Eight years later, how does George W. Bush define “compassionate conservatism,” the ideology that served him so well as a candidate? In an exit interview with National Review, he called it “the proper use of government to enable a hopeful society to develop based upon your talents and your success.” Bush said compassionate conservatism is a “philosophy that most people adhere to” and predicted that “conservatives will rebound.” He also defended the invasion of Iraq and his failed attempt to reform Social Security, and expressed regret about not having a third Supreme Court appointment to make. All in all, he said, “I’m comfortable that I have made principled decisions for eight years, that I was unwilling to sacrifice those principles for the sake of short-term approbation.”
Meanwhile, on our Opinion page today, columnist Leonard Pitts ruminates on the early drafters of pro-Bush history he says are seeking to “impose a sunnier, more forgiving view on the past eight years than the facts will support.”
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38 Comments
History will be kinder to Bush than today’s liberals.
He wasn’t swayed by opinion polls to try to win any popularity contests.
RealClearPolitics Poll Averages
President Bush Job Approval
Approve: 26.0
Disapprove: 69.8
But keep it in perspective on how Americans feel about the rest of their federal government:
Democrats Congressional Job Approval
Approve: 18.4
Disapprove: 73.4
Worst Congress ever?
History will be kinder to Bush than today’s liberals.
. . .because it will confirm that Darth Cheney was the one really running the show.
He also wasn’t swayed by facts, his true enemy!
National review lobbed him a few softballs and called it an interview.
I wish someone would ask him…
“How does it feel to be the most hated person on the planet?
“What do you say to WIDELY held belief that you are the worst President in history?”
Bush looks back in contentment, The world looks back with contempt.
They should have asked him, “In 8 yrs. what have you done right?”
Although I am very disappointed in President Bush and he HAS made mistakes (but then haven’t we all?).
The HATE has got to stop.
There will be mistakes by our new president elect also. Does that mean he is not a good human being?
Take time to think before judging harshly. Time will tell and history will record.
How does it feel to be the most hated person on the planet?
More hated by Americans than Osama Bin Laden?
eeeh?
Take time to think before judging harshly
Hey there olaydt!!!!
1. think
2. judge
You gotta be posting on the wrong blog.
“Bush looks back in contentment”
http://www.caganer.com/galeria.php?cat_id=2&img_id=8
Hey
Hey RoaCH—-
Thanks, you made my day and made me smile.
There ARE some positive blogs, aren’t there?
Interesting that when the Iraqi journalist threw his shoes at Bush, he construed it as a physical attack. To a Muslim, throwing shoes at someone is an extreme insult. One of the hotels in Bagdad has a portrait of Bush inlaid into the floor tiles, and very few Iraqis fail to step on it when walking through. Gives you some idea as to their gratitude to Bush and the US for “liberating” them!
roach,
“More hated by Americans than Osama Bin Laden?”
Well, he certainly screwed over more of us than Bin Laden could ever hope to!
Bush has hung is legacy on Iraq as has been written.
I hope he lives long enough to see how that turns out.
Bin Laden was incapable of bringing America to its knees, not so GWB!
Americans should display the bottoms of their old shoes fron Jan 12th thru Jan 19, as a farewell tribute.
Americans should display the bottoms of their old shoes fron Jan 12th thru Jan 19, as a farewell tribute.
Got old shoes? Mail them to W., as our own “farewell.”
Mr_Kia
Posted December 15, 2008 at 2:29 pm | Permalink
Bush has hung is legacy on Iraq as has been written.
I hope he lives long enough to see how that turns out.
–
You make it sound like George W. is going to keel over the minute he hits the plane for home.
As for the Iraq War – how do you think it is going to turn out? Iraqi’s prime minister has already betrayed us by cozying up to the president of Iran. We are talking about a Middle East country that has nothing to offer but oil. This part of the world has known nothing but war and you think just because George W. Bush saw fit to invade Iraq that all is going to turn into lollipops and sunshine?
If you think George W. Bush and Dick Cheney invaded Iraq for democracy – then that is where you were started down the road of nonsense. This was a war for the control of the oil – and a little bit of revenge for Daddy Bush on the side.
And just because Bush never compromised is not necessarily a good thing – only fools hold onto their beliefs even when proven wrong. Bush had several generals telling him the war was not going ood and instead of listening to them – Bush got rid of these generals. So much for wisdom from Bush, huh?
Hey it is almost over, that gives me a nice warm fuzzy. :)
I don’t think the verdict on Iraq will be known for 25-50 years.
Will a Democracy be able to remain in the region?
What impact will a Democracy have on it’s neighbors?
Bush says “I’m comfortable that I have made principled decisions for eight years, that I was unwilling to sacrifice those principles for the sake of short-term approbation.”
In his short 8 years, the WMD’s on Wall Street exploded. His failure of federal appointments running the SEC is example. From Enron to now.
Many corporations and investors lost their investments. Corporations put those losses on consumers manipulating interest rates on badly written contracts. Mortgages, car loans, business and personal loans of any kind. Fees increased on consumers. Prices on store shelves rose because the corporate lost investment money.
