Flotsam and Jetsam
Miscellaneous thoughts and observations.
The Celtics game almost made me sick last night. Seriously. I had to chew Tums during the whole 4th quarter. Between the Celtics blowing an 11-point lead, the awful offense of the Celtics late in the game, the questionable officials and the ABC announcers openly rooting for the Lakers - I thought I was going to throw-up... I don't see the resemblance either... Doc Rivers tried to keep the team fresh for the playoffs but in the end I think age caught up with the Celtics. There were no hops in Kevin Garnett's legs last night. None at all. He had creaky old knees last night. Ray Allen? When you get worn down your shot is one of the first things to suffer and his shooting was tired last night. Paul Pierce? How many drives to the basket did you see him finish by dunking the ball? I don't care what anyone says - the Celtics showed their age last night and their age didn't have enough left in the tank when it came to the 4th quarter last night... This story is just bizarre. Throwing a puppy at the Hells Angels and then stealing a bulldozer to get away? Bizarre... No team in the AL West has a winning record against teams above .500... Exactly how insane have big banks' risky gambles on derivatives gotten? Check out the jaw-dropping chart. That's scary stuff... One of George W Bush's least heralded accomplishments was the creation of the largest marine sanctuary in the world. Over 84 million acres the sanctuary is larger than 46 of our 50 states. I just bring this up for obvious reasons... World Cup Fever... Did you know that M&M's stands for "Mars & Murrie's," the last names of the candy's founders? I did not know that...
Showing posts with label President Bush. Show all posts
Showing posts with label President Bush. Show all posts
Monday, September 01, 2008
Wow - Just Wow
I'm convinced that history will be much kinder to President Bush than many people think. A free and democratic Iraq will do much to change the politics of the Middle east. Our economy is much better than Bush gets credit for. But the reason I think he'll be viewed much better is because stories like this will become more and more common and well known by both the public and historians alike:
I'm convinced that history will be much kinder to President Bush than many people think. A free and democratic Iraq will do much to change the politics of the Middle east. Our economy is much better than Bush gets credit for. But the reason I think he'll be viewed much better is because stories like this will become more and more common and well known by both the public and historians alike:
A short time later, the Secret Service opened the door and President Bush walked in. I thought we might get to shake his hand as he went through. But instead, he walked up to my wife with his arms wide, pulled her in for a hug and a kiss, and said, "I wish I could heal the hole in your heart." He then grabbed me for a hug, as well as each of our sons. Then he turned and said, "Everybody out."HT American Digest
A few seconds later, the four of us were completely alone behind closed doors with the President of the United States and not a Secret Service agent in sight.
He said, "Come on, let's sit down and talk." He pulled up a chair at the side of the room, and we sat down next to him. He looked a little tired from his trip, and he noticed that his shoes were scuffed up from leaning over concrete barriers to shake hands and pose for photos. He slumped down the chair, completely relaxed, smiled, and suddenly was no longer the President - he was just a guy with a job, sitting around talking with us like a family member at a barbeque.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
The George W. Bush Interview
[A Large Regular as shocked when President Bush not only accepted our invitation to be interviewed but also agreed to answer questions about the Alberto Gonzalez situation. Here is the interview. Enjoy.]
ALR: Mr. President thank you so much for joining us. I must say that I'm surprised that you chose this venue to speak out on the Alberto Gonzalez situation.
GWB: Glad to be here Chris. I don't mind doin' some straight talkin' to people with open minds and are willing to listen to reason and facts. I do mind John Conyers or Pat Leahy thinkin' my people should be at their beck and call.
ALR: I'll be honest and say that until this new angle of some sort of Constitutional showdown - I really wasn't paying any attention to the firing of these eight federal prosecutors.
GWB: Well that's not surprising Chris. Most average Americans didn't pay much attention to the firing of the eight lawyers. In the first place most average people have no sympathy for lawyers in high position who are suddenly out of a job and secondly most average people know what a job review is all about. I mean it was eight out of ninety-three. Any company that has adopted Jack Welsh's management practices regularly sees 10% of the workforce culled to make room for people who could do a better job or at least do the job equally well. We did our reviews and we decided that these eight people were going to be let go to make room for eight new lawyers.
ALR: The way I understand it all the lawyers are appointed anyway - so they are in effect employees at will. You don't even have to have cause - you can replace people at will. Also the firing of lawyers has always been the prerogative of the President. Why is Congress making a big deal out of this?
GWB: Well its not Congress so much. It really comes down to two groups - those who want to try to use any excuse to embarrass this Administration and those who think that any government job should be for life. Neither of these people care what the truth is - they just want a fight. Well I for one am not going to back down to these people. Its not like we'd be risking losing their votes. [GWB chuckles]
ALR: Well speaking of votes - couldn't this confrontation turn into an issue for the 2008 elections?
GWB: I sure hope so. Listen Chris - we drag this out and what happens? I'll tell you. Suddenly the nation starts seeing more and more of Pat Leahy and John Conyers and our studies have shown that nothing turns off independent voters off more than smug, self-righteous blowhards. Can you think of anyone more smug and self-righteous than Pat Leahy? He's like a huge gift for the Republicans. Also - if these people are serious about a fight then they by default make it a campaign issue for the Democratic candidates too. Soon they will have to answer whether if elected they will keep all the current lawyers in place or if they will fire them and bring in their own people. If they say that they will bring in their own people - then the candidates have to say that this is just a political smokescreen by people who just want a fishing expedition. Can you imagine it if the candidates started saying that they would keep all these Republican lawyers on the job? [GWB chuckles again]
ALR: Aren't you afraid of a bad precedent being set here? What if Karl Rove and Harriet Miers are forced to give testimony?
