Bush Chooses Clinton for East Timor Mission

USA Today ^ | 05/06/2002 | Bill Nichols

[TonyInOhio]

WASHINGTON

[Wild Irish Rogue]

I went back and read the entire article in USA Today. Clinton sent George H.Bush to state funerals, so there is precedence. On further reflection, this may not be a bad move-as long as it is an isolated one.It makes GW look like the bigger man and you can't overlook the irony of sending Clinton to someplace most people can't find on a map.

[GraniteStateConservative]

There are those here that hate Ted Kennedy and hate Clintoon and others and think they should never be mentioned or looked at or dealt with for any reason.

Democrats try to paint Bush as an evil partisan, but he uses Kennedy as a co-sponsor of his education plan, uses Zell Miller as a co-sponsor of his tax plan, acknowledges Rep. Moakley in his SOU speech, invites Mayor Street of Philly to sit with his wife at the SOU speech (and goes to Street's block party on Independence Day), and so on. Then when voters are asked to believe Bush is just a partisan and that is agenda is not bi-partisan, they'll reject that idea because they've seen these overtures. Sending Clintoon to East Timor is meaningless. If there is an independent voter that likes Clintoon's job performance that would have supported Bush in 2000 if he didn't think that Bush was a Clintoon hater, then Bush has just won over that voter with this meaningless gesture.

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Good - very glad.

Backhoe - I will keep searching for that picture of Clinton in front of the mob in that AFrican country - where he shows a face of pure-tee terror.

[GraniteStateConservative]

I'm sorry you thought he would. He'll be around for decades and decades and so will Hillary-- spending most of her time in the Senate (since she won't need to leave that job to run for the WH in 2004 or 2008).

[Wild Irish Rogue]

My blood pressure was quite elevated at this news, early on.But,calm and reasoned commentary, such as yours,has put things in a different perspective. Thanks.

[Harrison Bergeron]

East Timor is about to become the diplomatic center of the universe for the media, just watch.

[Semper Paratus]

lets see Clowntooon begged for a part in the ME and he gets Timor..BTW where is E. Timor?

I think this is a not so subtle slap at x42. Billy wanted an 'A' team assignment like the middle east.
Bush gave him what Billy usually gave Gore, ribbon cuttings and funerals.

Sec. Powell to Bush: "E.Timor got a independence day coming up, we need representation how about Cheney?"
Bush: "Cheney!? Are you nuts, I need him here, whose available that we can spare?"

[Pegita]

Right on, FWI ... for those who partake of Rintense's nightly posts on a Day in the Life of President Bush ... you know that the President's great love is the American people; that he's focused and relentless; he's vocal about doing what is best for our country; many times we won't see or know exactly what all that means, but it always comes back to his great love for his countrymen. We see it in those photos everyday. Rintense is truly a patriot for her work (thanks always, Rintense).

Having said that, my bet is that President Bush and his staff are more thoroughly prepared than the Clintons could ever be, FBI files, notwithstanding. I'm sure they know the crimes, and they know the times, and I don't doubt that this comes into play in ways we don't see ... but we did see the jab at Hitlery Clinton at the Correspondents Dinner; Rush suggested that showing the existence of a peephole into the President's office sends a pretty strong message that "behind closed doors" might not mean the world is totally shut out; then the X is invited to become PART of a delegation ... and I agree with you, under the watchful eye of those attending. I don't know protocol, but my guess is that the X is not top of the line in the delegation.

As for me, I'd just love to see the twinkle in the President's eyes when this was being planned. It's been said all along ... Don't Mess With Texas .. and Don't Mess With What's Best for the American People.

Pegita

[Republic]

I agree with most of your post. I do think that Clinton has good reason to go...his policy there was actually dead on. And of course he will see Riady....of course. There are things to talk about and money to exchange. Clinton will be happy to take the trip. And we can all breath a little more sweetly with that traitor off shore. Even it if it is only for a few days. Oh, and the bimbos will be there....no one is klinton's boss...he is only responsible for attending a celebration and an inauguration. The rest of the time he can bullshit with the press, try to look big and smart (ever known of a bigger idiot?) and smooze with Riady and his son or folks sent to represent the same, and play rug tag with assorted females who have no taste.

[caddie]

Let's just face it: Bush sucks.

I felt the same way about GHWB: Started out OK, kicked some butt in the middle east, then, he started making one bad call after another, until, he was just crazy.

In the father's parallel universe, this senseless decision is roughly equivalent to the "Family Leave Act" or the "Americans with Disabilities Act".

Every week I have to fill out some paperwork for some candy-ass whose wife just had a kid, or whose husband is sick, and instead of having the normal, red-blooded American instinct (i.e., to get off his ass and work to make more money to pay bills) the slacker wants to take a "Family Leave".

That's what they call it.

Thanks, X41 you jerk.

Institutionalizing wimpiness and laziness.

X41 and 43 both suck.

[CaptBlack]

When Bill is out of the country he can't do any damage to the Bush administration. This is a brilliant move for a number of reasons.

(laughing hard)...
I KNEW it!! I KNEW this was coming! Bush could televise himself crapping on the White House lawn and SOMEBODY will be trotted forth explaining how "brilliant" it was.
It's absolutely-freaking-amazing.

[tomkat]

BTW, did you ever vote for him in the first place?

not only did i vote for him,
i put my skin on the line for him:
Cheney's house,
USSC,
09/27/01,
09/29/01.
did you ??

this 'appointment' is nonetheless shameful as hell,
no matter how many west wing yuks it might've garnered.

the asshole press corps is gonna be on this like white on rice ...

[Wphile]

HELLOOOOO??? It was Clinton who signed the Family Leave Act, not 41. Sheesh.

[Ann Archy]

If you stay home on election day, you better NOT have one more word to say on ANYTHING political!!! Only COWARDS stay home......this is not religion...it'/s politics and there is a LOT of grey in politics.....so quit your bellyaching. Bush is President of Americans, not Republcans.

[GraniteStateConservative]

You're welcome. I trust Condi Rice more than I do GWB. If Condi is signing on to it, then there is quite a bit of calculation involved that doesn't immediately seem clear to us. Condi is a brilliant woman and has probably played chess with Russian masters while on trips in that region-- this might be a clever move she learned from them.

[tomkat]

Griping to me won't change anything.
Call the White House and let them know how unhappy you are.

carton, betcha a dollar there's someone from the WH on FR about 24/7 ...

[tomkat]

I heard they still practise cannibalism there.

we could only hope, were it to play out that way, that the cannibals prefer tartare ...

[carton253]

Probably... If I were in the White House, I would be on it.