Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Paper: Bush Tapes Show Early Strategies
White House - AP ^ | 2/202005

Posted on 02/20/2005 3:58:33 AM PST by wingblade

Paper: Bush Tapes Show Early Strategies

Sun Feb 20, 1:16 AM ET White House - AP

NEW YORK - Private conversations with George Bush secretly taped by an old friend before he was elected president foreshadow some of his political strategies and appear to reveal that he acknowledged using marijuana, The New York Times reported Saturday.

The conversations were recorded by Doug Wead, a former aide to George W. Bush's father, beginning in 1998, when Bush was weighing a presidential bid, until just before the Republican National Convention in 2000, the Times said in a story posted on its Web site.

The tapes show Bush crafting a strategy for navigating the tricky political waters between Christian conservative and secular voters, repeatedly worrying that evangelicals would be angered by a refusal to bash gays and that secular Americans would be turned off by meetings with evangelical leaders.

On one tape, Bush explains that he told one prominent evangelical that he would not "kick gays, because I'm a sinner. How can I differentiate sin?"

In early tapes, Bush dismisses the strength of John McCain for the nomination and expresses concern about rival Steve Forbes. He also praises John Ashcroft as a promising candidate for Supreme Court justice, attorney general or vice president.

Bush also criticizes then-Vice President Al Gore for admitting marijuana use and explains why he would not do the same.

"I wouldn't answer the marijuana questions," he said, according to the Times. "You know why? Because I don't want some little kid doing what I tried."

According to the article, Wead played 12 of the tapes to a Times reporter. He said he recorded them because he viewed Bush as a historic figure. He is the author of a new book on presidential childhoods.

The White House did not deny the authenticity of the tapes.

"The governor was having casual conversations with someone he believed was his friend," White House spokesman Trent Duffy said, referring to Bush.


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: bush; dougwead; strategy
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-35 last
To: stopem

This one emphasizes that Bush all but admitted smoking pot, and the poster plays off the headline about future strategies being foretold in the conversations, and selects the famous "Let's Roll" as a fulfillment of the pot-smoking admission. It is just a petty slam at a great President, that's all this one is. Don't know about the others.


21 posted on 02/20/2005 4:53:21 AM PST by txrangerette
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: gridlock

I called him a troll not for posting it, but for the "Let's Roll?" petty slam at the President for the part where he virtually admitted having smoked pot. Wingblade is __________ for doing that, in my opinion. Please do not confuse me with those who are after him for posting the article. I am well aware the conversations themselves make Bush look GOOD, and it is possible to innocently goof up by posting what was previously done.


22 posted on 02/20/2005 4:59:20 AM PST by txrangerette
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: wingblade

The article makes Doug Wead look like a real back-stabber. I think it just re-enforces what a decent human being President Bush really is.


23 posted on 02/20/2005 5:01:41 AM PST by rww
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: zert_28
I read this article and I didn't think that it showed the President in a bad light. Of course, the Lame Stream Media will spin this story to make Bush look bad. What is more disturbing to me is how a close personal friend of the President betrayed him. That is very upsetting.

I read the article and I Do Not see where there is a negative aspect of what the tapes reveal (although the NYT is writing that story). If this Wead character is releasing the tapes to show that GW is authentic then it is a good way to see how consistent he has always been. Not sexy enough to be a big deal.
24 posted on 02/20/2005 5:03:32 AM PST by submarinerswife
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: txrangerette

..."and the poster plays off the headline about future strategies being foretold in the conversations, and selects the famous "Let's Roll" as a fulfillment of the pot-smoking admission."...

That's just how you read it. " I mean, let's roll Wead. Not weed. It wouldn't be the first time someone in there assumed the intent of one of my posts and I'll bet that I'm not the only one.


25 posted on 02/20/2005 5:15:01 AM PST by wingblade
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: wingblade

Aren't those "strategeries", rather than "strategies"???


26 posted on 02/20/2005 5:34:41 AM PST by astounded (We don't need no stinkin' rules of engagement...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: wingblade

"assumed the intent of one of my posts"

Must'a been busy, having been a user for all of a week - or is that a 'weak'? Oh, a weak user for a week...weed. Dnam, too early.


