Posted on 06/15/2004 9:25:09 AM PDT by areafiftyone
President Bush certainly didn't score any points with his conservative base on Monday when he praised Bill Clinton to the hilt during the unveiling of the impeached president's White House portrait.
"President Bush was more laudatory and more passionate about Bill Clinton than he was about President Reagan [during Friday's memorial service]," contended nationally syndicated radio host Michael Savage Monday night.
When Bush spoke about Reagan, said Savage, "we got empty homilies. We got less than empty homilies - we got a Mr. Rogers job."
But at the Clinton portrait ceremony, Savage said, "Today we actually got a passionate President Bush. He was almost animated to be around Bill Clinton. The guy looked happy."
Though the Bush-Clinton lovefest left many of the president's fans fuming, Mr. Clinton's obvious enjoyment of Bush's kind words also raised eyebrows inside Sen. John Kerry presidential campaign, which only 24-hours earlier had been assured that Clinton would come out swinging this week against the White House.
"Maybe [Bush and Clinton] have a mutual interest in a Democrat not winning this November," said MSNBC host Chris Matthews, noting that a Kerry loss would pave the way for Mrs. Clinton's 2008 presidential campaign.
He lied.
So, sorry, I support W -- but this didn't score points with me, either. Gracious is gracious, truth is truth, and lies are lies.
The President LIED.
And I don't care a bit for Michael Savage.
Dan
This was a very smart "Reagan-esque" move. W probably learned in the last week from Reagan's approach to advasaries. If one compliments an antagonist it completely disarms them. Now if Clinton takes a slanderous approach he will look even smaller and vindictive.
That comment is beyond sad.
I mean, Chelsea has obviously been fed, clothed, sheltered, no abuse that I know of, and probably on some level even loved by them, so I guess in a way one could say, with a straight face, that the Clintons were, in fact "good" parents.
If you knew an drug addict prostitute who fed, clothed, sheltered and loved their child, the same could be said.
There are different kinds of abuse, it's what you do, not those other things. BJ's in the oval office, lying in front of the whole country, Hillary taking bribes, Whitewater, lost billing records, teaching their daughter that police are pigs,,,on and on and on.
Where is your common sense? Is you hatred of the Democrats so great that you will even defend them in order to deflect any critizism of the President? C'mon,,,and to think you attacked me for kidding around on a different thread. Shame on you.
Guess the folks at NewsMax are unhappy about not being invited to any Reagan memorials. Last few days have been a bushbash........they're all starting to sound like Le Boutlierre
I liked how the pres. said that he didn't have to tell about Clinton--everyone could read it themselves. I thought that was a subtle jab, made funnier that the Clintons didn't get it.
Please reference who suggested that.
Please tell me you think the Clinton scumbags are good parents.
Spot on. It was a small thing that tells much about politicians.
Savage is a cartoon character, pseudo-conservative that plays to the non-shortwave owning, lunatic fringe. I doubt he believes a thing he says, he just plays to his audience.
Savage is the right's version of Al Franken IMHO.
Bush put on a clinic in class both at Reagan's funeral and the Clinton thing. I'd for one, would expect nothing less from him.
Savage was complaining about the Reagan funeral anyway...so I'm surprised he was paying attention by the time the Bush eulogy came on TV.
I can listen to him in spurts, but there's a reason why he's the guy who's on when there's no sports to broadcast on the radio...and it ain't just because he's on the west coast.
Does anybody honestly care what Michael Savage thinks anymore? He's gone 'round the twist.
Dittos.
Now, had the Clintons raised Chelsea in a moral, environment, I would have called them "Great" parents. You can call that sad if you choose, but I call it being reasonable.
If you actually look, you can find something nice to say about anyone, even a prostitute who cares for her children...
Do I dislike the Clintons? Yes. Do I hate them? No. In all honesty I don't hate anyone... Intensly dislike, and have no use for some people, certainly. But not hate...
President Bush delivered a great eulogy of Ronald Reagan, hitting the political as well as the spiritual aspects of the man. I don't listen to Savage, but from what I've read about him recently on FR, he sounds fairly shallow and just wanting attention and recognition when none is really deserved. Bush's class and grace yesterday were befitting the office, and it is attributes like those that are recorded in the public conscience, not the fact that he was nice to Clinton.
You are exactly correct!
#1 - President Bush is respectful of the OFFICE of the Presidency .. even if he's not necessarily thrilled with the actions of the person .. and therefore Bush would never embarrass, denigrate, or speak ill of a predessor. I wish I could find an exception, but I couldn't.
#2 - President Bush is a kind and gracious person by nature (just like Reagan) - and irrespective of a person's station or position in life, Bush would never purposefully dress them down in public. Private maybe (if he had authority over them and it was positively required) .. but never in public.
#3 - People who think this was a love fest .. DIDN'T READ THE TEXT OF THE MESSAGE. It was all flattery (nicey-nice), WITH NO SUBSTANCE. Not one time did the President mention any major accomplishment of Clintons, and there was no mention of any special program which HELPED AMERICA. If people would really pick apart what the President said, they would find statments like, "he brought energy and joy to the WH"! What the heck does that mean - I can think of a few hundred pretty funny explanations.
#4 - This FR website is known for it's ability to read between the lines, but suddenly nobody is .. and suddenly Michael Savage has become the spokesman for the Republican party .. I DON'T THINK SO!! Savage does not speak for me and he never will.
#5 - The fact that anyone who presumes to KNOW Bush .. thinks that Bush "praised" Clinton DIDN'T READ THE TEXT OF THE SPEECH. Shame on all of you who are taking for granted that the Savages of the world know how Bush thinks.
#6 - Rush just mentioned that after Clinton was in office, the same ceremony took place for George H.W. Bush, and Clinton was just as gracious to the senior Bush. H E L L O! Is anyone getting the picture here.
#7 - President Bush's speech was the most exquisite piece of diplomatic "nuanced" talk I've ever heard. The dems think the President is a dunce who can't talk right .. and all the while the President has just BEAT THEM at their own game.
Priceless!!
But... but.. we are supposed to be so blinded by hatred of the Clintons that anything short of Bush whipping out a six-shooter and blowing them away in the White House is unacceptable.
Get with the program! ;0)
Yep, and strategery gets 'em every time! Especially when they misunderestimate the man!
Yet, the devoted fans who paid high prices for the tickets for the most part saw nothing amiss, didn't see they were treated with contempt, thought the shows were great performances, done with "class" by a "gentleman" who addressed people with a "Yesmam" or Yessur", and who luved his dead momma, and they thought (the devoted fans did) that the newspaper critics who noted the appaling performances "had gone off the deep end!"
You look at the father and say: "Oh, he looks so much like you!" ... Some of Bush's comments had that kind of flavor, praise-or-maybe-not. Saying he 'enjoyed being President' is interesting and true comment that is kind yet hardly praise. I dont think we rate how good a President is by how much they liked being there, indeed the most dangerous ones (eg LBJ) enjoyed power a mite too much. Bush did well.
Heaps of burning coals on enemies head.
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