Obama: "One of the things that I most admired about President Bush was"

[mike r]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20016073-503544.html

In explaining the rise in anti-Muslim sentiment, Mr. Obama said, "You know, I think that at a time when the country is anxious generally and going through a tough time, then, you know, fears can surface -- suspicions, divisions can surface in a society. And so I think that plays a role in it."

He went on to laud former President George W. Bush for his comments about Islam after the Sept. 11 attacks.

"One of the things that I most admired about President Bush was, after 9/11, him being crystal clear about the fact that we were not at war with Islam," he said. "We were at war with terrorists and murderers who had perverted Islam, had stolen its banner to carry out their outrageous acts."

"And I was so proud of the country rallying around that idea, that notion: that we are not going to be divided by religion," he continued. "We're not going to be divided by ethnicity. We are all Americans. We stand together against those who would try to do us harm. And that's what we've done over the last nine years. And we should take great pride in that."...

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yep, not just a patriot. But a fair-minded, compassionate, tolerant patriot.

[Arkana]

1. Well, Bush DID say that we were not at war with Islam

and I'll probably get shit for this but I know why he's doing this--he's using their own guy's words against them. If they think Dubya's so wonderful, why aren't they following his example?

[SidDithers]

7. Agreed...nt

Sid

[IndianaGreen]

9. Coddling war criminals is not multi-dimensional chess

but a failure to uphold the Presidential Oath of Office.

[dflprincess]

70. +1000

[Fumesucker]

20. Wasn't that somewhat *after* he declared we were on a "Crusade"?

I remember being shocked that a president would use the term "Crusade" when talking about Muslims, it seemed remarkably ignorant and inflammatory.

[KoKo]

52. "Bush Vows to Rid World of Evil Doers" ..."This Crusade"..CNN ARTICLE w/quotes

Bush vows to rid the world of 'evil-doers'


By Manuel Perez-Rivas
CNN Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- President George W. Bush said Sunday he is confident the nation will rebound from the week's terrorist attacks, and he urged Americans to go back to work on Monday knowing that their government is determined to "rid the world of the evil-doers."

"Tomorrow, when you get back to work, work hard like you always have. But we've been warned. We've been warned there are evil people in this world. We've been warned so vividly," Bush said. "And we'll be alert. Your government is alert. The governors and mayors are alert that evil folks still lurk out there. As I said yesterday, people have declared war on America and they have made a terrible mistake."

"My administration has a job to do and we're going to do it. We will rid the world of the evil-doers," he said.

Bush spoke at the White House Sunday afternoon, standing alongside the first lady as he returned from Camp David. He spent much of the weekend huddled with his National Security Council and on the phone with foreign leaders, working to build an international coalition to fight terrorism and nations that support it.


After meeting with Bush at Camp David, top cabinet officials fanned out during the morning Sunday to spread the word on television talk shows and in news briefings with reporters that the coming struggle would be one unlike any previously faced by the United States, against an enemy that operates in the shadows. It's a war that will involve much more than just the military, and will likely take years to complete.

"It will take a broad, sustained effort that will have to use our diplomatic, our political, our economic, our financial strength, as well as our military strength," said Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, speaking with reporters. "It will take time. It's not a matter of days or weeks. It's years. It's going to take the support of the American people and I have every confidence it'll be there."

Vice President Dick Cheney, speaking on NBC's Meet the Press, echoed Rumsfeld's comments about the length of the effort at hand. "I think this is going to be a struggle that the United States is going to be involved in for the foreseeable future," he said. "There's not going to be an end date when we're going to say, 'There, it's all over with.' It's going to require constant vigilance on our part to avoid problems in the future, but it's also going to require a major effort and obviously quite possibly the use of military force," he said.

Bush made the same point during his remarks at the White House. "This crusade, this war on terrorism is gonna take awhile. And the American people must be patient. I'm gonna be patient," Bush said.

A focus on intelligence

In comments at a variety of different forums, top White House officials gave indications that much of the effort ahead will be borne by the intelligence community.

Secretary of State Colin Powell said on CNN that the administration is reviewing all CIA rules, and considering lifting the agency's ban on assassinations and easing restrictions requiring that informants be screened for criminal histories.

