The Enigma In Chief

Sad we all seem to have the willingness to cast a stone at the glass house other than our own. I'm not please with all of Pres Bush' decisions either, but neither was I happy with Clinton's. I do know that I see people enlisting and wanting to fight the war in Iraq, no draft making them. I do ask once they are out if it was worth it, some yes some no, but the biggest complaint sounding similar to Viet Nam, the lack of public support for what good they are doing. Terrorism isn't going away, Biblically speaking, it WILL HAPPEN, and those will deny it is coming, but they make movies, tell stories and talk about Armaggedon. WHY, because it is to be. Focus on how to make this a better place to live folks as we already have enough probllems w/o asdding to it. Derogatory comments by some tells me why we have so much hatred, yet they are eating freely, living freely, and America is the reason their freedom. How quickly we FORGOT 9-11, all the flag waving, songs written. Bush to some may be a failed president, but I see a failure in our Dem /& Rep to get along and work for the bigger cause, not to be put in office to point fingers at blame. May God Bless American and Israel. Read your Bible and open your eyes.

I am amazed that, in 2009, there are still people posting comments who do not know that Iraq IS NOT the one who attacked us on 9/11. Even Bush has admitted in several televised interviews that Iraq was not involved in 9//11. So, to say in 2009 that the invasion of Iraq was "retaliation" for 9/11 is frankly delusional. It is like saying ithat Bush should have "retaliated" against the shoe thrower by beating up some total stranger who had nothing to do with it.

I think Monte Carlo 3 hit it on the button!!! I would suggest that Anthony and jdonovan do as they advised Monte Carlo 3 to do and reassess the facts . . . elayne bedney 44

About the war, seems many need to look at the facts. Many more U.S. casualties and opponents KIA under George Bush compared to Clinton. I mean, a ton - and to no avail. If you took the time to look into it, you will find the truth.

While keeping score, George Bush era womanizing in the White House = 0; Clinton blown wads plus pubic hair-laden pizzas eaten = a dozen or more. Proof of Clinton's absolute disrespect for himself, his wife and belief that a woman is a semen-receptacle. Truly a disgraceful idiot.

There appears to be some vaildity to the notion that people get the government they deserve. Americans have paid for their apathy in a big way. I don't blame Bush, he was never quailified to be President. I blame the people who put him in office, an ineffective and compliant Congress and a docile and cowering media. True, some in Congress were in on the whole debacle and were never going to do anything except what they were told. Yet as Bush prepares to exit, leaving the country in shambles we still have more people concerned about coma inducing television shows like "American Idol" than what is happening in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, or the West Bank. Americans can't name any world leaders and they don't know the name of their representatives. They can't even name the Supreme Court Justices, quite possibly the most powerful people in the World. Still others (3 out of 10!) are just deluded or are in denial and actually believe that Bush did a good job. These people are just not capable of separating fiction from reality. Others are blinded by their bigotry. Their ignorance is at the same time amusing, astonishing, and extremely dangersous. Ignorance is by far America's worst enemy. Bush did what was expected. He, and his adminstration, were true their constituency. They robbed the treasury on behalf of the rich and powerful. There was never any chance that it would have come out any other way.

I'd say the president who could of prevented 9/11 by having a backbone with bin Laden in the first place is the worst.

The statements that the financial crisis was started long before this administration is quite true. Deregulation during the 90???s was a major cause for concern. What is surprising is that that was the Clinton Administration and this so happens to be the people that Obama is tapping for his cabinet/advisor positions. If they couldn't get it right then why now? Least we forget that Congress has been Democratic majority for the last two and half years. The financial crisis was on their watch as well. But I guess they get a slide on this issue. I believe their approval rating is less that the President's.

I will state however that President Bush is/was horrible at public speaking, he could have addressed the financial situation earlier had he not focused some much of his attention on the War on Terror, and could have handled the Iraqi war much better.

However, the media did not give him much room for error. They focused on all the negatives. For instance, my family has a number of individuals in the military stationed over in Iraq. In the beginning of the war, most Iraqi's were happy that Saddam was removed but all we heard were from were the people who hated us being there. It is easier to sell news with negative reports from sects that hated the US. However, I do think the continued occupation has rubbed the citizens of Iraq a little raw. Mismanagement at this point in Iraq is where Bush has done poorly. The problem with fighting wars in the Middle East is their belief systems. It is the same as it has been for the last 2000 years. They are highly influenced and directed by the religious sects in that part of the world. You cannot change the way a people have thought for thousands of years. We in the West change our minds daily and value human life and individuality. They follow their religious leader's dogma.

Also, since when did we as a country become so hateful. I hate Bush and Hitler comparisons are way out of line. You do not know this man personally. Heck, Madonna had McCain's likeness shown along sides Hitler's during a concert last year and he is/was a war hero.

