Posted on 06/14/2004 12:09:41 PM PDT by ambrose
(06-14) 11:54 PDT WASHINGTON (AP) --
President Bush offered a glowing tribute to former President Clinton on Monday as the White House unveiled the official portraits of the 42nd president and his wife, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Bush rode into office on a promise "to restore honor and dignity" to the White House after eight years of Clinton, and he was bitter at Clinton for defeating his father in the 1992 presidential contest. Moreover, Clinton plans to campaign for the man trying to oust Bush from office, Democrat John Kerry.
But on Monday, Bush delivered a lengthy, forceful defense of his predecessor, and welcomed dozens of Clinton administration officials back into the White House. It was Clinton's first return to the White House since leaving office, said a spokeswoman, Tammy Sun.
"As a candidate for any office, whether it be the state attorney general or the president, Bill Clinton showed incredible energy and great personal appeal," Bush said. "As chief executive, he showed a deep and far-ranging knowledge of public policy, a great compassion for people in need and the forward-looking spirit that Americans like in a president."
Bush left Clinton laughing so hard that his face turned red with a jibe about Clinton's optimism in campaigning in Texas for George McGovern in 1972.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Do you think that anyone noticed his cross-country efforts?!
As one pundit said "You could just replay old tapes, it's not like we ever hear anything new from his campaign."
Then again, we'll probably see Senator Kerry dump his "Strengthening America" campaign slogan in favor of some other jingoism du jure. No doubt he'll flip-flop several more times on what he wants for his campaign theme.
PresReagan was invited and went to the opening of the Carter Library. He gushed warmly on his old political adversary. Like Reagan, Bush43 isn't meanspirited or confrontational.
All Republicans need to stay united and work for the reelection of Bush. The objective is to beat the librat Kerry. The nation is very polarized and rocking the boat over such an insignificant event isn't worth it.
Lets not divide ourselves over petty disagreements.
Exactly! Bush honoring Clinton is good for a couple more sound-bites on the evening news. It's much more interesting than whatever Kerry is up to. If Bush can give Clinton a good send-off on his nationwide book tour, it knocks the Kerry campaign backwards for a couple of more weeks. Brilliant!
Saw a headline on Drudge...it went sorta like this:
Week of Reagan
Summer of Clinton
and so I'd like to add it will now be the
Fall election for President Bush!
One of my faves and certainly appropriate in this case.
Thanks for making me laugh out loud.
Nice photochop, did you do it?
Yes. I saw this entire event on the tube, and Bush would've done Reagan proud. Bush so completely disarmed Clinton that all Bill could do was describe himself as a "pickle walking into history".
For once, Clinton got it right and Bush made it happen.
I can't wait til my painting comes out in velvet!
Signed copies will be good for picking up girls.
Signed: Bill Clinton
Yes I did. I am glad you laughed out loud.
My mission is complete.
I am going home.
My favorite was when Pres. Bush noted that Bill Clinton really loved being president. *That's* an understatement if I ever heard one.
To bad Bush didn't say "When I started writing this speech I couldn't spell William because none of the computers at the White House have W's". It did show the class Bush has.
That would have been AWESOME!!!!! I would have laughed my ass off. Of course, the Clintons would have been stoned faced, as usual.
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