Laura Bush defends Obama school speech

[kpete]

Source: CNN

WASHINGTON (CNN) — Former first lady Laura Bush is defending President Obama's decision to address the nation's school children, telling CNN Monday that it is "really important for everyone to respect the President of the United States."

"I think that there is a place for the President of the United States to talk to school children and encourage school children, and I think there are a lot of people that should do the same," she told CNN's Zain Verjee, in an interview set to air Monday on The Situation Room. "And that is encourage their own children to stay in school and to study hard and to try to achieve the dream that they have."

The former first lady said she believed criticism of the speech had arisen because of the accompanying lesson plans. If parents are opposed to the address, said Bush, "That's their right. You know that certainly is the right of parents to choose what they want their children to hear in school… (But) I think it's also really important for everyone to respect the President of the United States."

Does she think it's fair to criticize Obama, as some have, by labeling him a socialist? "I'd have no idea whether it's fair, do you think I thought it was fair when President Bush was criticized — not really. So, I guess not," she responded.

Read more: http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/09/07/laura-bush-defends-obama-school-speech/

[1Hippiechick]

1. Good for Laura! n/t

[Robber M]

10. Yep!

Give credit where is due!

[lumpy]

84. Credit for what ? For admitting it was a good speech?, which it

was? Other than that she was in no way defending Obama. Her response is that she didn't know whether or not it was fair that Obama was criticized and that her fair haired husband was undeservedly criticized. She deserves no creit for anything other than putting up with her dead beat war criminal husband.

[hezekkia]

43. she's such a socialist!

[shanti]

2. yes laura

it was fair when your husband was criticized. he totally deserved it. obama, on the other hand, does not.

[DUlover2909]

31. That's the crux. They complain that we made references to fascism

concerning Bushco's policies. That's because Bush was an invader. Bush broke laws like unwarranted wiretaps, lying to the public, and torturing prisoners of war.

[still_one]

34. It still was not a fair comparison to compare bush to hitler. You have concrete things to critisise

bush on his own. The comparison to hitler detracts, and does not focus on the outrageous issues he did do

[NoQuarter]

40. Well, if not for Grandpappy Prescott (and the steamrolling of the rule of law,)

we wouldn't have been plagued by GHW Bush or GW Bush, so Adolf comes into direct play on the Bush-compared-to-Hitler scorecard.

[JDPriestly]

46. Let's see still_one, Bush had people arrested without probably cause

(some right here in the U.S.) then opened a special prison just for them in which they were, until the Supreme Court ruled otherwise, deprived of due process, housed in the most wretched environment and treated in a demeaning manner by the guards. Some prisoners were children. A significant number of the prisoners committed suicide.

Bush ordered massive eavesdropping on electronic communications including those of Americans living within the U.S.

Bush held "town halls" in which only his supporters were allowed to participate.

Bush started a war based on lies.

Bush ordered the torture of prisoners including but not limited to waterboarding.

Bush abducted the citizens of foreign countries while they were outside the U.S. and transported them to secret prisons where they were held incognito and most probably tortured.

These are just a few of the things that Bush did that are similar to things Hitler did.

Of course, Hitler committed even more crimes than Bush, but then Hitler held power for 12 years and was not hindered by a somewhat independent Supreme Court or a Congress with a Democratic majority for two years as was Bush.

[Lorien]

63. All true. When we compared Bush to Hitler it was a comparison to the RISE of

the Third Reich, not to their later atrocities. The similarities between the Reichstag fire and 9/11, the following power grab, media propaganda and erosion of civil rights, along with the invasion of Poland/ invasion of Iraq parallel, made it hard NOT to make a historical comparison between BushCo and Hitler. Honestly; what historical comparisons is the Right Wing using when they call Obama Hitler?

[still_one]

75. I am not going to take your points line by line, but Viet Nam was a Democratic war

and most of the things you talk about their also apply to that war, but it still did not equate to hitler

of course the Moon people might disagree, but it was not actual policy at genocide

Don't forget about the Japanese internment camps, hmmmm, was that also hitler?

