George W. Bush: has he been seen or heard from at all this year? Anybody know?

[Hekate]

I've been making snarky comments that Dubya's family is keeping him to a schedule and limiting public engagements -- which is a euphemism for how we take care of the frail elderly, and something that should be done for Trump if only he had anything approaching a normal family.

But I just had this flash of curiosity as to whether Dubya has been seen even out playing golf.

[mucifer]

1. at least he isn't starting another war. No love lost with him being gone

So many people died from Iraq and Katrina. He just makes me sick.

[ret5hd]

7. The buck stops...uhhhhhh...uhhhmmm...can't get fooled again.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

44. bushisms! ...

"Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never
stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and
neither do we."
-- G. W. Bush
Washington, D.C., Aug. 5, 2004

[hlthe2b]

2. I saw some reference to him giving some overseas speeches a few months back.

Apparently. he will speak out just a tad (re: Trump) in front of private, friendly audiences.

Beyond that, I have no idea.

[Disaffected]

9. That surprises me a bit

I was under the impression that he, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Wolfwitz et al were reluctant to leave the US for fear of being arrested and sent to the Hague for war crimes trials.

[hlthe2b]

11. They'd never touch a former President.

[Disaffected]

15. I would not say that was an absolute

There are still folks/organizations willing to do the right thing even in the face of possible sanctions.

What's there to stop them anyhow? Other than the repubs having a shit-fit that is.

[hlthe2b]

16. Secret Service for one. Their own government and security services for another.

[Disaffected]

25. Does the Secret Service

in a foreign country have jurisdiction over a foreign country's police/security services?? Pretty screwy if they do.

As for the local government and security forces, I am assuming here they would be the ones to act on an arrest warrant.

[hlthe2b]

26. They work collaboratively. And no western government would approve such a warrant against

a US President, current or former unless a US warrant was in place.

[Disaffected]

31. So, above international law (which all western countries have signed on to),

even a former president, in the US and elsewhere? Sad if true.

Not disputing what you say but would like to see a cite.

[hlthe2b]

34. The US is not a signatory to the International Criminal Court which has jurisdiction over war crimes

But, no. unless the US branded him a war criminal or brought some kind of charges against him, no western country would touch it. There was a judge in Spain, who, I believe allowed for a group to come forth with a warrant against Rumsfeld when out of office--or one of the others-- but since as I recall whatever conference or other reason for attending didn't happen, we don't know what would have happened. Probably nothing. Western democracies depend on the respective legal jurisdictions of other western democracies. In truth, the ICC of the Hague has only really really become involved with the war criminals and leaders in war-torn 3rd world or overthrown Eastern European countries.

[Disaffected]

35. OK thanks,

I had forgotten that (not a signatory and, 3rd world/east European countries).

[former9thward]

41. That is a internet myth backed up by nothing.

No one is looking for any of those people.

[Disaffected]

42. It appears to be a little more nuanced than that:

https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/statements/2014/jul/17/facebook-posts/are-george-w-bush-dick-cheney-unable-visit-europe-/

"The meme on social media said that Bush and Cheney are "unable to visit Europe due to outstanding warrants." The claim that there are "outstanding warrants" is flat wrong. And while it’s theoretically possible for a national court to issue an arrest warrant against either man, as was done with Pinochet, there is no sign of that happening."

[former9thward]

50. I guess it is so nuanced that I don't see any difference between that and what I wrote.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. I think he's been painting. It's a harmless hobby that keeps him out of the way.

He just did a portrait of John Boehner, which does show some resemblance to its subject but isn't quite orange enough. https://www.cnn.com/2019/09/13/politics/george-bush-portrait-john-boehner/index.html



If he ever decides to do one of Trump he'll have to buy Cadmium Orange by the bucket rather than by the tube.

[Hekate]

14. Painting is definitely harmless

[guillaumeb]

28. If one removes the alcohol from Boehner,

the skin becomes closer to a normal tone.

[GulfCoast66]

39. No. It the cigarettes.

Drinking makes you red and shows blood vessels. Smokes turns you brown/orange.

God knows why trump looks so orange.

