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Bush Threatened DeMint Over Vote
Townhall.com ^ | 6/22/2009 | Matt Lewis

Posted on 06/22/2009 10:43:38 AM PDT by Servant of the Cross

Posted by: Matt Lewis at 11:13 AM

I'm reading my advanced copy of Senator Jim DeMint's new book, Saving Freedom. I'm still not finished, but wanted to share one part with you.

When Bush was trying to pass his No Child Left Behind bill, he called then-Congressman DeMint into the Oval Office and pleaded with him to avoid a blood bath" over an amendment he had added to the bill. DeMint still voted against NCLB, but dropped the amendment because of Bush's "gentle persuasion."

... But things were different when it came to passing Medicare. As DeMint recounts the story,

After publicly expressing my opposition to this bill, I was once again invited to meet with the president along with several other conscientious objectors. In that meeting the President made it easy for me; he threatened me by telling the group, "some of you have tough elections and we are watching how you vote." And he looked straight at me when he said it.

... You may have wondered how so many conservatives were co-opted into voting for bad legislation. I think this answers the question.

Fortunately for DeMint, he resisted the pressure, and was rewarded by being elected the the U.S. Senate, where he is one of a hand-full of reliably conservative senators...


TOPICS: News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bookreview; bush; bushantiamerica; bushantigop; bushdestroyedgop; demint; nclb; rinobush; savingfreedom; worstgoppresident
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'splains a lot.
1 posted on 06/22/2009 10:43:39 AM PDT by Servant of the Cross
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To: Servant of the Cross

Politics as usual.


2 posted on 06/22/2009 10:48:53 AM PDT by MEGoody (Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.)
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To: Servant of the Cross

I am sure this will earn me a boot off FR, but the two worse presidents in my lifetime were Carter and GWB. At least Clinton had a GOP congress to keep him in check.

BHO is also on that list. I think he will pass both Carter and GWB


3 posted on 06/22/2009 10:50:31 AM PDT by lakertaker (Libertarian Party since 1998)
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To: lakertaker

I wouldn’t say worst, but I would say GWB has permanantly damaged the US domestically.

Was pretty good at foreign policy, as we can see with Zero in charge, every pot on the stove is rapidly boiling over.


4 posted on 06/22/2009 10:55:30 AM PDT by Crazieman (Feb 7, 2008 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1966675/posts?page=28#28)
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To: lakertaker

Bush was fine except for his spending problems and working so hard to counter the conservatives on some of his key legislative initiatives. He was an outstanding commander in chief and was good on social issues, taxation, etc. As a two term president who kept the GDP growing and unemployment low, I can’t see how he can fall into the Carter category. I had my disappointments, especially around his unwillingness to defend himself on the homestretch, but he was still a good president. This current loser is living proof of how good things really were.


5 posted on 06/22/2009 10:55:40 AM PDT by ilgipper
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To: lakertaker

At least Clinton had a GOP congress to keep him in check.


SO did Bush.


6 posted on 06/22/2009 10:56:23 AM PDT by CommieCutter (http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/programs/ht/qt/3013_08.html)
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To: Servant of the Cross

I believe it.


7 posted on 06/22/2009 10:57:41 AM PDT by Guenevere
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To: lakertaker
I am sure this will earn me a boot off FR, but the two worse presidents in my lifetime were Carter and GWB. At least Clinton had a GOP congress to keep him in check.

You aren't old enough to apparently to have lived through the absolute worst President... LBJ. Clinton was a piker compared to the idiot Johnson. But, it looks like Zero will fit squarely at near bottom. Dubya's hacking of the economy is ameliorated by his defense against the Jihadis which puts him up quite a few rungs over LBJ, Clinton and Carter.

8 posted on 06/22/2009 11:00:22 AM PDT by Seruzawa (Obamalama lied, the republic died.)
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To: MEGoody

I’m shocked, SHOCKED, that politics is going on in here!


9 posted on 06/22/2009 11:06:45 AM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: Seruzawa

I lived through LBJ...granted I was a child then.

I would take LBJ over the current occupant


10 posted on 06/22/2009 11:12:59 AM PDT by lakertaker (Libertarian Party since 1998)
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To: lakertaker

I’ll second your list, and add Lyndon Johnson.


11 posted on 06/22/2009 11:15:36 AM PDT by Pelham (California, formerly part of the USA)
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To: lakertaker

I remember when I was grade school in the 70’s, all the kids used to sing this song:

(to the Oscar Meyer song)
My president has a first name, it’s j-i-m-m-y
My president has a second name, it’s c-a-r-t-e-r,
I love to hate him every day,
And if you ask me why I’ll say,
‘Cause Jimmy Carter has a way of screwing up the USA!


12 posted on 06/22/2009 11:18:34 AM PDT by MNDude
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To: Servant of the Cross
But things were different when it came to passing Medicare.

Passing Medicare? Medicare was passed in '65.

Exactly which bill is meant here?

13 posted on 06/22/2009 11:22:49 AM PDT by what's up
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To: Servant of the Cross

Kind of like when Karl (”You’ll never be invited to our White House again”) Rove tried to knuckle down Tom Tancredo on immigration.

The Tanc didn’t knuckle.

As much as I hate the lying, marxist, shuck-and-jive administration in place now, I do not long for the days of the Bush administration.


14 posted on 06/22/2009 11:26:19 AM PDT by SharpRightTurn (White, black, and red all over--America's affirmative action, metrosexual president.)
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To: what's up

“Passing Medicare? Medicare was passed in ‘65.

“Exactly which bill is meant here?”

Possibly a reference to the multi-billion dollar MediPill proposal Bush pushed through?


15 posted on 06/22/2009 11:27:29 AM PDT by SharpRightTurn (White, black, and red all over--America's affirmative action, metrosexual president.)
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To: lakertaker
...the two worse presidents in my lifetime were Carter and GWB.

I agree wholeheartedly. His "compassionate conservatism" was a complete LIE -- you can't be compassionate w/ other people's money! He expanded the size of the federal government way beyond what Clinton already had done, he usurped the powers of Congress, & no telling what else.

16 posted on 06/22/2009 11:33:41 AM PDT by ChrisInAR (The Tenth Amendment is still the Supreme Law of the Land, folks -- start enforcing it for a CHANGE!)
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To: Servant of the Cross

W was the worst Republican President this century. I never would have imagined he would have made such a poor President.


17 posted on 06/22/2009 11:35:11 AM PDT by MBB1984
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To: MBB1984

Sorry, I should have said in the last hundred years.


18 posted on 06/22/2009 11:36:30 AM PDT by MBB1984
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To: ChrisInAR

Compassionate conservative...I remember hearing him claiming that’s what he was and wondering,”what is that?”

It turned out it meant being compassionate with other people’s money, opening our borders wide open, nation building, massive expansion of the federal government, new entitlements.

And the talk radio crowd supported him. Now because of all that we now have a disaster in the making in the WH and on the Hill.

God be with us


19 posted on 06/22/2009 11:43:19 AM PDT by lakertaker (Libertarian Party since 1998)
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To: lakertaker
I am sure this will earn me a boot off FR

Not hardly. Even with all his warts concerning domestic policy, i'd still rather have Bush than the multi-Trillion dollar Messianic NoOb.
20 posted on 06/22/2009 11:49:59 AM PDT by Liberty Valance (Keep a simple manner for a happy life :o)
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