It wasn't right, and FDR was behind that one

hitler had a plan for world domination, and genocide for those who he considered not pure

That was NEVER a policy of America, no matter who was in charge

[JDPriestly]

87. My husband was a child in Austria during WWII.

He thinks that the comparison is quite appropriate. He was there. He saw how people were being intimidated.

Even now, Fox News and the right-wing are intimidating free speech.

They have the same militancy as the NAZIs did. Fortunately, so far there are democratic forces resisting the urge to be so fanatical. We shall see what happens.

People react to frustration in different ways. As a nation, we are about to enter a devastating economic depression. I must sound very depressed, but it isn't that. Our dollar is falling as we speak. This is a time of change.

FDR was able to respond to the challenge of change in a way that was balanced, that maintained the American dream of free people and as free an economy as possible without allowing people to be crushed by the change.

My mother thinks that Obama should have let the banks fail. She says that is what FDR did. Because Obama did not let them fail, he prevented people from understanding just how bad the direction that began under Reagan and even Carter -- toward more and more deregulation has been for our country.

FDR was able to lead the country back to a balance between free enterprise that is innovative and encourages creativity and predator economics in which a wealthy class inebriated by greed sucks the blood out of the innovation and creativity of the middle class. We are not headed in the right direction, not at all.

[still_one]

98. I know you are not for this, but there is NOTHING that can justify the internment camps

for Japanese American CITIZENS

who had their property and possessions stolen from them. That was NOT a balanced reaction that maintainted the American dream of free people

If you were to ask the people who went through the depression if Obama should have let the banks fail, they would have said overwhelming NO. That we are even arguing about it only shows that the meltdown WAS avoided. Yes, the tarp was handled badly, and Congress provided NO accountablity to the banks, which they now realize, but if the banks would have been allowed to fail, not only would there be massive job losses, 401K money markets, and a lot of other accounts would have been lost. It would have been far worse than most people imagine, to see their life savings wiped out.

Yes, we can now discuss about breaking up those institutions, so there is not a "too big to fail" allowed, and restoring regulation, which by the way was sealed by Bill Clinton with the repeal of Glass Stegall, and the Commodities and futures act of 2000.

The depression has so far been avoided, and that is because the banks were not allowed to fail

Incidently, if you see a parallel between bush and hitler, then why isn't Obama reversing the policies that were started under bush?

With your logic, what does that imply with Obama?

For hitler he created his enemies. We were actually attacked during 9/11, and right or wrong, decisions were made based on that, not to take over the world.

As far as faux news, do you think the majority of people in this country do not know what faux is?

Let's be honest, this country survived a Civil War, and if the Democracy withstood that it will withstand this.

[24601]

89. And of course President Obama has immediately overturned

everything on day one and refused to defend any of Bush's policies in court, except that he hasn't, and it's unlikely that he's trolling for Bush's vote in 2012.

[still_one]

99. That was my point. Neither bush nor Obama is comparable to hitler

and the analogy is a wrong one

We were attacked on 9/11, and though I disagree with the Patriot Act, and other errosions of our Constitution, I still know that this was because they believed, wrongly, it would protect us, it was not to conquer the world

I also believe we are slowly coming to realize the errors of that, just as we realized the errors of the interment camps for Japanese Americans during WWII

[RFKHumphreyObama]

3. Laura seems to have become a much better person since leaving the White House

First her support of Sonia Sotomayor and now this. I think she might be showing her true colors without Rove and his scriptwriters around

[RoyGBiv]

15. She was actually a teacher ...

... and I think that has something to do with at least these comments.

One thing I've been somewhat shocked to see is the number of teachers I know, many of whom are conservative, fairly well getting up in arms over the criticism of the speech. They are seeing a broader context of the criticism that suggests that beside the obvious political ploy this whole mess masks an effort to control more directly what teachers can say, and teach, in classes. They have enough of that already, and they're rebelling against the implications they see in all this.

Of course I also think she's trying to help write the historical narrative for her husband, thus the emphasis on how important it is to "respect the President" generally.

