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Bush Made the Tough Calls But the Mistakes Weren't His

LibertySugar — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 00:02:17 -0800

President Bush's interview with Charlie Gibson aired last night, and Bush made it clear that he intends to leave office with his head held high. Reflecting on the highs and lows of his presidency, Bush concluded that it has been a "joyous" experience. Here are some of the excerpts:

On the Iraq war intelligence: "The biggest regret of all the presidency has to have been the intelligence failure in Iraq. A lot of people put their reputations on the line and said the weapons of mass destruction is a reason to remove Saddam Hussein. It wasn’t just people in my administration; a lot of members in Congress, prior to my arrival in Washington D.C., during the debate on Iraq, a lot of leaders of nations around the world were all looking at the same intelligence. And, you know, that’s not a do-over, but I wish the intelligence had been different, I guess."
On what he was unprepared for: "I think I was unprepared for war. In other words, I didn't campaign and say, 'Please vote for me, I'll be able to handle an attack.' In other words, I didn't anticipate war. Presidents — one of the things about the modern presidency is that the unexpected will happen.
On how he judges his legacy: "The thing that's important for me is to get home and look in that mirror and say, I did not compromise my principles. And I didn't. I made tough calls. And some presidencies have got a lot of tough decisions to make."
On Obama's election: "I think it was a repudiation of Republicans. And I'm sure some people voted for Barack Obama because of me. I think most people voted for Barack Obama because they decided they wanted him to be in their living room for the next four years explaining policy."

Considering that many in the media and numerous Democrats supported the war, do you think history will forget that Bush overlooked good intelligence and reports from the inspectors that concluded Iraq had no WMDs?

Battle For Turkey Pardon Would Make Great Reality TV

LibertySugar — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:00:23 -0800

Last night on her show, Rachel Maddow described the grueling elimination process conducted to select two lucky turkeys who receive the president's Thanksgiving pardon.

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The competition begins with 13 turkeys, who then get trained to be comfortable around humans. The two turkeys with the best personalities won George W. Bush's pardon and a first-class trip to Disneyland, where they act as grand marshalls of the Thanksgiving parade and live happily ever after in Disneyland's frontier land.

As for the unlucky losers — you might meet one of the kicked-off turkeys at your local Subway. Watch Rachel break it down, and have a happy Thanksgiving!

Bush White House: We Don't Need Sweeping Pardons

CitizenSugar — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 14:30:56 -0800

The Bush administration has signaled that it won't be necessary to issue pardons for officials involved in harsh interrogation, even while the incoming Obama administration won't rule out an investigation. White House officials believe that legal opinions written by the Justice Department clear interrogators of any wrongdoing.

In September, Joe Biden said that the Obama administration would pursue appropriate charges against Bush officials not out of vengeance, but out of the need to preserve the notion that no one is above the law.

If Bush grants a blanket pardon to top officials, the public (and history) might consider it an admission that criminal activity plagued his presidency. Even so, do you expect to see preemptive pardons, for crimes such as torture or illegal wiretapping, before Bush leaves office?

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President Bush Calls Iraq War a Success

LibertySugar — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:01:50 -0800

While debris from collapsing financial institutions continue to fall during the final days of the Bush Administration, the President has found something he considers a "success" — the Iraq war.

In an interview played on Japanese TV this week, a "very pleased" Bush said:

I think the decision to remove Saddam Hussein was right. . . . We are bringing troops home because of the success in Iraq. But Iraq is not yet completely safe. So there will be a US presence for a while there at the request of the Iraqi government. The United States is willing to continue to help. Most countries there within a very broad coalition have come home but we want to help this government.

Since the war began, more than 4,200 US soldiers have died, along with hundreds of thousands of Iraqis. And don't forget the monetary cost. At the five-year anniversary, the cost of the Iraq war topped $600 billion — perhaps Bush forgot his original prediction that the war would cost only $60 billion. Despite the human and financial cost, do you think the Iraq war will ultimately be a success?

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Front Page: Thousands Gather in Baghdad to Protest US Pact

CitizenSugar — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 08:11:39 -0800

Supporters of radical Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr gathered in Baghdad today to protest the security agreement that gives the US authority to remain in Iraq. More than 10,000 protesters attended, and some burned an effigy of President Bush. — New York Times
US Attorney General Michael Mukasey collapsed on stage Thursday while giving a speech. Officials say he is feeling better and never transferred his power as attorney general. — AP

Mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have decided to suspend home foreclosures until Jan. 9. The companies seized by the federal government do not want to bring more turmoil to struggling US families during the holidays. — Blooomberg
After another day of recounting, 46 percent of Minnesota's ballots have been counted, and the gap between Democrat Al Franken and Senator Norm Coleman has narrowed. Coleman is now leading by 136 votes, down from his unofficial lead of 215. — Minnesota Star

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President Bush Still Rules After Jan. 20?

