In address, Obama pays tribute to George W. Bush

[mike r]

Source: Associated Press

President Barack Obama is acknowledging that he and former President George W. Bush disagreed about the Iraq war from the beginning. But in his nationally televised address on the Iraq war, he pays tribute to Bush by calling him "a patriot."

Obama spoke by telephone with Bush hours before Tuesday night's Oval Office address. The White House did not disclose what was said.

In the address, Obama said that although it is widely known that the two disagreed about the war, no one could doubt Bush's support for U.S. troops, his love for the U.S. and his commitment to the nation's security.

Obama said there are patriots who supported the war and patriots who opposed it.


Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/08/31/AR2010083105464.html

[Pirate Smile]

1. What a f#$ked up headline. He said one sentence that said, essentially, he's not a monster.

[babylonsister]

3. No kidding. How disingenuous. nt

[Pirate Smile]

11. Especially after all of today with the media saying "will he credit Bush for the surge" blah, blah,

blah.

Answer - Hell NO! But they still try to twist it as if he made it about Bush.

[babylonsister]

14. I think boner's supposed to be talking now, too. Can't wait to

hear what he has to say. He'll be 'OUTRAGED' Obama didn't give idiot son credit.

:evilgrin:

[quiet.american]

56. Boehner: "Hell No You Can't!" Cue clown music. nt

[quiet.american]

55. Typical GOP/whoremedia style --

-- there's a LOT more to the story than "THE SURGE" -- we would never know it from MSM.

(And as former USAF, still, may I say, May God protect our troops.)

[defendandprotect]

104. Why is anyone still watching MSM . . . corporate-press???

[RhodaA]

39. Not only that. He did slam Bush at the beginning

Transcript:

"From this desk, seven and a half years ago, President Bush announced the beginning of military operations in Iraq. Much has changed since that night. A war to disarm a state became a fight against an insurgency. Terrorism and sectarian warfare threatened to tear Iraq apart. Thousands of Americans gave their lives; tens of thousands have been wounded. Our relations abroad were strained. Our unity at home was tested. These are the rough waters encountered during the course of one of America's longest wars."

[glinda]

43. Actually, that was an accurate and good statement.

[quiet.american]

54. Exactly - thanks for the pinpoint on it. nt

[mdmc]

87. thanks for the quote..

[defendandprotect]

105. Not to mention the bankrupting of Treasury and years of money-making for elites -- !!

[quiet.american]

53. Yep. Let us know, he gave the id'yat a heads up on his speech tonight.

"Tribute"? Hardly.

[Skittles]

84. no one can question his patriotism

really???

[Skittles]

83. but he IS a monster

[blueworld]

97. But he is a monster. n/t

[totodeinhere]

110. But he is a monster. n/t

[tridim]

2. As much as it hurts, it's good politics.

[Pirate Smile]

8. I swear some people wanted him to say crap that there was no way he could say.

He could tell all the troops & their families that fought & died or were wounded there that all their suffering was worthless & for nothing - hey, actually it made us worse off because it let Afghanistan go to hell. Of course the troops were just following orders but, oh, well.

He wasn't going to say some of the things people seemed to want to hear.

[wmbrew0206]

96. The Left wanted him to call out Bush for lying us into War and the Right wanted him to credit Bush

for the Surge.

He did neither and tip toed down the middle.

[IndianaGreen]

9. I am sure that Republicans will now vote Democratic in the Fall

Obama has turned the word "bipartisanship" into an obscenity!

[tridim]

10. Thank gawd you're not his speechwriter.

[IndianaGreen]

26. I would have begun the speech by saying 'our troops were lied to...'

which would have been the absolute truth!

[defendandprotect]

106. Very FDR . . . !!! I like it -- !!

[robinlynne]

34. why?

[defendandprotect]

101. It's the kind of "politics" we don't need . . .

and suggests that Obama is waaaay far from acknowledging the danger the right wing

is to the nation -- or holding them accountable --

Worse yet, it sounds like a signal he'll continue to play ball with them!

[Patsy Stone]

4. How long have they been waiting to use that headline, I wonder?

I can just see it now, stuffed in a drawer, or pinned up on the bulletin board, and everyone just waiting... waiting...

[babylonsister]

16. LOL!

:fistbump:

[sandnsea]

5. lol, how long did it take you to find that? n/t

[IndianaGreen]

6. Barf Alert!

:puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke: :puke:

[OmahaBlueDog]

23. Dear Green Party: Wasn't it Ralph Nader who said there was no difference between Bush & Gore?

Signed,

The Democrats

[IndianaGreen]

25. I won't pay tribute to George W. Bush, but you go ahead and endorse that

instead of demanding bringing Bush & Co. to justice!

