Bush's Misplaced Regrets

[babylonsister]

http://www.prospect.org/cs/articles?article=bushs_misplaced_regrets

Bush's Misplaced Regrets

George Bush says he regrets that his rhetoric did not make him sound like a "man of peace." But his actions, not his rhetoric is are what destroyed his party and his legacy.


Terence Samuel | June 16, 2008 | web only



George W. Bush has been running around Europe misting up and emoting about how much he regrets talking and acting like the warmonger he's proven to be. "I think that in retrospect I could have used a different tone, a different rhetoric," he told The Times of London.

Well, yes; he could have. But tone-deafness has been a defining characteristic of this administration from its inception. Remember that Bush campaigned in 2000 on a promise to "change the tone in Washington," only to keep his promise by making the tone worse. Bush has clearly turned his attention to burnishing his legacy, but it seems a little ridiculous to be apologizing at this late stage for the least of his offenses, when the large ones are so monumental.

Just so we're clear, the most regrettable elements of the Bush years have nothing to do with what the president said or how he said it. Rather, it was all the ridiculously ill-considered, foolish, and fundamentally wrong things that he did. For example, starting an unnecessary war that has so far deprived more than 4,000 American families of loved ones and the nation of the confidence of the world.

Bush is now openly begging for help from history to rescue his reputation, insisting that the eventual verdict on Iraq will be that "freedom prevailed." He's entitled to his daydreams.

But to me he seems worried about exactly the wrong things -- words instead of war, his own image rather than the damage he's done to the country and the world. His great regret, he says, is that his bravura may have left the impression that he is "not a man of peace."

snip//

In 2006, Democrats picked up six Senate seats to retake the majority, and it looks like they are headed for even larger gains in November. The GOP seems destined for losses in Alaska, New Hampshire, Virginia, New Mexico and Colorado. And enough others are in play that Democrats are entertaining the possibility that they may be able to get to the all-important 60 seats.

In any case it seems likely that it'll be a long time before the Republicans are in control on either side of the Capitol again. And for that they have George W. Bush to thank. Now that's something he might come to regret, even if most of the country won't.

[cliss]

1. Words = meaningless

Actions = what Bush will be judged on.

The truth is, he digs war. He can't get enough of it.
The only thing he regrets is that people are pissed about it. The WAR has cost him!!!!
It's been an unbelievably expensive indulgence, and he's reaping the whirlwind.

Enjoy yourself Bush.

[pretzel4gore]

2. if this guy isn't one day jailed,

then the world can up and die, for all i care
(by the way, ONLY 6 years after richard nixon was forced to resign from office, having violated enough law to make a go of his impeachment, another sock puppet president, who playacted the potus role for prepped audiences under the careful ministration of corporate media hacks, took centre stage and reeked havoc on the world that reached its fulfillment under this bush. The repukes love operating under the lie that they are somehow no longer a force, are defeated, iow they, through their media, continue to defraud the people by lying about the true state of affairs...as an example of the fraudulence, it's a fact 1/3 of the people would vote for Attilla the Hun, if 'pox snooze' told them Atty was a bottom liner, and that fact is hidden away like ann coulter's boyish charms...)

[Tutonic]

3. BUSH=MCCAIN

I find it hilarious that these two old geezers fail to comprehend that the "internets" and "the google" can record everything that they speak out loud. Bush seems to think that he can change his positions every couple of weeks and that only his complicit friends in the media will know the better. He has no credibility remaining and McCain is viewed as a constant flip flopping liar. History cannot resuscitate either man's character--we're watching history unfold and it will not be kind to either mortal fool.