"W": I acted stupid on purpose...

[kpete]

"My first reaction was anger. Who the hell would do that to America? Then I immediately focused on the children, and the contrast between the attack and the innocence of children," Bush says in an excerpt of the interview shown to television writers on Thursday.

Bush said he could see the news media at the back of the classroom getting the news on their own cellphones "and it was like watching a silent movie."

Bush said he quickly realized that a lot of people beyond the classroom would be watching for his reaction.

"So I made the decision not to jump up immediately and leave the classroom. I didn't want to rattle the kids. I wanted to project a sense of calm," he said of his decision to remain seated and silent.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/07/29/bush-says-slow-reaction-on-911-was-deliberate-decision/

[randr]

1. Choosing to act as an adult in charge was not an option?

[daggahead]

2. Sense of calm?

More like a sense of catatonic stupor!

[lumpy]

18. Truly. LOL...In a stupor for at least 10 minutes. Laughing my ass

off.

[indepat]

44. That look in the eyes would tend to support your catatonic stupor

assessment imo. :patriot:

[daggahead]

58. He was probably thinking ...

That was today? I though Dick said it would be next week.

[aquart]

3. See, I would have asked about casualties in Manhattan

Which is a somewhat populated area.

And he's lying his ass off because he knew exactly who was planning terror attacks on America.

His behavior was not that of a concerned leader. It was of a criminal establishing an alibi.

[smirkymonkey]

4. He didn't "act" stupid. He is stupid.

There are ways to project a sense of calm while at the same time taking action.

[marmar]

5. "Plus, I was confused by that book. Too many big words."

[liberalmuse]

6. If vacuousness = calm, then he succeeded.

He didn't want to rattle the kids...dear God. He could've told them he had to leave, had the teacher take over the reading, then instead of hopping on Air Force One and hiding in bunkers all over the country, he could've acted like a leader. I haven't said this in awhile, but Fuck Bush.

[LiberalLoner]

7. Not meaning to defend W, hated having him as President, but I can

kind of understand his thinking there. I remember being in theater during the first Gulf War, everyone was certain we'd be hit by SCUDS and there was some tension in the camp. I remember wanting very much to project confidence and no fear, to be very calm and focused on the mission, and I think I did project calm. I put thoughts of death out of my head and just concentrated on the mission and tried to serve as a calm and focused example for the soldiers around me.

So I can kind of understand what he was thinking. Not meaning to defend him, just that I've been in that kind of situation where I know people were watching me to kind of have clues about how to act, etc. I know what it's like to want to remain calm and focused to provide a good example to others watching.

[OneGrassRoot]

16. Thank you for sharing that.

I agree.

:hug:

[WinkyDink]

22. Excuse me, but for the POTUS to worry about a classroom when he SUPPOSEDLY did not yet know the

nature or extent of the attacks, INCLUDING whether the very school he was in would be attacked, IS BIZARRE, BORDERING ON DERELICTION OF DUTY.

I don't know about you, but I can very calmly excuse myself from a group setting.
It would have been easy and appropriate for the psychopathic liar to say, "Class, I have enjoyed my visit with you this morning. But Presidents sometimes have to change their plans, and I have to leave now. Be good, and keep reading!"

[LiberalLoner]

23. That would have been better, I agree. But W was never the sharpest knife in the block. I just

was saying, I could kind of understand where his thinking was going with that. Not saying he took the right actions, just that I could understand the thinking process there.

[Gidney N Cloyd]

26. I'm sure when W's handlers dreamt up this latest crock they were trying to emulate...

...decent guys like yourself with a sense of responsibility and genuine leadership skills. Bush just has too long a history of sociopathic behavior for me to buy his worrying about anyone in that classroom but himself.

[lunatica]

37. I don't see any similarity in your experience and his

Sorry. He never served. He used his father's influence to get out of going to Vietnam. He was never, ever in any physical danger in his entire life due to anyone hitting his bunker with SCUDS or anything else.

Sorry, but being in a place where real danger is a possibility and being as far away from the attack as possible isn't the same thing.

I was in California during the 9/11 attack and never once thought they were going to attack where I was.

[LiberalLoner]

39. You have a good point. I dunno. I was just trying to say, I understand

about how a person would want to project as much calm and confidence and strength as possible. ALthough..you know, when he gave the talk to the nation later that day, he looked so scared I thought, oh, man, what a bad job you are doing right now...I mean honestly you never want to see a President looking like a deer caught in the headlights during an emergency, you know?