[defendandprotect]

102. Acknowledging the corporate takeover of the Dem Party is "endorsing Bush"???

[Proletariatprincess]

32. Not a dimes worth of difference, is what Nader said.

Ralphie was right about that.....I'd say about nickels worth.

[Nihil]

93. Now if only he'd said "... between the two parties" ...

... rather than between the two leaders at the time, that would have
made a damn good poster for the Greens next time around as it has
been proven TRUE on so many occasions since then.

Yes, there have been exceptions.

Yes, there appear to be differences (i.e., when there are no consequences
for the people concerned taking the sides that they do)

No, the majority of senators & representatives in both parties
(and the majority of the leading figures in each) have NOT shown any
significant difference in the way that they act.

America is not a "democracy", it is not a "federal constitutional republic",
it is neither a "constitutional republic" nor a "representative democracy" or
any of the other weasel words to convince the blind (or ignorant).

It is a plutocracy - or more precisely, a plutarchy - and
all of the CYA shouting from the defenders of the single party system
cannot mask that.

[defendandprotect]

103. 1000% --

Nader's been talking for decades about corporate buying of government -- it's all inclusive --

We're not really allowed to have candidates who aren't under corporate power --

Though I could see Obama had a rather questionable meteoric rise, I could see how enthused

everyone was about him and hoped for the best. Had I known he was corporate I would NOT

have voted for him. Understand he describes himself as "New Dem" -- that would have been NO for me.

As for Gore . . . that's another sad case -- would we really have thrived with

the Trojan Horse Lieberman as his VP? Gore also has had a long career with oil industry backing.

Time to acknowledge that the people we're being given to vote for -- whether Dem

or Repug -- are under control of corporate/elites.

[JerseygirlCT]

7. I had to take a phone call and missed it

What did I miss?

[Pirate Smile]

17. Press distorts things - rinse, lather repeat.

You know the drill.

[valerief]

12. He's a "Patriot Act" type patriot, not a real one. nt

[robinlynne]

35. he screwed our county over and over and over. I see no reason to say anything about

the man unless it is to put him jail. for election crimes, war crimes, theft, corruption.......

[AlinPA]

13. Pays tribute? He simply mentioned Bush and his disagreement with him while trying

to support unity in America.

[OmahaBlueDog]

19. Bingo

[Pirate Smile]

20. Press does want it can to divide us based on fraudulent headlines and a lot

of people are happy to help them. :eyes:

[glinda]

45. I think that is called "Presidential".

[indepat]

15. Any lauding of junior's reverence for the Constitution and the Rule of Law?

:P

[OmahaBlueDog]

18. All he said was say that he called Bush, and that there was no question of Bush's patriotism

..in spite of their disagreement on going to war.

He didn't gloat. He didn't give Bush credit for anything. He didn't blame Bush for Abu Graib, not finding the WMDs, Walter Reed, torture, or a host of other things. He said it's time to turn the page. To me, it was kind of an understated "Our long national nightmare is over" theme.

[Skittles]

21. there's no question of bush's patriotism?

really? :thumbsdown:

[robinlynne]

36. I'm with you.

[Skittles]

40. that bastard didn't even complete his Guard duty

but felt no qualms sending troops to their deaths in a war based on lies - how is that patriotism :puke:

[MissDeeds]

50. Ditto

:wtf:

[Amonester]

60. oh, we are being told we must believe the 'new' truth now

and turn the page, so even worse cRiminals will be welcomed back in the WH in two or six years, knowing they can commit any crime they want, without any measures of accountability taken against them ever after.

neat patriotism, indeed :puke:

[Rincewind]

61. That is correct,

there is absolutely no question of Bush's patriotism, it is a figment of KKKarl Rove's imagination.

[Retrograde]

111. "For Brutus is an honorable man"

I took it as a subtle condemnation of Bush's patriotism, a al Julius Caesar which is too obtuse for much of the Tea Party sector.

[tridim]

22. Hey WaPo, get back to us if he ever "pays tribute" to Cheney.

[geckosfeet]

24. I think that is a simple mis-reading of what Obama said. What I got from that statement

was that bush was a simpleton with a simplistic view the war. He had changed the stated mission/goals several times and muddled the methods he enacted to achieve them.

He failed and now his failure is drawing to a close.

Tragically, millions have suffered and will continue to suffer because of the simpletons negligence.

[fasttense]

29. Then President Obama should have had the guts to say just that.

Instead he said the bushes were patriotic and concerned for American security. President Obama has lost his ability to speak the truth.