By the way, I am a neither Republican nor Democrat but an Independent

Why do people keep harping on Katrina in terms of President Bush? I am from the New Orleans area. The problem wasn't the feds. The problems was with our local and state government. Our governor at the time had the opportunity to have the feds come in a take control during Katrina. She decided not to as it would be their show not the states. She didn't want to relinquish control. That caused huge communication issues and also caused our state to incur huge debts due to our funding paying for a chunk of the bill for the efforts. The mayor of New Orleans had a 72 hour evacuation plan from the hurricane. He decided to evacuate 24 before landfall. When there is that amount of incompetence at the state and local level, the feds are hard pressed. There were no major problems during Ike and Gustav because we had a governor who could make to right decisions.

Bush went in for the money--for himself, his cronies, and big oil industry. He also gave out massive federally funded favors for himself and Cheney for post presidential rewards. He will receive monetary reimbursements wildly beyond our imaginations. Bush and Co. worked hard to favor corporations and big business. They raped and stripped the working class and helped boost prescription and medical costs. They worked hard at eliminating lawsuits for patients who had either been disfigured or lost their lives due to malpractice.

Bush cut funding to take care of the young troops he sent into die. Then when they came home he cut their benefits and rewards. He let them lay in stinking, rotten old hospitals. He led corporations into the biggest greed scam in American history and ripped off the working class for billions. That's after he gave out the largest gifts of tax breaks to the top 5% of the wealthiest in our country, while allowing the working class to go into foreclosures and bankruptcy.
He allowed corporations to pump billions tons of pollution into the air, offended every country in the world, and turned his back on needy countries. Because of him Al Queda is blossoming like never before and we truly are the "Ugly American." Everyone hates us and thinks we're all ignorant cowboys who shoot everything in site.
This man isn't dumb or crazy. He's just a filthy, degenerate lost soul who will be forever an ugly mark of shame on US history. Good riddance to the worst president ever, the worst human to lead anything, and the biggest hypocrite and liar in American history.

To rjb0622. Go ahead and throw the shoe. It proves your gutlessness. No doubt you have zero answers or civic-benefitting capability of any kind or ability to do anything but cry about how you are a victim. Likely from your days of taking drugs and hating your parents and "the man". You will play follow the leader the rest of your life wanting to be with the "in" crowd.

Bush did remarkedly well compared to his predecessor, William Jefferson Clinton. You know, the one that was impeached. History will judge him successful in his two terms.

Are we kidding ourselves. This is not even a debatable topic, Just look at the current situation of the U.S and the rest of the world. We never have had such a incompetent president, Starting on 9/11 Where it took him almost 8 min's just to get out of the chair and leap in to action. Even then it was more New York City's Mayor who brought the country together. With his strong words for the people of his city. What does bush do in this moment of crisis blames a country for the attacks, when they in reality had nothing to do with it. Where was he getting his info from ? We invade a country on lies ! We then Go after the master mind of the whole thing what 2 months later. To say that this out going president was slow is a under statement. I dont even want to get into the whole Katrina , meltdown! The torture of American citizens, The economy, The war on drugs, It's funny to think that so many people were calling to impeach President Clinton for a matter that should have been handle between him and his wife. But bring up impeachment with president bush, And were unpatriotic, He's the one who we should impeach. For all the Lie's, for the lost lives of our father's, mother's, brother's, sister's, uncle's, aunt's.. If goverment unclassified things showing just right to invade Iraq, The katrina meltdown, the economy. Maybe then I'll change my veiw's about this out going president, until then he was one of the worst mistake's this country has ever seen. And I pray and hope that the wounderful people of this great country, Never stop asking question' s about this man's time in office. God Bless everyone around the world

I just wish people would look at the entire picture when it comes to President Bush. Yes he took a hard stance against terror, but you can???t overlook the fact that he did it by invading our civil liberties (without our civil liberties are we the same as the communist countries) and by sending our men, women, and children to war without the proper training or equipment. Yes, he passed legislation to end late term abortion, while at the same time cutting federal funding for healthcare, sex education, and community programs that help single mother take care of the children that you don't want them to abort. (Ironic isn't it) And yes we have not had another attach like 911 under his Presidency, but we have had an exponential number of Americans dead after 911 due a to a poorly planned war strategies. These are not opinions, these are facts. Is that a good President?

Quote:Bob Woodward, Ron Suskind and I recently debated on Slate the issue of how much we really know about Bush's biggest decision.
What a poor journalistic job...
I am not a journalist but its pretty obvious that the decision about invating Iraq has been made much earlier infact when Georg W. Bush senior didnt finish the Job in the first War against Iraq..
The second big reason was the personal benefit he and Cheney had with the War .. We all know about the involvment in all the companys who profited with lucrativ contracts where Bush and Cheney are involved too..
Just watch the documantary Fahrenheit 9/11 and if you not seen it yet because it will open your eyes about his patiot..