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The Bush-Is-An-Idiot Camp Grows

By David Corn, TomPaine.com. Posted August 31, 2006.


It is getting harder for conservatives to ignore the president's intellectual shallowness.

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The other day I crossed paths with a conservative talk show host. We chatted about current events. He noted that he was quite pissed off at the neocons for suggesting that American blood should be spilled to benefit the Iraqis. Let the Iraqis take care of themselves, he huffed. I asked, "Are you in the Bush-is-an-idiot camp?"

This was a reference to a recent segment on Joe Scarborough's MSNBC show during which Scarborough, a former Republican congressman from Florida, posed the question, "Is our president an idiot?" After playing a montage of video clips showing Bush at his tongue-tied worst ("Fool me once, shame on you -- fool me -- you can't get fooled again"), Scarborough said that an former close aide to President Bush had recently told him that Bush is "intellectually shallow and one of the most incurious public figures this man has ever met." Scarborough claimed that Bush is "getting worse instead of better" and that when it comes to presidential stupidity Bush is "in a league by himself." He added, "I don't think he has the intellectual depth."

My conservative interlocutor fidgeted, as he considered how to respond. After a moment or so, he said softly, "Well, he can be moronic."

I have long thought it was not politically wise for Democrats to deride Bush as dumb. And I believed it was wrong to assume -- as did many Bush-bashers -- that W. was not intelligent. After all, he managed to become president -- which is not an easy task (even if Karl Rove is your master strategist). He also managed, against the odds, to change the tax code to benefit folks like him. How stupid is that? But watching Bush grapple with the mess in Iraq -- a problem entirely of his own making -- it's hard to sidestep the conclusion that his own, let's say, information-processing abilities are profoundly affecting national security, and not for the better.

I am haunted by an exchange that occurred at Bush's press conference last week. ABC News' Martha Raddatz asked Bush if it was time for "a new strategy in Iraq." That's a reasonable question. The recent surge of violence there -- about 10,000 civilian deaths over the course of three months -- should give anyone pause, especially the decider-in-chief who thought invading Iraq was a fine idea in the first place. Replying to Raddatz, Bush said, "The strategy is to help the Iraqi people achieve their objectives and their dreams, which is a democratic society. That's the strategy."

Forgive me, if you've heard or read me making this point previously, but that's not a strategy. That's a goal. A strategy is a game plan for achieving a goal.

Bush went on to note that he has changed tactics on the ground -- by moving troops from one area to another. This has led to less violence in one area but more in another. This was not responsive to Raddatz's query. Tactics are what you use to make a strategy happen. Bush didn't seem to know the difference between the two.

Raddatz pressed him and said that Bush had not answered her question about his strategy. "Sounded like the question to me," he said.

If the commander in chief cannot talk more articulately about his strategy for winning an elective war he initiated, the problem is serious. It's become a truism tossed about by partisan Democrats looking to score political points, but it actually is true: Bush has little to offer but stay-the-course-ism. And he shows no signs of considering other options. His plan once was rather simply stated: The United States would train Iraqi security forces and when the Iraqis can take over the United States would leave. But as sectarian violence spreads -- and the security forces become part of the conflict -- that basic plan becomes thinner by the day.


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David Corn is the Washington editor of The Nation and author of "The Lies of George W. Bush: Mastering the Politics of Deception." He writes a blog at davidcorn.com.

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Bush no dumber than his supporters!
Posted by: yellow on Aug 31, 2006 12:56 AM   
Current rating: 5    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I would feel sorry for Bush if he wasn't one of the most powerful and wealthy men in the world and a dangerous one at that! I like to think of Bush as the rednecks' revenge. He is this to a greater extent than even Reagan who brilliantly played the amiable dunce. Bush truely reflects the low cognitive ability of the American redneck. These are people that have been traditionally afronted by what they see as the way out of reach cultural level of an American society once dominated by educated northeasterners who ran highly sophisticated media like the New York Times and CBS news. It wasn't that these institutions had a "liberal" bias (in fact, life and truth have a liberal bias!) but because these media were unrelatable and incomprehensible to the average redneck who prefers infotainment and sensationalism to real news and analysis. It appears that the rednecks had difficulty understanding mainstream media! You need basic literacy! The New York Times, Washington Post, CBS, and NBC that I remember as a young man pretty much toed the established order's line, banged the war drums when asked to do so, and often made apologia for the abuses of the rich and powerful. This is because the rich and powerful can cut them off and seal their professional fate. In a sense this is exactly what happened with the rise of Murdoch and the dumbing down of the US media and indeed cultural level.