The bushes are war criminals and should have been investigated for torture of POWs. But instead we get to hear about how patriotic and concerned for America the bushes are.

That's really going to bring out the progressive base vote in November....NOT.

If President Obama could not speak the truth about war crimes committed by the bushes then he should NOT have brought W up at all.

[geckosfeet]

33. They were. It is damnation with faint praise if the best thing that you say

about someone was that they were patriotic. I don't think that is saying much at all.

However, I do agree with you.

I think that he brought up bush to remind everyone whose mess it was that he has to try and clean up. 50,000 troops is hardly what I would call 'over'.

[humbled_opinion]

80. Obama never said any such thing...

You believe thats what he said because you are drinking the kool-aid by the gallon... I have been hoodwinked one to many times by the Hoodwinker in Chief...

Nuff Said.

[geckosfeet]

89. True. But I can say I don't feel hoodwinked.

[prolesunited]

27. Terrible headline!

[earthside]

41. Accurate headline.

I was at 'back to school night' earlier and missed the address. But I just read the speech where it is posted over at HuffingtonPost.

Frankly, though it was one sentence ... it was a tribute to Bush.

Sorry, it is what it is.

I am pretty much offended by most of what Pres. Obama said tonight: it was a whitewash of the human catastrophe and disaster that was and still is the U.S. occupation of Iraq.

I just don't understand this guy in the White House ... is voting even worth the effort anymore?

[Diane R]

28. Many headlines in that speech, a tribute to the idiot wasn't one of them.

[ipaint]

30. Bush a patriot. WTF? He's a f*ckin war criminal.

Wow.

[fascisthunter]

31. Did Obama really Call Bush a "patriot"?

jayzus

[RhodaA]

38. HE SLAMMED BUSH AT THE BEGINNING (Thread title is BS)

Here is a transcript of his opening statement:


"From this desk, seven and a half years ago, President Bush announced the beginning of military operations in Iraq. Much has changed since that night. A war to disarm a state became a fight against an insurgency. Terrorism and sectarian warfare threatened to tear Iraq apart. Thousands of Americans gave their lives; tens of thousands have been wounded. Our relations abroad were strained. Our unity at home was tested. These are the rough waters encountered during the course of one of America's longest wars."

[earthside]

44. Slammed?

"From this desk, seven and a half years ago, President Bush announced the beginning of military operations in Iraq. "

Actually, I think this maybe the most offensive sentence in the entire address. What a total cover-up of the role of Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, Powell, Wolfowitz, Rove, the neocons ... on and on.

"Military operations"? He announced the unprovoked attack and invasion of Iraq. How could Pres. Obama so blithely call this war crime simply "the beginning of military operations"?

I am very disappointed in Pres. Obama ... very disappointed.

[glinda]

48. The need to be careful in wording is for returning troops and wounded and families. You

know he had just returned from visiting the wounded and other soldiers.

[earthside]

65. Well, we certainly wouldn't want them ....

... to know that this President will speak the plain truth.

Sheesh. The lengths some folks will go to to make excuses for Pres. Obama.

[glinda]

71. oh pleeeze......

[depakid]

46. That's a slam?

:shrug:

That's not even accurate apologist history.

[ozymandius]

47. He omitted what quality of patriot he is.

I'm sure that in 1776 there were some jackass patriots.

[wisteria]

52. Well, in a very distorted and dark way, he is a patriot. n/t

[ixion]

37. Big shocker there...not.

It's all just theater anyway. Behind the scenes, it's all good fun at the good 'ol boys club.

[humbled_opinion]

42. Worst Speech Obama ever gave...

You were either with Bush or Against bush.... For everyone on this forum, You should know all the reasons that you were against this failed, idiotic, anti-Human war, and my message to the President is this,

Guess what Mr. obama there can be no middle ground. Sensless war and deaths of not tens of thousands Mr. Obama no more like as many as a million. War for lies and oil and endless droning about terrah....Fear...Fear... Fear... thats what they do, the Neocons they instill fear and hatred... it is their way and you know that Mr. Obama, you know that, and it seems like you are getting lured right on in, forgetting where you came from, forgetting truth, or mayber you are just getting too comfy there on high, thinking that now that you have the reigns of power you can do it better? Is that it you can wage war better then Repukes?


There is one thing different between Obama and Bush when it comes to waging these failed wars, one of them received the Nobel Peace Prize and one didn't. There I just threw-up a little bit, in my mouth...

Mark my words, people will be justifiably asking where was the anti-war movement as Obama escalated war in Afghanistan, the movement will suffer a serious blow because it didn't hold this President accountable.