[murielm99]

44. I believe she was a librarian.

At any rate, librarians hate censorship.

[elleng]

37. She always has been a good person.

[gopiscrap]

41. She killed some one and got away with with it!

[elleng]

52. It was an automobile accident, wasn't it?

[druidity33]

60. i believe

she ran him over in her own driveway. Going forward. Hush, hush. Accident.

[whopis01]

65. I don't believe that is correct

She ran a stop sign and hit a car coming down the other road.

[druidity33]

81. oh well

what about the rumor that she tortured and killed a male prostitute in 1990?

:)

[truthrocks]

53. She accidently killed her ex-boyfriend when she was 17 -

don't know if she was even charged with manslaughter ...

[Rebubula]

68. Accidents Happen

And when they do, people are rarely charged with a crime.

The Laura Bush killing her boyfriend story is weaker than Whitewater.

No matter how some people try...her case will never be equal to Kennedy's.

[WatchWhatISay]

94. I find them both very equal

By the known facts, they were both accidents
By speculation from people with a distinct point of view they were surely much more than that, perhaps murder in Laura's case and extreme negligent homicide in Kennedy's case.

[Fire_Medic_Dave]

103. Ridiculous.

[lumpy]

85. She is, simply, trying to beautify her image since she is

married to a man who is almost universally hated by the rest of the world and stain has a tendency to mar anything it touches.

[Crowman2009]

4. LOL now all the nutjobs are going to rent their clothes and weep uncontrollably!

[woo me with science]

39. "rent" their clothes?

LOL. To whom?

[rpannier]

55. Makes sense to me

They're certainly not going to rend their clothes
There's no profit in it

[Crowman2009]

88. sorry that was an old english word for "tear." Which is a word used in a book that wingnuts claim..

...to read about. Which is the bible.

[wordpix]

92. I thought you were referring to Palin's clothes "rentals"

:rofl:

[Turbineguy]

71. Don't forget

the gnashing of teeth.

There are Dentists around here that may need some work!

[nevergiveup]

5. This is what I would have expected her to say on this issue.

She has also defended Michelle on occasion.

[paulsby]

58. even newt

defends the president on this speech.

in both cases, the defenses came out on MONDAY, iow after the actual speech was released.

i'd be curious how many of the former critics, now that the speech has been released (and after reading it, it is truly non-partisan) have retracted their criticisms of same.

[rosesaylavee]

6. Well. Cool. I am glad she said that.

Totally surprised she did but I am glad she said that.

[Mrs. Overall]

7. Not too surprising since she was a librarian and has been an advocate of literacy and education.

Good for her for speaking out.

[Name removed]

54. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[kayakjohnny]

8. Good for her.

Thanks Laura. I know your life has been kind of weird. Good of you to speak up now.

[David Zephyr]

9. She didn't have to do this. But she did. That speaks well of her.

This is not the first time that Laura has done this since Obama became President.

How she lives with the Chimp baffles me to hell, but regardless, she took a step against the nutty right-wing that she could have avoided.

She gets respect from me for this.

[MichiganVote]

11. Takes Laura Bush to speak up in place of our Dem Congress? Cowards.

[mcollier]

17. Exactly! Obviously Obama has some suspect

democratic support in Washington. They need to be held accountable for not holding republican officals accountable for making outragious statements about President Obama, such as calling him a communist or intent on unleasing terrorist on American soil.

What the hell is going on??? Its time we contact Congress and ask them that very question...

[MichiganVote]

21. Damn straight.

[Chulanowa]

48. becuase the democrats in office didn't run on competence, but on "winnability"

it's less about actually getting the best people for hte job than it is about just keeping republicans out. it's a shit system.

[Kolesar]

22. Oh please!

that's a stretch

[MichiganVote]

24. What? Show me the politician who doesn't want camera time...they bitched for 8 years

about not having their guy or their majority. Now they have it and all they do is waste it by staying mum. Pitiful.

[Window]

30. I agree. Our Democratic leaders should be raising hell . Right or wrong, the Republicans

stick up for each other. The total lack of respect these wingers continue to level at President Obama is unacceptable. It racism in its purest form.

