Fahrenheit 9/11: THE TRAILER

[Sava]

Originally posted by Verto
Where have I "apologized for Bush's failures? I have simply made the statement that the Crawford Ranch has the technology necessary for Bush to perform his duties as POTUS.

I have also made the statement that Tenet would only be as qualified to debrief Bush as he was first briefed by his underlings, the true experts in the field.

You're making excuses for Bush's failures. And quite frankly, you'd be attacking the President if it were Bill Clinton... I have not a doubt in my mind.

That's the difference between you and me... I attack failure and incompetence regardless of politics. You make excuses when it's your boy in there. I just hope that come November, more Americans will vote for accountability, and not excuse this incompetent administration. Because our very lives may be at stake.

[Kuciwalker]

That's the difference between you and me... I attack failure and incompetence regardless of politics.

[Verto]

....

Perhaps once more will suffice: I am not making excuses for Bush's failures. I am merely debating the idea that Bush is not able to do anything except chop wood, while at his ranch in Crawford.

I am critical of Pres. Bush and others in the government; the fact that I have not been blinded by an irrational hatred does not make me a Republican sycophant.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by JohnT
Then why present it as if a question asked in the middle of a golf outing is tantamount to a foreign policy decision made in the WH?

It's not. It's being presented as example of his callousness and being out-of-touch.

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Verto
Perhaps once more will suffice: I am not making excuses for Bush's failures. I am merely debating the idea that Bush is not able to do anything except chop wood, while at his ranch in Crawford.

While that may be so, he doesn't do the same amount of work while on vacation as when in Washington, presumably. Maybe he twiddles his thumbs behind closed doors, but I know he spends a lot of time not doing his job while he's on vacation. He's still the same fratboy he was when he was a kid, the exception being he's no longer drunk, his strange accidents not withstanding.

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
It's not. It's being presented as example of his callousness and being out-of-touch.

Why would anyone focus on his job 100% of the time. Isn't the point of a game (such as golf) not to concentrate on something like that, but rather on one's own amusement?

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Kucinich
Why would anyone focus on his job 100% of the time.

The POTUS has much greater responsibility that the average guy. No one's saying Bush can't take a vacation, but Bush has taken far more vacations than any other president in modern history. Most Americans don't get much more than two weeks. This guy takes off months. He doesn't show much sign of taking his job very seriously. Could be cuz he knows he's just a front man for Cheney or maybe he just thinks he's entitled, being a blueblood and all. I dunno. I do know he spends too much time out of the office.

Course, maybe that's a blessing.

[Imran Siddiqui]

It's like no one on the left has heard of working vacations.

[Verto]

I came across this on AskYahoo:

According to an August 2003 article in the Washington Post, President Bush has spent all or part of 166 days during his presidency at his Crawford, Texas, ranch or en route. Add the time spent at or en route to the presidential retreat of Camp David and at the Bush family estate in Kennebunkport, Maine, and Bush has taken 250 days off as of August 2003. That's 27% of his presidency spent on vacation. Although to be fair, much of this time is classified as a "working vacation."

Bush isn't the first president to get away from his work. George Bush Sr. took all or part of 543 vacation days at Camp David and in Kennebunkport. Ronald Reagan spent 335 days at or en route to his Santa Barbara, California, ranch during his eight years in office. Of recent presidents, Jimmy Carter took the least days off -- only 79 days, which he usually spent at his home in Georgia. That's less than three weeks a year, which is closer to the average American's paid time off of 13 days per year.

What about Clinton? As of December 1999, President Bill Clinton had spent only 152 days on holiday during his two terms, according to CBS News. A former staffer noted Clinton was such a workaholic that "it almost killed Clinton to take one-week vacations during August." In 2000, Clinton cut his summer vacation short to just three days, so he and his wife could concentrate on her Senate race and fundraising for Democrats. While we couldn't find the exact tally for Clinton's last year in office, it's reasonable to expect he didn't increase his vacation rate. And in barely three years in office, George W. Bush has already taken more vacation than Clinton did in seven years.

[Sava]

And in barely three years in office, George W. Bush has already taken more vacation than Clinton did in seven years.

yup... good to know we have a leader that is taking America's problems seriously

Sorry, I'd rather have a workaholic than a lazy-ass, drunken frat boy.

BTW, F9-11 poster

[GePap]

It seems obvious that the Bush family believes strongly in vacationing.

I am also appealed that our glorious Jimmy Carter demeaned himself by actually taking only slightly more vacation time than the average scum on the street! He is the President, for christ's sake!

[Imran Siddiqui]

I'll do a Mr Fun:

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
It's like no one on the left has heard of working vacations.

In this age of technology, does the President always have to be in Washington?!

[Sava]

Imran... a mr fun

[GePap]

Right, working- I can just see him working away on his blackberry as he clear the brush.....

Of coruse thought, if he is working so, whats the point?

[Verto]

Originally posted by GePap


Of coruse thought, if he is working so, whats the point?

What do you mean, what's the point? Of going on vacation to clear brush?