It does appear that the American redneck occupied a whole different world until the emergence of the religious far right and Bush. The educational orientation of the mainstream media, its respect for professionalism, and its commitment to accuracy and telling more than one side of a story at least some of the time was alienating to the dumbed down Bush groupies. Today these morons feel their "cultural" sensibilities are being catered to and respected. No big words, no long stories. Just plenty of pandering to preconceived notions, big-time sensationalism, and overly simplistic propaganda about our complex world. Education is a dangerous thing in America. How sad!

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» Its the Republican party stupid Posted by: psychochurch
» RE: Its the Republican party stupid Posted by: psychochurch
» NOT NOW, NOT YET PLEASE!! Posted by: 1984NOW!!!
» RE: NOT NOW, NOT YET PLEASE!! Posted by: Lincoln fan
» RE: Bush no dumber than his supporters! Posted by: RobertVermeers
» Buy a thesaurus.... Posted by: Elmowilcox
» RE: Buy a thesaurus....Addendum Posted by: Elmowilcox
» Flannery O'Connor a Man Baby? Posted by: wetblanket
» RE: Bush no dumber than his supporters! Posted by: Thought Criminal 9
Steering
Posted by: talkville on Aug 31, 2006 1:06 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
American Heritage College Dictionary, 4th edition 2004 tells me that Idiot refers 1. A foolish or stupid person 2. A person of profound mental retardation having a mental age below 3 years. Not in scientific use. (ME ignorant person, from OFr idiote, from Lat Idiota, from Gk Idiotus-private person, layman, from Idios- own, private.

This could be construed as an 'ad hominem', in formal logic put into the fallacy column. Leave it to each reader to make up their own mind and so be it.

More to the point, the problem seems to be that this angle steers in a dead end kind of direction. Whatever Mr Bush's personal qualities may be, the proposition that this is " -- a problem entirely of his own making -- " strikes as very difficult to argue. Mr Bush didn't appear in the White House by some wave of a wand.

If progress is the goal, the strategy could perhaps steer in different directions, lest we become trapped in a shouting match with the Ann Coulters of this medium, where winning the argument is more important than changing our dire conditions. These conditions are not the making of one person.

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» But he's still an idiot Posted by: mat38
» RE: But he's still an idiot Posted by: Linda50
» RE: But he's still an idiot Posted by: Lincoln fan
» RE: But he's still an idiot Posted by: talkville
plan-free
Posted by: rsaxto on Aug 31, 2006 1:19 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
If we don't move away from plan-free government toward planning for survival we could easily end up with a dying planet-free, corpse-generating "civilization" where death would be our most important product. When leadership is gross its poison can kill its people, even all of them: Jim Jones, anyone?

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re: Texas strategy and tactics
Posted by: CaliforniaWill on Aug 31, 2006 1:43 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I believe it was another famous Texan, Capt. William Travis, who demonstrated their ideal concept of strategy and tactics, at a small former mission in San Antonio called The Alamo. You may consider that Texans never say "Remember San Jacinto" (where they won the battle), but "Remember the Alamo" at which they lost the battle and everyone on "their" side was killed. Fighting Islamic martyrs with our martyrs is a bad tactic or strategy, no matter how you re-write history.

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» RE: re: Texas strategy and tactics Posted by: Lincoln fan
» HAHA Posted by: Elmowilcox
» RE: HAHA Posted by: Lincoln fan
Blair thinks he is an idiot now
Posted by: Bobsays on Aug 31, 2006 2:14 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Bush hs lost the respect of most international leaders, including Blair. The only international leader who thinks Bush is smart is Canada's Stephen Harper, an obese, donut-eating Christian moron who has a minority government made up of rednecks from Canada's west. Harper is, like Bush, a last cry from those who have been shut out of the happy clappy liberal consensus politics that have dominated the post WWII period.

