John Dean just said that Bush is mean to people in private.

[Eric J in MN]

"testy, short-tempered, caustic" is how John Dean just described Bush's private persona on "The Al Franken Show" radio broadcast.

[JI7]

1. he is mean to people in public also

[grasswire]

13. the Bush family...

...despises the press and has often said so. Mother Bush, Father Bush....they DESPISE the press.

Father Bush, according to the NYT, spent the weekend threatening to run down reporters with his humongous speedboat, aiming directly at their boat and then turning away at the last moment with a big splash of water.

[MisterP]

26. linky-loo?

I mean, link?

[grasswire]

31. here -- WaPo, not NYT

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A50561-2004Aug8.html

It was an unusually stoic reaction for "old number 41," as the 43rd president calls him. The elder Bush had been kidding around all weekend, merrily hurtling right at photographers in his 825-horsepower speedboat, Fidelity III, then making sure to spray them with his wake as he suddenly turned away.

[Vickers]

2. Georgie? Short-tempered? Nonsense!

:P

[JerseygirlCT]

48. He's just "plain-spoken". A "straight-shooter"... nt

[flamingyouth]

3. He's mean to people in public

On a mission to destroy America, it seems.

[Snoggera]

6. Mean to the point of having

them executed, and mean to the point of sending over 900 US servicemen and women to their deaths. It's a little beyond mean. If you met this individual in your personal life, you would probably run away as fast as you could. Sociopath's care nothing for anyone or anything.

[Kanary]

11. Agree with all your points except for one teensy thing

I think he slipped over the line into psychopathology.

:evilgrin:

Kanary

[stanwyck]

27. actually, I think you're right

no evil grin necessary. He's intractable. Makes no mistakes. Reacts inappropriately to situations. Has a constant need for approval. Has no remorse or sense of accountability. This is a scary guy. Ignorant and arrogant. The worst combination.

[Grins]

30. 'Cuz he's a "dry drunk"...?

By Ms. van Wormer, Professor of Social Work at the University of Northern Iowa:

"Bush’s personality characteristics to those of a person who, in AA parlance, is “dry” but whose thinking is not really sober. Grandiosity, rigidity, and intolerance of ambiguity, and a tendency to obsess about things are among the traits associated with the dry drunk. The dry drunk quits drinking, but his or her obsession with the bottle is often replaced with other obsessions."

Sounds like our boy!

<http://www.commondreams.org/views04/0127-11.htm>

[Kanary]

35. good article...... thanks!

I hadn't seen that before, somehow. I don't follow his history closely...... just can't get that obsessed with the idiot :), but it all makes sense.

It's really too bad that we're not a culture that values being more introspective. We could all benefit.

Kanary

[CBHagman]

39. Google "dry drunk" and hit "I'm feeling lucky" and you get this

http://www.counterpunch.org/wormer1011.html

Oy.

By the way, there's been a virtual parade of people who have revealed that the Bushes aren't the sweet, lovely people they've tried to depict themselves as. Of course we all know that Al Franken encountered the real Barbara Bush Sr. and lived to write about it. Well, Kati Marton (in "Shared Power") and Jack Germond (in "Fat Man Fed Up") have also weighed in on that little matter. Marton writes that the Bushes are not as they have depicted themselves, and Germond mentions that Bar Bush's sweet grandmother image is wholly undeserved, in that she's rather vindictive and decidedly a snob.

Does Kevin Phillips cover this? I haven't had a chance to read his book on the Bushes.

[JDPriestly]

45. Confirmed by a right-wing reporter

A woman I worked with married a very right-wing reporter. He covered Barabara and Hillary in 1992 and reported Barbara was a horror, Hillary was great.

[Dookus]

53. Yes...

it's just AA parlance. There is NO medical condition called "dry drunk". It's a pseudo-cultish attribution assigned to people who don't do AA.

[terrya]

4. Dean goes into this in his book, "Worse than Watergate"

This is a pretty interesting conversation between John Dean and Al, isn't it?

[yellowcanine]

5. Who cares what you think? Go Cheney yourself you major leage asshole!

Mean? Who, me?

[htuttle]

8. Yeah

Bigtime!

[WI_DEM]

7. and yet the press likes to say what a man of the people this idiot is

he is still nothing more than a snobbish, prank playing frat student who likes to give everyone a nick-name.