[glinda]

49. Wouldn't you liked to have been a fly on the wall in the call to Bush?

[unkachuck]

59. thank you, humbled_opinion....

"...no one could doubt Bush's support for U.S. troops, his love for the U.S. and his commitment to the nation's security."

....I could doubt all of the above....

[Amonester]

64. me too

the lying SOB sent all these healthy young people to their coffins: http://antiwar.com/casualties/ because their were poor

and for what? lining the cheney's deep pockets? blackwaterXE? anyone?

disgusting beyond the pale

[frylock]

68. have you checked the casualty report from afghanistan this week?

[Amonester]

72. of course

end that imperialist bloodbath too

[Art_from_Ark]

70. bu$h was "committed" to America's security

but he was more committed to finishing that exciting reading lesson about a pet goat.

[frylock]

66. i ask that question all the time..

every week i check the activist san diego website to see when the next antiwar rally will take place. nothing there. guess we have to wait for the next republican president before we display our righteous indignation.

[humbled_opinion]

75. and by then the movement

will be relagated to the junk heap of history... and a bunch of intolerant bigots will be hollaring much ado about Hypocrisy...


I am feeling very deflated at this moment in time.

[wisteria]

51. I can understand why he said what he said, but I would have prefered he just ignored him

and not say anything rather than have the press distort it this way. They make it sound like President Obama is eating "humble pie".

[humbled_opinion]

77. and I can't understand it...

Unless he is two faced. or a habitual liar.. The man has got to stand up for his principles or he will lie down in their defeat.

[onehandle]

57. Just as Fox News demanded. nt

[alp227]

58. Imagine the backlash if DU became Obama's speechwriters

The next day, Fox News and right-wing talk radio will be abuzz with "Obama's not a patriot! Obama's not a patriot!" What did you expect of him during a 15-minute speech from the Oval Office? He couldn't just fit in references to everyone in the Bush Gang! I just finished watching the speech (on tape delay), and it covered a whole range of things. From the official whitehouse.gov transcript: Obama acknowledged the fiscal hole the war created and spoke about restoring the economy:

Unfortunately, over the last decade, we’ve not done what’s necessary to shore up the foundations of our own prosperity. We spent a trillion dollars at war, often financed by borrowing from overseas. This, in turn, has short-changed investments in our own people, and contributed to record deficits. For too long, we have put off tough decisions on everything from our manufacturing base to our energy policy to education reform. As a result, too many middle-class families find themselves working harder for less, while our nation’s long-term competitiveness is put at risk.

And so at this moment, as we wind down the war in Iraq, we must tackle those challenges at home with as much energy, and grit, and sense of common purpose as our men and women in uniform who have served abroad. They have met every test that they faced. Now, it’s our turn. Now, it’s our responsibility to honor them by coming together, all of us, and working to secure the dream that so many generations have fought for -- the dream that a better life awaits anyone who is willing to work for it and reach for it.

Our most urgent task is to restore our economy, and put the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs back to work. To strengthen our middle class, we must give all our children the education they deserve, and all our workers the skills that they need to compete in a global economy. We must jumpstart industries that create jobs, and end our dependence on foreign oil. We must unleash the innovation that allows new products to roll off our assembly lines, and nurture the ideas that spring from our entrepreneurs. This will be difficult. But in the days to come, it must be our central mission as a people, and my central responsibility as President.

And regarding "lessons learned" in Iraq:

Indeed, one of the lessons of our effort in Iraq is that American influence around the world is not a function of military force alone. We must use all elements of our power -- including our diplomacy, our economic strength, and the power of America’s example -- to secure our interests and stand by our allies. And we must project a vision of the future that’s based not just on our fears, but also on our hopes -- a vision that recognizes the real dangers that exist around the world, but also the limitless possibilities of our time.

Overall it seems a big right-wing suckup more on the part of the AP.

Seriously, Obama could be screwing himself even more in 2012 by calling out the Bush admin rather than calling him a patriot.

And moderators, can you please put this story up on the frontpage rather than the silly Meghan McCain/Sarah Palin story? Thank you.

[russspeakeasy]

62. What a F++++++ Waste.

Are the Democrats completely lacking in marketing skills? If
not, who the hell were they marketing to?

[Name removed]

63. Deleted message

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

[JDPriestly]

67. Idiotic! Sorry, but that statement is idiotic.

[Jefferson23]

69. Someone believes Obama referred to Bush as a patriot just for

the hell of it or that on some level was obligated to mention him at all? I seriously hope not.