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» RE: Blair thinks he is an idiot now Posted by: mountainsrock
Many on the Right believe Bush is an idiot
Posted by: ISlamIslam on Aug 31, 2006 3:23 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I know many Republicans who are afraid to say this out loud, but they really shouldn't be. Things are what they are. Many of us on the Right were never in favor of the Iraq war for purposes of establishing a democracy, which we saw as a fool's endeavor. Bush is not a conservative and has done much damage to the Republican party and conservative cause. He may be well-intentioned, but in my opinion he's in way over his head. I hope the Republican National Committee learns from this before they annoint the next Presidential candidate.

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» Bush an idiot? Posted by: ISlamIslam
The Problem with Bush Is Our Problem
Posted by: Tom Degan on Aug 31, 2006 3:24 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
It was obvious to me when, almost twenty years ago, when I first saw hin interviewed on NBC News during his father's primary campaign in South Carolina, that George W. Bush was and is dumber than dog shit.

The dirty little secret, dear people, is this: So are the American people. How else can you explain the fact that this fucking moron is now seated in the oval office: The most powerful man in the world! It gives every thinking person pause. I know! I know! He stole both elections! But he was only able to do so because so huge a segment ot the American electorate were stupid enough to believe that sending him to Washington was a good idea.

That is how Lyndon B. Johnson was able to steal a senate seat from Texas governor Coke Stevenson in 1948. All it took was rearranging a handful of votes in one precinct. Think about that for a minute! But for a handful of corrupt officials in one small corner of the largest state in the union, this country might have been spared the trauma of Viet Nam a generatiom later.

We really ought to consider giving Texas back to the Mexicans.

Pray for peace.

Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
"The Rant by Tom Degan

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» No really, that ish was funny Posted by: Elmowilcox
» typo Posted by: Elmowilcox
» RE: typo Posted by: Tom Degan
say what you want about the Frogs...
Posted by: Germanicus on Aug 31, 2006 3:44 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I recently saw an interview with Jack Lang, former minister in the governments of Mitterand and Jospin, on a morning news program (think Good Morning, America done a bit more stylishly - naturellement) and he referred to Bush as both an idiot and an imbecile in the space of about 2 minutes.

Now what struck me about this was not that he had said it, but the fact that, having said it, nothing happened. There was no reference in the press. It simply is not news that the president of the United States is intellectually challenged, to say the very least.

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» Correction Posted by: Tom Degan
» RE: Correction Posted by: churchofone
See? That is the problem.... Biden who is a dem is consulting.....
Posted by: Prophit on Aug 31, 2006 4:16 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
with the CFR which is the arm that promoted all these wars along with a regional north american system. These are the guys who are running and controlling all of this. They haven't given the green light to the press to go after Bush yet, so he is performing what ever function they need done at the moment.

When he is used up, they will go after him especially if the incumbants are kicked out in Nov. In this article, he states that that Bush's initial objective was to go in, help build the iraqi forces and then leave. WRONG!!!!!!!!! Anyone following this knows that is not the case and would never give this a legitimate foothold.

They had plans and began immediately to implement them to build 14 permanent Amerian bases in Iraq and the largest ever, embassy for America. I call it Bush's palace. Its where he "will" be king.

Are the conservatives uncomfortable??? Heck yes, are the neocons uncomfortable "heck no". All is unfolding with their help as planned. A civil war provoked by the US and death squads formed and implemented by the US keeps it going so we are unable to withdraw.

Even Bidens proposals keep us in there far longer than we should be. No one seems to get this. WE WILL NEVER BE WITHOUT THE SUICIDE BOMBERS & GUERRILLA WARFARE
UNTIL WE LEAVE that place and it should be immediate. If not we will have thousands more of our youth either dying or maimed and scared for life. That doens't include all the medical experimentation our drug companies are doing on our soldiers through the Pentagon and with their seditious approval. Its a crime against humanity and many should pay and soon.

I just read that 50% of the American population in a survey, have stated they are angrier than any time ever in the history of our country. That is millions of people and the outrage is palpable.

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» Neocons are not Posted by: edith
See? That is the problem.... Biden who is a dem is consulting.....
Posted by: Prophit on Aug 31, 2006 4:20 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
.......with the CFR which is the arm that promoted all these wars along with a regional north american system. These are the guys who are running and controlling all of this. They haven't given the green light to the press to go after Bush yet, so he is performing what ever function they need done at the moment.

When he is used up, they will go after him especially if the incumbants are kicked out in Nov. In this article, he states that that Bush's initial objective was to go in, help build the iraqi forces and then leave. WRONG!!!!!!!!! Anyone following this knows that is not the case and would never give this a legitimate foothold.