[truthrocks]

50. "I think it's also really important for everyone to respect the President of the United States"

It takes Laura Bush to say what the dems should be have been shouting loud and clear from day one!!!!! Just this one sentence! WTF is wrong with them? They're witness to the repubs continually assaulting Obamas personhood, and they are either dead silent or passing it off as "silly." Disgusting.

[truthrocks]

51. Impotent and disgusting.

[Lorien]

64. They will never learn from Swiftboating or "Al Gore said he invented the

internet". Ignoring the stupidity and outright attacks only emboldens the attackers to take it up a notch.

[Ajaye]

12. Good

She's a good woman. She did the right thing, on this and on other occasions. That's all we have to say.

[WatchWhatISay]

95. I've never really had a problem with her or George H.W., but

how she puts up with the total bitch for a mother in law, I'll never understand. It might be OK if she had a really cool husband that made it all worthwhile, but all she's got is her own personal pile of steaming shit.

[oct2010]

13. bush 41 talked to school children and it wasn't a problem back then

maybe the MSM is inventing the objections

[Kolesar]

56. "The Pet Goat" ?

Had to throw that one in.

[daleo]

14. It's good to hear this

Mature commentary is needed about now.

[murielm99]

45. I remember when Margaret Truman spoke up about

the "controversy" when Nancy Reagan ordered more china for the White House. It was really a stupid, media-fueled non-issue.

Margaret may not have cared for the Reagans, but she knew that the White House always needed more china. She said so, and belittled the controversy with a few well chosen words.

Mature commentary is always needed, daleo.

[wisteria]

16. I appreciate her speaking out like this. n/t

[scarletwoman]

18. Thank you, Laura, for speaking up.

I think that she's basically a decent person, unfortunately married to a major jerk. Good for her to speak up about this.

sw

[Nickster]

19. Holy crap, I agree with Laura Bush on something? That only took the better part of a decade.

[Matariki]

20. "right of parents to choose what they want their children to hear in school"

Are you kidding? a parent can pick and choose from a school's curriculum? I seriously doubt that.

[SlingBlade]

23. Once a Putz, Always a Putz ....

Does she think it's fair to criticize Obama, as some have, by labeling him a socialist?

"I'd have no idea whether it's fair,

do you think I thought it was fair when President Bush was criticized — not really.


So, I guess not," she responded.

No, I guess not pickles, I guess not.
After all, The only criticism I recall about George W and School Children
(Besides his no child left behind scam)

Was "My Pet Goat", Remember, Pickles ? Remember ?:nuke:

[lumpy]

86. Ultimately she said nothing in defense of Obama at all.

She has contributed very little in her role as first lady.

[otohara]

25. Except For The Part About Bush

she lost me there...

Yes Laura, it was appropriate to criticize the guy who lied us into a costly unnecessary war.

[gauguin57]

26. For defending our president, I thank Mrs. Bush.

She knows the importance of education.

[donheld]

27. For once I can agree with Laura!

[chervilant]

28. How nice

of Laura to support Obama's address to the nation's school children...

Here in Texas, some school districts have decided to let their social studies teachers 'preview' Obama's address, then decide whether it's relevant for their social studies students (and, NOT for the general student body). The superintendent of my school district has avoided making a decision regarding a 'real-time broadcast' of the address, claiming that all the questions regarding Obama's address have caused him to have a migraine. Consequently, our teachers will either not participate in the broadcast, or will have last minute instructions from their administrators--wanna bet they won't be watching the address?

I find it ironic--and close to unbelievable--that so many parents are 'concerned' about Obama's address. It's damned near impossible to get most of our parents involved in their childrens' education!

[Raschel]

29. I hope my Black grandchild gets to see it at school tomorrow.

I was overjoyed thinking about my grandchildren actually seeing a Black President while they were in elementary school. To know that when they study history and events, that they don't feel as though somehow they are excluded.

I think this is what all of the protests are mainly about. The opposition does not want to give legitimacy to a Black man as our leader. They do not want their children to respect him. They do not want their children to think that it's a normal thing that a Black man is the President.