Meanwhile, Attorney General John Ashcroft said he will present Congress with a legislative package this week to strengthen the government's legal arsenal against terrorists. The package, he said, will include stiffening penalties for people found to have harbored or assisted terrorists and broadening the government's rights to wiretap telephones.

All of this, officials said, is necessary because the nature of the nation's new enemy is different from the conventional enemies of past wars. Comments the president reiterated on Sunday.

"We haven't seen this kind of barbarism in a long period of time," Bush said. "This is a new kind of evil."

The new enemy works in the shadows, Rumsfeld said. "The terrorists who are attacking our way of life do not have armies, navies or air forces. They do not have capitals. They do not have high-value targets that the typical weapons of war can go in and attack."

But, the secretary of defense noted, nations that support them do. The first nation in the sights of the administration is Afghanistan, in whose treacherous, mountainous terrain bin Laden is believed to be hiding.

Secretary of State Colin Powell said the Taliban government, which controls most of Afghanistan will have a clear choice to make. "They will have to make their choice whether they want to be on the receiving end on the full wrath of the United States and others, or whether they want to get rid of this curse that they have within their country," Powell said.

"You either respond and rip them up, help us rip them up, get rid of them, or you will suffer consequences," he said.

Find this article at:
http://archives.cnn.com/2001/US/09/16/gen.bush.terrorism

[flyarm]

80. Bush also wanted us all to go to Disney land after 9/11 when speaking to the airline employees at

ORD!

I know I was there, and many of us walked away from his speech on the tarmac of ORD airport.
Many pilots of the airline I worked for went back into operations and kicked holes in the walls and kicked their flight bags. They were so pissed!

Many of us knew that day we were headed for a war of Bush's own design ..and Cheney's design. We knew our airline crew members who died on 9/11 would be used for an excuse to start a war. We knew that day how evil and stupid Bush was ! There was doom and gloom in our Chicago Operations. And anger.

Furthermore..Bush called we Flight Attendants "Stewardesses"..we had not been called that since 1973! We had Male Flight attendants killed on those aircraft, that he so miserably failed us, and allowed our co-workers to die a horrible death, as well as kill so many innocent people!

For Obama to now say he "ADMIRES Bush" , makes me vomit! In the worst way!

What a fucking insult!

Then and now!

As I said many many of us flight crew that stood on that tarmac walked away during Bush's speech..we knew then, as now, what a piece of shit he was and is!

I am a now retired former Flight crew of one of the airlines involved on 9/11, I was NYC based.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/nation/specials/attacked/transcripts/bush_092701.html



BUSH: We have thousands of FBI agents working today to chase down any lead, to look at any hint, to make sure America is as secure as can possibly be.


And we must stand against terror by going back to work--everybody here who showed up for work--that this important industry is making a clear statement, that terrorism will not stand, that the evildoers will not be able to terrorize America and our work force and our people.


(APPLAUSE)


America understands--America understands that these have been incredibly tense days for the people who work in airline industry, difficult times for stewardesses and captains and baggage handlers and people who run the desks. America knows that, and we appreciate.


We appreciate your steadfast willingness to fight terror on your own. You stand against terror by flying the airplanes and by maintaining them. You stand against terror by loading a bag or serving a passenger.


And by doing so, you're expressing a firm national commitment that's so important, that we will not surrender our freedom to travel, that we will not surrender our freedoms in America, that while you may think you have struck our soul, you haven't touched it, that we are too strong a nation to be carried down by terrorist activity.


(APPLAUSE)


When they struck, they wanted to create an atmosphere of fear. And one of the great goals of this nation's war is to restore public confidence in the airline industry, is to tell the traveling public, ``Get on board. Do your business around the country. Fly and enjoy America's great destination spots. Go down to Disney World in Florida, take your families and enjoy life the way we want it to be enjoyed.''

[Tx4obama]

42. I agree.

By using Bush's words it deflects criticism off of Obama.

[Jokerman]

2. He might as well have said...

"I admire W's ability to talk out of both sides of his mouth while catapulting the propaganda."

Sickening.

[IndianaGreen]

4. At least Bush didn't have shifty eyes like Nixon did

Sickening indeed!

[Jokerman]

16. One of the things I most admired about Nixon was...

his ability to commit heinous crimes and escape any real punishment.

Gotta show respect for republican scum no matter how deep into the shit hole you have to dig.