They had plans and began immediately to implement them to build 14 permanent Amerian bases in Iraq and the largest ever, embassy for America. I call it Bush's palace. Its where he "will" be king.

Are the conservatives uncomfortable??? Heck yes, are the neocons uncomfortable "heck no". All is unfolding with their help as planned. A civil war provoked by the US and death squads formed and implemented by the US keeps it going so we are unable to withdraw.

Even Bidens proposals keep us in there far longer than we should be. No one seems to get this. WE WILL NEVER BE WITHOUT THE SUICIDE BOMBERS & GUERRILLA WARFARE
UNTIL WE LEAVE that place and it should be immediate. If not we will have thousands more of our youth either dying or maimed and scared for life. That doens't include all the medical experimentation our drug companies are doing on our soldiers through the Pentagon and with their seditious approval. Its a crime against humanity and many should pay and soon.

I just read that 50% of the American population in a survey, have stated they are angrier than any time ever in the history of our country. That is millions of people and the outrage is palpable.

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Wrong-headed
Posted by: Lincoln fan on Aug 31, 2006 5:14 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I think that to argue about whether Bush is a moron or not is to follow the trail of a red herring. Does anybody really think that he's in charge? Does anyone think that he has brilliant advisers in the Cabinet who feed him good advice and he ignores it? He has brilliant advisors who feed him good advice for their agenda and he follows it to the letter.

His advisors, who are from a long line of over-zealous capitalists, succeeded in carrying out much of their ongoing agenda. Their agenda of reversing Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal and Teddy Roosevelt's trust-busting. Their agenda of returning to the robber-baron days. Their agenda of returning to unbridled corporate establishment rule.

Over the next few years they'll work through their second team, the Democratic Party.

They may allow some cosmetic changes, maybe some ineffective campaign finance and lobbying reforms. Maybe allow some negotiated tax reforms that will give back a little of their loot. They may let the Democrats soften the Government's stand on some issues that don't affect the bottom line. For instance gay marriage, official display of the ten commandments, evolution, etc. Just enough to make the people feel that they're in control. To make them think that they'd won an election.

I say Bush is a figurehead. Look at the past. We had President Reagan who was senile but personable and electible. We had a try at Dan Quayle a handsome Kennedy type who just didn't have the acting ability to win. And now we have Bush, elected because he's the guy you'd rather have a beer with. These were nothing but front men.

Now Bush is the fall guy. The Republicans will quietly leave him unsupported to bear the brunt of the people's wrath. They won't denigrate him, that would be bad for the party and their next front man. Over the next few years, Bush like Nixon and Reagan will have his image polished and be rehabilitated. The party won't suffer any long-term disadvantage for their sins. Then sooner or later they'll get a new front man elected and we'll continue on our road to ruin in the Republican full speed reverse mode.

Don't follow the red herring. Take control of the platforms of both parties before the next election, make your vote count now. We need mass action right now! Join The Lincoln Initiative today. Time is running out.
Bob Reichenbach
Director, The Lincoln Initiative.

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» Wrong-headed is right Posted by: thoughtcriminal
Kakistocracy
Posted by: chacha55 on Aug 31, 2006 6:58 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
kak·is·toc·ra·cy: Noun. Inflected forms: pl. kak·is·toc·ra·cies
Government by the least qualified or most unprincipled citizens.

In what can only be serendipity, I have finally found the perfect description of our government; all but the most rabid Bushites would recognize both “least qualified” and “unprincipled” in our administration. Where crony is a job prerequisite and blind allegiance always trumps knowledge, the current residents of Washington are a case study in reverse evolution-where the weak prey upon the strong.

We citizens are strong, aren’t we? We do still possess the pioneer spirit and free will of our forefathers don’t we? We still retain the ability to see through the ponzi schemes and rise above the smoke and mirrors, no? We’re not so blinded by crass consumerism and seductive commercialism that we would trade our freedoms for the appearance of safety are we?

One of the advantages of roaming this Earth for as many years as I have is that it has afforded me the opportunity to meet and talk to many people; people of various ethnicities, socio-economic and religious backgrounds-and the vast majority of these folks are intelligent, thoughtful people…not gullible or foolish enough to follow the lemmings over the cliff. So why are we led by the least qualified, the unprincipled; why are they the only ones who seem to be up for election?

