Is Bush really stupid?

[Anti-fascist]

Or is he pretending?

He went to business school and did pretty well in the business world. His war is profiting him personally. I don't think he's really dumb.

Before he won the nomination, he seemed normal. I think it's just an act to appeal to porn-obsessed, beer drinking imbeciles. Either that or his brain got fried from all that coke.

[Cocoa]

1. did pretty well in the business world?

aside from the fact that that would prove zilch, do you have a link?

I was under the impression that he was a miserable failure.

[imax2268]

3. did well in the business world...?

where...
when...
on this planet...

Sorry...but I don't think so...if calling insider trading and leaving your fellow investors out to dry "doing well in the business world...then I need to learn his method of business...

the man is a failure pure and simple...

Just my honest opinion...!

[teknomanzer]

18. Yeah...

I believe every business venture he engaged in failed. He lost other peoples money, not his own. That makes him a successful crook.

[bleedingheart]

24. He always came out smelling like a rose even if the businesses

went kaputt.

pretty sneaky sob...

[RichV]

4. Rangers sale

My understanding as well. Believe he made the majority of his $$$ when the Texas Rangers team was sold to another ownership group for a healthy profit after the franchise was able to get public money to build the Ballpark in Arlington for them to play in at the end of the Nolan Ryan era. He was part of the team that traded Sammy Sosa to the Cubs though, so as a Cubs fan I have to thank him for that.

[nannygoat]

6. Sorry to hijack the thread but...

Rich, did you see the sign somebody held up in the stands at the Brewers-Cubs game last night? It read something like: "The temperature is 33 degrees in hell and falling fast!" LOL! Go Cubs!

[Yupster]

54. He traded Sosa to the White Sox

long before he ever did anything. It may have even been a minor league trade.

Th idiots in the Sammy Sosa tradathon are the White Sox who traded him to the Cubs for a washed up Jorge Bell who couldn't field or run anymore and could hit into a mean double play. That was an incredibly dense trade.

Bush uses the Sosa trade as part of his aw shucks demeanor, but when he traded Sosa, it was long before anyone had ever heard of him.

[RichV]

57. That's right!

Thanks for the refresher. :-)

[leftofthedial]

42. miserable--EPIC--failure in the business world

He made a fortune by his father's cronies canstantly bailing him out.

The only deals he ever came out on top of were borderline if not actually illegal--insider trading and transparent bribery.

[Junkdrawer]

2. Gentlemen’s C's in Business School - Horrible failure in business..

except for Daddy's friends who bailed him out on several occasions.

[Clete]

5. Read the following webpage

and then tell me how good a businessman he is among other things.

http://www.realchange.org/bushjr.htm

[madrchsod]

7. every thing has been handed

to him all his life. he`s a spoiled mommies boy who has to show-up his dad or any other dominate male figure in his life. he`s on a mission from god to change the world into his vision of right and wrong based on the teachings of billy ghramm. and yes his brain is fried by substance abuse....

[demigoddess]

58. also I just saw Poppy doing an interview bolstering baby bush's

reputation. Its pretty bad when a fifty something guy fails so bad he has to have his poppy try to bail him out.

[ThomWV]

8. His Education?

I read somewhere (great citation, wouldn't you say?) that in getting his MBA Bush ended up with a 2.? GPA. I don't know about how it was for you guys but back when I was in Grad School anything less than a 3.0 for more than one semester and you were out. As soon as I read that I just thought, well, there is another fine example of what daddy's money and name can do for an young dumb son, particularly if daddy is an Alumni.

Anyway when I see as one of Bush's credentials that he is the first MBA President, and from a notable school as well, I just toss it off as more bullshit dressing on a turd sandwich.

Thom

[Yupster]

55. Nobody fails in the Ivy League

Their dropout rates are non-existant. You just get in and you'll get a degree.

[Skittles]

9. YES HE AS DUMB AS A BOX OF HAIR

WHY DOES THIS ISSUE KEEP POPPING UP? NO HE WASN'T F***ING "NORMAL" BEFORE THE NOMINATION- HE WAS DUMB AS A STICK WHEN HE RAN FOR GOVERNOR OF MY STATE. STOP IT ALREADY.

[TheYellowDog]

26. I agree Skittles

:P

[Toby109]

10. The Shrub is cunning

Which is not quite stupid and not quite smart. He does quite well when it is in his own best interests. He is not intellectually curious. He is not a man of ideas. He is quite proficient at manipulating the buzzwords his handlers select for him. I could go on but you guys know this.

[SpiralHawk]

19. A Cunning Runt

"I'm the master of low expectations."
- George W. Bush, Aboard Air Force One, June 4, 2003

[Sophree]

38. He's devious

Which requires a bit of intelligence (probably ALL of his intelligence,) but he's also willfully, pridefully ignorant.

