President Bush waves to the crowd ,Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2002, at the University of New Hampshire as he arrived to speak in Durham,N.H.. Earlier in the day Bush signed the $26.5 billion federal education bill during a stop in Ohio. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)
Posted on 01/09/2002 6:05:22 AM PST by MeekOneGOP
Bush on Kennedy: 'I actually like the fellow'
01/09/2002
WASHINGTON President Bush had warned his fellow Texans just last weekend.
"A lot of my friends in Midland, Texas, are going to be amazed when I stand up and say nice things about Ted Kennedy," the president said Saturday during a town meeting in California.
| Related Bush signs far-reaching education bill |
And Tuesday in Ohio, as he signed his keystone education bill into law, Mr. Bush did just that.
"He is a fabulous United States senator," the president said. "When he's against you, it's tough. When he's with you, it is a great experience."
In the first year of the Bush presidency, this political odd couple has come full circle from Merritt Elementary School in Washington, where the Democratic senator from Massachusetts first appeared with the new Republican president five days after his inauguration, to Hamilton High School near Cincinnati, where Mr. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
The president did not get every reform he proposed during his 2000 campaign, but he got many of them. And he was determined to make the most of it Tuesday during a daylong three-state tour that had Mr. Kennedy riding up front with him on Air Force One.
"I actually like the fellow," Mr. Bush allowed at their first stop in Ohio, before flying off to other education events in New Hampshire and Massachusetts, where Mr. Kennedy was the host at Boston Latin School.
Education reform nearly stalled after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, Mr. Kennedy said, but congressional supporters and the president pressed on.
"President Bush was there, every step of the way, making a difference," the senator said in a warm introduction of the president in Boston.
Tuesday's Bush-Kennedy road show was a long way from Texas, where not so long ago, the senator from Massachusetts was often pilloried in Republican campaigns.
In the old days, too, Mr. Kennedy, no stranger to political hardball, used to take after Mr. Bush as the governor of Texas.
"George Bush doesn't have a credibility gap. He has a credibility chasm," Mr. Kennedy thundered on the Senate floor a few weeks before the 2000 presidential election.
But that was then. This is now.
Folks back home might be "somewhat in shock" at the turn of events, Mr. Bush muses. But, in fact, this seemingly topsy-turvy turn of events was carefully nurtured by the new administration to rally congressional support for education reform.
In just the first two weeks of the Bush presidency, the two men met five times, including a private but well-publicized White House screening of the movie Thirteen Days, the story of the Cuban missile crisis during the administration of the senator's brother John F. Kennedy.
The senator, who is chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, says he shares "common ground" with the president, though they still differ mightily over myriad health care and economic issues.
Mr. Bush says their relationship shows that politicians at the opposite ends of the political spectrum can work together.
"It's a great symbol of what is possible in Washington," Mr. Bush said.
In this case, too, there's a little something for both men.
"For the president, it symbolically shows that he's willing to reach across partisan and ideological lines to get the job done," political analyst Charles Cook noted.
"For Kennedy, it's just a further sign that he is an 800-pound gorilla on Capitol Hill and that people, if they want to get something done, need to deal with him."
"...But during National Brotherhood Week
National Brotherhood Week
It's National Everyone-Smile-At-
One-Another-hood Week
Be nice to people who
Are inferior to you
It's only for a week, so have no fear
Be grateful that it doesn't last all year!"
*****
Keep 'em guessing, Mr. President!
...I say Dub is Chappy's AA sponsor.
Yep. GWB's speaking kindly of Ted Kennedy is the political equivalent of a swift kick to Daschle's groin. I'll bet Tommy is stamping his little feet in anger. :-)
Regarding Islam, fyi. . .
Q&A: Islamic fundamentalism
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/597064/posts
Excerpt:
1. What is the Islamic concept of "jihad," and how has it been variously interpreted?
Jihad means "striving or struggling in the way of God." It is a central concept in Islam. Muslims should strive to know and do the will of God. Historically, the "greater" jihad refers to the struggle each person has within him or herself to do what is right. Because of human pride, selfishness and sinfulness, people of faith must constantly wrestle with themselves and strive to do what is right and good. The "lesser" jihad involves the outward defense of Islam. Muslims should be prepared to defend Islam, including military defense, when the community of faith is under attack. While the vast majority of Muslims clearly reject the violent extremism manifest on Sept. 11, some religiously inspired and politically motivated individuals and groups attempt to justify their behavior in the context of a holy war or struggle in defense of Islam.
[More in link above]
When Bill and Hillary Clinton visited the Brown family immediately after Ron Brown's plane crashed (a crash that, based on numerous facts, may have been "requested" BY CLINTON to keep Brown from testifying against him, the Clinton administration and DNC with regards to campaign finance violations involving TREASONABLE activities with HOSTILE foreign governments), Ted Kennedy was right by their side.
Bush would be wise to MINIMIZE his "admiration" of Kennedy.
Point is, I don't have to like a person's politics to like them as a person. Do you?
And maybe someone will tell us how they have done that.
I think my comments about my best friend demonstrate that we don't have to agree with another person's politics in order to like them.
It does help, however!
;-)
I certainly hope this is a tactic of some sort. I find nothing loveable about a worm eaten adulterous socialist piece of filth like Kennedy.
Regards, Ivan
Ain't politics fun?? I have decided not to question GWBs motives so much (preserve the excessive worry for more important matters). He's always thinking 3-4 chess moves ahead of everyone else. Regardless what some say ( including here on FR especially here on FR - LOL!), President Bush is NOT a stupid man. He is a man of character, faith and morals. Nothing underhand going on here other than a little extending of an "olive branch". He's trying to do his job, IMHO. . .
It looks like it hurts.
And maybe someone will tell us how they have done that.
That was the intent of my post. Please don't read anything into it other than that, ok?? Thanks!
Richard Meek
Would I get a certain amount of satisfaction if the President would "beat up on" the Democrats, yes. Would it be helpful, no.
If the President had a veto proof majority in congress, then he could act differently, but he doesn't.
Part of what the President does is pure PR. The media would love to stir up a dog fight between the President and the Democrats (and we know whos side they would be on.)
I took my blinders off years ago. A person needs to pick their fights. This is only year one of at minimum a four year term, I will allow President Bush time to play the hand he was dealt the way he sees best.
Your right and I think that has been my problem, a wish that I would love to see, but helpful ? No, that is why I thank God the adults are in charge. Hey, Bush is getting his bills passed and that is the main thing that is of importance.
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