[Warren DeMontague]

3. I was going to say "...he usually looked well rested"

:shrug:

[napi21]

5. Yes, that was one thing, probably the nly thing, I can think of

that Shrub did right.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[lamp_shade]

+1

[DevonRex]

11. +1 nt

[pintobean]

12. wtf?

[Parker CA]

14. Boom! +1.

[Jokerman]

18. Sure.

Reach out to the people who will never vote for democrats while alienating your base.

Fucking brilliant!

[IndianaGreen]

21. Nothing like making it harder for our local Democrats

when they are blamed for the idiots in the Beltway.

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[IndianaGreen]

26. The New Deal and FDR are not considered Democratic by the New Democrats

as a matter of fact, Al From disavowed the New Deal when he founded the DLC.

I care about my Hoosier Democrats. It is the idiots in the Beltway I take issue with.

As to Bush: Pelosi was wrong when she put impeachment off the table. Bush and Company should be at The Hague!

I opposed and marched against this:


President George W. Bush along with bipartisan leaders from the House and
Senate announced the Joint Resolution to authorize the use of the United
States Armed Forces against Iraq. "The statement of support from the Congress
will show to friend and enemy alike the resolve of the United States," P
resident Bush said during the announcement in the Rose Garden, Wednesday,
October 2, 2002. White House photo by Paul Morse

Where were you then?

[Name removed]

28. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[RaleighNCDUer]

32. Frankly, when Bush said we were not at war with Islam, he was saying

the right thing, but he was lying to the world - because he was putting people in place, in the government and military, who were openly conducting themselves as being in a war with Islam.

I appreciate Obama using the words spoken against the followers, but I hate that it creates a moment of 'rehabilitation' for Bush - because he gives credence to the spoken words while ignoring the reality of the past administration.

[Aramchek]

44. It is much more important to quell the rampant Islamophobia, then to worry about how Bush looks

Don't worry,
there is no risk of him losing his well-earned title as "Worst President Ever".

[RaleighNCDUer]

46. Well, I'll grant you that. nt

[Jokerman]

51. Very well said. Thank you. n/t

[Aramchek]

22. he's only alienating those who aren't intelligent enough to understand what he's doing

he can't slow down to explain every little thing to you like a child.

He's not trying to get the Pukes to vote for him.
He's just trying to get them to act civilized.
If using Bush's words helps accomplish this, then it is a good thing.

[SidDithers]

30. +1...nt

Sid

[Jokerman]

43. Wow! Insults and condescension REALLY prove your point.

He's pandering to the media, pure and simple.

It's something politicians do.

Just like some people hurl insults when they've got nothing else.

[Radical Activist]

47. He's also making current Republican candidates look like nutball extremeists.

As in, "Even Bush said this isn't about being anti-Muslim so whats wrong with nutballs like Glenn Beck and my local tea party candidate?" Obama is pushing a narrative that's beneficial to Democratic candidates.

[Jokerman]

58. I'll agree that it is a calculated political move.

I just don't agree that it's a good move.

Around here the nutball extremists are the republican base. These are people that think Bush was too liberal and didn't take the war on terror far enough. Praising Bush will not change their minds one bit but it does help to perpetuate the myth among independents that both parties are the same.

[flyarm]

81. I am sorry but I believe you are dead wrong! eom

[jaxx]

25. Why would that alienate anyone?

[pintobean]

60. self delete

sorry. I followed the thread incorrectly

[phleshdef]

8. Obama SHOULD be reminding the right wingers than their own figurehead frowned on that shit.

[gratuitous]

17. I don't think Bush cuts much ice with the knuckleheads

My sense is that he's regarded as too much of a wuss, who didn't use nukes when he had the opportunity. It's just possible that a handful of the yammerers will be brought back to their senses by Obama's appeal to Bush's words. But I'm pessimistic that it will either lower their volume appreciably or move any significant numbers of the knuckleheads off their bigotry.

I suppose the effort was worth it in some small way, though.

[phleshdef]

24. I think for it to really effective, Bush needs to come out and remind them himself.

[HuckleB]

98. +1

[Radical Activist]

10. Very smart comment.

The tea-party crazies don't want to hear a message of tolerance from Obama the suspected Muslim. He's reminding them that today's hate-mongering Republicans are acting even more extreme than a murdering asshole like Bush.

