Tough questioning of the president should be a regular occurrence, not a newsworthy event. But because President Bush has been so successful at insulating himself from criticism, a 61-year-old commercial real estate broker’s comments at a North Carolina forum are making national headlines. Harry Taylor got the rare chance to challenge the president:
“You never stop talking about freedom, and I appreciate that. But while I listen to you talk about freedom, I see you assert your right to tap my telephone, to arrest me and hold me without charges, to try to preclude me from breathing clean air and drinking clean water and eating safe food. . . .
“What I want to say to you is that I, in my lifetime, I have never felt more ashamed of, nor more frightened by, my leadership in Washington.”
And although Bush managed to avoid responding to many of Taylor’s complaints, at least he didn’t manage to avoid hearing them.
Posted by Melissa Cooley
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59 Comments
I hope people start unloading on him DAILY. Most of the sane people in this country have had it. From a war we shouldn’t be in to a corrupt administration where everybody has their hand out. Our country is being overrun with illegal aliens and nobobdy wants to enforce laws. Just give them jobs and make make them citizens if they can stay out of trouble for 5 years. All this from a party that made a federal case over lying about a BJ. What a bunch of hypocrates.Hopefully, the republican revolution of ‘94 will run out of gas this November. They will be like the Communist party. They will have collapsed under their own weight.
1256 people have responded by telling Harry Taylor thank you. Thanks for saying what so many people are afraid to say. He had military wives email him to say thank you for saying what they could not. How, in todays freedom of speech country are people afraid to say what many know to be true?
http://www.thankyouharrytaylor.org/wordpress/
Sounds to me like David stood up to Goliath.
Bush’s semi-rebuttal got resounding applause. What scares me the most is that so many people (citizens) seem unable to hear legitimate criticisms of Bush.
I too thought it was strange that Bush finally taking real questions should be an event worthy of national news headlines. Guess with the scandal of leaking classified information, it’s back to the Ranch for the hermit!
Legitimate criticisms are warranted, needed, and part of our national history. Bush has demonstrated the need for criticism and complaint.
However, the virulent hatred, blame, attacks, and unreasonable accusations so abundant on this blog are something else.
I am not defending him, simply saying the mindless hatred is not necessary.
raptor, I suspect that if you removed the hate that was really mindless, you’d still find a lot of hate. ;)
I think what you’re objecting to is the knee-jerk hatred sometimes displayed here. But you yourself note:
“Legitimate criticisms are warranted, needed, and part of our national history. Bush has demonstrated the need for criticism and complaint.”
I’ve long thought that the vast majority of the knee-jerk stuff is a perfectly normal reaction to the president’s complete lack of accountability for his actions. In the paragraph you wrote above it seems that you, too, realize that President Bush has made some poor decisions.
In other words, the knee-jerk stuff is a kind of social counter-weight, an attempt to drag the president, kicking and screaming, back to what America stands for: the buck stops here.
In my opinion, the president himself could easily vent much of the knee-jerk hatred by merely firing some people in his administration for their gross lack of performance.
How much of the knee-jerk stuff is the responsiblity of President Bush’s own actions, decisions he refuses to own because he refuses to hold himself or anyone else accountable for them?
Let me clarify this a bit.
I’m arguing that, given this president’s term in office, condemning what some call “mindless hate” is tantamount to condemning people for being patriotic.
You don’t want to do that, I’m sure. Nobody should be condemned for love of country.
I’m arguing that President Bush holds it within his power to rectify this situation by restoring the concept of presidential accountability, perhaps some personal accountability, to American civic life.
In so doing, President Bush’s actions would make patriots of both himself and his “mindless” detractors.
$0.02
Flike–
Makes sense…thanks for writing that. Most of the people that have supported Bush in the past haven’t demonstrated mindless blind loyalty no matter what. But, the hate campaign blames anyone who doesn’t jump on their particular hate train as total idiots.
There is some common sense appearing now and then, but it is rare.
For example, the ridiculous claim that Bush is a Nazi because his ancestors were bankers who worked with a (then) legitimate government is preposterous. Or accusing him of having some hidden agenda on China because his father (like millions of others) is investing in China is equally asinine.
Agree with all his politics? No, I don’t. But, I do not believe he is satan personified, either.
raptor – Criticising Bush for bringing harm to America is hardly “mindless” hate. However, if we were bent on destroying him for some personal pecadillo that WOULD qualify.
No disagreement, Ben.
What do you call the accusations that he is a Nazi because of his grandfather’s banking business? Personal attacks like that fall into the ridiculous, wouldn’t you agree?
Yes raptor – those attacks rank right down there with BJ attacks.
Will let Ben speak for himself, but I think the Nazi claim is crazy. Bush’s relatives did business with the Nazis, but turned the info they obtained on them over to the OSS. They were spying on the Nazis and thus began the family’s longstanding interest in Intelligence work.
