Posted on 04/08/2005 2:07:15 PM PDT by rightalien
ROME -- President Bush, determined not to upstage the funeral of Pope John Paul II, kept an unusually low profile in Rome yesterday, although former President Bill Clinton gave a television interview watched by millions.
"He recognizes the significance of the moment," White House spokesman Scott McClellan said of Mr. Bush. "And the focus rightly should be on the Holy Father."
Mr. Bush became the first president in years to conduct a full day's schedule on foreign soil without allowing a single press question, photograph or even fleeting image on videotape. His father, the first President Bush, also refrained from interviews.
"But President Clinton gave an interview to Brian Williams," said Mr. McClellan, referring to the "NBC Nightly News" anchorman.
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
I signed up for a DU account just this last week. Someone posted on there that Pres. Bush was laughing before he went in to see the pope's body a couple of days ago, while Clinton was solemn. I asked for a pic, and didn't get one. It's times like that when I wished I could have posted the video from the Ron Brown funeral.
" Did you catch the look of death Condi shot at Bubba?"
Was that when they were entering the Basilica for the viewing and Clinton was acting like he was at Ron Brown's funeral - head back, mouth agape, laughing ?
It appeared that he was even back slapping a cardinal.
Clinton basically said the Pope was like PT Barnum "bringing in them big crowds,"
he found it necessary to have a photo op on the grounds of a Rome villa for the world's media ( no word on whether he made a cross out of pine cones )
and he found the site of the Pope's bier a hilarity.
None of this behavior surprises me.
What surprises me is that the Bush family, either through a sense of protocol, decency or naivete continues to travel with this moral degenerate.
They have to realize that with Clinton, they are only one unzipped fly or one unzipped mouth away from a huge social a/o diplomatic gaffe.
They would have pulled it in about a minuit.
Its like sunlight to a vampire, it burns them.
You have a good man here. I think that most Americans already know of course.
I think you are absolutely correct. Bush is a high-road guy; he invited President Clinton out of respect for the Office (and Clinton has also been somewhat supportive of President Bush on some issues relating to the war). Clinton mugs for the cameras, Bush keeps the focus on the late great Pope - and the point is made.
It's really brilliant - "reach out" to your enemy and allow him to make himself look like a jagoff, making you look good in the process.
Bush is amazing.
Yeah, I don't get it. No respectable person would spend more than the most ephemeral moment in the presence of that molester, and then only because an official protocol (such as a funeral) demanded it.
Whats a little professional courtesy from one former white house employee to another.
Brian Williams used to work for Jimmy Carter when he was President, and was going to go into a political career.
When President Reagan won, Carter, and his boys (obviously) got the boot, and Williams, as young as he was, did not try and stay in the business, and wound up as a journalist.
The former staffers at the carter white house who did know Williams did and do have good things to say about him though.
Wow. I didn't know that, but it certainly explains a lot.
Gee, since they're such good buds, maybe Williams can get the skinny on why the Carters resigned form the board of the Carter Center...Come on, Williams, inquiring minds want to know.
His moral resolution stamps him as one of the greatest leaders to emerge in the last 100 years.
These two people- the President and his wife are as stainless steel.
>>>>Count on Bill to try to be the bride at every wedding and the corpse at every funeral....<<<<<<
I dont know when the latter will come, but save me a dance.
A camera can catch anyone in what seems to be an inappropriate expression. Watching the funeral last night, there were plenty of opportunities to embarrass people with candid tabloid photos. But I think we can do a pretty good job of judging who is sincere and who is not, and President Bush is sincere in his grief for the Pope.
JP2 opposed both wars, Desert Storm and Saddam Insane in Iraq. I wouldn't have much to say about JP2 either when he preferred evil to prevail. He's simply being tactful.
I was at least pleased that Clinton had to leave with the President and the rest of the delegation.
I had visions of Bubba pulling his usual act: -- hanging around shaking everyone's hand.
NBC was quick to promote Clinton as soon as the Pope's coffin disappeared inside.
I was talking about the viewing on Wednesday.
It seems he has never learned how to overcome his base desires because he finds no pleasure in being disciplined and dignified. Ole Bubba expects people to still laugh and forgive his antics like the high school "flirt." He wants the attention of women and the camera and cannot restrain himself. On an emotional level, and for all his supposed intelligence, he never grew out of his teens. We all remember that type of kid in school: the "pretty boy"/"bad boy" who learned to use charm to get away with things that we never accepted from others.
I have long said that in addition to all we review about the person we are going to elect to the office of the Presidency, that a psychological evaluation be performed of the candidates.
It is a common business practice and psychological testing helps employers determine how a prospective employee will function in their job setting in times of conflict, under stress, if they are trustworthy, if they will accept responsability for their mistakes, and how well they work with others. Many companies require these tests just to get hired, and more often when one is being considered for promotion to important, administrative positions. Why isn't it required for the those who want to govern our country?
History has shown us that the worst leaders were all psychologically disturbed in one manner or another. The stakes are so high in current times, why don't we consider this an important tool to help us make such a serious decision? I bet, if it was known that this would be part of the public's consideration, a lot of disturbed politicians would not even attempt to run for any office.
I do remember Jeffrey Toobin stealing documents from the investigation into Casper Weinberger that cost the first President Bush the election.
Oh, I am having a senior moment.
"If you drag a hundred Dollar bill through a trailer park, you never know what you'll find."
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