It has been said that we have exactly the kind of government that we deserve; that if we insist on spending our time glued to American Idol instead of researching political platforms, we will continue to be lead by morons and profiteers-and we will have only ourselves to blame.

It can be very trying to sift through all the information required to make informed decisions; and sitting though local party debates can induce a mother of a headache - the only other option would have us depend on the mainstream media and talking heads…who rarely if ever mention anyone other than the two major parties or the fact that “None of the Above” is an option.

It’s high time we kick the crooks to the curb.

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» RE: Kakistocracy Posted by: yesman
HOW DUMB IS TOO DUMB ?
Posted by: VZEQICVA on Aug 31, 2006 7:09 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
This man has been in the White House for 5 years. He was not Elected (?) and re-elected because he's an intellectual giant. His strong point is that he does exactly as he is told. How stupid he looks and sounds at times doesn't matter. This new government arrangement IS the strategy. It continues to cost us dearly in lives and in dollars. We continue to mock the court jester. That's why they put him there. Too many people doing what they're told. Thanks, ANNA

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Marvin Wagner
Posted by: Marvin R on Aug 31, 2006 9:01 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Bush's election is the result of, among other things, the media control by the right. Advertizing, whoops! manipulation works. The White House's press releases would be very much different, had we maintained the fairness doctrine. Peace, Marvin

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true "conservatives" never liked Bush
Posted by: edith on Aug 31, 2006 9:14 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
since Bush II has been Prez, we've forgotten the bitter intranecine GOP wars of the 90's and the struggles at publications like National Review where prominent longterm writers were bounced for not hewing to the neocon line. The isolationist, pro-US trade wing of Conservatism never liked the Bushes. Buchanan's insurgency against Bush I was an example. Many traditional conservatives like Paul Craig Roberts and Kevin Phillips were outspoken Iraq critics from the beginning, as was Buchanan. Neocon is just what it means, "new" conservative. while dominant in the Republican Party since Reagan, the traditionalists who fought free trade, questioned the patriot Act and an unlimited interventionist policy never vanished.

Progressives should realize that not only Iraq but privacy and "free" trade ripoffs concern many conservatives who should form coalitions with progressives where unity is practical.

Bush is not conservative. He is a Big Government Corporate Republican. Limited government as Jefferson or Adams understood it would not be of interest to him. Of course he probably never read either stateman, nor would he realize that Barry Goldwater if in the Senate today would be one of Bush's biggest critics.

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» RE: true "conservatives" Posted by: anniedine
» Amen, brother Posted by: ISlamIslam
Think of Bush as Jerry McCarthy....
Posted by: morticia on Aug 31, 2006 9:24 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
....sitting on Dick Cheney's (or Rumsfeld's or Wolfowitz's or Perle's) lap. Dumb as a ventriloquist's dummy is exactly what they required. He's absolutely perfect for the job they wanted to do, have been planning to do for decades, both at home and abroad. The Middle East is cauldronized and therefore exploitable, and here in the U.S., vast armies of illiterates vote against their own best interests (a la WHAT'S THE MATTER WITH KANSAS?) while the cynics in power exploit the childish religious beliefs of regular people. Bush, the consummate front man, has made it chic to be dumb. The irony, of course, is that Bush is no more from Texas than I am. In fact, he was born in New Haven, Connecticut, of a grotesquely wealthy "blue blood" Yankee family of the sort that is the natural enemy of his constituency. He cultivates that Texas twang, but consider this: his younger brother Jeb talks like his parents. So can W, when he wants to. We can only hope that the neocons who put Bush in power "misunderestimated" the appetite for abuse of the American people.

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» You raise an interesting point Posted by: doctorsquared
» You raise an interesting point Posted by: doctorsquared
» You raise an interesting point Posted by: doctorsquared
» Sorry about the multiple posts folks Posted by: doctorsquared
If Bush is dumb, what about Democrats?
Posted by: Reader11722 on Aug 31, 2006 9:33 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Bush led us into 2 illegal wars based on lies and the Democrats followed him. Bush crushed our 1st Amendment (detaining protestors, banning books like "America Deceived" from Amazon), Bush annihilated the 4ht Amendment (illegal wire-taps, thanks Verizon), and literally tortured away the 8th Amendment. The Democtrats did nothing. So who is dumber, the leader or the fools who follow him?
Last link (unless 'dumb' Bush censors Google Books):
America Deceived - Book

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vive la france
Posted by: mountainsrock on Aug 31, 2006 9:39 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
I was so happy when France and Germany refused to play lapdog to Bush. When the idiots were frying freedom fries, I went out of my way to buy French wine. Now unfortunately Merkel is becoming another lapdog a la Blair - and -gasp - even Canada has elected a lapdog. Good going, now it's getting harder and harder to find an airline that's reasonably safe.