As an aside, it occured to me at the moment when I was in theater, that I had to ESPECIALLY project calm and strength and focus, because I was female. And if I broke down and acted weak, it would set back the whole feminist agenda, LOL. That thought was also in the back of my mind. Strange what thoughts go through your mind at a time like that.

I don't like W. Just wanted to make that clear, think he was a horrible leader, terrible for our nation. I guess i was just sharing my experience and saying that a thought like that could go through a leader's head in an emergency situation.

[lunatica]

43. I hope you know I wasn't criticizing you in the least

What you are truly thoughtful about is what people who care about their obligations, even the ones that are not spoken about. Bush doesn't suffer from any such subtlety or nuance. He sat frozen for minutes on end doing nothing more than looking scared as he chewed the inside of is cheek and staring at the back wall of the classroom. The students were the furthest thing from is mind.

I happen to think he sat there in full knowledge of what was happening. Call me a conspiracist if you want to, but I believe the people at the top of the administration knew what was happening because they deliberately let it happen. I also believe they were probably surprised at the magnitude of the destruction. They probably thought only a few people would be killed but that they would use it to do everything they did afterwards. How could they not know when they were repeatedly told in their daily briefings as well as by people like Richard Clark and FBI field investigators.

[LiberalLoner]

47. Oh, thanks! :) Yeah, I think there was something strange about that day too...and

I don't think W was of good character, not at all. The whole firecrackers up the frogs rear-ends told me all I needed to know about that man's lack of character. Sociopath, completely.

[RaleighNCDUer]

40. The difference is, while you were waiting for the possible SCUD attack

your top commanders there were directing operations to find the SCUD launchers, setting up PATRIOT batteries to intercept any that came, etc.

As top commander, CIC, is job is not to 'project calm' - it is to tack action.

[LiberalLoner]

42. True, I hadn't thought about that. n/t

[Major Hogwash]

8. When they go to make a movie about his life, they're going to cast a bag of shit to play him.

It will have more personality, in an attempt to make him look more human!!

[99 Percent Sure]

34. They already made 1 movie - 'W'...

It starred Josh Brolin as Dim Son. Now, I didn't see it, but I saw commercials for it. 'Twas a couple of years ago.

Yes, he's not bright, yes, he's a psycho-sociopath and a major drunk on top of that.

[deutsey]

9. No one expected him to "jump up" and flee the room

He could've paused a moment and then apologetically excused himself.

[spanone]

10. bullshit.

[vanlassie]

11. Every parent knows how to react appropriately while at the same time not alarming kids.

What a weak excuse for weak behavior.

[ellie]

12. Jesus, what a bunch of shit

He didn't do anything because he is an incompetent moron.

[lpbk2713]

13. "I knew right away I had to run and hide."

"The country could go to hell as long as I was safe on AF-1 for the rest of the day."


WORST PRESIDENT EVER

[alsame]

14. I still don't understand why the Secret Service didn't

immediately whisk him out of there. How did they know the school wasn't another target?

[raccoon]

20. And that is the $64,000 question. nt

[Solly Mack]

15. Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah...said the war criminal.

[Brickbat]

17. It would not have been difficult to act without freaking out, instead of sitting there looking like

you lost your last thought.

It's possible to stop in the middle of what you're doing, and say, "Children, I hate to stop reading because I want to find out what happens next! Unfortunately, Mr. Card just told me I have a very important question to answer (or situation to deal with, or whatever), and I hope you will write to me and tell me how this book ends. I have had a lovely time. The annoying thing is that sometimes being president even interrupts reading time, and I hate that." And then you get up calmly and walk out, while having one of your 17 people in your entourage go over and tell the teacher what's going on.

[WinkyDink]

19. Such patently psychopathic twaddle. NO NORMAL PERSON would think, "Who the hell would do that to

America?"

Besides, the psychopath is already on record as thinking "that was some bad pilot."

[lumpy]

24. Thanks for reminding me of Dubya's thought : "that was some

bad pilot." It was amazing that he actually admitted to thinking that. A man without a conscience and always a joker.

[WinkyDink]

28. Exactly. He, being a psycho, didn't "get" that no POTUS "jokes" about a DEAD AMERICAN.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-h4Zc57QKg

[lunatica]

56. When he was in the school room it was the second plane that hit

Everyone else in the world instantly knew it was an attack. I know I did.

[City Lights]

21. Pssst, Junior, you weren't acting. eom

[Desertrose]

25. Took him 10 years to come up with this line?

:facepalm:

[Liberalynn]

29. good one!

