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Cherie [Blair] said Bush 'stole' power and tackled him on executions
London Times | January 24, 2003 | London Times

Posted on 01/24/2004 12:38:57 AM PST by ejdrapes


January 24, 2004



2001: the visit when Cherie Blair put her views on execution

Cherie said Bush 'stole' power and tackled him on executions



TONY BLAIR has been embarrassed by his wife’s displays of open animosity towards President Bush, according to a forthcoming biography of the Prime Minister.

Cherie Blair is said to have made no secret of her conviction that Mr Bush “stole” the presidential election, and picked an argument with him over the death penalty during a private dinner.

Although the Prime Minister was pragmatic about Mr Bush’s victory, Mrs Blair was far less sanguine about the Supreme Court decision that gave him the keys to the White House. She believed Al Gore had been “robbed” of the presidency and was hostile to the idea of her husband “cosying” up to the new President.

Even as they flew to Washington for their first meeting with the presidential couple, Mrs Blair was in no mood to curry favour, the book Tony Blair: The Making of a World Leader by Philip Stephens, states. “Cherie Blair still believed that Bush had stolen the White House from Gore,” he wrote. She asked more than once during the journey why they had to be so nice to “these people”.

Mrs Blair scarcely concealed her impatience as the Blair team debated on the plane whether the gift he had brought for the President, a bust of Winston Churchill, was of sufficient quality for the Oval Office. They decided to find a better one and that Mr Blair would tell the President it was on its way. Mrs Blair was annoyed at the fuss but was overruled. Another bust was delivered months later.

The book’s disclosures of Mrs Blair’s forthright views will cause embarrassment in Downing Street, because of Mr Blair’s good working relations with Mr Bush, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, although they will not surprise officials or ministers who know her well. She is known for expressing her views forcefully in private.

Stephens writes that Mrs Blair behaved impeccably at her first meeting with the President “for all her outspoken resentment on the flight” and “to the great relief of her husband and aides” she had been at pains to make friends with Laura Bush.

But when the Bushes came to Britain in the summer of 2001, Mrs Blair, “more tribal in her politics than Tony”, according to a close family friend, embarrassed her husband. As the two couples sat down to dinner, with the officials no longer there, Mrs Blair could not resist an argument. She is a human rights lawyer and turned to the death penalty, a subject on which she has blunt views.

Judicial executions were an immoral violation of human rights, an affront under the US Constitution as much as under European laws to the fundamental principles of justice, she said. This opinion was delivered to a man who as Governor of Texas signed warrants for more than 150 executions.

Mr Blair was reported to have “squirmed”, even though he shares her opposition to the death penalty. The author says that when he asked Mr Blair about the incident during research for the book he looked uncomfortable — all he would say was that Cherie had raised the issue but as far as he was concerned the United States and Britain simply had different systems.

A Downing Street spokesman said: “She has always had a good relationship with President Bush and has of course discussed many issues with him, including capital punishment. The discussions have always been good-natured.”

Stephens also states that later in the evening Mr Bush had been embarrassed by his wife. Laura Bush had made it clear that her views on abortion were a great deal more liberal than his.

Mrs Blair, who is writing a book about prime ministers’ spouses, has made her forthright views known several times in situations that have caused alarm at No 10. She issued an apology after saying during a visit to Britain by Queen Rania of Jordan in June 2002 that young Palestinians “feel they have got no hope but to blow themselves up”. Last month she said that “Saudi Arabia’s image in the world is appalling” over its treatment of women, in a speech in front of the Saudi Ambassador.

Stephens’s book also reveals the coolness shown by Vice- President Cheney in his early meetings with Mr Blair and how Mr Cheney showed his hostility later on to Mr Blair’s efforts to persuade Mr Bush to work through the UN before war against Iraq. He made “occasional, acid” interventions during the crucial Camp David summit and “during the following days and months he would be the constant disrupting force in the Anglo-American relationship”. Stephens adds: “If Donald Rumsfeld discomfited Blair with his public disdain for multilateralism, Cheney sought to undermine the Prime Minister privately.”