[KayLaw]

9. I've read accounts

He's snippy with reporters, too. That old boy needs an attitude adjustment as we say down here.

[Jackpine Radical]

17. Not to mention an altitude adjustment.

He's not only high on himself, he's risen far above his level of competence.

[RodneyCK2]

10. He must get it from his mother...

If you read Al Franken's Liar book, you will know what I mean.

[gatlingforme]

14. Yes, he called Bushes mother a Bi... and described what she

did on the plane. I do not recall anyone stating Barbara Bush to be a nice person, --- ever. takes after his mommy.

[JDPriestly]

12. He was mean to his dogs, and he is probably mean to Laura.

In November 2000, Bush was filmed on his Texas ranch responding to reporters. If you watch the videos, you will see on one of them that he turns to a barking dog or dogs off-screen to his right and, in a mean, gruff way, scolds them. When I saw that, I knew I was seeing the real W. He is a very mean, impatient man.

If you want more proof, listen to Laura Bush's stories about how he has reacted when she has criticized his speeches, etc. The cover story is that he was/is an alcoholic. Her stories and her demeanor reveal a different truth. Bush is mean and he has psychologically battered her into silence and acquiescence. If you watch and listen to her, you recognize that she has very low self-esteem. In my opinion, she is rather typical of the middle class white women of the 1950s. She's been scared into silence and "goodness" so long that she doesn't have much of her own personality left. She never made choices, and never even developed her own personality. It is tragic, because she is actually a bright woman. It is even more tragic for her daughters who have a poor role model and will have to figure out how to live in this world as women for themselves.

In my view, Bush is one sick man. And he will suffer for it in terms of his relationships with his children because he has not prepared them for the world.

[Chelsea Patriot]

37. Middle class white woman in the 1950's weren't murders.

Laura Welch Bush is a cold blooded killer.

She made a choice to lay in wait at a stop sign for her boyfriend's approaching car.

She made a choice on perceiving the distinctive headlights to slam into the car and kill the guy.

And then, it turns out, she wasn't pregnant after all!

The Sow selected Laura Welch to marry her Eldest because The Sow knew Laura Welch wouldn't be bothered, in the least, by her son's
psychopathic personality.

Because Laura's just like him.

[kodi]

47. back up, leave quietly, and close the door behind you.

your remarks are offensive even to one like myself who detests what george bush has done to this country. trashing his wife and mother as you have removes all doubts as to what kind of person you are.

do you talk like that around you mother, sister, or daughter?

if not, why are you doing it here? to prove how tough you are?

[Cha]

15. Nah!?? Our little emperor without threads?

That ugly mongrel that can't even be decent to reporters...testy in private? Imagine having to be pickles!

[Sparkle]

16. Of course he is. President elect Al Gore gave us our first clue!

Remember when Gore called Bush* to tell him that he is taking back his concession speech? We didn't get what Bush said but Gore responded that he didn't have to get SNIPPY about it! LOL!

[Monte Carlo]

18. He seems to be all the worst stereotypes of WASPs...

... but how could you not when your name is George Bush?

[Mandate My Ass]

19. Color me not surprised

He's testy, short-tempered and caustic in public, so his private demeanor is probably the same only worse.

Nobody could make the horrific scowling face he made in that one picture unless they harbored incredible rage and hate inside.

Folksy, my ass.

[RodneyCK2]

20. Oh he is a twisted sot..

You can witness it whenever he takes questions from the press. Although he has them beaten down into submission, every once in awhile someone will ask an unscripted question and you can see it is his eyes. The frustration stemming from the fact he is being forced to actually think and respond on his own. He gets crazy eyes. I said it years ago when he first ignored Helen right after he took office.

[Generator]

21. Ah, the little emperor syndrome

It's amazing that anyone thinks America needs the return of rule by God and by birth, but apparently history hasn't progressed as far as we thought. We thought Democracy was real and America was different.

This little experiment called George W. Bush being appointed president proves it's not.

[Tim4319]

22. George W is a spitting image of Barb!

I forgot what I was watching but, someone in the media said, and I am paraphrasing. If you what to know what George W. Bush is like in private, take a look a Barbara Bush! And from what I understand about her, she is not nice to be around.

[Zookeeper]

23. He's a phony.

His "charm" (*GAG*)is completely transparent. His bad temper is evident in his eyes and facial expressions. It's not difficult to see at all (unless the viewer is poor judge of character).

