« ‘Pity’ Bush, Who Has Come to Review His ‘Foreign Policy Carcass’
California court overturns gay marriage ban »



Bush’s Comments Made Abroad About Obama: A New Low Amid Low Politics

May 15th, 2008
By JOE GANDELMAN, Editor-In-Chief


ThumbsDown.jpg

When President George Bush made comments in Israel accusing Democratic Senator Barack Obama of wanting to appease terrorism, it raised several issues.

First, he didn’t actually name Obama so the White House could say it was all in Mr. Obama’s mind. This is the pols’ timeless technique of “plausible deniability” — although in this case only a jar of sauerkraut sitting on the shelf at Stop & Shop in New Haven, Connecticut would think Bush is actually being misunderstood.

The problem: Bush had made comments on Tuesday similar but not quite as blunt as the ones he chose to make on foreign soil. Read our earlier post to recap and be sure to see the update with the link to his earlier comments (and from Senator Joe Lieberman saying Bush got it exactly right).

Secondly, over the years when Democrats made sharply partisan comments from foreign soil blasting the U.S. Republicans, many independents, and some Democrats angrily denounced them. Using foreign soil to blast your own country or candidates is considered one of the lowest forms of politics. But without reading blog commentary or watching and listening to Republican commentators this independent voter (who voted for Ronald Reagan) knows what the argument most likely is in most quarters: strip it away and it’s “It’s OK if Bush does it” (because he has an “R” in front of his name) but if Obama did it he would be lambasted.

But the Philadelphia Daily News’ Will Bunch says it better than I can because I’m still absorbing the spectacle of someone who is supposed to represent ALL OF US including Democrats and independents having in the space of one week TWICE equated Democrats and now Obama (nameless but read our previous post) with appeasement and suggesting that unless you vote for his party you may die in a terrorist attack.

So here are generous portions from Bunch’s post with some comments:

I’ve seen a lot of sad things in American politics in my lifetime — the resignation of a president who became a national disgrace after he oversaw a campaign of break-ins and cover-ups, another who circumvented the Constitution to trade arms for hostages, and yet is now hailed as national hero. And those paled to what we have seen in the last seven years — flagrant disregard for the Constitution, the launching of a “pre-emptive” war on false pretenses, and discussions about torture and other shocking abuses inside the White House inner sanctum.

But now it’s come to this: A new low that I never imagined was even possible.

President Bush went on foreign soil today, and committed what I consider an act of political treason: Comparing the candidate of the U.S. opposition party to appeasers of Nazi Germany — in the very nation that was carved out from the horrific calamity of the Holocaust. Bush’s bizarre and beyond-appropriate detour into American presidential politics took place in the middle of what should have been an occasion for joy: A speech to Israeli’s Knesset to honor that nation’s 60th birthday.


I’ve said it before on TMV: George Bush has governed as if he is President of the Base instead of President of the United States and ALL Americans. He has worked hard to attain his record-breaking low approval ratings but it’s clear he feels he has more work to do before he leaves office. More Bunch:

As a believer in free speech, I think Bush has a right to say what he wants, but as a President of the United States who swore to uphold the Constitution, his freedom also carries an awesome and solemn responsibility, and what this president said today is a serious breach of that high moral standard.

Of course, there are differences of opinion on how America should handle Iran, and that’s why we’re having an election here at home, to sort these issues out — hopefully with respect and not with emotional and inaccurate appeals. Not only is the president’s comment a gross misrepresentation of Barack Obama’s stance on the issue, but ironically, it comes just a day after his own Secretary of State, Robert Gates, said of Iran: “We need to figure out a way to develop some leverage . . . and then sit down and talk with them.” Is Gates a Nazi appeaser-type, too? And Bush has been hardly consistent on this point, either. Look at his own dealings with oil-rich Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi, linked to deadly terror attacks like Pan Am Flight 103.

But what Bush did in Israel this morning goes well beyond the accepted confines of American political debate, When the president speaks to a foreign parliament on behalf of our country, his message needs to be clear and unambiguous. Our democracy may look messy to outsiders, and we may have our disagreements with some sharp elbows thrown around, but at the end of the day we are not Republicans or Democrats or liberals or conservatives.