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» RE: vive la france Posted by: vangogh69
» RE: vive la france Posted by: mountainsrock
» RE: vive la france Posted by: Burtonger
» RE: vive la canada Posted by: mountainsrock
STUPID?
Posted by: Roverton on Aug 31, 2006 11:41 AM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
Aw geez. If he's so dumb, then we'll be real easy on him.

He can't be THAT much of a threat if there's something wrong with the lil' feller... Right?

We'll just let him be stupid so that we feel smarter. Feeling smarter is the mostest importantest part.. Right?

I mean, if he's actually smart, then I'll be stupid, and smart is all I have. I'm not mean, rich or powerful. All I have is appearing smart.

Ohh, a decision is being made about John Mark Carr.

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Bush is an idiot?
Posted by: Againstthewindwalking on Aug 31, 2006 1:04 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
LIKE, NO SHIT, SHERLOCK!!!!!!!

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We Should ALL be in the "Bush is an Idiot" Camp
Posted by: archienc on Aug 31, 2006 1:23 PM   
Current rating: Not yet rated    [1 = poor; 5 = excellent]
When Mr. Bush was interviewed by Brian Williams of NBC news this week he was asked: "What legacy will you leave the American people?" Bush responded essentially that his legacy would be played out 30-40 years from now when people write about him in the history books and he didn't much care about what people would think then.

The man who the electoral college voted to be our president (he lost the popular vote twice) has no plans of getting us out of Iraq and I am having so much difficulty understanding why more Americans are not outraged about this...especially those of us who endured Viet Nam and Johnson's antics which killed or mamed thousands of our youg kids at the time. I am already telling my grandchildren to move to Canada when (not if) the draft comes back into effect and even there, they will probably not be safe from the "terror war" that this current president started in Iraq by lying to the entire world to get us there. Unbelievable...and what is worse...this is only the beginning.

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This article is a nice piece of straw-man propaganda
Posted by: thoughtcriminal on Aug 31, 2006 1:31 PM   
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David Corn holds up Bush as the President, the guy who makes decisions, the guy whose intellect is a matter of national concern - but what is most telling is the names that he doesn't mention or glosses over: Rove, Rice, Rumsfeld and Cheney.

The real power in the US government does not sit with Bush, but with Cheney (his Secret Service tag used to be 'BackSeat' because of his prediliction for behind-the-scenes maneuvering). Cheney and Rumsfeld have been thick as thieves ever since 1970 (see Dan Briody's Halliburton Agenda).

Of course, Cheney is just the front man for the energy (coal and gas) cartel; Rice is the front woman for the oil cartel, Rumsfeld is the front man for the pharmaceutical cartel, and Rove is the architect-organizer and go-to guy for the propaganda-media sector. They form the real High Command. Funny that Bush is now being told to call his enemies 'Nazis and Communists', isn't it?

Why would David Corn ignore these fundamental facts and write a piece whose central goal seems to be to place the mantle of Presidential Authority on Bush's shoulders? It simply doesn't matter what Bush's intellectual capacity is, because he makes no decisions and has no effect on policy. He would have made a great Macy's greeter, or maybe a used-car salesman in Houston, but that's about it.