I think my criticism of GW turns to irrational hatred when I think that he has no sense of policy and everything is politics. I think that is hurting our contry. I am especially annoyed when he tries to act like he’s an outsider and also irritated when the government does not work. He is the president. He is the boss. His failures should not be declared successes.
oops . . . “country” – hate it when I do that
Good point DD. An interesting observation might be that some of us might not have particularly liked Bush 1 (for example his horrible deficit spending) but we did not hate him. That is reserved for Bush 2. And it has NOTHING to do with ancestry.
Sum 1, the number of posts on that site is up 250 percent from when you posted.
So who wants to plan the “Thank you Harry Taylor” demonstration in our beloved Doo-Dah?
How did that guy get through the screening?
I mean clearly the audience was at least MOSTLY hand-picked given their thunderous applause at bush’s non-response to Mr Taylor. A random audience would have included more unpleasant questions and a divided crowd response given bush’s present numbers.
I am a “bush hater”.
I once was a Repuiblican. If I still was I would still have hated bush.I hate that he didn’t really want the job and was picked for his name to be basically a cardboard figurehead for a handful of power brokers. I hate the shameful way his campaign attacked John McCain. I hate that he did not win in 2004 but got the job anyway. I hate that he couldn’t even be graceful or concilliatory in his win and basically told eveyone who didn’t vote for hm ” I’m the president whether you like it or not so suck on it”
And that just takes us up to December 2000.
bush better get used to more of Mr. Taylor. He made his bed.
Or maybe he should just go hunting with cheney in an undisclosed location.
“Most of the sane people in this country have had it.”Brown, You’d think that wouldn’t you?Have you seen what they are trying to push off on the American people for an immigration bill?There’s not much sanety in that.
Which side, North?
The website now reports nearly 10,000 posts.Do we have a movement here?
Well said Guy.
I have been to the site that Sum1 liked to above. I need to go there again later and post. And then read, read, read.
I think the papers and the media should publish some of those posts.
HEY EAGLE EDITORIAL STAFF? How about a section of the editorial page devoted to comments from the thank mr. taylor site!
I encourage everyone to click that link. But a side note here. Notice the woman sitting next to Mr. Taylor and the look of horror on her face! What can SHE be thinking?
JR,I took her reaction as one of amazement and approval. Like “Man, Harry are you socking it to him now.”
I heard a recording on NPR – this Taylor guy was incredibly poised. At one point Bush interrupted him with a “What’s your question?!”
Taylor very calmed replied, “I don’t have a question, I am making a comment.”
Taylor for Congress!
North guy,The immigration bill is a joke on us. That is why I said most of the “sane” people. A lot of politicians that were in on this bill do not qualify. It is like they are giving up on trying to maintain order.A phrase to remember this November-”No incumbents”. It is time for the American people to retake their country. As far as I’m concerned, this is last call for the middle class. Speak now or forever hold your peace.
“A phrase to remember this November-”No incumbents”. It is time for the American people to retake their country. As far as I’m concerned, this is last call for the middle class. Speak now or forever hold your peace.”
YES! :thumbs up:
DDWell I guess that might be.
She is sitting next to him. Like maybe she is with him. My first take was she was thinking “NO!!!!! now theyr’e gonna bug our phone and send NSA to check us out!”
Don’t let that link get buried to far upthread. Someone……or Sum1 repost it please. It needs as much visibility as possible.
Harry Taylor, a giant among real men.http://www.thankyouharrytaylor.org/wordpress/archives/3#comments
Let the new battle cry be:
President bush? ANSWER HARRY!
So, who’s up for a Thank You Harry demonstration?
Sounds good to me, The Center for Peace and Social Justice might be interested, too.
6,692 thankyous so far.
Let’s hope this is the beginning of a movement. If any of those idiots in power knew what the constitution was, they would know it says “a government of the people, by the people, and for the people”.Not their twisted definition of what they are doing.
MrC.. and here I thought no one ever clicked my links.. thanks.
Jeez Sum1, I clicked your Yahoo link and it scared me to death! (the one on the open thread)I might not click on anymore of them, LOL. Might know these twits are planning another war.
I’ll have to go check that link out XXX. I try to read the links. Sometimes webtv cannot browse them.
My thank you to the awesome Mr. Taylor was #6,471.In it I called for a movement also. The battle cry is pres.bush? ANSWER HARRY!! If anyone posts that link, Thank Mr. Taylor and join the call for president bush to ANSWER HARRY!!
Keep refreshing that link on this thread so everyone sees it.
When a President has grown so arrogant and disconnected that he will not answer the concerns of the citizens, it is time to demand that he do so.
Somebody’s gonna get canned for not filtering out this critic.
The next thing you know people are gonna get the idea that the president works for THEM.
GW must have ripped out something brisk when he finally got off-stage.
7283 and still going strong.http://www.thankyouharrytaylor.org/wordpress/
The website for thanking Mr. Taylor for standing up to bush now promises that a bound copy of the thank yous will be presented to Karl Rove for presentation to the President.
7335 and counting.
pres.bush? ANSWER HARRY!!!
JR, if you find out why web tv can’t view them, I”ll try to post them in a way you can. let me know.
I know I read too much, but it scares me when so few people know what is really going on. so I send links.
7608 and counting, Sum.