GWB: There are two political realities that have to be faced here and calmer heads within the Democratic Party should realize what is at stake. This isn't a question about Executive Privilege - this is a question of privacy. If a Congressional committee can force people at the highest levels of government to reveal their secrets - open up their private diaries if you will - then what protections exist for the average citizen? Remember - no crime has been committed - but yet Rove and Miers are expected to answer to a Democrat inquisition? Monty Python parodies of the Democrats can't be far behind. And if the general perception becomes that the Democrats want to big brother your secrets while the Republicans want to big brother the secrets of terrorists - then I think we all know how the 2008 elections will turn out.
ALT: You said their was two political realities. The first is that this is really about privacy. What is the second?
GWB: Well I'm a two-term President with no Vice-President running for election in 2008. History says that the Democrats should have a clear edge because voters like change. That's the fact. However, it also looks like the House and Senate may return to the Republicans in 2008. How ironic if the tactics of having top aides testify is set now but really used by a Republican Congress against a new Democrat President? What will that blowhard Pat Leahy say then? Smart people know to be careful of what you wish for.
ALR: Thank you so much for joining us and shedding light on this subject.
GWB: My pleasure Chris.
[A Large Regular as shocked when President Bush not only accepted our invitation to be interviewed but also agreed to answer questions about the Alberto Gonzalez situation. Here is the interview. Enjoy.]
ALR: Mr. President thank you so much for joining us. I must say that I'm surprised that you chose this venue to speak out on the Alberto Gonzalez situation.
GWB: Glad to be here Chris. I don't mind doin' some straight talkin' to people with open minds and are willing to listen to reason and facts. I do mind John Conyers or Pat Leahy thinkin' my people should be at their beck and call.ALR: I'll be honest and say that until this new angle of some sort of Constitutional showdown - I really wasn't paying any attention to the firing of these eight federal prosecutors.
GWB: Well that's not surprising Chris. Most average Americans didn't pay much attention to the firing of the eight lawyers. In the first place most average people have no sympathy for lawyers in high position who are suddenly out of a job and secondly most average people know what a job review is all about. I mean it was eight out of ninety-three. Any company that has adopted Jack Welsh's management practices regularly sees 10% of the workforce culled to make room for people who could do a better job or at least do the job equally well. We did our reviews and we decided that these eight people were going to be let go to make room for eight new lawyers.
ALR: The way I understand it all the lawyers are appointed anyway - so they are in effect employees at will. You don't even have to have cause - you can replace people at will. Also the firing of lawyers has always been the prerogative of the President. Why is Congress making a big deal out of this?
GWB: Well its not Congress so much. It really comes down to two groups - those who want to try to use any excuse to embarrass this Administration and those who think that any government job should be for life. Neither of these people care what the truth is - they just want a fight. Well I for one am not going to back down to these people. Its not like we'd be risking losing their votes. [GWB chuckles]ALR: Well speaking of votes - couldn't this confrontation turn into an issue for the 2008 elections?
GWB: I sure hope so. Listen Chris - we drag this out and what happens? I'll tell you. Suddenly the nation starts seeing more and more of Pat Leahy and John Conyers and our studies have shown that nothing turns off independent voters off more than smug, self-righteous blowhards. Can you think of anyone more smug and self-righteous than Pat Leahy? He's like a huge gift for the Republicans. Also - if these people are serious about a fight then they by default make it a campaign issue for the Democratic candidates too. Soon they will have to answer whether if elected they will keep all the current lawyers in place or if they will fire them and bring in their own people. If they say that they will bring in their own people - then the candidates have to say that this is just a political smokescreen by people who just want a fishing expedition. Can you imagine it if the candidates started saying that they would keep all these Republican lawyers on the job? [GWB chuckles again]
ALR: Aren't you afraid of a bad precedent being set here? What if Karl Rove and Harriet Miers are forced to give testimony?
GWB: There are two political realities that have to be faced here and calmer heads within the Democratic Party should realize what is at stake. This isn't a question about Executive Privilege - this is a question of privacy. If a Congressional committee can force people at the highest levels of government to reveal their secrets - open up their private diaries if you will - then what protections exist for the average citizen? Remember - no crime has been committed - but yet Rove and Miers are expected to answer to a Democrat inquisition? Monty Python parodies of the Democrats can't be far behind. And if the general perception becomes that the Democrats want to big brother your secrets while the Republicans want to big brother the secrets of terrorists - then I think we all know how the 2008 elections will turn out.ALT: You said their was two political realities. The first is that this is really about privacy. What is the second?
GWB: Well I'm a two-term President with no Vice-President running for election in 2008. History says that the Democrats should have a clear edge because voters like change. That's the fact. However, it also looks like the House and Senate may return to the Republicans in 2008. How ironic if the tactics of having top aides testify is set now but really used by a Republican Congress against a new Democrat President? What will that blowhard Pat Leahy say then? Smart people know to be careful of what you wish for.
ALR: Thank you so much for joining us and shedding light on this subject.
GWB: My pleasure Chris.
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