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.

[My Dog Likes Me]

Aww, give O'Neill a break, folks. Signing dollar bills all day long would drive any man to the brink!

[thesummerwind]

One hell of a competitor and one hell of a guy.

[thesummerwind]

Wow.......liked your profile page. But someday you must accept my freepmail. Oh yes, you must.

Anyhow, great p-page. We must come up with some secret code in the future because I don't act like a 5 year old, oh I know, after I post to you look at your mail in the next 24 hours, but not this time! ;) BTW, is 'Kantian' your first name?

[Rome2000]

So the Bush Adminsitration had contingency plans to invade Iraq.

And the Clinton Administration didn't?

O'Neil is a complete moron.

[thesummerwind]

I post a pic of Bush with Bubba the crook with the comment good point. Bush hanging out with crook. Crook Bubba. That clear things up or will it take me borrowing your crayons and drawing it out for you?

Very concisely and correctly explained, KB. Cheers.

Too bad you didn't have a pic of G.W. with The Beast herself. But I think George has seldom been within 20 feet of Old Crusty.

[Mr Rogers]

Odd. In this thread, he's complaining the President doesn't pay much attention. On another, he's complaining the President paid too much attention to the potential invasion of Iraq.

Could it be GWB found O'Neill dull (and no, I don't mean boring, although stupidity is often boring as well!)

On one occassion, I was one of a string of folks briefing a general. The briefer before me seemed uncertain of why he was there or what he wanted - and the general spent most of the briefing chatting to the Colonel next to him. When my turn came, the general slowly stopped talking. Mid way thru, he interupted me. "What do you need from me?", he asked. I explained in two sentences what I thought needed to be done. "Anything else?", the general asked. When I said no, he turned to the Colonel next to him and said, "Do it! Next briefer..."

Maybe if O'Neill knew what he was talking about, he would have found the President more engaged. Just a thought...

[alrea]

wish this bitter a__hole would make up his mind

bump

[Destro]

OH MY GAWD EXCALAMATION POINTS A'PLENTY!!!!!!

[SierraWasp]

HAY!!! SUMBUDY CALL THE PEARAMEDICKS!!! DESTRO'S STROKIN OUT!!! IT'S SATURDAY NITE AND HE'S WAY TOO UPTITE!!! HE DON'T UNNERSTAN WASPMAN'S TRAIDMARK ADAMANT STINGERS!!!

[farmfriend]

I say I was ready to do mouth to mouth but somebody might take me wrong.

[Destro]

OH MY GAWD!!! CAPITALS!!!

:)

[My Dog Likes Me]

You're right about O'Neill. I consider it very unprofessional for him to write a tell-all book so soon after his firing. I wonder who'll ever hire this guy? Sneaky.

[Let's Roll]

Oh, yes the media loves him. CBS ran their gloating promo of his appearance on "60 Minutes" tomorrow, during tonight's football game.

[leadpenny]

Question for first segment of C-SPAN's Washington Journal:

Fair Criticism or Sour Grapes???

[barker]

Very funny. I remember the baseball Paul O'Neil meeting the other Paul O'Neil and asking when "their" name was going to start appearing on currency.

[OldFriend]

Oh I heard it.....they never miss an opportunity to bash bash bash. Haven't heard one word tho about their hero Sharpton blasting Clinton for costing the party EVERYTHING.

[NonValueAdded]

Great observation

[al_again]

I agree that O'Neil has certainly has his share of mistakes. He should've never been treasury secratary. However, Bush chose him. At the end of the day, the Pres is the one responsible for his administration(including Powell).

I have come to the following conclusions about the Bush administration:

a) They have advanced the liberal agenda more then any democrat in office could

b) Spending is out of control - the Bush administration has no fiscal discipline and has led the Republican party down the same path as the Dems - trying to buy elections

c) If it weren't for the potential SC nominations - it would be better for a Democrat to be president because at least the real conservatives wouldn't be rolled on principle for the good of the party.

d) Sherman should be fired for the awful play calling at the end of the game!

[samtheman]

,... I was surprised it turned out (to be) me talking and the president just listening,

Sounds to me like Bush was pretty smart. Not saying anything to a blabber-mouth traitor like O'Neill.

O'Neill was a Nixonite. Supported wage and price controls! What a loser.

[samtheman]

As Bush listened to O'Neill talk, he was probably sitting there quietly thinking, "how did I get stuck with this idiot? What was I thinking? Maybe if I stay quiet, he will finally shut up."

Excellent! I wish I would have thought of that. Of course you're right! Of course that's what happened!