They want it all to go away and never happen again. They want "their America back".

[WatchWhatISay]

96. Tragically, I am afraid you are right

Just know that they are the minority of white people, though I still would find it depressing to know that even that many people would reject me for something so stupid as a physical trait.

[Window]

32. Kudos to the former first lady. I appreciate her speaking out on this appalling and

unheard of lack of respect for President Obama in this matter.

The president wants to encourage students to do well in school in order to succeed...disgusting, I tell you.

[Still Blue in PDX]

33. Laura always shows more class than her husband or in-laws.

I think she was probably caught off guard with the question about criticism of her husband. Honestly, the way the corporate media pandered to the previous administration, it is not inconceivable that until recently she was entirely unaware of just how much criticism there was.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

35. Pickles is consistent, i'll give her that

unlike the rest of the conservatives, who went from dix chicks boycotts to secession talk 3 months after losing an election

[colsohlibgal]

36. Way To Go Laura

Tracy Ullman's portrayal of her on Showtime may be remarkably accurate content wise after all. I guess it would almost have to be, she seems pretty smart, she had to have figured out rather quickly he was likely not cracking three digits on the old IQ scale. And now maybe she's realizing how he wrecked the country.

In any event, it is nice to know that there are some misguided republican folk who will at times think for themselves and not automatically toe the line, even if your hubby was a wing nut (and never really elected) president.

[Ozymanithrax]

38. It is not in the Bush Family interest to see...

the nation continue to come apart because the Republicans can not accept a black man as President.

[Gman]

42. She's getting tired of him being home all the time now

It's not like she can go move into a hotel now for a couple of weeks or so like before. Then, maybe they can just say she's off on some trip or something.

[Kaleva]

47. Laura's an all around class act

I think she's considered one of the most popular First Ladys of recent times and it's easy to see why.

[paulsby]

59. iirc, she is also the first first lady

to have a master's degree.

hillary had a law degree, which is also an advanced degree (iow beyond a bachelors)

[slay]

49. You know, gotta appreciate a semi-sane republican these days

cause there sure ain't many of um. good god what kind of fools did they think they would look like when the speech aired? the anti-speech people ARE prejudiced! they pre-judged his speech based on... what? bullshit they heard from foxnews most likely. they scare the shit out of people into thinking obama is an alien lovechild muslim socialist born in kenya WHAT IN THE FUCK - they should be SUED! that is NOT news - it's propaganda with the INTENT of disrupting our country's government from working - but ONLY when the Dems are in charge! but yeah - good for laura for saying that. argh!

[Wizard777]

57. I really like Laura when she's not talking her husbands politics.

[Justitia]

67. Exactly, I don't know how she can live w/HIM, but she has been very classy on several occasions.

Like when Hillary & Michelle (separate incidents) were getting a ration of shit from all sides, Laura took the high road and said some really nice things, defending each of them.

Being a TX woman myself, it's a singular trait that I can recognize from her West TX upbringing.
It's hard to describe, but it really can deflate obnoxiousness with a few well chosen words.
I'm sure the TX bashing will commence, but it is one small thing about her I do truly admire.

Would you ever see Mrs. Cheney acting so magnanimous? Or Babs the Battle Ax? Hell no.

[Honeycombe8]

61. That was a weak defense of the speech. But a defense nonetheless.

Notice how she isn't appalled at the name calling of Obama? Only to the extent that "criticism" against the President, any President, can be unfair.

Milk toast. But that's to be expected.

[kegler14]

62. She's obviously gone over to the dark side. Traitor.

[Regret My New Name]

66. Good,

[Chef Eric]

69. "DEFENDS" the speech? Wrong again, CNN!!! She SUPPORTS it.

I am so fucking fed up with the way in which the MSM frames current events.

[zonkers]

70. Uh, a little late. Glad she said this but she could have shut this circus down a lot earlier.

[Jakes Progress]

72. OMG. The tea baggers are even starting to embarrass Laura. nt

[Algorem]

73. oh yay,so glad she could spare time from sucking off the genocider and living luxuriously

off his money.oh yay,yay!whata lot of ******* ********.