[calimary]

11. Is the Pope a Catholic? Do bears make poo in the woods?

n/t

[leetrisck]

12. He's totally uninformed, shallow,

not the least bit curious about the world around him - he's a self-centered oaf.

[Demobrat]

13. I don't think he's stupid exactly.

It's more like mentally lazy. I know people like him. It's not that they weren't born with average intelligence. They just don't like to use their brains, just like some people hate to exercise their bodies. It's not that they don't have arms and legs. They just don't like to use them.

[K-W]

14. Spoiled and ignorant

He is a very good liar, he has a certain charm, and good networking skills. He has no desire to understand things and thus is stupid. He was raised to simply believe what he was told and be anti-intellectual.

[carpetbagger]

51. I agree, he's just ignorant and lazy.

Stupid people simply need facts and education. Bush doesn't have the will to learn. That's one child we need to leave behind.

[leetrisck]

15. And the entire family

has lived off our tax dollars for years - talk about welfare cases.

[Booberdawg]

16. Yes, he really is stupid

He did NOT do well in the business world. He failed at everything he touched. His gentlemans C's in college were no doubt purchased - I don't believe he even earned those.

The only way anything profits him personally is because OTHER people are calling the shots. He really is dumb. (Prolly coke, alcohol, ADD, etc.)

I had a relatively open mind before the nomination and early on in the 2000 campaign. I guess one could see him as "normal" if not looking for any substance. Actually, before he started talking.

After that it went downhill. He never answered a single question. Not one. I was paying attention. Not a straight answer though the whole 2000 campaign. I knew he was settin' us up. Good God I never dreamed it would be as bad as it turned out to be. So, no, I don't think he was "normal" before the nomination either.

Yes, he is pretending. He's gonna look real serious reading off a teleprompter after he practiced this all day.

Break out the Vaseline and spread your cheeks tonight.

[PurityOfEssence]

17. Absolutely, but don't mention it.

Forrest Gump was best picture and Reagan was overwhelmingly elected twice. Listen to any DJ for an hour, and you'll hear at least a few comments of the "well, of course I don't understand that..." ilk in the endless "common man" attempt to be accepted as unthreatening. This is quintessentially American thinking.

Junior's the great white hope of the not-so-bright, and to pick on that is politically idiotic, as well as unkind. After all, circuitry is something with which you're born. Sure, he deserves some ridicule for the drug addling of his limited processing ability, but even that's dangerous. Keep it in your mind that he just isn't that bright, and thus can't handle complex thoughts, subtlety, nuance or lack of finite resolution. It's good to know the enemy, but remember: saying such things will make him more revered and render your point of view completely dismissed as mean.

Let it be our little secret.

[spooky3]

33. comparing * to Forrest Gump is insulting to Forrest

he had a good heart and tried as hard as he could with no family advantages, making him far superior to *.

and yes, I realize he's a fictional character :-).

I know you're not doing this but I've heard others label * as FG and I just thought I would take advantage of this opportunity to throw this in.

[I Lean Left]

52. "RUN, FOREST, RUN!

Wouldn't that be a great sign to smuggle into Bush's nominating convention?

[Siagiah]

40. I like the way you think Purity...

that's a most excellent response...

[sushi]

56. I remember reading

that he has said "we in Texas don't do nuance."

[BonjourUSA]

20. Don't you believe ?

The first time I saw him I was absolutely astonished. I remember, he was questioned in a TV program for election, and the French TV showed some minutes. He was totally unknown in France and many French saw him like me for the first time. The reactions was : "He is completely stupid !", "What asshole !", "American people never will vote for him !"É But they did !! With 49,9 % or 50,1 %, no matter, it was too much for such a mistake of the nature.

[nannygoat]

21. Interesting analysis of *...

So George, how do you feel about your mom and dad?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/usa/story/0,12271,1033904,00.html

[robbedvoter]

50. Thank you for this! I think it's dead on. Fierce anger rules the world.

Hatred is indeed what makes him tick - and it's what we should emphasize rather the fuzzy: "he ain't to bright"

[salin]

22. Intentionally, intellectually lazy.

Life long habit. During the campaign he stated: "Policy bores me" with no shame. Reports from two WhiteHouse insiders (the speech writer and DiLulio) both state that Bush and his advisors shunned policy talk. An Arab prince comes to meet with Bush a month after the Middle East blew up (with Sharon sending tanks into Ramallah around Easter of 2002) - tells reporters that he spent several hours explaining the situation to bush (because even with the escalation Bush was TOO lazy to work through the relevant facts). The Prince generously says that the issues are complex, and the president has so many other issues to attend to. I forget who - but last fall another world leader had a similar description of a meeting with Bush (I think it was a Central or South American leader) that bush had to be "briefed" by the leader.