[Still Blue in PDX]

73. Oh, f*ckrying out loud!!

This coming right on the heels of a headline I saw at the supermarket saying President Obama admits to being a Muslim.

:banghead:

Liberal media my arse.

[Frisbee]

74. It's the f---ing AP, for Christ sakes...

Murdoch anybody? How can this be a surprise. FOX will be all over this tomorrow.

[Name removed]

76. Deleted message

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

[humbled_opinion]

79. Much more dangerous...

Because he should know better... He is giving all Liberals a bad name... Are we lockstepping to become an anti-humanist party? Is it true that some of the core party principles flip between liberals and conservatives over time?


Whats REally going on?

[No Elephants]

88. Giving all liberals a bad name? Like retards and too high on drugs to be

in touch with "reality?" (In both cases, for daring to disagree with--and failing to praise--the conservadem agenda.)

Honey, the HMS "Trying to Give All Liberals a Bad Name" ship of this administration sailed well before last night's speech. The repugs started it and now the Democrats are fighcing that rethug battle for them. Difference being Democrats are insulting their own base. (Brilliant!)

No, that remark and others in last night's speech wwere giving chicken hawks and war mongers a good name.

"Sure, America, the longest war in American history (except for Afghanistan, of course) may have been a mistake, may even have made us less safe, but there were patriots on both sides and no one can possibly doubt Dummya's motives and honesty in starting it, so it's all good. Sure, my opposition to the Irag War may have helped get me the Democratic nomination, maybe the Presidency, too. However, I'm in the Oval Office now and I've changed the Iraq mission (*wink*) on Dummya's timetable. And my re-election will be about jobs, not the Iraq War. So, everybody just sit down and shut up about Iraq now. Pro-war, anti-war, potato, potahto."

[defendandprotect]

107. Agree -- nice summation . . . !!

[DesertDiamond]

78. What a big, stinking, pile of sheit!

[yurbud]

81. if he wanted to be polite, he could have avoided mentioning him at all but

that was way overboard.

[TomClash]

82. Here's what he said

"As we do, I’m mindful that the Iraq war has been a contentious issue at home. Here, too, it’s time to turn the page. This afternoon, I spoke to former President George W. Bush. It’s well known that he and I disagreed about the war from its outset. Yet no one can doubt President Bush’s support for our troops, or his love of country and commitment to our security. As I’ve said, there were patriots who supported this war, and patriots who opposed it. And all of us are united in appreciation for our servicemen and women, and our hopes for Iraqis’ future."

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2010/08/31/remarks-president-address-nation-end-combat-operations-iraq

[ixion]

85. "Yet no one can doubt..."

I doubt all the things he said about Bush in the extreme.

[TomClash]

99. That's something no one can doubt

Praise for Bush = :puke:

[Frank Cannon]

90. That's just so... (sniff) so beautiful. GWB is such a wonderful man.

:puke:

[No Elephants]

91. We know what he said. Problem is,plenty of good people do doubt Bush's support for our troops, his

love of country and his commitment to our security.

You don't support troops by sending them to die for oil, or for Halliburton, Bechtel and Blackwater, or for regime change, or to insure your own re-election. Or turn them into war criminals.

You don't love your country and lie to it and subvert its Cconstitution and treaties to which it is a party and make it less safe by creating Al Q'aeeda in Iraq and helping Al Q'aeeda's recruiting efforts elsewhere.

[TomClash]

98. You might if you want to try to pursue your own agenda

And if you want to stay alive long enough to do so.

[Solly Mack]

86. War criminal = patriot? Alrighty then....

[Juneboarder]

95. My thoughts exactly... nt

[No Elephants]

92. So saddened, but little suprises me anymore.

[Juneboarder]

94. BUSH IS NO PATRIOT!!!

He should be tried at the Hague for war crimes along with Cheney, Limbaugh, Rumsfeld, Rice, Rove and all the other neocon bastards. Patriot? He's put our country in a downward spiral. Health and wealth will be a thing of the past thanks to the Bush/Cheney regime.

:mad: :mad:

[defendandprotect]

100. How much more sickening can this get???

MIHOP . . .

Bush should be hung for TREASON!!

[daleo]

108. Could have said the same about any dictator in history

"... no one could doubt Bush's support for U.S. troops, his love for the U.S. and his commitment to the nation's security."

Napoleon, Hitler, Stalin... just substitute the appropriate country name and it works.

[totodeinhere]

109. Well...

I doubt "Bush's support for U.S. troops, his love for the U.S. and his commitment to the nation's security." He fails on all three. Why did Obama even have to say that? Bush loves the U.S.? Give me a break. He tried to destroy the U.S. and came close to succeeding.