The SEC and Department of Justice on Friday launched parallel suits against Madoff, 70, who oversaw Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities LLC. Both agencies are trying to identify if any assets remain, but regulatory observers argue that there were several warning signs that should have triggered an SEC investigation much earlier.
The Madoff scandal couldn’t have come at a worse time for the hedge-fund industry, which already is reeling from record losses this year.
Madoff’s investment-advisory business was subjected to oversight by the SEC in 2006, but a regulatory observer familiar with the fund said that agency staffers in the SEC’s Office of Compliance, Inspections and Examinations never conducted a serious scrutiny of the fund.
“The big concern is whether the SEC has adequate resources and the will to identify this kind of fraud,” said Consumer Federation of America director Barbara Roper.
The agency is charged with examining the books of new funds registered with the SEC, with follow-up reviews taking place every three years for high risk institutions.
The SEC has failed their job for 8 years, slow to react.
Thanks, Mrage–
And since Madoff didn’t just screw Moms and Pops out of their saving but also some very, very rich people–like Mortimer Zuckerman, owner of US News and World Report–maybe this time the fat cats will be the ones to demand the regulation protection that will benefit everyone.
“There will be mistakes by our new president elect also. Does that mean he is not a good human being?”
It depends. If he invades a country that poses no threat to us killing many thousands of civilians in the process, that’s not a mistake.
That’s a freaking war crime.
Bush says “I’m comfortable that I have made principled decisions for eight years, that I was unwilling to sacrifice those principles for the sake of short-term approbation.”
Does he even know what half those words mean?
The main thing people will remember about the end of Dubya’s foul administration is someone throwing shoes at him.
It is a historical, hysterical moment, a perfect cap to him sitting there for seven minutes reading a kid’s book while people were dying in New York and at the Pentagon.
Don’t let the door….
Dennis
That other idiot Kudlow, was discussing whether there should even be an SEC, being as how they didn’t catch Madoff. Typical repub strategem, appoint someone to oversee an agency, someone who’ll fail miserably, then try and get the agency eliminated all together.
By their logic, every admin agency should be done away with after failing their charters under the decider.
I cannot deny that for some it really is nothing more than partisan politics. But for many of us the hatred of G.W. Bush has nothing to do with a party affiliation. Often it maybe easier for some of the loyalists to dismiss what has been said about the Bush administration as simply mindless partisanship.
But the facts remain the same and are not even denied by the Administration.
Just today Cheney stated that even if they knew for certain that Saddam did not have WMDs. We would have still invaded. That there was nothing Saddam could have done to avoid it. It is as much admitting that the administration could not have cared less about 9-11 and those who died and those whom attacked the U.S. It just was not important to them compare to their personal desires.
I will break a no-no, to think that the hatred of G.W. Bush is solely because he is a Republican is like thinking the hatred of Hitler is solely because of him being a member of the Nazi party. What I mean is that it is his actions and the effect of his actions on the country that is the basis of the hatred. There is nothing noble or honorable about the decision of the Bush Administration to invade Iraq. There is nothing admirable about the violation of the Constitution and the disregard of the laws of the land and those of the civilized world. In the pretense of defending the country it belittled the scarifies of the those whom fight and died to for this country.
Tell me if you’ve heard this one:
Sad Christmas News From Washington -
There will be no Nativity Scene in Washington
this year! The Supreme Court has ruled that there cannot be a Nativity Scene in our capitol this Christmas season. This isn’t for any religious reason; they simply have not been able to find Three Wise Men in the Nation’s capitol, nor could they find a virgin.
P.S. There was no problem, however, finding enough asses to fill the stable.
“I’m comfortable that I have made principled decisions for eight years, that I was unwilling to sacrifice those principles for the sake of short-term approbation.”
‘Cuz me while I go throw up.
Bush Looks Back in Contentment
The World Looks Back in Contempt
*****
The fact that Bush is clueless of how he’s regarded is absolutely par for the course . . .
Looks like freedom is reigning in Iraq. Journalist being charged with insulting the Prime Minister and his guest.
Al-Zeidi was held Monday in Iraqi custody for investigation and could face charges of insulting a foreign leader and the Iraqi prime minister, who was standing next to Bush. Conviction carries a sentence of up to two years in prison or a small fine — although it’s unlikely he would face the maximum penalty given his newfound cult status in the Arab world.
You know Writer, you give me hope for republicans.
The gleeful support of the left toward the shoe throwing wacko is sadly familiar. Instead of noticing the lack of respect the journalist exhibited toward America, they are motivated by their hatred of their own president. I’m reminded of the liberal support of the nutty Hugo Chavez.
Here is a question for the consideration of that shoe thrower and his “American” supporters. What would have happened if that nut had thrown a shoe at Saddam Hussein?
“Instead of noticing the lack of respect the journalist exhibited toward America”
Watch the video again out.
When bush ducked that second shoe?
It hit an American flag.
And I have LOVED the right wing reaction to this. bush is lauded for his spetacular ducking skill!
Hell, he’s only been practicing those since the 60’s!
Instead of noticing the lack of respect the journalist exhibited toward America,
Let’s talk R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Just how much of it did we have for the Iraqi people?
I don’t hate Dubya. I find him disgusting. Like Mary, he makes me want to hurl.