Bush's memoir: 6 key revelations
Thu Nov 4, 9:55 am ET
New York – George W. Bush's "Decision Points" hits stores next week, but enticing details have already emerged regarding his lowest points and most controversial decisions
On November 9, George W. Bush will release his memoir Decision Points, a chronicling of the most important decisions of his presidency and personal life. Ahead of the book's release, Bush sat down with NBC's Matt Lauer for an interview (scheduled to air Monday, Nov. 8), and The New York Times posted an early review of the book. What have we learned so far about this "most casual of memoirs?" (Watch an excerpt from the Lauer interview)
1. A low point: Kanye West's attack
Bush says he should have reacted to Hurricane Katrina more quickly and was laid low by Kanye West's infamous declaration that "George W. Bush doesn't care about black people" during a post-Katrina telethon. Bush calls the incident "one of the most disgusting moments in my presidency;" for his part, West now sympathizes with the president, reports The Toronto Sun.
2. On waterboarding: "Damn right"
When Bush was asked to approve the waterboarding of Khalid Sheik Mohammed, the architect of the 9/11 attacks, his reply was an emphatic "Damn right." Though human rights experts say this admission "could one day have legal consequences for him," according to The Washington Post, Bush writes that he "would make the same decision again to save lives."
3. Cheney almost dropped from '04 ticket
In the run-up to the 2004 presidential election, Vice President Dick Cheney offered to remove himself from the ticket, given his unpopularity and reputation as a "Darth Vader"-type figure. Bush considered the offer and "thought of picking Sen. Bill Frist, then the majority leader, as his running mate," but decided against it. As W. recounts in Decision Points, "I hadn't picked [Cheney] to be a political asset; I had chosen him to help me do the job."
4. A "sickening feeling" about Iraq
Bush tells Matt Lauer that he "was a dissenting voice on Iraq" who gave "diplomacy every chance to work." He also reveals that he felt sickened on learning that weapons of mass destruction did not exist in Iraq. Despite his reservations, he believes that "the world is better off without Saddam Hussein in power."
5. A candid take on his addictions
Bush will open up about his alcoholism in the very first chapter of Decision Points. The opening chapter, titled "Quitting", begins with the words: "It was a simple question, 'Can you remember the last day you didn't have a drink?'"
6. Approved shooting down 9/11 plane
The 43rd president admits that he gave an order to shoot down hijacked passenger planes on September 11, and initially thought Flight 93 — the jet brought down in a Pennsylvania field by a passenger revolt — had been brought down by the military.
Sources: Washington Post, Toronto Sun, New York Times, ABC News, Chicago Sun-Times
George Bush Revelations In New Book Due Out Soon
George Bush Revelations In New Book Due Out Soon
Your collective inability to acknowledge this obvious truth makes you all look like fools.
yrs,
rubato
Re: George Bush Revelations In New Book Due Out Soon
1) So a minor popstar's off-the-cuff indictment was more 'disgusting' than watching bodies floating in Lake Pontchartrain and police shooting fleeing civilians on the Danziger bridge? Watch the hurt fee-fees.
2) Ah, the Jack Bauer solution - just do away with all that pesky law, one signing statement does it all! "You're the boss, boss."
3) Yes, until he asked Cheney about naming a suitable replacement...and after sober consideration of the alternatives Cheney nominated himself for VP in '04, saving a bit of time and worry. As if Prince John fretted over the optics of the Sheriff of Nottingham's depredations.
4) '...he "was a dissenting voice on Iraq" who gave "diplomacy every chance to work."' If only those U.N. weapon inspectors under Hans Blix had respected the rapid pace of diplomacy, eh?
5) A person's addictions and chosen solutions to same are often used as cheap fodder for attack or sympathy - so I'll just say, 'Can you remember the last day your family didn't commit treason?'"
6) Cheney beat him to it. Unconstitutional I know, but "It's just a piece of paper" after all. No sense in quibbling over silly details.
;>)
2) Ah, the Jack Bauer solution - just do away with all that pesky law, one signing statement does it all! "You're the boss, boss."
3) Yes, until he asked Cheney about naming a suitable replacement...and after sober consideration of the alternatives Cheney nominated himself for VP in '04, saving a bit of time and worry. As if Prince John fretted over the optics of the Sheriff of Nottingham's depredations.
4) '...he "was a dissenting voice on Iraq" who gave "diplomacy every chance to work."' If only those U.N. weapon inspectors under Hans Blix had respected the rapid pace of diplomacy, eh?
5) A person's addictions and chosen solutions to same are often used as cheap fodder for attack or sympathy - so I'll just say, 'Can you remember the last day your family didn't commit treason?'"
6) Cheney beat him to it. Unconstitutional I know, but "It's just a piece of paper" after all. No sense in quibbling over silly details.
;>)
Hitman for the Riboflavin Tong
Re: George Bush Revelations In New Book Due Out Soon
Talking of waterboarding...
US Republican presidential hopefuls Herman Cain and Michele Bachmann have both said they would reinstate the waterboarding interrogation technique if elected.
Businessman Mr Cain said he does not support torture but would bring back the controversial practice, where captives experience the sensation of drowning, because he sees it as "enhanced interrogation".
George W Bush's administration argued using it saved lives as it led to valuable information being gleaned about terror attacks.
Mr Bush confirmed he had authorised its use to extract information from Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the al Qaeda mastermind behind the 9/11 atrocity.
However, Barack Obama banned the technique when he was elected to the White House.
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/republican-pai ... 55484.html
“If you trust in yourself, and believe in your dreams, and follow your star. . . you'll still get beaten by people who spent their time working hard and learning things and weren't so lazy.”
Re: George Bush Revelations In New Book Due Out Soon
No surprises.
1. The accusation by Kayne West (I've still never heard of him other than for this) was trivial in the extreme, but the remarkable thing about it was how it was played up by the MSM - as they played up everything that showed GWB in a negative light for 8 years. And of course, there is no defense to a charge of racism, which is why race-baiting poverty pimps use it so often.
2. Of course. Waterboarding was effective against KSM, as it was against many, many Islamic POW's. Why not use it?
3. It is routine for everyone from the VP on down to offer a resignation for the second term. Cheyney was always a "Company Man." Of course he offered to give up his seat. Anyone who knows his public personna assumed this already.
4. The only people who did not have a sick feeling when it became apparent that there were no significant caches of WMD's were the Democrats. Even the ones who voted to oust Saddam and SWORE that they knew he had them. Back-benchers like HRC, John Kerry, etc.
5. Not sure why this anyone's business or what (the fuck) it had to do with his presidency, but...
6. Christ, they've interviewed the F16 pilots who were scrambled to shoot it down. This is news?
1. The accusation by Kayne West (I've still never heard of him other than for this) was trivial in the extreme, but the remarkable thing about it was how it was played up by the MSM - as they played up everything that showed GWB in a negative light for 8 years. And of course, there is no defense to a charge of racism, which is why race-baiting poverty pimps use it so often.
2. Of course. Waterboarding was effective against KSM, as it was against many, many Islamic POW's. Why not use it?
3. It is routine for everyone from the VP on down to offer a resignation for the second term. Cheyney was always a "Company Man." Of course he offered to give up his seat. Anyone who knows his public personna assumed this already.
4. The only people who did not have a sick feeling when it became apparent that there were no significant caches of WMD's were the Democrats. Even the ones who voted to oust Saddam and SWORE that they knew he had them. Back-benchers like HRC, John Kerry, etc.
5. Not sure why this anyone's business or what (the fuck) it had to do with his presidency, but...
6. Christ, they've interviewed the F16 pilots who were scrambled to shoot it down. This is news?