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» You mean Bush Sr? Posted by: thoughtcriminal
He is the Mirrior of his Peers
Posted by: jeffrey7 on Aug 31, 2006 3:12 PM   
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OK, we all know if this guys head was tipped over and s shot was poured out ther would'nt be enough to wet the bottom of a shotglass, big deal. The real question is how smart is the folks that put him in office? Or should the question be...If we need a frontman to take the heat for all the corrupt things we're going to make the Govt do,should'nt it be someone that's not too aware to start with? How about someone who's a total business failure? He'd be grateful for the lofty position. This is how it is.
They learned they could fake a president back in the Reagan Years. He was the 'Great Communicator' not because he had a message,he was that because he was an actor/broadcaster before becomming president or governor of California. He was know there for calling out the national Guard on Free Speech demonstrators, honey of a guy.
Since they learned how to manipulate image, the press,and the ballot box,the whole thing has been a gastly charade of two party politics that's really only one. Why/
Because they think you and everyone you know are too stupid to notice,don't care, and would rather be uninformed.
Do you really want FREEDOM? Do you really want LIBERTY? Then you only have one choice. The only choice that not only says " I'm taking back my Freedom" and "I'm taking back my Liberty" at the same time. That's when you say " Stick your ballots up your ass,America don't need your kind running things". That's why this Govt is too cowardly to put a 'None of the Above' spot on the ballot,they'd all lose.

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» RE: He is the Mirrior of his Peers Posted by: Lincoln fan
Bush is not dumb
Posted by: robchapman on Aug 31, 2006 3:41 PM   
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It is foolish to consider GW Bush a dummie. He can fly fighter planes and he has a Havard MBA.
What is wrong with Bush is worse than being dumb. A dummie can hire good advisors and they can compensate for his lack of technical smarts.
What is wrong with Bush is that he is intellectually arrogant. He thinks he has the right answer to everything and that any disagreement with his Fatwahs come from character weakness or villainy.
Interestingly, this is exactly the charge the Right has falsely levelled at former Vice President Al Gore.

Robert Chapman
Lansing, NY

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» RE: Bush is not dumb Posted by: Akinoluna
» RE: Bush is not dumb Posted by: Jeanne
Get off of Bush!
Posted by: vangogh69 on Aug 31, 2006 5:18 PM   
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First off, this man comes across as an idiot parfait and everytime I hear him speak I have to remind myself "This guy is your president" (anger and sadness are the emotions which follow). That he's an adroit actor, this I'm sure of, witness his "aw-shucks Ehm frum Texhass" routine which, if those who truly are "aw-shucks" were smart, would be insulted by his condescending parody of them (this guy is from the Northeast and whatever their many other faults, his parents do definately NOT sound like idiots, and he is definately not as country as he makes out). I agree that the man is probably intellectually stunted and probably ignorant of a lot of things, but this doesn't make it stupid. HOWEVER, just like WWII wasn't all about the demon called Hitler ("who wanted to annihilate the jews" as the line goes), so we need to stop pretending that Bush is the be all, end all of everything. Also, we need to fess up that Bush & Co. did steal two elections (with the acquiescence of both democratic contenders, thank you) but that many people, quite sane and sound people did vote him in because they agree with his backward, racist, and imperialist sentiments.

Just in case you think the house and the senate are home to "less-dumb" individuals, check out a debate on C-Span sometime and let it sober you up. These punks get in office not through their big intelligence and brilliantly progressive ideas, but by knowing the right people, being in the right places, and getting the most contributions. The halls of power are overall filled with corrupt and ignorant people. The ones who should be leading this country are cleaning its offices and making $5.15 an hour. You wanna hear real political insight, talk to people really engaged in Real Life (as opposed to Reel Life): they'll let you know Bush & Co. are shit, but they are a symptom, not the cause of the problem.

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Anti-Intellectualism is American. He's playing the people.
Posted by: albrechtkrausse on Aug 31, 2006 8:48 PM   
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Bush, is probably smarter than most believe. The fact is he got to be President (hey, if he 'stole' and 'manipulate' the elections wouldn't that make him even smarter- at least in a political, Machivellian sense?). His agenda is clear. Its stupid to assume he is stupid. He acted like a good-ol boy Texan (from Connecticut into a blue-blood family of the first order.) This is nothing new. Various Rockefellers enjoyed 'going South' and starting new political and fiscal machines in other states. The fact that most people consider him dumb is proof that he is smart. He wanted to appear 'dumb' 'down-home' etc for political advantage since most of America considers that an honest trait (the 'city-slicker' 'egghead' 'pointy-headed' 'ivory-tower' vs the 'salt of the earth' 'honest' 'man of the people' etc.) It worked really well against Kerry and, apparently, the strategy worked pretty well on Alternet readers. Now, he (like Clinton did/does) is trying to make his image for the future (wants to be remembered as smart, well-read, etc.) Because he knows that the average voters won't care but the people who write history will appreciate those qualities. Wake up. Its simple politics people.