Last year John Dean had a fascinating article about presidential flaws that are central to the president in question - but that doesn't matter to the public - that later, when the public/political context changes - leads to a serious presidential scandal. He was predicting a scandal for bush. I think the flaw of intentional intellectual laziness (and counting on others to clean up his messes because he can't be bothered to think through the likely consequences of his policies/actions) will, in the end, lead to the scandal that pulls this administration down.

The Dean article is worth a read: http://writ.news.findlaw.com/dean/20020719.html

[Anti-fascist]

23. How does he do his speeches though?

How do presidents in general do their big speeches in front of Congress? Do they have an earplug or a panel with the script or what?

[rasputin1952]

27. They use Teleprompters...

Those are those screens you see on either side of the podium.

Although technology jas made them smaller and more discreet, the principle is the same. The speech is written, then shown on the glass. The tilt is there so that the words cannot be seen by the cameras or people. There are back-up systems, bit that is the basic scenario.

The speech can be halted for applause lines, drinks of water, etc. It is sophisticated, and all you have to to is parctice. Once, during a Clinton speech, the TP went down for 45 (?) min's or so, and Clinton went impromptu and nobody noticed...do you think bush could go even 30 sec's?

As for your original post....bush is stupid. He has never earned a dime in any of his business ventures by any decsion he has ever made. H made money selling off the BB team, but he was a minor player, and that was set up by cronies.

He bankrupted TX, he lost other peoples $ in Arbusto, Poppy had to have friends bail nhim out. He's helped to bankrupt the US. EVERYTHING he has touched has turned into crap, EVERYTHING! There are no exceptions. It is as though he has a reverse Midas touch. I wouldn't let this guy within 100 feet of me, out the fear I might turn into an idiot myself. It is as if stupidity leaps from him to everything around him. I don't think he's "charming" either, I think he's a con man. I am against the notion he is "intellectually lazy", because that is a misnomer, he is STUPID.

I challenge you to find ONE thing that Bush has been in charge of that has been a success, just ONE. There are none out there.

Did I mention that I didn't like the guy, or is that just the impression I give?

[maggrwaggr]

28. They usually have teleprompter panels in various places

so they can look like they're actually looking around and not just in one spot.

If he's in his office just looking into the camera, obviously that's your basic teleprompter.

He might also use an "ear" which is a device that a lot of actors use when they do "industrials" or sales films where they have to recite a ton of boring information that's almost impossible to memorize. It literally goes in their ear and out their mouth. Takes some practice to look natural doing it, tho.

[arwalden]

25. He's Not Very Bright... He Can't Read Well

He has not concept of history or geography.
He can't remember the names of world leaders.
He has very little curiosity about the world.
Before assuming office he went out of the country only twice.
He's a white-knuckle drunk.
He only rates a "C" in phonetics.
He's in a fog, oblivious to what's going on around him.

Yes... he's really dumb.
For the Republican types that try to argue he's "smart"... I have even less respect for THEM since they can't spot the OBVIOUS.

-- Allen

[eauclaireliberal]

29. "Do you have blacks, too?"

One of my favorite episodes with him. Brazil. The third largest black population in the world. Duh.

As for his "business acumen" NONE. A quick read is "Shrub" by Molly Ivins: She chronicles his failures from Abusto oil to the Texas Rangers.

A lot may say "...well, he's good at raising funds." IMHO, that has more to do with the fact that his Poppy was president of the U.S.

Most vets agree that W didn't go AWOL from the Texas National Guard: he was a DESERTER. Going AWOL is sneaking off base to get drunk and laid. Disappearing for over a year while your buddies get their asses shot-off in Vietnam is enough to send you to Ft. Levenworth.

But oh no...Daddy was head of the CIA. Lots of money, and dadgummit there's an UNLIMITED supply of that black gold...

[Mel]

30. Nope he's not smart

he's a Gangster on an International Corporatist level now that he stole his way to pResident.
I'd say the simple bottom line is that he's a criminal and a 3rd rate con-artist.

Bush* is not very good/smart at the Con part because he doesn't have all of the people fooled.
He thinks he's smarter than what he is his pettiness is his first mistake 'remembering things' 'pay backs' a good con-artist's victims wouldn't even realize they are victims if they did it would be a long time afterward and they'd still wonder.
He doesn't have it! Sure he may have a lot of people fooled but not enough to qualify as a top rate con-artist! He can't even do that right!

Without the money he was born into he would of ended up in prison a long time ago and what he's pretending to be is 'a good ole' boy from Texas' and pResident.


He's not only a liar, he's a lie.

[janx]

31. He is really stupid. A friend of mine's brother went to Harvard

Business School with him, where, reportedly, he was a joker and a clown.

[eauclaireliberal]

35. some things never change n/t

[laura888]

32. He's interchangeable with Dan Quayle

Affable, somewhat good-looking mouth-piece.