Stephens is a political columnist on the Financial Times and the paper’s former political editor. His 250-page biography of Mr Blair was commissioned by the publishers Viking to meet an urgent demand from Americans for more information about the Prime Minister and his family. Since Mr Blair became Mr Bush’s closest ally in the war on terrorism he has become universally popular with Americans, not least for his ability to describe al-Qaeda’s threat with an eloquence that the President cannot match.

There has been widespread concern among Americans that Mr Blair’s intimate support for President Bush might have damaged his prospects of re-election.

The book is published in America on February 5 and is expected to sell well in the Anglophile cities of New York and Washington.



TOPICS: News/Current Events; United Kingdom
KEYWORDS: cherieblair; hillarywannabe
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To: ejdrapes
Ah, give Cherie a break, folks. She probably just misses The Rapist's affectionate ass grabs, or maybe "deep" conversations about chakras and psychic healing with his idiot Hollywood friends. Let the woman be herself: shallow, stupid and deluded.
61 posted on 01/24/2004 4:45:01 AM PST by Stultis
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To: cajungirl
A human interest story that the four of them mixed it up a little bit. Cherie Blair has nothing to apologize for regarding that dinner conversation; she's an avowed liberal. BTW, I support capital punishment; on abortion, I support it with limits, as a state matter.

However, anyone who, like Cherie, trumpets the "Bush stole power" bit is both wrong and indiscreet.

62 posted on 01/24/2004 4:47:05 AM PST by NutCrackerBoy
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To: drudgery
(in this case) powerful women

Bwahahahahahahaha!

Was that satire, or could you be serious?

63 posted on 01/24/2004 4:48:15 AM PST by Stultis
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To: finserra
Just one of my many sure thing hunches. The Blairs, Cherie in particular, practically kissed Clintoon's ring.

64 posted on 01/24/2004 4:50:09 AM PST by faithincowboys ( Zell Miller is the only DC Democrat not committing treason.)
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To: NutCrackerBoy
Yup, the Bush stole the election deal got my dander up,,but I doubt she said it to him. I am mystified that people are so shocked that these four might actually have spirited disagreement and discussion. Most people do with their friends and acquaintances and we aren't even politicians. I also think Bush and Laura can hold their own in any discussion and probably enjoy real encounters. And if Laura and Cherie disagree with husbands positions, well, what is new?? It wasn't said on a podium at a state dinner. Cherie does sound like a pain in the neck.
65 posted on 01/24/2004 4:51:25 AM PST by cajungirl (.)
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Comment #66 Removed by Moderator

To: drudgery
We must remember to thank Mr. Drudge for this crop of new signups! They are providing sparkling analyses of Free Republic! (/sarcasm)
67 posted on 01/24/2004 4:52:29 AM PST by NutCrackerBoy
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To: drudgery
Your pathetic putdown provides a better insight to your politically correct lamer psyche.
68 posted on 01/24/2004 4:52:38 AM PST by dennisw (“We'll put a boot in your ass, it's the American way.” - Toby Keith)
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To: ejdrapes; Jim Robinson; JustAmy
WOW....what a surprise! I got here by way of Drudge......it's the top story on his site....above his site logo!


Is this the first time he's linked directly to FR since he stopped his original link?


69 posted on 01/24/2004 4:53:35 AM PST by JulieRNR21 (One good term deserves another! Take W-04....Across America!)
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To: ejdrapes
Interesting to read this about Cherie Blair. I guess the body language is all wrong then when they greeted the President and First Lady in England recently. Kisses and hugs and smiles. Cherie seems very warm towards our President and First Lady. Odd to read this. Everything written is not correct, so who knows what the story is. Seems that if this author is trying to show disdain towards our President.
70 posted on 01/24/2004 4:55:02 AM PST by bushfamfan
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To: cupcakes
"I missed that too. I still would not invite someone in my home and then start such a debate with them. Still shows a lack of class in my book."

I agree. You only talk about hot topics like that with good friends you've known for years and who won't be offended by different viewpoints from their own.
She embarrassed her husband and herself IMHO.
71 posted on 01/24/2004 4:55:16 AM PST by r_u_sirius
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To: cajungirl
Sounds as if it was a good dinner table talk,,some people enjoy it. Hey, in some quarters it is an ideal occasion if everyone mixes it up.

