Posted on 04/28/2010 5:47:44 AM PDT by Artemis Webb
Laura Bush has finally opened up publicly about the mysterious car accident she had when she was 17, a crash that claimed the life of a high school friend on a dark country road in Midland, Tex.
In her new book, “Spoken From the Heart,” Mrs. Bush describes in vivid detail the circumstances surrounding the crash, which has haunted her for most of her adult life and which became the subject of questions and speculation when it was revealed during her husband’s first presidential run. A copy of the book, scheduled for release in early May, was obtained by The New York Times at a bookstore.
On several occasions in the book, Mrs. Bush admonishes her husband’s political adversaries for “calling him names,” and she pointedly rebuts criticism of some of his key decisions. She suggested that his highly criticized fly-over of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina was in the best interests of the victims and aid workers on the ground.
“He did not want one single life to be lost because someone was catering to the logistical requirements of a president,” she says about the Katrina fly-over. “He did not want his convoy of vehicles to block trucks delivering water or food or medical supplies, or to impede National Guardsmen from around the nation who were arriving to help.”
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
You were there?
That picture speaks volumes.
I don’t know why she felt the need to cover such a personal topic which is none of our damned business to begin with.
Well...if that isn't confusing! What are you referring to?
She seems to believe she handled it poorly also.
She was seventeen ... you are judging from the perspective of a much older adult...even tho, a narrow-minded one.
With all the mini lawyers here at FR they are sure ready to judge. Her parents where absolutely correct and in today's litigious society they would be even more correct. Anybody who has had an accident today knows that the blood sucking lawyrs would run someone through the dirt if they thought there was a nickle in it for their greedy hands. Today it is worse than ever, THEY ADVERTISE ON TV as if they are selling soap.
You get in an accident, regardless of whose fault it is, SHUT UP. Grovelling, crying and saying anything will only come back to haunt you in a massive civil suit. Welcome to the Leftist Paradise.
Keeping quiet is also great advise if the police ever want to talk to you. Never, never, never talk to the police. They are not your friends.
“I’m glad no one holds me accountable for what I did when I was 17.”
Amen to that.
She is one very good person. 17 years old when it happened.
The way we (mostly) all probably drove when we were 17.. sometimes it seems a miracle half of us survived.
I know of at least two 17 year old who lost their life, chatting with friends and running a stop sign on unlit country roads. One young girl ran a railroad caution sign on her way to get ready for the Big Game, and the train hit her. It’s sad and typical of thousands upon thousands of teens in towns across America.
A very good friend of mine had one of his brothers killed on a farm road by a neighbor driving to close to the edge of the gravel road that he was walking on way back in about 1965.
The friend’s family lived the rest of their long lives hating that neighbor, using every occasion to remind their other neighbors of the incident, bad mouthing the family that did it, and feeling sorry for themselves in general. If something went wrong at school for the kids it was blamed on the accident and what they went through.
Is that what you prefer?
Her explanation makes sense to me. Those small country roads are so dark. Talking to a friend is quite distracting. I admire Laura Bush so much; she was a classy First Lady (in contrast to the born-in-a-barn hussy who currently occupies the position). This must have been terrible for her.
I almost caused an accident in a similar fashion — rushing to do the left turn as the light changed/ very nearly met a VW bus (not the most stable car) that was rushing to make the light, coming the other way. That bus careened and very nearly tipped over, but didn’t. Thank God. I am much more careful at intersections since then.
“Dubya’s main mistake in handling Katrina’s issue was that he voluntarily owned it, by saying ‘I’m responsible for some of the failures.’”
I agree. But I mainly agree because he cemented in people’s minds that the federal government bears primary responsibility for every local disaster — a completely stupid idea. Only state and local governments already have first responders in place. Before Katrina, everybody more or less understood that the feds only came in after the fact, and only if they were called in by the state and local governments.
But, Bush’s political enemies saw an opportunity to make hay, and they did it, with the completely false assertion that the federal government — and not just the federal government, but the President, himself — somehow had an obligation to be there on the scene, and first.
Instead of reminding people how the system was supposed to work, he let his political enemies define the situation.
My assumption is that if others had become ill it would have been well known. It would then have been a news event. As it was only the President and his small group were affected so the decision to keep it quiet was probably due to diplomacy. If it became public knowledge that the President and his entourage were suddenly taken ill in Germany at a G8 meeting it could have caused a lot of rumor and conjecture and perhaps an international uproar.
Mrs. Bush seems to be diplomatically understating the fact there were no others. However, we are just now learning about this l so who knows?
I hope some day a real investigative reporter compiles what they have spent compared with other presidents. I wager they have already outspent the Bushes 8 years in under 2 years.
I totally believe Laura Bush's explanation of Bush flying over NO to see. A visit on the ground would have sucked up time and resources better spent on the victims. The media burned Bush but said practically nothing about that sniveling governor who refused for several days to sign over to the feds her responsibility, which she had to do before they could come in. NOTHING much was said about this or about Nagin, who the NO idiots reelected. But what can we say when other idiots keep sending Shumer, Boxer, Waters, and other crazies to DC .
vaudine
Mrs. Bush mentions that it was dark and the stop sign was small. Sounds like something that could have happened to anybody. Anyway, I do feel for her; I have no doubt it’s haunted her her whole life. When George ran for Prez and it was brought up in the media, that must have been very difficult for her. Nothing compared to what the family of the young man went through, I’m sure, but I still sympathize with her.
Laura is representing all of America with class while the Obamas are playing to their base, the ghetto. Those are the key precincts in the major cities and are where ACORN has been most active. They determine elections.
Paudio writes - “Dubya’s main mistake in handling Katrina’s issue was that he voluntarily owned it, by saying “I’m responsible for some of the failures.” He’s a nice person, and felt deeply sad about what happened, but I don’t think that’s a good move, politically. “”
I cannot agree. Being raised by a father who was a Goldwater man, and who’s favorite President was Harry S. - IMHO, when you are The Boss, taking responsibility is what you do, and I commend W for it. Individual issues wise, W and I parted company early and often, but as a man, and our leader in a 9 -11 world, he was purt near as good as it gets.
Except of course, for that @#*^ open border..... shakes head. I think his personal feelings about the Hispanic people clouded his view, to far too great an extent, and the American people, at least this one, felt that OUR best interests were not being served... : (
FReeregards,
Tatt
paudio wrote - “Dubya’s main mistake in handling Katrina’s issue was that he voluntarily owned it, by saying ‘I’m responsible for some of the failures.’”
lady lawyer responds - “”I agree. But I mainly agree because he cemented in people’s minds that the federal government bears primary responsibility for every local disaster — a completely stupid idea. Only state and local governments already have first responders in place. Before Katrina, everybody more or less understood that the feds only came in after the fact, and only if they were called in by the state and local governments.””
This is why I love FR. VERY good point. Clearly, the nation my Dad grew up in, (and me!), would not have so readily jumped to that conclusion. The road back to personal responsibility is going to be a long and hard one : /
May God strengthen us,
Tatt
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