To try and use this as another cheap shot against Obama is shameless. Would you rather he egg people on to attack more mosques?

[TBF]

64. He wasn't aiming for the tea party nutcases with that remark -

or his remark about the role of government - "I've never believed that government's role is to create jobs or prosperity". They are not going to listen to anything he says so why would he bother. These are remarks intended to show moderates he is reasonable & garner their votes. It may work for him, but don't be surprised when actual progressives are annoyed by them.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

13. So... you're upset that Obama isn't an Islamophobe?

[Matariki]

15. I agree. That was one of Bush's few good moments and displays of humanity.

[cleveramerican]

19. I keep hoping W will comment...

on the mosque and now on the koran burning.... but he hasn't.

[opihimoimoi]

27. Very Good Comment....how do we fault that???

[Inuca]

29. It's correct

Bush was good on that, at least right after 9/11. Would you have been happy had he said "the ONLY thing I admire..."? He cannot do that you know, he is president.

[Name removed]

31. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[lamp_shade]

34. Well said.

[Name removed]

75. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[IndianaGreen]

36. Bush is a war criminal that should be prosecuted

Or are you advocating the Medal of Freedom for Bush and Cheney?

[Radical Activist]

39. And that has no relevance to what Obama said.

[SidDithers]

45. Yes, that's exactly what he said...

In fact, I think his exact words were:

"I'm advocating that the Medal of Freedom be awarded to both Bush and Cheney."



Holy Christ.



Sid

[mkultra]

40. +1

[Jokerman]

61. Just like tarot cards are a good indication of the future.

It's all in how you want to interpret it.

If you want to believe that every criticism of Obama is an attack meant to "bring him down" then no amount of evidence to the contrary will ever change your mind.

Lockstep and groupthink aren't just for conservatives anymore.

[Aramchek]

67. no individual criticism is enough evidence. but stick around long enough and patterns emerge

[Radical Activist]

76. You're imagining something I didn't write.

No one is claiming that every criticism of Obama is an attack meant to bring him down. But there are times when it's obvious that someone's first priority is to actively campaign against Obama no matter what he does on any issue.

You're right that lockstep and groupthink aren't just for conservatives. It's also for people who oppose Obama at all times no matter what he does, and gullibley believe every attack against him no matter how flimsy the argument.

[Aramchek]

66. +1

[Poll_Blind]

33. This is where I remind everyone that French President Jacques Chirac reported that Bush...

...told him that "the Biblical creatures Gog and Magog were at work in the Middle East and how they must be defeated" while trying to round up folks for the ironically-named Coalition of the Willing.

You can read more about it here but, really, there are hundreds of stories about this revelation, which first appeared in the memoirs of ex-President Chirac.

Bush was a biblically-obsessed maniac who surrounded himself with many other biblically-obsessed maniacs.

I understand Obama's unfortunate penchant for sucking up to the last administration but geeze. If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. If you do say something nice, I'm going to believe you must've meant it.

PB

[IndianaGreen]

37. Sucking up to Bush ain't cool!

Unless one is continuing Bush's war policies...

[avaistheone1]

91. +100

[mkultra]

35. he is trying to open the mind of old Bush supporters

its a persuasive method to quote someone they trust.

[truebrit71]

38. ..and he'll get the same response he got from the bush supporters in congress...sweet fuck all...

...the time for nuance and flair has passed..it is now time to begin the cock-punching..

[mkultra]

41. negative, its time to secure the independents

because there aren't enough of us to win elections without them.

[truebrit71]

48. ..and the best way to do that is to NOT appease the same party that got us into this mess...

..in the first place...

And yes, there are more of 'us' than 'them..

[mkultra]

62. actually, he is appeasing the middle

Which must always be done. And no, there are not more of us then there are wingnuts and indies together.

[IndianaGreen]

50. He already lost the independents

the polls show that quite clearly.

[frylock]

71. what makes you believe that independants are right leaning?

i'm an indy because republicans suck, and because democrats can't suck enough republican ass.

[mkultra]

84. if you are here, your not really an indie.

[frylock]

89. my voter reg sez declined to state

[Poll_Blind]

49. +1 For righteous cock-punching.