Agree. At my house you're only penalized for avoiding an argument. I would certainly argue respectfully with Cherie in person, but at a suitable distance the combination of her arch euroleftist views, her soft spot for palestinian thugs, and her loopy new age beliefs, are just too ripe a target for disdain and ridicule.

72 posted on 01/24/2004 4:55:28 AM PST by Stultis
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To: Stultis
Do you mean from Bill or Hil?????
73 posted on 01/24/2004 4:58:59 AM PST by Hand em their arse
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To: drudgery
Well, we aren't all guys.

Most of us aren't neurotic, paranoid maybe, but not neurotic.

The nations didn't cooperate my dear, so we had to strong arm,,you have a probablem with that. We are the most powerful nation on earth, that a problem for you? We are pretty damn nice given that the power residing in this country dwarfs the rest of the world. Occasionally we ask for cooperation and don't get it. Then we just have to do our thing.

You are supercilious. I think you might be neurotic. If you were around her long, you might find out there are minorities, all kinds of people here. We have a group intolerance for supercilious little pricks who try to use shame as a tactic to silence others.

Have a good day on your particular horse.
74 posted on 01/24/2004 4:59:02 AM PST by cajungirl (.)
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To: cajungirl
hehehe
75 posted on 01/24/2004 5:04:00 AM PST by Stultis
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To: ejdrapes
Timing is everything, isn't it. Cherie Blair thinks President Bush stole the election from Al Gore. Lo and behold, we have another election this year and this juicy book is published.

I can't wait to see the media's worship of Bill Clinton's book later this year. They will, of course, pick and choose, point out and discuss all things negative about President Bush. (The irony, of course, is that Bill's book will not enhance his "legacy" as he wishes, but will instead give all the attention to the Left's archenemy, George W. Bush.)

I'm beginning to think of the media as not unlike the suicide/homicide bombers in the Middle East, Iraq. and elsewhere. They set a Bushbomb, watch from a distance as it explodes, emphasize that the Bush presidency is a quagmire all its own and that we need to "bring the troops home" (to the good ole' Clinton way of governing) and get the U.N. involved (in removing Bush as an obstacle to America's being "liked" by the world).

People are going to be making more than one choice this November. They will be voting for or against media lies, distortion and manipulation in addition to electing those who will take our nation either back to sovereignty or to a position as "Most Popular" in the World Yearbook.

As for Cherie Blair, she has a right to speak her mind. It's up to voters to decide whether or not to allow her to influence their votes in this year's General Election (Side note: We don't read about the other side--what President Bush said---in the liitle argument about capital punishment. I imagine he responded that America leaves it up to the individual states to decide that issue.)

Photo below is from a television shot during Prime Minister Blair's speech before Congress on July 17, 2003. Another bit of irony: the words superimposed on FNC's banner, highlighting a point from Blair's speech.


76 posted on 01/24/2004 5:05:06 AM PST by arasina (So there.)
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To: cajungirl
Hey yall, this was linked from Drudge! In my early morning fog I didn't note that I went to Drudge and ended up at FR. What is up with that???

Same thing happened to me.

Hope this is a sign of warmer relations between Drudge and FR. I owe them both a great deal. I found FR through a link on Drudge years ago and have had both sites as my daily "must reads" ever since.

Had it been otherwise I might still be depending on the local rag and Tom Brokejaw for my daily news. And what a colossal shame that would be!

America's Fifth Column ... watch PBS documentary JIHAD! In America
http://12thman.us/media/jihad.rm (Requires RealPlayer)

Who is Steve Emerson?

77 posted on 01/24/2004 5:05:51 AM PST by JCG
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Comment #78 Removed by Moderator

To: Harvey123
How honest was Clinton-Gore?
79 posted on 01/24/2004 5:10:37 AM PST by Bluntpoint
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To: drudgery
Then, they log out of their computers and go back to their daily lives of cowardice and neurotic behaviour...

But, Howard, shouldn't you be out campaigning instead of writing sappy screeds in a world class political forum like FR?

Eeeeyaaa!

America's Fifth Column ... watch PBS documentary JIHAD! In America
http://12thman.us/media/jihad.rm (Requires RealPlayer)

Who is Steve Emerson?

80 posted on 01/24/2004 5:12:49 AM PST by JCG
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