My first thought, when I saw the headlines, was that it must be April Fool's Day or a page from The Onion. Huffington Post headlined two articles, side by side:
"Bush to Receive First-ever International Medal of Peace."
"I Was Unprepared for War . . . I'm sorry about the economy."
The Peace Medal is given by the Global PEACE Coalition in recognition of Bush's initiative to treat AIDS and malaria in Africa. This is perhaps the one area that he can take some credit for, although it's marred by his demand that one-third of the money be spent on abstinence-only sex eduation. He claims that it helped treat two million people; but that's a relatively small percent of those infected with AIDS in Africa, every single one of whom could be treated for a year with the money we spend in nine days of our war in Iraq.
The second headline touts an interview with Bush by Charlie Gibson. But don't let the headline fool you. Bush is expressing regrets about some things "that happened," but he's not taking an iota of responsibility. For example, he "regrets" that he was given "incorrect intelligence" that led to war. He takes no responsibility for not knowing what many of us on the street knew at the time.
On the economy: "I'm sorry it's happening, of course. . . . Obviously I don't like the idea of people losing jobs, or being worried about their 401(k)s. On the other hand, the American people got to know that we will safeguard the system. I mean, we're in. And if we need to be in more, we will."
Again, regrets that "it's happening." But no responsibility. We WILL safeguard the system, Sir? Why DIDN'T you safeguard the system when it would have mattered? And do you now support replacing the safeguards you and your Republican scrooges tore down?
No, I didn't think so. Please spare us the crocodile tears, Mr. Almost-Ex President. Go peddle your "regrets" for "things that happened" somewhere else.
Ralph
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2 comments:
Thanks for that! I read those quotes and couldn't bear to finish them. Bush isn't any better at false reassurances than he is at true governance. I interpret, "I'm sorry it's happening" like Cindy Sheehan interpreted his comments about her son Casey's death in Iraq - words without any connection to the real event.
T minus 49 and counting...
So right. I also wrote, but edited out for length, that his speech coaches should have told him that saying "OF COURSE I'm sorry" and "OBVIOUSLY I don't like" -- are not sincere expressions of feeling. It just comes across as what you think you're supposed to say.
And it doesn't fool anyone.
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