:rofl:

[WI_DEM]

27. And so what is your excuse for ruining the economy and blowing the surplus?

[Volaris]

31. "'Brown People' needed bombing?"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDw-zFFhFgc

I'm just making an educated guess, though =)

[SammyWinstonJack]

54. Big Oil needed protection while stealing 'brown peoples' resources.

[PCIntern]

30. He was misquoted. He actually said:

"I acted stupid on porpoise." thinking what he would be doing in Florida if he were on the old TV show Flipper instead of being pResident of the United States.

[lunatica]

32. Well if he jumped up and ran screaming with his hair on fire maybe the kids

might have been scared. Just fucking think about the kids dammitt!

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

33. .

.

[lunatica]

35. No matter what he opens his mouth and stupidity falls out

[Buns_of_Fire]

36. And, may I say, he is a MASTER at acting stupid!

Just for old times, G.W., can you do that "choking on a pretzel" bit for us again? That one always cracks the boys up... *hic*

[99 Percent Sure]

38. Well, in the video of his Jim Beam pickled brain

he sees all that. But in the actual video that I've seen innumerable times, Shrub looked stunned and confused, as if he didn't know what to do, as if the words in 'My Pet Goat' were indecipherable.

But whatever.

[Blue Owl]

41. Karl Rove's handiwork, ladies and gents

Good to see old Bubble Boy is still fomenting the illusion.

[Morizovich]

45. Crouching Tigger, Hidden Druggie

BUT WINNIE SAID IT WAS OKAY! :cry:

[Tracer]

46. Why is this Bush "excuse" coming out today?

I've heard this same, pathetic excuse for years now.

He even said it fairly soon after the 9/11 attacks.

[Generic Other]

48. That was NO act Commander Bunnypants!

And it would be followed a short time later by his girding his loins for battle by boarding Air Force One and heading in the opposite direction of the emergency.

[Scurrilous]

49. LOL

What an @#$.

[lonestarnot]

50. Bushitler go have another slug and shut the fuck up you fucking gutless wonder ignoranus. Get back

under your fucking rock!

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

51. Dubya "acting" stupid is kinda like a Hippo "acting" fat.

[hifiguy]

52. You have it in one and win the thread.

:)

[Brigid]

55. You win a Brigid DUzy too.

:rofl:

[Liberalynn]

53. If true then Dumbya deserves an Oscar

for staying in character 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

[uppityperson]

57. Acting like a person in charge means when there is a problem, you excuse yourself and deal with it.

You don't have to throw your hands up, scream "OMG OMG OMG OMG" or do nothing. There are many things he could have done and still not simply sat like a deer in the headlights.

[SidDithers]

59. For 8 years?...nt

Sid

[newspeak]

60. Wait, he's given the august PDB-saying something

like "okay you delivered it". Richard Clark informed Little Boot's cabinet that terrorism would be their main priority-Ashcroft, of course, thought differently. It was those damn prostitutes and the killer weed that was more of a threat-oh, and Lady Justice-got to spend money to drape a cloth over her nudity-after all, justice is truly blind.

I don't care what anyone says, I believe they knew. You have countries like Germany, warning you something is coming your way and they did absolutely nothing. Couldn't even be bothered by alerting the airports-nothing, nada, zip!!!!

[loyalsister]

61. I always thought he was more lazy than stupid

I also didn't think he truly wanted to be president. How does one go from wanting to be baseball commissioner to wanting to be president?
I think he just agreed to be a figurehead for Cheney and co. I also think he benefitted from his good 'ol boy frat boy act. Part of that "average Joe" design was not being prepared or serious and letting mistakes pass without any concern. He even joked about some of them. To me, he usually came across as relaxed or even bored when he gave speeches.
Seems to me that combining all of that with his sense of entitlement, his presidency becomes a series of events to show up for (the more fun and relaxed the better) and speeches from time to time while Cheney and Rove managed the reality of the job.

No one could say anything that would pull him away from a bit of fun with some kids. The presidency was never really his concern.

[cordelia]

62. He IS stupid. Was then, is now.

[in_cog_ni_to]

63. It took him 10 years to come up with that stupid excuse? Oy Vey. SEE?

Now you know why we're in a debt crisis. THAT MAN and his ignorance brought us to this place.

[yella_dawg]

64. Huh huh huh huh

Huh hu, huh huh huh

I acted stoopid.

[Atman]

65. "I MEANT TO DO THAT!"