It is a mindset - part of what I call the “talk radio political culture” of 21st century America. It’s the mindset of divide and rule — that keeping your party in power means its OK to use exaggerations, press hot buttons so you are supported not due to the quality of your ideas, policies and how you argue them, but by making Americans hate or fear other Americans.

Just as FDR and Eisenhower will be remembered for having brought people together, and Ronald Reagan managed to disarm critics with his charm and considerable wit, Bush will be remembered for what in the 1960s they called “gut politics” and in essence adapting a form of McCarthyism to 21st century issues. Instead of being soft on communism, it’s now soft on terrorism.

It WORKS. But it eschews genuine thoughtful dialogue in favor of misrepresentation, exaggeration and inaccurate definition. MORE:

We are Americans.

And you, Mr. Bush, are the leader of us all. To use a diplomatic setting on foreign soil to score a cheap political point at home is way beneath your office, way beneath your country, and way beneath the people you serve. You have been handed an office once uplifted to great heights by fellow countrymen from Washington to Lincoln to Roosevelt to Eisenhower, and have plunged it so deeply into the Karl-Rove-and-Rush-Limbaugh-fueled world of political destruction and survival of all costs that have lost all perspective — and all sense of decency. To travel to Israel and to associate a sitting American senator and your possible successor in the Oval Office with those who at one time gave comfort to an enemy of the United States is, in and of itself, an act of political treason.

Bunch ends with this:

Today, it’s a whole new ballgame. I believe this treacherous statement by a U.S. president in Israel is a signal to the Democrats in the House in Washington, that it’s time to play its Constitutional role in ending this trauma, before even greater acts against the interest of America are wrongly committed in our name.

It’ll never happen, won’t come to that and it would be a huge mistake on the part of the Democats if they did just that (which they won’t).

Elections are on the horizon. Democrats would find themselves playing defensive action as the GOP message machine (talk radio, cable shows, new and old media pundits) would portray Bush as the victim. It could actually boomerang and rally the GOP base. Remember the Bill Clinton impeachment?

What is certain is that there will be a segment of Americans who will feel that those who support and defend this kind of political statement don’t deserve their support as individuals and as a party. This independent voter votes by mail. And Mr. Bush is making my decision very easy for me.

P.S. It’s now a cliche of blogging that if you dare take a strong stand on an issue you can’t be a moderate, independent or centrist, a contention not shown in polls or in American history read this book written by former Bill Clinton/Rudy Guiliani aide, centrist John Avlon.).

In fact, it isn’t being moderate if you enable or remain silent when a whole party and a candidate is demonized…twice in one week. Bush is making the best argument now for independent voters to vote a protest vote.

This isn’t a matter of being pro-Obama, or pro-McCain or pro-Clinton or pro-Barr. It’s a matter of being an American who respects the other views of other Americans and wants to see them portrayed accurately — particularly by elected officials who ought to know better.

And who already do.

Many. Of. Us. Have. Had. Enough. Of. This.

To read considerable blog commentary on this issue, go HERE.



This entry was posted on Thursday, May 15th, 2008 at 10:34 am and is filed under Bush Administration, Hamas, Democratic Party, Elections, Independents, Foreign Policy, Demonization, Newsweek Blogitics, Republican Party, John McCain, Barack Obama, Iran, Middle East, 2008 Elections, Independent Voters, Democrats, Israel, Republicans, George W. Bush, Politics. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Viewing 35 Comments

    • ^
    • v
    I believe that Mr. Bush portrayed the views of Bigger accurately. He can whine all he wants, he still ain't gonna get the car keys this time around.
    • ^
    • v
    Bush is like that contractor you hired to remodel your house. He comes in, tears things up, goes way over budget and takes so long to do the job you decide to hire someone else. He can't finish the job but keeps telling us how great he is and how nice its all going to be when he's done.

    Where Goerge W. Bush gets off lecturing anyone on international affairs is beyond me. That guy isn't qualified to read books to children on the topic.
    • ^
    • v
    Joe, to the idea "it's okay if Bush does it," I think we can add another opinion that PWT represents, namely, "it's okay as long as it's against [insert American I disagree with here]."

