Politico: Bush's decision to forgo GOP Convention "saves Republicans an awkward moment"

[Amerigo Vespucci]

GOP-ers weigh in on Bush's eight years

Alexander Burns, David Mark Mon Sep 1, 6:01 AM ET



ST. PAUL, Minn. — The looming threat of Hurricane Gustav forced President Bush to cancel his planned valedictory address before the GOP national convention Monday night.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/politico/20080901/pl_politico/13039

For many delegates gathering here, that's not a bad thing.

Everyone assembled in St. Paul hates the circumstances that forced Bush's absence; concern about Gustav dominated every conversation. But given the deeply conflicted emotions that swirl around the president from within his party, Bush's decision to forgo the occasion saves Republicans an awkward moment.

The view toward Bush from this convention is complex. Some delegates praise him for a job well done. Others nurse resentments over a host of Bush actions — the government's botched and insensitive response to Hurricane Katrina, ironically, is at the top of that list.

But most feel a sense of disappointment for what might have been.

From senators and governors to county chairmen and rank-and-file delegates, many of the GOP faithful present in St. Paul say that while Bush meant well, he didn't always live up to the principles — particularly on fiscal discipline and social issues — that he claimed to hold dear.

"For those of us who believe in limited government, it hasn't gone too well," said Arizona Rep. Jeff Flake. "Not just the levels of spending, but the type of spending, have been atrocious. Whenever the big legislation came through, the White House was always there to sign it, whether the Farm Bill, prescription drug benefits, some of these bloated appropriations bills or the highway bill."

Others have a more nuanced view of Bush's two terms and see him as a captive of the era in which he governed — a period framed by the shadow of Sept. 11, 2001, a day of terror that forever altered the nation and Bush's plans for his presidency.

"President Bush will be recognized for being a wartime president," said South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds. "People will recognize that he understood that as the chief executive officer and the person responsible as commander in chief, he undertook that as his primary role."

Utah Gov. Jon M. Huntsman Jr. agreed that Sept. 11 overshadowed the administration's other goals by removing the president's ability to advance a more traditionally conservative domestic agenda.

"All of the oxygen was taken out of the room. There was no real opportunity to build a real party vision," Huntsman said. "He's done his best trying to manage events that have been thrown at him."

[williesgirl]

1. k&r

[11 Bravo]

2. If it wasn't Gustav, it would have been something else.

The Repugs can't get far enough away from Shooter and the Chimp.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. They are still drinking the Kool-Aid.

He did the best he could under difficult circumstances. Blah, blah, blah.

:banghead:

There's no hope for these idiots.

[jazzjunkysue]

4. Please tell me that photo isn't photo-shopped! It's The Penguin!

:rofl:

[progdonkey]

9. I always thought she looked more like the Joker...

[zbdent]

5. Now it's going to be a fundraiser for

"Hurricane Gustav relief ..." ... right ...

[No Elephants]

6. The awkward moment was on MCain's birthday, 3 years ago, when

he and Bush were on the tarmac with a birthday cake for McCain, grinning, as Katrina hit the Gulf Coast.



http://thinkprogress.org/2008/04/24/flashback-as-katrina-raged-mccain-celebrated-69th-birthday-with-bush/


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/04/24/mccain-and-katrina-ravage_n_98470.html

[BumRushDaShow]

7. I have watched Jeff Flake-ey

many many times as he challenged appropriation bills and amendments on those bills and other funding legislation, but when he says this:

"For those of us who believe in limited government, it hasn't gone too well," said Arizona Rep. Jeff Flake. "Not just the levels of spending, but the type of spending, have been atrocious. Whenever the big legislation came through, the White House was always there to sign it, whether the Farm Bill, prescription drug benefits, some of these bloated appropriations bills or the highway bill."

he can't seem to be found to challenge the $12 billion per month Iraq spending bills themselves, instead only cherry-picking through the stuff that was added on to them and ignoring the ridiculousness of continuing to fund a nonsensical "war". :eyes:

[progdonkey]

8. Huntsman and Rounds are douches...

"Utah Gov. Jon M. Huntsman Jr. agreed that Sept. 11 overshadowed the administration's other goals by removing the president's ability to advance a more traditionally conservative domestic agenda."

Now that everyone but a few ultra-morons agrees that Bush's tenure has been a disgrace beyond compare, the Republicans are trying to redefine him away from being a conservative. Wars without end, upward redistribution of wealth, cronyism, corruption, shredding the Constitution... none of that is "conservative," they say, yet they were all right there praising him when he was doing it.

[symbolman]

10. ALL you FUCKING

RUBBERSTAMP REPUBLICANS can go FUCK YOURSELVES..

Goddamn MURDERERS.

I can't believe that if there is a GOD, He's giving all these assholes a FREE "Get out of Katrina" card. "AVOID Having NO Republicans SHOWING UP" card..

They get away with too much shit, can't BAD things ever happen to BAD People for ONCE?

I'm getting depressed over the lies, shrieking McCain Harpys from Alaska, a beautiful place I lived in for 10 years turned to shit by fucking REDNECKS from the North..