PB

[Gin]

55. I must not be very christian....I admired "nothing" about bush

[Poll_Blind]

57. I'm not talking about anything but cock-punching Republicans.

:shrug:

PB

[Yeshuah Ben Joseph]

87. Don't worry about that

I'm CHRIST, and I admired nothing about Bush. :)

[yurbud]

53. clearly meant as a mind-fuck of Repubs: ''Wait a minit, our lord & savyur W sed THAT?!''

[scheming daemons]

54. What exactly are you upset about, mike r?

Obama told the truth. Bush did try to tamp down anti-muslim sentiment.

It was about the only good thing Bush did as President.



Are you upset that Obama acknowledged the truth?

[louis-t]

56. How about "the ONLY thing I admired about..."

[BlueCheese]

59. It seems like a reasonable thing to say to me...

Emphasizing how Americans of all persuasions should have that common understanding of Islam.

[spanone]

63. it's the one thing junior got right. not one fucking thing else.

[H2O Man]

65. sniff

sniff

[Bluebear]

68. NOBODY could question Bush's love for his country or its troops.

:silly:

[avaistheone1]

92. That is why Bush is responsible for sending so many of our troops to their death

in his war of choice - because he loves the troops.

Bush's love of his country was clearly proven by lying the country into war, and then sending too few troops to war who were inadequately equipped with such practical gear such as body armour. No president has ever shown more love for our country and our troops. God bless George and Laura.

[Renew Deal]

69. That's bound to make heads explode

Republican heads that is.

[frylock]

72. republicans are doing everything they can to distance themselves from bush..

time for obama to just stfu already.

[earth mom]

73. Don't mess with the BFEE.

That's how I read Biden & now Obama kissing up to * & Co! :yoiks:

[gkhouston]

74. Darn. I was hoping he'd let the sentence die away into an awkward silence

after "was...". That would have spoken volumes.

[ZombieHorde]

77. Bush sucks bloody poop logs.

I hate to see President Obama compliment Bush, but I think I understand what is going on here.

[KG]

78. it warms my cockles to see the bush-baby get a fair shake on DU

:eyes:

[Fumesucker]

85. +1

[Yeshuah Ben Joseph]

79. There is absolutely nothing admirable about any member of the Bush Crime Family.

None. No exceptions. End of story.

[flyarm]

82. Thank you , I could not agree more! eom

[Lydia Leftcoast]

83. The ONLY 2 reasons Bush said that were

1. A certain percentage of American Muslims had been voting Republican because of their social conservatism, and Bush didn't want to alienate them

2. There had been incidents of violence and harassment against American Muslims and immigrants in general after 9/11, and if encouraged, could have led to a severe law enforcement problem.

Otherwise, Bush was delighted to bomb into oblivion any Muslims overseas who stood in the way of his oil-fueled ambitions.

[Art_from_Ark]

96. Don't forget his attorney-general's roundups of Muslims

in the immediate aftermath of 911

http://ccrjustice.org/ourcases/current-cases/turkmen-v.-ashcroft

[zonkers]

86. He was pretty good at making up nicknames for people.

Fartblossom, Brownie, etc.

[Skittles]

88. there was nothing admirable about bush

what he said and what he did, oh, fuck, why even bother

[ipaint]

90. One of the things?

What else does he admire about president smirk.

His elaborate worldwide torture network? His gutting of regulations across a wide spectrum of industries? The depression he left us, that was admirable?

The president ran for office as "not bush" now finds common ground not only in dim son's disastrous policies such as spying and institutional financial fraud but in the man personally. How bipartisan.

[Chisox08]

93. The thing I admire about Bush is ........

Wait for it......
Absolutely nothing. Bush is a motherfucking scumbag. The only time Obama should be using Bush's name is to announce that Bush is being prosecuted for war crimes.

[bertman]

94. You nailed it, Chisox08. Thank you.

[Duke Newcombe]

95. Dear Mr. President. I don't believe that throwaway line...

and the people you're thinking will be impressed by it aren't. Can we retire that line now, please?

[Amonester]

97. And then, the smirkin' torturer went to order his generals to go and

murder a million of innocent Islamists (including newborns) because cheney & co wanted more $ on their already bloated pension-plan checks, and to show his popy.

How sweet...

on edit: :crazy:

and :puke:

'nite.