    More generally, it seems that the difference between foreign soil and american soil is decreasing rapidly as far as information and ideas are concerned. 100 years, and even 30 years ago, it was a big deal to cross an international border for most Americans. There was some possibility of acting one way at home and one way abroad. However, today everyone in most foreign nation are fully aware of the internal American divisions and the rhetoric used.
    • ^
    • v
    Bigger? You mind explaining that phrasing there, genius?
    • ^
    • v
    PWT, that is an interesting nickname there. Are you off your meds? I can't find any other references of it on teh googles. Care to tell us how you came up with it? You've used it on a couple of posts here now, and I have a feeling your welcome is just about over...
    • ^
    • v
    Finally!

    Bigger Thomas is the main character in the novel, 'Native Son'. My view is that Mr. Obama is Bigger Thomas and that the Dalton family is a proxy for the United States of America. However, this time, we ain't gonna give him the keys to the car.
    • ^
    • v
    Bush-bashing and other lefty tantrums reach an all new low.

    Cheer up, children -- tomorrow gives you a chance to go lower.
    • ^
    • v
    "Where Goerge W. Bush gets off lecturing anyone on international affairs is beyond me."

    This is something so obvious even George W. Bush can get it right.

    The rabid anti-war left-wing fringe in this country is a disgrace to this country as well as an effective disgrace to the memory of Neville Chamberlain, who wrong as he was, had plenty of company and had a lot underpinning the position he and many others took at the time. The modern anti-war dolts, who are aping both the truly traitorous anti-Vietnam-war extremists (those who sent care packages to the Viet Cong should have been executed promptly on their college campuses, hung from inside the tower of the Berkeley Campanile, for example) and the pro-Soviet Usual Suspect scuzz of the anti-Reagan, anti-USA-and-West Eighties, who are now anti-USA-West-and-Israel, pro-terrorist-and-Iran, even merely as useful idiots, have no sound history behind them or any other, less substantial, excuses.

    The most shallow and stupid are simply knee-jerk, lock-step Anti-War, Anti-Bush [tm].
    • ^
    • v
    "However, this time, we ain't gonna give him the keys to the car."

    Americans may hand him the keys given McCain is the other guy who wants them.

    A lot of kids would think it's hip to give them to Junior rather than to dull Grandpa.
    • ^
    • v
    Uh DLS, I'd like to note for the record that the citizens you call "The rabid anti-war left-wing fringe in this country," and "anti-Bush™" now comprise way more than 60% of the population.
    • ^
    • v
    "This is something so obvious even George W. Bush can get it right"

    Really? OMFG REALLY? Are you insane or just stupid? Turn on the news pal, look up some archived footage from 2003 on. Note its the SAME in content, language, and where are at in terms of progress in the GWOT as today. If anything we've backslid using Bush's ideal version of interntaional policymaking. At what point do you pro war folks take a minute to examine the facts and say the truly obvious, "This isn't working, maybe we should try a differnt tact."

    Talking is not surrendering. No nations are going to be ceded to Iranian expansion. None of these countries is going to invade its neighbors, much less us, without a swift and crushing response from the world a la Gulf War I. How utterly obvious does it have to be for you gusy to see the shoot first talk later approach has been boning us ever since Bush began implementing it. Don't you guys ever care about actual results instead of tough talk and shoot from the hip policy that gets us nowhere?

    P.S. - I am VERY pro-Israel and have not much more than contempt for the fuedal backwards and self destructive ways of their neighbors in the region. I'm ok for wars, as long as they are not just because a leader is too lazy to try work things out in other ways first.
    • ^
    • v
    Bigger Thomas is the main character in the novel, 'Native Son'. My view is that Mr. Obama is Bigger Thomas and that the Dalton family is a proxy for the United States of America. However, this time, we ain't gonna give him the keys to the car.
    • ^
    • v
    Great, I came up with an original nickname. Yea me!

    Bigger Thomas is the main character in the novel, 'Native Son'. My view is that Mr. Obama is Bigger Thomas and that the Dalton family is a proxy for the United States of America. However, this time, we ain't gonna give him the keys to the car.
    • ^
    • v
    Considering that the Bush family were Nazi collaborators, its expecially distasteful to hear Bush using Nazi analogies.