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Dear NASA, send W.
Posted by: greentime on Sep 1, 2006 4:18 AM   
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Why keep him here? He has done nothing to make this planet better. Send him to another planet and see if he can survive on his own. He doesn't seem to like us anyway.

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Of Course Bush Is An Idiot
Posted by: ashevegas on Sep 1, 2006 8:22 AM   
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Harpers did a fantastic job of documenting his business and personal failures over a number of years suggesting a disturbing trend-namely he is a failure at most everything he has ever done. The question and point is what do we do now? As inept as the Dems are we have to hope that they can take one or both houses in November to create a gridlock and prevent an attack on Iran-see Sy Hirsch-and further long term damage to the economy. Then we need to hold accountable those profiteers who are responsible for the war crimes being perpetrated upon the Middle East, such as Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfowitz, Perle, Kristol, et al.. Of course Bush is an idiot, but these people are the criminal minds behind the policies that has brought us to the brink. Rome is burning and the invasion of Iraq is analogous to the Russian invasion of Afghanistan in 1979-guess what happened to the USSR!

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Idiot
Posted by: G_Mon on Sep 1, 2006 10:01 AM   
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In case YOU hadn't noticed --- the President doesn't answer to Matha Raddatz or any other leftist jerk reporter. He can answer dumb questions any way he chooses, or like your hero Bill Clinton, he could just ignore them and address some other question that he wants to talk about.
You can try to put yourself and your "intellect" on a pedestal above the President if you want, but you only make it more obvious how really stupid YOU are!

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» RE: Idiot Posted by: ashevegas
To G-Mon
Posted by: Ellie1 on Sep 1, 2006 11:32 AM   
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YOU are too much of an idiot to know one when you see (or hear) one. YOU are pathetic-and you prove my motto: There is no underestimating the intelligence or gullibility of the American public (especially in RED states). YOU are an asshole.

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But at least...
Posted by: Asses of Evil on Sep 1, 2006 1:09 PM   
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he didn't lie about a blow job. And really, when it gets right down to foreign relations and domestic issues, don't we want a President who won't lie about a blow job? (/end sarcasm)

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Bush Flu?
Posted by: crisrich on Sep 1, 2006 1:25 PM   
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While reading the article I suddenly had a flash: is it possible that a majority of the American citizens are or have been suffering from an infectious disease? Could it be Bush Flu?

If that is the case, hopefully we will soon see the infection recede. Perhaps the conservative talk show host mentioned at the beginning of the text was showing sings of recovery and improved health? In the past, America has eventually recovered from other serious epidemics like the McCarthy Flu.

The biggest problem with American epidemics is that it makes many people from many countries around the world suffer too. And strangely enough practically all of the large numbers of death casualties happen outside of the country of origin of the epidemic, the USA.

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» We are dying Posted by: edith
UTTERLY USELESS!
Posted by: BobbyGreyFriar on Sep 1, 2006 10:10 PM   
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The crucial problem is a general failure of democracy -- politicians are able to make desicions that are against the interest of the general population with impunity. If we are concerned about this WE have to take responsiblity by demanding what we want and by supporting grassroots oranizations that can bring progressive change about. All this nonsense about Bush's IQ (which is so obviously irrelevant it should go without saying!) is simply a refusal on the part of the left to take resonsibilty.

The real quetion is: "How come we aren't doing anything to change things?"

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oxymoron
Posted by: Linda50 on Sep 7, 2006 5:45 AM   
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Just read where President Bush is establishing a new committee. You would think that he would want to head up this one. Instead of delegating authority. The name of this committee is for the Intellectual Disability Committee. Yup, now he's found the right committee for himself.

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Privilege
Posted by: fswint on Sep 7, 2006 9:43 AM   
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The election (or as some would say "selection") of Bush just goes to show how much a well-connected patrician white Anglo-Saxon male can get away with. There are millions, and I mean MILLIONS! of people who could think circles around this man in their sleep, but because they lack the privilege that GWB was born with, none of us get access to the White House, State House or Yale like he and his type can.

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Bush Tawks Fernie Cause he's Brayne Damabged
Posted by: 2shane on Jan 18, 2007 7:48 PM   
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Bush is a brain damaged scumbag junkie.... in a 3 piece suit.

That's whie he, he, he, um ah talks funni.

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