Posted on 11/05/2012 8:46:35 PM PST by WilliamIII
One of the most telling aspects of the 2012 presidential campaign now racing to its end is the matter of the vanishing former two-term Republican president. His name is so seldom mentioned by his party's nominee and other stalwarts as to take on the characteristic of a toxic distant uncle.
That other GOP two-termer, Ronald Reagan, continues posthumously to enjoy the stature of political sainthood among the faithful. But the 43rd president, who is the son and namesake of the 41st, has been neither seen nor heard from in the blizzard of speech-making and television advertising by and in behalf of party standard-bearer Mitt Romney.
Yes, the missing person in the picture would be George W. Bush, now seemingly under party house arrest back in Texas as Mr. Romney runs as far away as he can get from Mr. Bush and his White House tenure. Memories of the junior Bush economic hangover haunt not only President Barack Obama, still struggling to recover from it, but also the Republican who wants Mr. Bush's old job.
(Excerpt) Read more at articles.baltimoresun.com ...
G W Bush is and was a ten times better man than the president that preceded him and the one that came after him.
I suppose it would be out of the question to blame the actual attacker? That’s like insisting that we have a gun problem when we really have a crime problem
Not overtly- he used some wisdom on stem cell research, made a path for faith-based groups to work the margins...
Kept the pride factor up in the military services.
But, yes he could have pushed harder.
So now even the GOP candidate should blame the GOP former president for potentially losing?
What nonsense.
Bush was a great president and I despise how republicans do not defend him.
Clinton has 70 percent approval while bush has about 30.
He fought 2 wars successfully. He removed Charles Taylor. Ended genocide of south Sudan.
Shifted oil imports from ME to north America.
Kept America safe.
Prevented thousands of deaths during Katrina.
Stopped saddam Hussein.
Brought the deficit down to 260 billion. Got unemployment down to 4.7.
He saved gm and Chrysler and got that money back.
Economic hangover?
If Barky had somehow maintained the economy and the employment where Bush left it, he would be a shoo-in for reelection.
Obama owns this recession 100% and if he wins we are going back down.
Bush did not defend the Republican brand
Because Bush was “better” than the Republican brand. “Compassionate” conservatism implies there’s something wrong with straight-up conservatism. Just as “pappy’s” “kinder and gentler” conservatism was a dig at Reagan. Two losers - George Sr and Jr, suggesting they know better than Reagan conservatism !
You failed American History, didn’t you?
Not fiscally, and some foreign policy desicions were not a good idea.
the economy and the employment where Bush left it,
You mean when everyone - myself included - was worried about bank runs and general financial collapse? The last months of 2008 were a scary time, but maybe you’re an amnesiac?
How many times do you have to get fooled before it’s shame on you rather than shame on the one who fooled you?
I used to have a couple of Landon campaign posters
in mint condition. Wish I could find them.
I cant defend GWB’s legacy however the GOP has made a ton of screw-ups since he left office, the most damaging ones the past two years.
GWB’s legacy is not helpful but he is not the sole cause of the GOP’s current problems, especially when he had the good sense to stay out of sight.
On day one of 2009 the Republican minority in congress should have purged their failed leadership. That is what I was saying. They needed to show they learned something.
And for a nominee they (GOP) picked someone who appears to be a Bush clone.
Lastly, Obama has not won yet. Best to save these for if that happens.
After a (hopefully significant) Romney win tomorrow night, we need to lay into the GOP leadership harder than ever. We got then all 3 Houses for 2000-2006, and we got little to show for it. We also failed miserably in the primaries to get a candidate that could attack Obama on Obamacare, or would attack him much at all. (The GOP strategy seemed to be to nominate a guy who would be tougher for the MSM to attack, and would play decent defense... not a horrible strategy, but most of us care FAR more about limited government and lower spending... which is why the Ryan VP pick was pretty good.)
Let's (hopefully) celebrate WED and THU... and once the weekend hits, let's remember to start changing the character of the Stupid Party, the Cowardly Leadership, and the Slightly-Slower-Socialism Strategies.
More frequently than once per century.
What a load of crap! I’d vote for Bush again if I could.
Hice, not Houses
Hate to say it, but GWB ‘gave birth’ to Obama.
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Pathetic sputtering from a faded glory BDSer. |
Bush was a great president
If he was so great, why do no Republican candidates have him campaigning with them? Why isn’t he in GOP commercials? Why isn’t he at Romney’s rallies? Because the GOP knows that the public despises him and people haven’t forgotten the near-depression that was going on when Bush left office.
Reagan, in contrast, is the hero of every Republican, and his name can’t be mentioned enough. His picture is on the wall of every GOP headquarters and field office in the land. As it should be.
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