wing partisan hacks who decided before they did any research that they were going to blame 9-11 on Clinton, regardless what the actual facts were.
Chimpy was WARNED by Clinton that Bin Laden was our biggest threat. Chimpy ignored him. Chimpy had 50 warnings that 9-11 was going to happen. He ignored them too. And Chimpy ignored the findings of the Gore Commission on Airport Security, which may have kept the hijackers off the planes.
9-11 is Chimpy's fault. Not Clinton's.
You Chimpylovers are criminals and liars.
Posted by: Tom3 | May 19, 2008 3:29 PM
To: gbooksdc
"Just like while the government may not have directly infected blacks with syphillis, it certainly sat back and let their disease progress"
It's pretty well documented that the government did run the program to infect black men with syphillis. They also infected native americans by giving them blankets infected with smallpox.
Posted by: jr | May 19, 2008 3:42 PM
Tom3-is everyone gay in your world?, not that there's anything wrong with that!
Posted by: jr | May 19, 2008 3:45 PM
jr:
"It's pretty well documented that the government did run the program to infect black men with syphillis."
There should be a link somewhere on the Internets to such documentation then, right?
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Posted by: ida | May 19, 2008 6:06 PM
He is the most hated guy in the world.
Posted by: ida | May 19, 2008 6:07 PM
It would save a lot of ink and trees if the media started taking notice only when Bush DOES tell the truth.
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Just think, 31% of those surveyed are satisfied with the president's performance. Can you imagine (!), 31%!
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My dream ticket: Obama with VP Chuck Hagel. Two honest men with nation first and party second. Now that would be a REAL change!
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Posted by: bred | May 19, 2008 9:06 PM
thank you for the facts but who cares. I'm with those who think him pretending to give up golf for moral reasons is somewhat insulting. Maybe when he gets out of the President's office he can re up in the Texas National Guard so there will be one less person stop lossed in.
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What a sickening, pathetic waste of human life this disgraceful parasite that is infecting the White House is. He gave up golf to show his solidarity with the troops? How about sending his own children into a combat zone, so that he is sharing in the sacrifice that other American families are making so that this criminal and his crime family can enrich itself at the public teat?