[cap]

74. Laura gets trotted out when the RW knows it has gone too far...

the RW doesn't want a revolution... they just want Obama reined in.

[Politicub]

76. Very classy of Laura

It's nice to see she's not joining the chorus of crazy.

[zinnisking]

77. Laura is in cahoots with Obama

Hello DU,

Laura Bush has been appearing with small children in T.V. ads promoting the Big Brother/Big Sister Program. I reiterate...B-I-G-B-R-O-T-H-E-R Program. They call it a "program" because they are PROGRAMming and indoctrinating children. Is it any surprise that she endorses Obama's indoctrination speech? Beware of the Big Brother program(ing).

:sarcasm:

[Chef Eric]

78. Welcome to DU. nt

[PatSeg]

80. Welcome to DU

Great first post!

[Love Bug]

79. Ruh-roh. Better watch your back now, Laura

Keep talking sense and pretty soon the Repub Powers That Be will go all Martha Mitchell on your ass. Make sure you get your medication from a trusted source. I'm just sayin'...

[samsingh]

82. it's ridiculous that anyone is even questioning the President's right to give this speech.

[lumpy]

83. Laura didn't think it was fair that Dubya was criticized and she

doesn't know whether it was fair to criticize Obama. I take her comments with a grain of salt. Her comments are as conciliatory and meaningless as are Jim Greers. Meaningless, absolutely. I find nothing to admire about the woman.

[DFW]

90. She isn't forced to play obedient robot any more

Too bad she blew any relevance while * was playing prezzy-dent.

She must be getting quite a lesson (after the fact) from Michelle about what impact a First lady can have.

[Kaleva]

97. I think Michelle considers Laura to be a role model

[DFW]

101. LOL!!!!!!!!!!

[Kaleva]

102. A link

"Mrs. Obama added: "That's what I like about Laura Bush, her calm, rational approach to these issues. I am taking some cues. There's a reason why people like her, because she doesn't sort of fuel the fire.""

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/presidentbush/2008/06/michelle-obama.html

[RedCloud]

91. This part is FUed: the right of parents to choose what they want their children to hear in school

Parents are for the most part no smarter than a fifith grader, so shut the F up and let the education experts weave their magic.

It's like when the military starts bombing. We pacifists are told to shut the F up and marvel at how wing nut philosophy blows right up in their faces.

Now it is their turn to shut the F up.

Why? Because they have a lot to learn. So hit the books parents and stop being intimidated by knowledge!

[wordpix]

93. thank you, Laura Bush!

[SlingBlade]

100. Then Low and Behold ......

School buses kids to hear Bush speak live
After refusing to air President Obama's speech

The Arlington Independent School District, which passed on airing President Barack Obama's live classroom address, has announced that some students will be bussed off campus to hear a message from former President George W. Bush on Sept. 21.

District officials said it's part of a Cowboys Stadium field trip that the North Texas Super Bowl Host Committee invited 28 fifth-grade classes to attend several months ago.

In addition to hearing from Bush and former first lady Laura Bush, the students will hear from legendary Dallas Cowboys players and North Texas business and community leaders. The event launches the Super Bowl committee's largest-ever youth education program.

Students must have their parents' permission to attend, school officials said.

Dwight McKissic Sr., the senior pastor of Arlington's Cornerstone Baptist Church, said he's concerned about the district's decision to not broadcast Obama's message while transporting students to hear a message from Bush.

"I do not understand the duplicity in this situation," McKissic said in a news release from the church. "I believe the students and the public deserve and need to have these differences explained."

Read more: http://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local-beat/Kids-Didnt-Hear-O...

No wonder Pickles was so magnanimous about the Presidents school speech

Once again PROOF that these Right Wing Thugs have no conscious, No grip on reality and
no right to lead children in any way or form.

Cowards, One and all

Where oh where are our self righteous scum sucking Righties on this one ? ......

CRICKETS ......