    Diplomacy is not appeasement, something the Bush administration has refused to understand.' Diplomacy doesn't sell tanks and bombers.

    Such a brazen reference to US politics while addressing a foreign nation is the depths of abuse of the trust of the US population.
    • ^
    • v
    President Bush has opened up a Pandora's Box in American politics. Don't get mad if the same is done to the candidate you may support in the future by the standing president.
    • ^
    • v
    The money quote in the article Joe cites is this:
    "President Bush went on foreign soil today, and committed what I consider an act of political treason: Comparing the candidate of the U.S. opposition party to appeasers of Nazi Germany..."

    As Joe notes, Democrats travelling abroad have not hesitated to criticize Bush brutally. (see Pelosi & Lantos' ill-fated mission to the Middle East to establish an "alternative Democratic foreign policy". Very very few Democrats have condemned this.

    However, to criticise Sen. Obama abroad is an "act of political treason"?

    Treason can only be performed against one's country...and is often a capital offense.

    So...to criticize Obama is now an Act of Treason for those on the Left (who have NEVER hesitated to slam the current U.S. President abroad!).

    Is Senator Obama now the United States?

    Lurxst said: "Considering that the Bush family were Nazi collaborators, its expecially distasteful to hear Bush using Nazi analogies."

    Hahaha...the BushHitler meme. Grandpa Bush served as a director for some of Thyssen's front companies in the 30s until they were seized in the war. I gather some Holocaust survivors are suing President Bush for 40 billion for his family's alleged profiting from slave labour during the war (which would be difficult as said company's were shut by the US govt). There is, BTW, no proof that Bush grandpere was ever a "Nazi collaborator". Seriously...the elevators in my apartment building are made by Thyssen...can the residents of my building be sued?

    In short: President Bush can be accused of being a Nazi freely, by Democrats at home and abroad.

    As WIll Bunch says in Philly.com: For Senator Obama to be criticized is an ACT OF "POLITICAL TREASON"!

    As Godwin's law has been broken already, I will go further with the analogy:

    For criticism of Obama to be treason, Obama must be identified with the United States of America.
    The United States is Senator Obama. Senator Obama is the United States.
    One people. One country. One Obama.

    All criticism of Obama is therefore "political treason"!
    • ^
    • v
    BTW: To be fair...from an historical and political perspective...Obama is totally right about talking with Iran and anyone else. Bush is TOTALLY wrong.

    Senator Obama probably understands that states are not monolithic. There are diverse factions in Iran, as in the US.

    For example: To continue with the Nazi analogy... At several points prior to WWII...during the Rhineland crisis...and the Sudetenland...the German High Command was in contact with Great Britain. The highest levels of the German military were prepared to overthrow Hitler and arrest all member of the SS.

    Had Great Britain shown backbone...and been willing to talk to the Oberkommand...WWII and the Holocaust would not have happened. Hitler would have been arrested and executed.

    In short: Obama is probably right on this one...Bush is probably wrong.

    (My complaint above was with the "political treason" reference...and the disturbing adulation of Obama on the Left).
    • ^
    • v
    Yea, the treason metaphor was pretty lame. But then so was the comparison of dealing diplomatically with our rivals appeasement. One was done by a pundit, one was done by the president of the United States who should know better, but unfortunately does not. Considering Bush himself has done so much to point out the errors in a shoot first approach to international policy, he REALLY should know better. In fact, all I heard was:

    "My democratic successor would likely to do things radically different from the ways I've done which have made a mess of the middle east. He's obviously an idiot for not following in my footsteps and screwing up like I have. "
    • ^
    • v
    So how's it feel to be in the 28-32 percentile of Kool-Aid drinkers? Seriously,
    in Norse mythology Trolls are only active at night and turn to stone by day.


    You'll find, if you have been watching the primaries, that millions center-left , independents and Republicans have woken from wool-covered coma this administration has pulled over our eyes. We are mad as hell and aren't gonna take it. Hear that? That's the sound of change coming....in the words of Lee Iaccoca- Lead, Follow or get the F*** out the way!
    • ^
    • v
    I'm DLS, I have no standards for my president.

    Don't you have some Noam Chomsky books to burn, DLS?
    • ^
    • v