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Prez is Past His Partying
The Dallas Morning News | September 18, 2002 | Alan Peppard

Posted on 09/18/2002 4:50:06 PM PDT by altura

Over a year and a half into the Bush II administration, W magazine has blown the lid off the deep secret about the social whir at the White House under President George W. Bush – there isn't a whir.

In its October issue, the New York-based fashion and style periodical features a story called "The Big Chill," about the lack of social buzz in Washington. Of course, most anybody in Dallas, Austin or Midland could have told them this before George W. ever put his hand on the Bible. If you expected George W. Bush the party animal to show up in Washington, you're 20 years too late.

Before the inauguration, media outlets from D.C. phoned me frantically wanting to know what the Bush social scene would look like. Like a mantra, I would repeat to each one, "He doesn't dance, he doesn't drink, and he goes to bed early." That is all ye know on Earth and all ye need to know.

"You hear a lot of people complaining, especially among Bush's biggest supporters," one Republican stalwart tells W of the lack of social life around the Bush White House. "This crowd is just very insulated. They were isolated in Texas, and they still are. It's a very tight clan, much tighter than their parents'. They had their wagons circled before they ever left Austin."

People, please ... you're reading too much into this. Let's go back a step: "He doesn't dance, he doesn't drink, and he goes to bed early." When he was governor, you had to catch him before dinner and not wait until after or he'd be out the door faster than Superman ducking a pass from Lois Lane. Wherever he was, the governor made a point to leave early to fly back to Austin so he could say good night to his daughters, Jenna and Barbara.

Fort Worth-reared Clay Johnson, Bush's pal from Andover and Yale and former COO of the Dallas Museum of Art, is on the short list with his wife, Ann, for private dinners in the family quarters. He is now White House personnel director, and she is director of the State Department's Art in Embassies program. Ann reports that Bush usually makes invites for these get-togethers at the last minute. "He calls direct, without a switchboard operator," Ann tells W.

Perhaps when he's whipped Osama and Saddam he'll be able to worry about the more important things in life, like making cocktail chat on the Beltway social circuit.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: bush; partying
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To: altura
Thanks for pinging the "Babes."

No problem. I saw that RWP hadn't done it, and since I have the list for my superfluous postings of the Dose (hehe), I went ahead and pinged everyone.

Good article about a genuinely good man.

81 posted on 09/18/2002 7:15:45 PM PDT by ohioWfan
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To: bentfeather
Nope. I keep checking, but I don't think it's up yet.
82 posted on 09/18/2002 7:16:45 PM PDT by ohioWfan
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To: Guillermo
This President isn't interested in shallow, phony parties with shallow, phony people

Woo-eee, a shallow, phony party - I'm in!

83 posted on 09/18/2002 7:24:23 PM PDT by mountaineer
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To: ohioWfan
Thanks for the ping Ohio. I agree with everyone else, that the President is perfectly normal not wanting to be around fake people, constantly telling you how great you are and who are usually two-faced anyway. It's good for him to have a close knit set of friends and family he can trust. I know I do. I also enjoy being by myself from time to time just to sit and think and relax.

Clinton was and is the abnormal one, he's very insecure and needs the constant praise and fawning. He's having a very hard time without the fawning and constant praise right now, which is why he had to go on the Letterman show on 9/11. He craves attention like a small child.

84 posted on 09/18/2002 7:25:35 PM PDT by ReaganRevolution
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To: Wild Irish Rogue
And the ones defending clinton would be the same ones that are now defending the terrorists!
85 posted on 09/18/2002 7:26:12 PM PDT by Wait4Truth
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To: ohioWfan
. I keep checking, but I don't think it's up yet.

Rintense is probably waiting for you to put your thread up first, lol.

86 posted on 09/18/2002 7:27:00 PM PDT by McLynnan
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To: Wild Irish Rogue
one time the dog sitter left an emergency message,my heart was in my throat when I called her back-she wanted to know where we kept the tin foil

She must have been reading FR and needed to don the tin foil very quickly ....... hehe!

87 posted on 09/18/2002 7:27:32 PM PDT by kayak
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To: Stultis
LOL! You made me spit my popcorn out onto my keyboard! Really funny! Thanks!
88 posted on 09/18/2002 7:27:58 PM PDT by Wait4Truth
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To: altura
LOL! Those daughters! Sometimes I have wanted to take them over my knee and spank them!!!