LibertySugar — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:30:25 -0800

He may be a lame-duck president, but George W. Bush is determined to keep quacking away federal regulations before his time is up. Since many of Bush's plans contradict Barack Obama's agenda, why would he waste time issuing rules if they would soon be undone? The answer? It could take years for Obama to rescind some of these rules.

Nonprofit ProPublica has compiled a list of the Bush administration's last-minute rules and regulations. According to the list, some of the proposed changes would let federally funded institutions turn down abortions for moral or religious reasons; give greater surveillance authority to law enforcement; lease public lands for oil; allow construction projects with less concern for protected species; and subject HIV/AIDS prevention groups to new qualifying rules.

Obama's transition team has a close eye on these midnight regulations, but protracted efforts and court battles aimed to undo the rules surely lie ahead.

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Dallas Maverick Owner a Victim of Political Persecution?

LibertySugar — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 15:30:27 -0800

Entrepreneur billionaire Mark Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks, responded forcefully to the insider trading complaint filed against him by the SEC yesterday, saying that the case is based upon official's win-at-any-cost ambitions." The feds allege that Cuban sold shares of a soon-to-be-doomed Internet search company in 2004 while the price was still high.

So what could be the potential political motivation behind Cuban's charges? Cuban financed Loose Change, a film about 9/11. A source close to Cuban just provided a New York Times reporter with an email sent to Cuban from an SEC lawyer in 2007. The email has the subject "Loose Change" and SEC Chairman Christopher Cox was also copied. It states:

Previously, I thought you were merely foolish and naive. Now, however, I see that you are also a hypocrite. I guess your belief in free speech has severe limitations. If someone else is the victim of an absurd conspiracy theory, you defend your right to participate in smearing the good name of a patriot like President Bush. But, when you are the subject of a parody of the attack you have endorsed, you suddenly issue threats. I think I will email this to Chairman Cox myself. I think he will enjoy it. I’m sure he is also a Laker fan. Since Chairman Cox may not know the background, I will explain. Mark Cuban is the owner of the Dallas Mavericks and has participated in distributing the vicious and absurd documentary, “Loose Change,” which posits that President Bush planned the demolition of the World Trade Center as a pretext for going to war against Iraq.

Do you think Cuban is suffering political payback, or is this email from the SEC lawyer (who was later punished for it) just evidence of stupidity?

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Briefing Book! Texas to Lose Influence When Bush Leaves DC

LibertySugar — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:30:23 -0800

Texas: OK to mess with Texas? When Bush leaves office, Texas becomes just another state after decades of influence. — Politico
Rivals: Want a peek inside yesterday's McCain-Obama meeting? Take a look at a completely made-up slideshow dramatization. — 23/6
Airports: Traveling for the holidays? Five carry-on items to prevent airport spending. — SavvySugar
Clinton: Republicans should be happy if Hillary becomes secretary of state? Hillary's criticism of Obama's foreign policy could warm the hearts of neoconservatives. – Huffington Post

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Bush Touts Religious Freedom and US Record at UN

LibertySugar — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:30:35 -0800

Speaking at the UN Culture of Peace gathering, President Bush emphasized how religious freedom is crucial to a flourishing society. Bush maintained that freedom to worship as you want is "God's gift to every man, woman, and child."

Bush cited the US as an example of how to promote religious freedom:

Our nation has helped defend the religious liberty of others, from liberating the concentration camps of Europe to protecting Muslims in places like Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. We're not afraid to stand with religious dissidents and believers who practice their faith even where it is unwelcome.

At the meeting billed as an "interfaith" dialogue, the president of Pakistan also spoke out against hate speech, saying: "The imaginary fear of Islam has been rising. This is exactly what the terrorists had hoped to provoke. Those in the West who accept this are falling into the trap of the terrorists."

As this was most likely Bush's last appearance at the UN, do you think he went out with the right message?

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Bush Admits Mistakes, Regrets Mission Accomplished Banner

LibertySugar — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:00:32 -0800

Perhaps determined to work on his legacy before he leaves office, President Bush has identified episodes from the last eight years he has come to regret. They include:

Announcing that he wanted Osama bin Laden "dead or alive" right after Sept. 11.
Declaring "bring 'em on" when discussing Iraqi insurgents in 2003.
Speaking in front of a "Mission Accomplished" banner on May 1, 2003, to declare major combat operations were complete.

Bush credits his wife for opening his mind to the importance of being careful with his words as President.

If you're not a fan of Bush, will you be more willing to forgive and forget once he leaves office, or must Americans hold a grudge if they don't want history to repeat itself? Is self-reflection from Bush enough, or should there be some other sort of accountability?

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