27 posted on 02/20/2005 5:36:28 AM PST by dhuffman@awod.com (The conspiracy of ignorance masquerades as common sense.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: txrangerette

I would never argue with a Kilgore Rangerette!

28 posted on 02/20/2005 5:37:56 AM PST by gridlock (If a man says something while alone in the forest, and no woman hears him, is he still wrong?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: wingblade
If this is the worst the Dims better look under a different rock more here
29 posted on 02/20/2005 5:41:28 AM PST by traderrob6 (http://www.exposingtheleft.blogspot.com)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: zert_28

called a wedge issue--wedgy--Weades got his panties in a bunch.


30 posted on 02/20/2005 5:53:21 AM PST by StonyBurk
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: wingblade

CAUTION: THE NEW YORK TIMES HAS BEEN PROVEN TO BE AN UNRELIABLE SOURCE OF INFORMATION.


31 posted on 02/20/2005 6:32:19 AM PST by Ed_in_NJ (Who killed Suzanne Coleman?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Ed_in_NJ

ok


32 posted on 02/20/2005 6:34:28 AM PST by wingblade
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: wingblade
Once again the MSM will behave like a 10 year old tattle-tale: 'Lookie-here, lookie-here Mrs. Mainstream!! Did you see that? Dubya disobeyed you seven years ago! Whatcha gonna do to punish him, huh? huh? Can I watch? Can I watch?

Mrs. Mainstream: MSM, you'd better hush up, kiddo, 'cause you're the one about to get spanked...again!

33 posted on 02/20/2005 6:45:10 AM PST by Monti Cello (We've got to move these refrigerators. We've got to move these color TVs.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: wingblade
I understand Bush's thought process. I decided to take a different approach with my children. I told them I tried pot once (true) and it put me to sleep. Not worth the risks of a jail record.

I had a discussion with a friend that happen to be a shrink. he told me he always asked his patients (in our age range) if they ever did any drugs (pot etc) If they said no, he figured they might be lying to him. Late 60's and 70's was not a heidonistic free period.

34 posted on 02/20/2005 7:06:29 AM PST by marty60
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: wingblade

from pbs - frontline - choice2000
Interview with Doug Wead

http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:OuJWYn1S3aQJ:www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/choice2000/bush/wead.html+doug+wead&hl=en&start=4

'Is there any story you can tell us that helps define another aspect of him that you think is important?

Yeah, one thing I haven't seen covered in the press a lot is his almost anal sense of integrity; anything fishy, anything grey. When he was running his dad's campaign, there were girls who would have loved to have slept with the vice-president's son, the future president of the United States, and they'd send signals out and he'd send signals back saying, "Not interested."

There was even one that was kind of pushed. I remember sitting in his office when a very prominent public figure walked in and said, "G.W., you really made her feel bad, you really hurt her." G.W. said, "Good. I'm married. Not interested. Case closed. Good, I hope she feels bad, good. Glad she got the message." And in his business life I saw that.

There was a congressman, former congressman, who came to me with a wonderful business deal that would be good for the cause, it involved a media purchase, it was a good deal. They had one little piece of the puzzle missing and G.W. had the contact and could make the phone call to make this work, to add, to make this work. So this congressman, I said, "Ok, I'll get you in to see G.W."

And we were rehearsing in his hotel room before the meeting, and he gets to a part where he's going to say to G.W., "And there's something in this for you, if you can be helpful to us, da da da da da." ...So I plead with the congressman "Don't do this, don't say this to G.W., he'll spot it" and, he says, "That's not the way Washington works, this is what we do here, it's quid pro quo, this is long before Washington, this is the essence of people, of politics and business and there's nothing illegal about this." I said, "You understand Washington, I understand G.W. Bush. Please don't do that, you're going to embarrass me and it will backfire." He says, "Alright," I say, "Promise me," he says, "Ok, I promise." So I took him in there, and sure enough, we get in the middle of this thing, G.W.'s listening to it, sounds good, and then this congressman says, "And we're not going to take advantage of you, and if you can help us and da da da da da" and G.W. jumped out of his chair so fast and lifted the congressman up-- former congressman-- and said, "Well, this was great, thanks, buddy, thanks," and basically threw him out of his office... '


35 posted on 02/20/2005 10:52:05 AM PST by bitt ("Conservatism is the dominant political creed in America,")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-35 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson