Posted on 09/08/2009 6:02:44 AM PDT by Sub-Driver
When Bush spoke to students, Democrats investigated, held hearings By: Byron York Chief Political Correspondent 09/08/09 7:11 AM EDT
The controversy over President Obama's speech to the nation's schoolchildren will likely be over shortly after Obama speaks today at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Virginia. But when President George H.W. Bush delivered a similar speech on October 1, 1991, from Alice Deal Junior High School in Washington DC, the controversy was just beginning. Democrats, then the majority party in Congress, not only denounced Bush's speech -- they also ordered the General Accounting Office to investigate its production and later summoned top Bush administration officials to Capitol Hill for an extensive hearing on the issue.
Unlike the Obama speech, in 1991 most of the controversy came after, not before, the president's school appearance. The day after Bush spoke, the Washington Post published a front-page story suggesting the speech was carefully staged for the president's political benefit. "The White House turned a Northwest Washington junior high classroom into a television studio and its students into props," the Post reported.
With the Post article in hand, Democrats pounced. "The Department of Education should not be producing paid political advertising for the president, it should be helping us to produce smarter students," said Richard Gephardt, then the House Majority Leader. "And the president should be doing more about education than saying, 'Lights, camera, action.'"
Democrats did not stop with words. Rep. William Ford, then chairman of the House Education and Labor Committee, ordered the General Accounting Office to investigate the cost and legality of Bush's appearance.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonexaminer.com ...
It’s really a sad state of affairs when the President of the United States cannot address school children, but that’s what it’s become. And both sides seem hell-bent on keeping it that way.
Faction is the death of republics.
did Bush have a lesson plan attached?
There is a difference, although the successful revision of this history is winning the day.
The MSM doesn’t care about what’s right or fair - only who’s ox is being gored.
This explains WHY WE DON'T WANT HIM TALKING TO OUR KIDS better than I can.
Bottom line, I don't trust Marxists bearing gifts.
Our out-of-touch Congress prefers to investigate our CIA operatives who are trying to protect us (And guess what?, they did!
Does anyone recall if Hillary (as former First Lady), like Laura Bush, gave a supporting statement for the President addressing students? Or was she neutral even?
People have forgotten what it was like to be a kid in school. Especially elementary school. Regardless of who is president, most kids will nap, doodle in their notebooks, send text messages, etc. during a speech (especially during one as long as Obama’s). The only thing that will bother the kids is whether they will have any classwork associated with the speech. In short, they will ask “Are we gonna have a quiz on this?”
Well, what do you know!!!!
I agree. Unfortunate that the president can't say a few words to kids without 1/2 the country wondering "What's his agenda?".
What's worse is that I felt the same way when this story first broke. And, with the changes in the speech and the "helpful lesson plan"....I feel vindicated in my fears.
Politics and children don't mix....ever. Even if I agree with the politician - I don't want them near my kids. Period. End of story.
also- the speech should’ve been video’d so people had a chance to view it first then make their decision- obama is a liar and as we know he has ulterior motives....
this is now my facebook status. liberal friends yelling at me in 3...2...1...
Republicans are evil and aren't allowed to do, say or advocate their positions....
The national people's democrat party can pretty much do whatever it feels like. Pay taxes, obey drunk driving laws, separate church and state... and on and on.. one hypocritical scam after another.
I almost would welcome a millennial economic and natural disaster in order to have the country get rid of the dead wood and parasites the old fashion way... they'd die cause they can't survive..... starting with the congress critters.
THAT's the problem we are having with this farce. Thank God for the blowback!
The last thing the Obama cult will use is a fact.
If the President wants to send a message about studying to school kids there are other ways to do it without a direct speech and the content should be limited to strictly study. The reason the idiot in chief didn't put his speech on the web weeks ago was because he wanted to be able to change it if need be and, of course, he did. I am glad we called him out on it and I am glad they changed the "study material" that was to accompany the speech, which is where the real danger was.
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precisely
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