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Related: About this forumUnveiling the Official President Bush Portrait - Speech by President Obama 2012
Brilliant and kind speech by President Obama - This is how it's done.
President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama host former President George W. Bush and Former First Lady Laura Bush for the unveiling of their official portraits. May 31, 2012.
7wo7rees
(5,128 posts)Class and grace stands out and I can't even begin to believe I am even saying this for we fought so long and hard against Bush, Cheney and the BFEE. I can not wrap my brain around wishing for the good old days with G Dubya and Laura, but god damned almighty, how far we have fallen. I am not sure we can ever recover. Not with the Republicans in power now. Very sad.
And we only live a few short miles away from their home in Dallas now. And the Liebrary I spent more than once protesting against.
Jeebus, how the worm turns!
Rhiannon12866
(205,301 posts)Since POTUS is such an exclusive club, in our history it was common for new presidents to call on previous presidents for help and advice. LBJ called on Eisenhower, Jimmy Carter only had Ford and Nixon, but found his former opponent very helpful in dealing with Congress and Carter was called on for diplomatic missions by both George H.W. Bush and Clinton administrations.
I was no fan of George W Bush*, either. When he inexplicably won in 2004 I felt ill for days. I remember here on DU that GD and GDP here on DU were changed to two helpful forums, one for sounding off and expressing anger and the other for receiving sympathy and support. I mainly accessed the latter.
But compared to Trump, any POTUS looks good. And President Obama is a class act, there was nothing to be gained by expressing hostility to the Bushes and a POTUS never knows when he might need information or advice. Can we imagine Trump in this cordial lineup? It would be a case of "Which one doesn't belong..."
Scarsdale
(9,426 posts)going into this White House. Not until the tRumps leave, and the place is fully fumigated. Will Forst Lay-dee Maleria's portrait be one of her nekkid, or in a lesbian pose with another "model"? How low we have fallen in such a short time. Maybe daddy will insist on substituting Ivanka for Maleria for the portrait.
NotHardly
(1,062 posts)Maybe you ought to talk to your Mom about your hidden-to-self biases ... known in the lingo as butthurt. Could be of some value to you.
Scarsdale
(9,426 posts)You, however seem really touchy about the subject. I am upset that we have a so-called "first lady" with a past that is questionable. I remember the "right" getting all out of joint when Michelle Obama wore a sleeveless dress. Maybe YOU are the one who should "talk to your mother"??
denem
(11,045 posts)and some failed presidents, like W. Thew point is, what we have now in the White House isn't a president at all. The Constitution and the Oath of Office mean nothing to him - worse he see's them as impediments to a project that is all about him and no one else. So yeah, being without a president is an aching void.
Rhiannon12866
(205,301 posts)I agree that we've had some great and not-so-great presidents, some that stepped up to the plate when things got tough and others that history will not judge kindly. But they've all participated whether we agreed with them, or not, but Trump didn't want the job, had no intention of doing the immense work that's required, he just liked the ceremonial aspect, the applause of rallies and the campaign contributions that rolled in. He liked telling people what to do, but when it's come to the tough decisions, keeping up with world issues and searching for and appointing the best minds in this country, he just has no interest. Do we even have a full complement of ambassadors at this late date??
So far we've been lucky, there was no Cuban Missile Crisis or Pearl Harbor attack on his watch. But then this pandemic hit and he chose to ignore it, the same as he ignores the daily PDBs that keep a POTUS informed and is totally unprepared when it comes to international summits - which has earned him the disrespect of the world.
That anyone at all cannot see this and can continue to support a man who has let this country down on every possible opportunity totally boggles the mind. He's resided in The People's House - when he's felt like it - but that's about it. He deserved to be removed long ago and history will not judge those kindly who allowed him to remain when we had the chance. I fear for our future and it's going to take more than one term to undo all the harm he has done. It's going to take decades.
yaesu
(8,020 posts)Collimator
(1,639 posts)And not because he is amazing. You don't have to be amazing to model basic human behavior and adhere to established social norms.
There are chimpanzees and other primate species who can model human behavior and adhere to established social norms better than Trump.
joanbarnes
(1,722 posts)denem
(11,045 posts)MF45 is a project only about himself, and no-one else. He is an anti-president.
Rhiannon12866
(205,301 posts)We've had great and not-so-great presidents over the years, but they've always done the job. All Trump has done is hold rallies and pocket campaign contributions - leaving debt in the cities where he's held these rallies in his wake. He doesn't even go so far as to read the daily PDB. He's of no use to this country and might as well remain on the golf course for all the work he's done for the American people.
denem
(11,045 posts)Rhiannon12866
(205,301 posts)That does seem to be just about all he cares about - golf and his golf courses. Maybe if he'd stuck to that alone, he wouldn't have gone bankrupt numerous times - and this country wouldn't be in the shape it's in now. I still contend that the only reason he ran for president was because he'd run out of other options to make money - and he thought he'd get campaign contributions, but never had any intention of doing the actual job...
Fortinbras Armstrong
(4,473 posts)It was obvious that they were all pleased to be participating in the ceremony.
I simply cannot see Trump giving such a speech.