I think he's mostly lazy. One of these guys that's coasted through, not trying very hard and lacking conviction.

[eauclaireliberal]

36. Actually, Quayle is kind of smart

I saw a TV interview with him sometime in 1998...and I was blown away. The guy is very articulate, and seems to have a brain. Quayle's biggest problem is that he has no social skills whatsoever. Which is why he appeared the moron when in company of people...sort of a "Deer in the headlights" thing.

As for Dubya, he's about as smart as a box of rocks, nor social skills...this is a man who even seems to be proud of his ignorance and stupidity.

[laura888]

37. OK - I'm willing to give Quayle some leeway

You're right, he didn't have much of a chance to prove himself.

[angee_is_mad]

34. hell yeah,he is!!!!!

[kentuck]

39. If he weren't stupid....

He would try to unite the country and call on his Party and the Democrats to stop the "politics of personal destruction". But, the sad fact is, that is the only politics he knows. If you lay down your guns, he will cut your throat. He will do anything to win. Hopefully, the Democrats have learned how he operates.

[Siagiah]

41. the problem with Republican's thinking GWB is clever

The problem with the Republicans boils down to that they think it's HIS agenda... His victory. HIS cleverness and skill that gets anything done. They believe the RUMOR spread that he's a shark, a clever shark who leads his prey to the kill. The truth? He's only a DUMB shark who eats what falls in front of him and sometimes, he has to be told it's food....

I think he's nothing but a propped up puppet for a shadow government that consists of all the same spooks that were there when pappy was in power. Yeah, I think pappy & Cheney are in control and they keep a tight rein on Sonny.

I think GWB is about as average as one could possibly be but he is surrounded by brilliance... Evil, but brilliant nevertheless...

(j/k on the evil but not entirely)

GWB has a certain charm that some folks buy into. I don't happen to be one of them but clearly, some like his down home boyish "charm". I think Pappy put his sons into their positions for purely egotistical and familial reasons and that GWB's a bit of a disappointment to him BUT he'll do in giving Pappy his legacy.

Yep, that's what I totally believe. REPUKES can believe whatever they like but if the likes of GWB IMPRESSES them, then I'm concerned about their standards in a leader... but that goes without saying. LOL

Bottom line, GWB couldn't feed himself, nevermind his family if it wasn't for those who watch out for him.

[leftofthedial]

43. Very stupid--at or below average intelligence

dumb as a post. But handled by some very evil people.

Coolectively, they're stupid and shortsighted, but cunning. Like schoolyard bullies.

[MurrayDelph]

44. Not completely dumb. Definitely not smart.

I think of him as a "cruelty-Savant."

The only time he can plan past his gratification is when he is
screwing over someone else; which, or course, he is doing for his
own gratification.

MurrayDelph

Articles of Impeachment:Bring 'em On!

[Owl]

45. No.

He's a conniving SOB.

- Owl

[opihimoimoi]

46. He is so dumb he don't even know he is being used big time

by the much higher PUB MASTERS. Bush is a dumb "go for" Puppet who can hardly understand anything written for him to say...


"You can fool me once.... er, dah, er ....."

[KT2000]

47. He is very uncomplicated

and therefore his thinking process speeds right along to the bottom line. He is not encumbered by things such as morality, compassion or empathy.

[robbedvoter]

48. He's an ignorant mean but cunning SOB. Read Franken's

chapter on "I met Barbara Bush - it didn't go well"
He recounts how W avoided a trap question he asked of him - shewd enough for that!
He concludes that he is her son: mean, controling - and we should hold him responsible for his actions.
As for his 'success in business" - I want to make you really happy, so I'll quote Clinton on it:

"had “sold the stock to buy
the baseball team which got him the governorship which got him the
presidency.”

[Cat Atomic]

49. He's Reagan, Part 2. A fool who smiles for the cameras

while the crooks in his cabinet run everything, and sell policy to their own corporate cronies.

What's funny to me is that Bush Jr.'s cabinet is filled with former Reaganites, and they've been running the same playbook they ran under Reagan- from Day 1.

It's all supply-side economics, war on terrorism, free trade is good for you, corporatist swill. The same exact crap.

Anyway, sorry- what I meant to say is that yes, Bush Jr. is a genuine moron. That's why they chose him.

[Malva Zebrina]

53. He is stupid

therefore this "cowboy" image has to be sold by his PR managers. That is why he needs to rely upon this "cajoling, good gy image" that takes the focus off of his stupidity. He is stupid--look what he married--another shallow stupid person. He is stupid--no reason to be anything else--you get what you want by a family name and by family money--don't matter if you are stupid. He is stupid--look at his progeny--stupid, if not more, as he. He is stupid--he is a stupid, dumb man.