About the “hate” sub-thread: Sometimes there isn’t that much left to say (I think flike, Ben, and JR pretty much stole my thunder). So I think I’ll just quote some musicians.
“Hatred is destructive, it is pointless, it gets you nowhere and achieves nothing. Anger, on the other hand, is very very useful.”– John Lydon, a.k.a. Johnny Rotten
“Always love. Hate will get you every time.” — Nada Surf
I am FURIOUS, and with good reason.
But we need more potato salad.
“here I thought no one ever clicked my links.. ”
I miss some (just like I miss some of Ed’s links), but, oh, you would be SO wrong about that one, sir!
Sum1, I always click on the links.
Sorry for being one of the haters here, but I admit it. I hate the guy like a rattlesnake. Why so much vitriol?
It is in direct proportion to how much I LOVE this country. Or what used to be this country. I hate him for his BLATENT disregard for the american people and the freedoms he uses to wipe his butt.
Of course, he doesnt PERSONALLY cause all the damage. He had proven to be adept at hiring people with the same penchant for pissing on the constitution and dancing on the graves of every freedom loving american who ever lived.
Yeah. I HATE the guy and all he has done to disgrace us. I WISH all he did was monica. He is doing far more damage to the america you bushies pretend to love.
I am reminded of the commercial about littering where the old Indian guy has a tear running down his cheek.
I dont see how anyone can say they love america, its freedoms, its history, and still support bush. The two are mutually exclusive.
Worst. President. EVER.
http://www.workingforchange.com/comic.cfm?itemid=19189
8486 thank yous for Harry Taylor. More than 52,000 visitors to that link.
We hear all the time about the liberal media.
But ya know what? I saw tape of this encounter 1 time
1 TIME!!
And that time was edited and did not show Mr. Taylor and bush in entirety.I wish I could see it again. Bush had a nasty smirk on his face the whole time. Also, I could swear I heard bush refer to Mr. Taylor as “her” when the voice was clearly male. An indirect shot? I wish I could see it again.
pres. bush? ANSWER HARRY!!
At one point in Harry’s talk, Bushytail said “no let him talk”. I was just wondering, was the securite service getting ready to jump him?
Thank you harryNo Incombents
An interesting take Guy.Why is this exchange not replayed? Why is Harry not interviewed?
As I posted above, I think this was still a mostly handpicked audience. Harry was let in to make his statement. But then bush got to play at actually hearing the public! He gets to be “seen” as the good guy saying “no let him talk” while he was secure in knowing that he will get applause from the largely hand picked audience for his response.
9,265 thank yous for Harry
Post that link again. It needs to stay on the screen.
pres. bush? ANSWER HARRY!!
Seems like the folks behind the “thank you Harry” website “heard” you mr.controversy. The site now includes info on “Thank you Harry” gatherings.
pres.bush? ANSWER HARRY!!
12,990 thank yous for the courageous patriot Harry Taylor so far.
I posted earlier that these are being made into a book form to present to the President.
It should also find a prominent place in the future bush library.
Of course, it will be the only REAL book there.
oops I forgot.
pres. bush? ANSWER HARRY!!
JR: Here are some stats to help put this groundswell in perspective. The 12,990 thank yous represent .004723% of the population. (not counting illegals)
JR, Will the “Bush Library” contain that book he was reading about the goat when somebody told this country was under attack { and he just sat there reading, or looking at the pictures }?
I think his library ought to have a statue of a “goat” out front { make it easier for him to find it }.
Nice try Out.
How many people have internet access?
Of that subset of the poulation, how many know about the story, given the medias scant coverage.Of that subset how many got the link?
13,000 people over a period of less than a week thanking a guy for standing up to the worst president in history may not be a “groundswell”.
But I’d call it significant.
There’s only about 4 of you true believing bush apologists left on the blog Out.If ya came here looking for company, I’d say you’re out of luck.
“My Pet Goat” SHOULD be included in the 911 exibit. Maybe with notes from bush as to how reading the book influenced his presidency and philosophy.
The United States has to disassociate itself from Israel and those Zionist pigs that run it. Is there any doubt left in anybody mind what these Zionist pigs are really all about?
http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0411/dailyUpdate.html
A guy from up north
As soon as someone offers an objection to Bush, security usually throws them out.
Outlander
Most people are working trying to pay for gasoline to get home { if they still have one }.
JR: Conservatives have always been badly outnumbered on this blog. You should be nice to us, because if we leave it would be awfully boring just agreeing amongst yourselves.
Outlander,
Being “nice”to you does not include ignoring facts or not posting them so that you can remain comforted in your delusion. You choose to steadfastly back a “man” who each day grows more and more indefensible. If it gets too tough you could leave. Or you could admit you were wrong and start being part of the solution instead of helping the problem. The blog will remain either way.
14,111 thank yous for Harry. Thats more than 1,000 in the last 24 hours and growing.
pres.bush? ANSWER HARRY!!!
16,138 thank yous for Harry Taylor who stood up and made bush spin.
Outlander?
pres.bush? ANSWER HARRY!!!