[LynneSin]

24. Mean People Suck

[juslikagrzly]

34. LynneSin, where

did you find this quote? My husband heard it, but couldn't remember where and I just got back from a week with no radio/tv/internet/newspapers. Thanks in advance.

Edited to add: the quote in your sig line

[wellstone_democrat]

25. But what I DON't forgive about this and the press is...

two things that are linked
During the campaign the "hilarious" story about his response to a mild criticism of a speech (apparently Pickles didn't think it was "one of his best") sent him through the back wall of the garage in his car with Pickles in the front seat. Nice. It was disgusting how that was repeated as somehow showing something *good* about him---oh and Ma Bush too. Seems she told Pickles that Junior didn't like to be criticized. He could have killed them both, obviously has temper problems and that was supposed to "endear" him to us all? Frankly, it made me wonder what sorts of maniacs and battered women made up his "base"

But, that links to the main issue. It is one thing if Bush* got a pass from corporate news on the editorial side. But, these newspimps PROMOTE the "wonderful guy" persona. It would be one thing if they didn't go out of their way to reinforce the idea that he's a prince among men but they do that all the time.

I believe that they all dream of the "tell all" book someday that details what a drunken maniace *they* all knew he was. I'm not interested in buying it. It will be too damn late then.

[napi21]

28. That doesn't surprise me! I hope it shows in the debates.

Wonder if Kerry can tactfully get the shrub pissed off enough during the debates to lose it? HAHA, I'd love it!

[Disturbed]

29. A msg. from Dumbass to the World.

[NightOwwl]

42. Bush giving the finger! Never saw that one before.

Do you know the circumstances?

[complain jane]

52. Is.... that.... real?

[DemWitch]

32. Remember in Franken's book...

the quip about he is Barbara's son... and she's a first rate bitch... doesn't surprise me one bit...

[Cyrano]

33. Karla Faye Tucker, when being sent to her death in Texas

was mocked by Governor Bush when he spewed out "Please don't kill me. Please don't kill me."

It's virtually impossible to imagine a more disgusting human being than George W. Bush.

[Justice]

38. That Statement is My Evidence To People That Bush is Not a Christian

No Christian person would say that about anyone, even a convicted murderer. Even if he felt she deserved to die (I didn't and don't) his behavior was inhuman and not Christian.

[indie_voter]

36. It is so clear to see in public

Why can't the average Joe see this? He is mean and ill tempered to reporters at each and every one of his "press conferences".

Why do the reporters cover for him? I've never understood this.

[Lerkfish]

55. this is what I can't understand...

...its not like I'm psychic, but I could tell watching Bush that he was an evil man...its in his eyes, in the transparent contempt he holds for EVERYONE he deals with, even those on his team. Why others don't see it is beyond me.

the eyes are the mirror of the soul, and all I see in his eyes is hatred, contempt, condescension and maniacal fury.

[kskiska]

40. The nicknames are not in the spirit of good fun

They are meant to be demeaning, as Paul O'Neill said in his book.

[Tactical Progressive]

41. Oh no, Barbara Bush is a motherly figure for the nation

and George W is just a down-home regular kinda guy you'd like to have a beer with and relate to. Not like those snooty know-it-all Dems.

It's true - I saw it on the news, which is just a bunch of liberal media anyways.

[DemBones DemBones]

43. The most damning remark came from Nixon himself,

who said "Nobody hates like Barbara Bush."


And everyone, including Georgie himself, says he's like his mother.

[scottxyz]

44. "testy, short-tempered, caustic"

Just the kind of guy you'd like to have a beer with!

[Eric J in MN]

51. LOL nt

nt

[onecitizen]

46. I've always felt he acted.........

like that in public. Never ever bought the "good ol' boy" line. Never. And I would NEVER wanna have a beer or anything else with the jerk.

[KT2000]

49. During the 2000 campaign

the New Yorker had a journalist ride a long with *ush on his bus. *sh's demeanor toward the writer was snide and mean - totally uncalled for in the circumstances. At the time I hoped the article would have legs and people would closely examine the psyche of this idiot.No such luck.

[SmileyBoy]

50. I hate the entire Bush family.

A bunch of over-privileged, spoiled, rotten, anti-social bullies.

[Tight_rope]

54. No surprise here.