Brazilian Wax: The Bush Legacy

[Tatertots]

Here's a thread for Bush, his legacy, and whatnot.

First off: is Bush all of a sudden a decent guy? Because what the hell?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20090318/pl_politico/20160

Getting two standing ovations at his first speech since leaving office, former President George W. Bush said that if President Obama wants help, “he can pick up the phone and call.” Otherwise, Bush said: “He deserves my silence.”
“There's plenty of critics in the arena,” Bush told a crowd in Calgary, Canada. “I think it's time for the ex-president to tap dance off the stage and let the current president have a go at solving the world's problems. If he wants my help and I agree with him, I'll give it.”
This stands in sharp contrast with former Vice President Dick Cheney, who has twice hammered Obama in media interviews.
Sitting onstage with his legs crossed casually, the former president revealed that he plans to remain involved in one of his signature issues — combating AIDS and malaria in Africa.
“One of the examples I would like to set is to be useful as a baby boomer — not play golf in retirement but actually contribute to society,” he said. “And this could be an interesting way of getting people involved.
“The malaria initiative is a really cool initiative. It's measurable. You get to measure how many nets that have been distributed. It's easy to measure, and it's easy to implement.”
Bush was interviewed by Frank McKenna, a well-known Canadian businessman and politician, who asked why Bush took on HIV/AIDS and malaria eradication, which McKenna called “the greatest single contribution, probably, to world health.”
“Remember, I was a compassionate conservative,” Bush said.
On what Bush called his “maiden voyage” as a speaker for hire, the former president quipped: “I actually paid for a house last fall. I think I'm the only American to have bought a house in the fall of 2008.”
Turning to the news of the day, the president said: “AIG, which is now in the news, granting big bonuses, in spite of the fact that they've taken a big chunk of taxpayer money: … I agree with the angst being expressed in Washington on this matter.”
Bush revealed that his book will revolve around 12 tough decisions he made as president. Planners for his presidential library in Dallas are considering a similar format.
“I want to put people in my place on that, when the history of this administration is written, at least there is an authoritative voice saying exactly what happened,” he said.
“I want people to understand what it was like to sit in the Oval Office and have them come in and say, ‘We have captured Khalid Sheikh Mohammed’ — this mastermind of the Sept. 11 attacks, the alleged killer of a guy named Danny Pearl [who died] because he was simply Jewish — ‘and we think he has information on further attacks on the United States.’ I want to draw people in to that environment and let them determine what they would have done if their most important job was to protect the country.”
An overflow crowd of 2,000 business people paid $400 apiece for “A Conversation With George W. Bush.” The former president spoke for 35 or so minutes and then fielded a wide range of questions, from whether he took his eye off the ball in Afghanistan to focus on Iraq, to what he intends to do for the rest of his life to why he visited Mexico before Canada when he was president.
Patrons sat at tables of 10 for a lunch of chicken, vegetables, potatoes and red wine.
On Monday night, Bush drew a crowd — and about 50 photographers — outside the Italian restaurant in Calgary during a leisurely dinner of pasta and fruit salad.
Bush included a little recycled reminiscing: “So I had [Russian then-President Vladimir] Putin to Camp David one time, and I introduced him to Barney. And he kind of looked at Barney like, ‘Oh, man, he looks like a Monopoly piece. I'm crazy about Barney, by the way. I love the little guy. …
“So fast-forward to a visit to Putin's dacha outside Moscow. He says, ‘You want to meet my dog?’ I said, ‘Sure, I would like to see your dog.’ And out bounced this huge hound embracing all over the ground. And he looks to me — honest to goodness — and says, ‘Faster, stronger and bigger than Barney.’
Whereupon [Canadian Prime Minister Stephen] Harper says, ‘At least he only showed his dog.’ I thought Harper's got a good sense of humor.”
Early in his remarks, Bush made his point about his successor.
“I want to say something about Barack Obama. Now, he was not my first choice for president. But when he won, I thought it was good for the United States of America. I was deeply touched and deeply moved when I saw African-Americans weeping on TV saying, ‘I never thought it was possible.’ I want the president to succeed. I love my country a lot more than I love politics. I think it is essential that he be helped in the office. …
“My staff did a fabulous job. I had a great chief of staff named Josh Bolten who walked in in the summer of '08, and he said: ‘Whoever wins, we're going to help them on the transition.’ And it's important that Obama had the support from us. And now he's in the Oval. And there's no way to describe what it means, the sense of responsibility that comes. And I can't help him any more than this: I'm not going to spend my time criticizing him.”

(Emphasis mine.)

[Matt]

Nah, he's still not a decent guy because he's just trying to win capital for his library. Bush is merely following the SOP for ex-presidents.

[nacho]

Yeah, everyone gets this bounce. 

Then the books start coming out from aides and so forth.

Or...Bush has a Dickens-style revelation and begins building houses and helping poor people and he ends up the darling of liberals 20 years from now despite the flaws of his presidency.

[Nubbins]

It's a lot easier to speak like an actual human being once you're removed from the fray that is an 8 year Presidential administration.  For the first time this century, Bush actually has the freedom to speak like a regular joe (the carpenter lol!) about stuff without worrying about answering to a party.  Regardless his motives, I give him props for at least refusing to criticize Obama... for the first time, he actually seems to have more common sense than Cheney.  Bush could wind up a modern-day George Wallace.  Only time will tell.

[Matt]

You guys remember that this guy sabotaged a primary election cycle that took out a far superior candidate (at the time, McCain was an amazing Republican), stole an election, led us into a war that cost us the lives of hundreds of Americans, countless (literally, uncounted; no measuring) Iraqi deaths, hasn't made us any safer, has helped perpetrate some of the most flagrant, obscene civil rights abuses since the Sedition and Espionages Acts or Japanese internment, and failed in one of his primary pledges as president he made during his tenure (to bring those responsible for the attacks of 9/11 to justice). To be a George Wallace he would have to have the critical self-reflection that Wallace demonstrated. Instead I present the only man who could get from country wisdom to The Who in less than three steps.

[nacho]

Goddamned JFK!  I mean...Nixon...I mean Bush. 

[Cassander]

i can't wait until 50 years from now when he has a monument in DC of him in a flight suit.

[nacho]

50 years?

[Cassander]

i'm basing that on it being 50 years before FDR got his.  kind of random.

[Nubbins]

i can't wait until 50 years from now when he has a monument in DC of him in a flight suit.

The only question is how much they'll exaggerate the bulge.

[monkey!]

NEVAR 4GIT!

[Tatertots]

So howa 'bout those leaked memos, right? Crazy shit. I can't believe they'd go that far.

[RottingCorpse]

I don't get it.

[Nubbins]

Wu Tang Clan ain't nuthin ta fuck wit

[RottingCorpse]

THAT I get, but the picture's a joke, right? As in Wu Tang sewing terrorists asshole shut and feeding them was part of the Bush torture policy? Har-har?

 . . .