Regarding the President, I hope when he goes to Congress about Iraq he allows "Hail To The Chief" to be played. It sets the tone and moves him above all the partisan bickering.

89 posted on 09/18/2002 7:35:01 PM PDT by Wait4Truth
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To: ohioWfan
Thanks for the ping! Saw this a few days ago and it made me smile.

It's crackin' me up that all these society toads don't have their usual party central at our expense any longer!

And a big fat AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! for the wonderful breath of fresh air that now resides at the White House!!


90 posted on 09/18/2002 7:41:33 PM PDT by BigWaveBetty
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To: altura
Take the time to compliment this writer on his work. Pointed remarks like this deserve praise...especially his comment about Bush putting his daughters as such a priority.

Write to: apeppard@dallasnews.com

Truly, the more one compares the current "Presidential mode" to the previous, the more nauseating the previous becomes.

91 posted on 09/18/2002 7:45:51 PM PDT by lsee
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To: ohioWfan
Never EVER watch the Super Bowl at a party!

Reminds me of what Ed McMahan used to tell Johnny about New Years Eve, "I stay home. I never drink with with the amateures." Its better to watch the Super Bowl alone with your dogs than with a room full of dolts that only watch one game a year.

92 posted on 09/18/2002 8:18:53 PM PDT by oyez
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To: altura
What's wrong with these folks? Don't they know how to throw a party all by themselves? Why do they have to be concerned about the social habits of the President. Just goes to show how shallow those folks are. They don't have parties to be with their friends; they have them to see and be seen by the dealmakers! Disgusting!
93 posted on 09/18/2002 8:35:52 PM PDT by SuziQ
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To: altura
CONGRAT TO Wash Society here HELLO Maybe Dubya like spent quality time with Laura OKAY

I know a man who goes to bed around 10:30pm

AHHH I call him Dad

That normal in my opinion

94 posted on 09/18/2002 8:45:00 PM PDT by SevenofNine
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To: Wait4Truth
Ah Sally Quinn or Barney

I take Scottish Terrier ANYTIME

Actually I hear Laura does some of work as First lady while Dubya watching Football she be in one room and Dubya be in another sound like my parents

My dad would be in front room watching football with his dog

My mom would be watching Lifetime TV
95 posted on 09/18/2002 8:47:08 PM PDT by SevenofNine
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To: altura
Thank God George W. has filled up the holes in his head, With a "Strong Belief in God" mind you,unlike #42 who will spend his every living (to his Final)breath trying to fill the vacant holes in his dome.I bet Sally Quinn is just going out of her gourd having to stay home and talk w/ her Ben Bradlee! LOL
96 posted on 09/18/2002 8:53:29 PM PDT by Pagey
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To: SBeck
"Yeah, yeah, I know he needs his "me time" but it seems that he's a very lonely guy."

Believe me, Bush probably treasures his solitude. When you have to deal with, meet, talk, shake hands, etc. with so many different people, day after day, it's a great pleasure to be able to escape to the solitude of your own room to relax and enjoy your own company. Bush likes himself and feels comfortable having his own private time, unlike Clinton, who needed the company of people to make him feel important.

97 posted on 09/18/2002 10:05:25 PM PDT by mass55th
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To: SevenofNine
Barney is adorable - especially when he's trying to bite the ankles of journalists! LOL! I love the fact that our President doesn't need Washington society cocktail parties. I like knowing that he's sound asleep with Laura by 10:30. Up at 5 am, down at 10:30. Works for me.
98 posted on 09/18/2002 10:14:48 PM PDT by Wait4Truth
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To: SBeck
Actually, I've always wondered why the most powerful man on the face of the earth was watching the Superbowl alone. Yeah, yeah, I know he needs his "me time" but it seems that he's a very lonely guy.

I enjoy watching sports alone. Conversation during sports takes away from the enjoyment of the event. I like watching movies around my friends though.

99 posted on 09/18/2002 10:21:03 PM PDT by #3Fan
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To: Wait4Truth
Actually Barney is my fav he just adorbale little guy he so cute that I want wrap him in my arms just hug him

I hear Barney like to be hug and also I found out from dog owners from sport site that reason why Dubya carry Barney especially Air Force One his short legs would be caught go up the stairs

OHHH POOR BABY

Yeah I remember when some dude accidently step on poor Barney

100 posted on 09/18/2002 10:26:59 PM PDT by SevenofNine
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