Okay, what's this "wood" thing all about?

[jmowreader]

I unfortunately missed the debate, so I didn't see the wood comment.

Did he actually hold up a piece of wood?

Edited to remove obscenity from subject

[XanaDUer]

1. Yeah, his head.

Bush made some stupid "joke" about how he did not know he owned a timber company.

[localroger]

2. From the debate

Kerry was debunking the "900,000 small businesses" claim by pointing out that * himself is one of those "small businesses" because he got $84 in income from a timber interest he's invested in. Chimpy was clearly blindsided by this and tried to make a funny: "I am? Uh, need some wood?" The transcripts don't do the moment justice, it was really hilarious.

[mermaid]

3. Bush May Well, In Fact, Be Invested In Such A Company, AND NOT KNOW IT!!

When one becomes President, they must place all their assets under the control of a trustee, who is to have no contact, whatsoever, with the President. Same for Vice, by the way.

Bush has no knowledge, or control, of what investments he currently has, if he has followed the rules on this point, and, I suspect he has, because it would have long ago gotten out if he hadn't.

The reason for this is obvious - to avoid the appearance of impropriety or conflict of interest.

Example, were Cheney heavily invested in Halliburton, and he knew it...and he was in control of that investment...and then awarded seveal high-dollar, no-bid contracts to Halliburton, this would make the stocks go up for Halliburton, with a direct financial benefit for Mr. Cheney, and would have the appearance of impropriety or conflict of interest...wait a min, isn't that EXACTLY what HAS happened in Cheney's case?!?!

Anyway, Bush could very well own a small interest in a timber company and be unaware of it...however, Bush's ownership in that timber company would be a matter of public record...which would be how Kerry found out about it. For that matter, Bush could have found out, too, that he was invested in that timber company...oh, no, I forgot, he wouldn't, because BUSH CAN'T READ!!!

Anyway, the point is, Bush probably DOES have an investment in this timber company. And, Bush probably IS unaware that he does.

But it did make for a hell of a funny moment!

[BiggJawn]

4. Info was listed on Shrub's form 1040...

Got that from TinMan's other fav website, factcheck-dot-ORG...
$84 income listed from a timber company he has an interest in. In sunbsequent years, it was listed as "royalty" income....

Now, Bush is supposed to be a small business. he's claimed to be such ("I know ALL about Small Businesses...I WAS one!")

but what we're seeing here is that he's got strainer-brain REALLY bad, or he doesn't read shit before signing it, since he has to sign his 1040.

I tend to believe that he doesn't read. CAN'T read. How about that, Murka? You have a functionally illiterate pretzeldent...But that plays well with the "Wal-Mart Generation" since most of them are illiterate, too.

[localroger]

5. I'm sure you're right

It was a well-crafted and perfectly placed salvo from Kerry, and it wasn't going to be a good moment for * no matter what. But *'s clumsy attempt to minimize the damage just made it far worse. "Need some wood?" just sounds so much like a backhanded offer of Viagra. If he'd just said "lumber" or "trees" nobody would even be talking about it today.