Posted on 01/13/2009 9:42:25 AM PST by Sopater
The Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery has agreed to change the wording on the plaque accompanying a portrait of President George W. Bush in response to a complaint by Sen. Bernard Sanders (I-Vt.).
Sanders objected to the sign's language because he believed it suggested a linkage between the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 and the subsequent U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003.
The plaque reads: “Expecting that the success of his presidency would hinge, as it had when he was governor, on his negotiating skills and ability to solve problems, Bush found his two terms in office were instead marked by a series of catastrophic events: the attacks on September 11, 2001, that led to wars in Afghanistan and Iraq; the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina; and a financial crisis during his last months in office.”
Sanders, a self-described “democratic socialist,” wrote a letter to National Portrait Gallery Director Martin Sullivan on Jan. 7 complaining about the phrase, “the attacks on September 11, 2001, that led to wars in Afghanistan and Iraq."
On Monday, Sullivan wrote back to Sanders, saying that the plaque would be changed.
The letter reads as follows:
Dear Senator Sanders,
Thank you for your letter of January 7, 2009, regarding the label which accompanies the National Portrait Gallery’s recently acquired portrait of George W. Bush.
Our label was not intended to imply that there was a causal connection between the attacks that occurred on 9/11 and the subsequent U.S. invasion of Iraq. Our intention was to remind viewers of the portrait that the listed events were defining episodes in the Bush presidency, within the limited space of an object label. I appreciate your concern, however, about the words “led to.” We will revise the label to delete the words “led to.” I would welcome the opportunity to escort you on a personal tour of the National Portrait Gallery, and will call your office in hopes that we can arrange that.
Thank you for your interest in the Smithsonian Institution.
Sincerely,
Martin E. Sullivan, director
Sanders indicated that he was grateful to Sullivan for moving so swiftly to change the Bush portrait plaque. “I very much appreciate the prompt response from the director and appreciate his willingness to make the change,” he said in a statement released Monday.
Bethany Bentley, spokeswoman for the National Portrait Gallery, told CNSNews.com that the gallery’s staff historians select the wording to be used on the plaques in the American Presidents exhibit and that no other presidential plaque has been challenged or changed.
Sanders ran for several statewide offices in Vermont in the 1970s as a candidate for the socialist Liberty Union Party. He was elected mayor of Burlington, Vt., in 1981 and served until 1989.
He was elected to Congress in 1990, becoming “only the third Socialist elected to the House,” according to the New York Times. He was elected to the Senate in 2006 as an Independent.
Sanders voted against authorizing President Bush to invade Iraq.
I suggest we stop donating money to the Potrait Gallery. Those plaques are not cheap, and if they have enough extra money around to change a perfectly valid statement because some idiot Senator can’t read english, then they have too much money.
Frankly, I’d complain about the negativity of the plaque, it’s a harsh comment on Bush’s term in office, and most of what they mention had nothing to do with him, except he had to handle the crises.
This country is now under the dictatorial thumb of minorities. Majority rule, my butt. Sanders is a gnat’s fart in a windstorm but gets deference due to the gradual (racing) drift of our congress to the radical left (socialism)!
I predict we will be a third rate power, useful to the world ONLY as a source of foodstuffs in 20 years. The NWO will tell us when, what, where, how and why we will do anything. And we will blindly follow the orders.
Sad, that!
Well, it depends on what the definition of “is”.
Does Clinton’s plaque mention his impeachment and what “led to” it?
Better get used to it.
yes just like Muslims and illegal aliens get what they want
the attacks on September 11, 2001, that by a fluke of fate and a series of freak coincidences mysteriously goaded the U.S. to wars in Afghanistan and Iraq...
Sheesh...
I’m pretty sure that he would have been satisfied with “bush lied, people died”. Congress will probably even be willing to donate the $ to change the plaque again just to get that on there.
“Expecting that the success of his presidency would hinge, as it had when he was governor, on his negotiating skills and ability to solve problems, Bush found his two terms in office were instead marked by a series of catastrophic events: the attacks on September 11, 2001, that led to wars in Afghanistan and Iraq; the devastation wrought by Hurricane Katrina; and a financial crisis during his last months in office.”
This should have been changed as follows:
“Expecting that the success of his presidency would hinge, on his ability to uphold the constitution despite the blithering deluge of lies and doubletalk from the left, President G.W. Bush forged ahead with successful changes to homeland security, successful efforts to minimize the influence of international terror groups through action in Afghanistan, Iraq, the Philipines, and other countries.”
You should write your own letter to the Smithsonian. They listened to Sanders, maybe they’ll listen to you.
As a matter of fact, maybe we should all write, and then their collective heads will spin trying to write something that appeases everybody...
Oh wait, it’s only what the socialists want that really matters...
Dear Senator Sanders,
Thank you for your letter of January 7, 2009 but KMA.
Sincerely,
Martin E. Sullivan, director
I suspect the Smithsonian complied GLADLY.
They went over to the dark side years ago.
Let’s write the plaque for Bernie’s gravestone. “Wash hands after using facilities.”
Call and leave a message. Let’s clog up his answering machine with messages and complaints.
Not surprising given the Smithsonian’s lefty outlook.
I just called and made my complaint about the fascist leftwing and they’re effort to try to re-write history.
The whole damn plaque should be removed.
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