Ex-Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill blasts Bush (SOUR GRAPES ALERT!!!)

CBS MarketWatch.com ^ | 1/9/04 | Corbett B. Daly

[SierraWasp]

11:21am 01/09/04

Ex-Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill blasts Bush By Corbett B. Daly

WASHINGTON (CBS.MW) -- Former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill blasted President Bush in a forthcoming book, charging that the president lacks curiosity and does not engage his aides in discussions about policy. In cabinet meetings, Bush is so disengaged that he is "like a blind man in a roomful of deaf people," O'Neill is quoted as saying in The Price of Loyalty, by Ron Suskind. Separately, O'Neill tells CBS News in an interview to be broadcast on 60 Minutes this Sunday that his first meeting with Bush was "mostly a monologue." "I went in with a long list of things to talk about and,... I was surprised it turned out me talking and the president just listening," O'Neill said in the television interview. White House spokesman Scott McClellan declined to comment. "I don't do book reviews," McClellan told reporters at the White House.

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

I guess listening to people is a sign of stupidity in D.C.. I now understand why think Clarence Thomas is stupid. He has a reputation for listening and not asking a lot of questions.

[ccmay]

Who cares! What the hell does he know about economics anyway?

-ccm

[Miss Marple]

I think you are thinking of Don Evans and his wife, who are from Midland. I don't believe the president knew O'Neill before appointing him to the cabinet. O'Neill was Cheney's suggestion.

[Ciexyz]

Good riddance.

[Dog Gone]

Bush is stupid. What an original criticism.

I wonder how Bush manages to outsmart the Democrats, not to mention Old Europe, and half the countries in the Middle East.

[Theodore R.]

Where did Bush find O'Neill in the first place? Who recommended him? We know HClinton recommended Craig Livingstone, but who recommended O'Neill?

[Miss Marple]

Cheney.

[Libertarian444]

in an interview to be broadcast on 60 Minutes this Sunday

Ahhhh, 60 Minutes (a.k.a. Propaganda arm of the DNC)...

[Theodore R.]

Why did Cheney recommend O'Neill? I didn't know this.

[bayourod]

"president lacks curiosity... Bush is so disengaged... I was surprised it turned out me talking and the president just listening,"

Bush listens because he is curious and is engaged. After one day with him I felt like he had drained my brain of all I knew. When he talked, it was usually to tell a humorous story.

[SierraWasp]

"After one day with him I felt like he had drained my brain of all I knew."

Sounds about right to me!!!

[duckman]

"Why for the love of all that's holy does anyone in govt see the need to have anything to do with that guy?"

Anything to keep him out of the recording studio.

[Miss Marple]

I believe Cheney has known him for some time.

[StolarStorm]

I wonder who Bush was listening to when he came up with this new immigration boondongle.

[rintense]

From what I've heard about GWB, he takes input from all sides and makes his own conclusions instead of taking one person's idea and running. He doesn't micro manage like Clinton did. And to me, that's a good thing. It weeds out the non-team players.

[txrangerette]

Joe & Jan O'Neill of Midland, TX,
are George & Laura's close amigos,
which has nothing to do with Paul
& his wife or this story. That is
where the confusion is, I believe.

Cheney knew Paul from having been
in government work with him many
years ago. And that he did a good
job at Alcoa. Dick suggested him.

Not even Cheney is perfect.

[txrangerette]

See #36

[CyberAnt]

And .. does this explain to everyone why he is no longer in the Bush admin ..??

[homemom]

THANK you both so much for the clarification! I hate it when I say something that turns out to be wrong, so appreciate your correction.

[txrangerette]

You're welcome, homemom.