Posted on 09/15/2009 6:57:27 AM PDT by RobinMasters
During the 2008 CPAC convention, George Bush only mentioned the word “conservative” once, in the closing — and apparently that was no accident. A new book by the man who wrote the speech for Bush, staffer Matt Latimer, retells the story in Speechless: Tales of a White House Survivor, and Byron York relates it in today’s Washington Examiner. When Latimer tried to include supportive language about the conservative movement, Bush attempted to set his speechwriter straight:
“What is this movement you keep talking about in the speech?” the president asked Latimer.
Latimer explained that he meant the conservative movement — the movement that gave rise to groups like CPAC.
Bush seemed perplexed. Latimer elaborated a bit more. Then Bush leaned forward, with a point to make.
“Let me tell you something,” the president said. “I whupped Gary Bauer’s ass in 2000. So take out all this movement stuff. There is no movement.”
Bush seemed to equate the conservative movement — the astonishing growth of conservative political strength that took place in the decades after Barry Goldwater’s disastrous defeat in 1964 — with the fortunes of Bauer, the evangelical Christian activist and former head of the Family Research Council whose 2000 presidential campaign went nowhere.
(Excerpt) Read more at hotair.com ...
Ping.
That helps explain things a bit more.
At least liberals can’t say Bush was ever conservative. This one is for the books. Note it.
If W had fired Rummy in the Spring of ‘06, it’s doubtful the dims would’ve taken back the House. Now we have 0bama and dim supermajorities in Congress. Heckuva job, Bushie.
Frankly, I’m tired of labels.
I refuse to pigeonhole myself. I think. I ponder. I make informed decisions. I choose candidates and policies that I think are right and good.
If we must use labels, I consider myself a “reasonable.”
Just so we’re clear, talking about George W. Bush, X43, not George HW Bush, he of the “read my lips, no new taxes” broken pledge.
You make a very good point. Labels can be used to manipulate. We HAVE to look at actions.
Ping for later
If true, just wow.
How sad.
Well, well. Assuming Latimer is not a self serving jackass like one Scott McClelllan, this might explain a lot.
It's sad, but that's just the way politics in the modern world is, actually it's been this way since Kennedy.
This is only reason I think Romney has a chance, he LOOKS like what people think a president should look like, so at least people will listen when he speaks.
This doesn't make it right, it's just dealing with the reality of the situation.
Makes sense since Jorge Bush pushed so many leftwing policies and causes. Disgusting!
"I’m trying to remember if I’ve met her before. I’m sure I must have.” His eyes twinkled, then he asked, “What is she, the governor of Guam?”
Everyone in the room seemed to look at him in horror, their mouths agape. When Ed told him that conservatives were greeting the choice enthusiastically, he replied, “Look, I’m a team player, I’m on board.” He thought about it for a minute. “She’s interesting,” he said again. “You know, just wait a few days until the bloom is off the rose.” Then he made a very smart assessment.
“This woman is being put into a position she is not even remotely prepared for,” he said. “She hasn’t spent one day on the national level. Neither has her family. Let’s wait and see how she looks five days out.”
Confirms my suspicion.The IQ of cow poop.
Big disappointment to me in his second term.
Georgie II was not a conservative, never was. He was simply all we had to vote for. Like McCain, it was either him or the latest socialist the Dims put up for view. Bush was a total over all failure as president. While he did a fair job on the war effort, he made mistakes there also. I believe he was too obsessed with Saddam. Sure, Saddam needed taking out, but I think he might have heard too much about Saddam from daddy. Sadly, our side has few good ones to choose from any more. When they say the era of Reagan is dead, that in my mind, simply means we have no one on our side that resembles Reagan on the national level. The republicans have gone center, moderate, left. Few good conservative republicans any more. We are simply stuck with what the stinking republican party gives us. I dropped my membership in the republican party years ago. I do not call myself a member of any party. I am simply a conservative. That defines me. That and my religious beliefs. Thus I guess I am a Christian Right Wing Conservative if I had to label myself. But, too me, George W. Bush, junior, the second, Dub-ya, whatever, was a dud, a failure. If I had had anyone on our side better than he or McCain too vote for, I would certainly not have gone with them.
No one was ever under the illusion that Bush was a Conservative. We voted for him because we could not stand the alternative, which was worse. The same reasoning was used for McCain.
It would be nice to have another strong Conservative leader like Reagan on the field, but that doesn’t look to happen anytime soon.
Wow.
I love Sarah Palin. I’m hoping she stays on the national stage and, if she wants, runs for very high office.
But Bush was absolutely right. Perhaps he knew, from experience, how rough and tumble and destructive the national stage is. Palin and her family suffered, just as he predicted.
I hope they heal and come back stronger than ever.
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