[MurrayDelph]

46. Adderall

and cheap spray tan.

[keithbvadu2]

51. No tears from his crying?

[VarryOn]

4. Personally, I like it when ex-Presidents..

Go away. But espcially, I'm a fan of it in his case. Liked it for Reagan too!

[mainstreetonce]

5. He was at a 911 ceremony

With Rumsfeld

[Golden Raisin]

8. He laid a wreath at the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial

on 9/11/2019. Otherwise, he seems to remain very much in the background/shadows.

[Hekate]

13. Good to know he remembered

There is that, at least

[MyOwnPeace]

24. What!?

No "thumbs-up" photo-op with orphans of 9-11?

[struggle4progress]

10. I am happy to have him disappear, deep in the bowels of Texas

[JI7]

12. i said this before but i think he has brain damage and is mentally like a child

that's one reason Michelle Obama is probably so sweet with him.

we saw this when he was in office but it's probably worse now.

the damage being from all the alcohol .

[obamanut2012]

21. I agree -- it's obvious listening to him speak

Compared to a few years before his was President, when he was President, and now. It started being obvious during his second term. "Alcohol brain" is a real thing. I've watched a close relative suffer from it for years.

[walkingman]

17. I view "W" as a war criminal.

[Buckeyeblue]

18. I'm not trying to defend W. He was a horrible president

But Chaney took advantage of him. He trusted Chaney and Chaney took advantage.

But I still blame Al Gore for running away from Clinton. Big mistake.

[obamanut2012]

22. Cheney n/t

[Metatron]

19. There was some big Bush administration reunion in DC rrecently

Bush, Cheney, the whole evil clan was there.

[Hekate]

20. Ewww. Well, I know Cheney The Undead makes his appearance occasionally; thanks for the news about...

...the rest.

[NewJeffCT]

32. yes, I read about that

tensions between the Never Trump Bushies and the pro Trump ones

[Blue_true]

23. Him and President Obama have been named the heads of a political debates procedures group.

So looks like he isn't sitting in some room chewing his tongue.

Maybe he is painting even more portraits of his beloved dog that passed a few years back. Or painting memorial portraits of his dad. In some ways W was a barbaric and strange duck, but there seemed to be a subtle, softer and deeper element to him that occasionally reared it's head at times. Looks like he raised his daughters to be independent thinkers, like Reagan raised Pattie and Ron Jr.

[guillaumeb]

27. Is he still painting those pictures of the soldiers wounded by his lying the country into a war?

[MyOwnPeace]

29. Now THAT question........

should get him lots of time on the "shrink's" couch!

[guillaumeb]

30. That assumes that Bush has the self-awareness to realize his need. eom

[MyOwnPeace]

33. All the more reason to put him there........

perhaps someone could help him find "the enlightenment!"

[pangaia]

36. Who ?

[randr]

37. Celebrating his elevated status

as second worse President ever.

[Polybius]

38. Until Trump kills over 100,000 for nothing...

W is still the worst.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

45. Trump has put an estimated 100,000,000 at risk with 1 act

100 million people are at risk because of the recent water regulation rollback.

It will be hard to calculate the toll of TrumPutin from the many acts of evil he has already accomplished.

[Polybius]

47. To each their own pick

Until Trump starts a new war, mine is W.

[dustyscamp]

40. I think he called some politicians and Judges to ask for support for Kavanaugh

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/09/27/bush-support-kavanaugh-849344

[Hekate]

43. Oh ugh. I guess he's just doing his thing behind the scenes so he doesn't have to deal with us...

...instead of just fading away.

[Turbineguy]

48. Trump has turned Dubya

into "one of the better Presidents" while boosting poor presidents into the category of "great".

[YOHABLO]

49. Bush never had a spine. He could have thwarted 9/11 and did nothing.

Shame on him. He'll have to live with that till he dies. Let him sit in his little room with his crayons for all I care. I suppose it's good therapy.

[keithbvadu2]

52. "keeping him to a schedule and limiting public engagements"

"keeping him to a schedule and limiting public engagements"

Keeps his drunken ways out of the limelight.

Doggone pretzels.