Eight years ago today, George W. Bush uttered the now broken promise that has come to define his failed presidency. Accepting his party’s nomination, Governor Bush promised to restore “honor and dignity” to the White House. But as events continue to show, a more accurate - and ironic - mantra for the lawless Bush White House would be “no controlling legal authority.”
At the time it was delivered, Bush’s acceptance speech at the 2000 Republican National Convention in Philadelphia was an arrogant, deceitful broadside against the Clinton/Gore years. But the very words Bush used to tar Al Gore with the blight of the Lewinsky scandal may now constitute the epitaph for the Bush presidency:
“So when I put my hand on the Bible, I will swear to not only uphold the laws of our land, I will swear to uphold the honor and dignity of the office to which I have been elected, so help me God.”
That hateful address (video excerpts here), of course, was filled with exactly the kind of lies and taunts - the smallness - that came to define George W. Bush.
His false charges about American military readiness (”Not ready for duty, sir!”), his long since abandoned philosophy when it comes to using American force (”the cause must be just, the goal must be clear, and the victory must be overwhelming”), his smearing of Al Gore that foreshadowed his own legacy (”he now leads the party of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, but the only thing he has to offer is fear itself”) and his obscene claim to be a “uniter” (”I will not attack a part of this country because I want to lead the whole of it”), all were in keeping with the dark Bush character.
Bush broke all of these promises. But his original sin, from which all other of his crimes and errors flow, is his pledge to usher in new period of higher ethical standards as part of a “responsibility era.” Bush, who previously sneered at Gore’s “no controlling legal authority” defense of his 1990’s Buddhist temple fundraising efforts, raised the ethical bar further that October:
“In my administration, we will ask not only what is legal but what is right. Not just what the lawyers allow, but what the public deserves. In my administration, we’ll make it clear there is a controlling legal authority of conscience.”
Eights years later and Bush’s 2000 standard of “not only what is legal but what is right” is in tatters. Just this week, Bush’s own Justice Department issued a report which concluded that Monica Goodling, the former White House liaison for Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, violated federal law and DOJ policy by discriminating against job applicants who weren’t faithful Republicans or conservative activists.
And that’s just the beginning. Plamegate, the Libby pardon, the Abramoff affair, doctoring scientific reports, the end of habeas corpus, detainee torture, the politically-motivated firings of U.S. attorneys, illegal domestic surveillance, the theory of the unitary executive and the unprecedented assertion of executive privilege all show a President committed to doing neither what is legal nor right. And then, of course, there’s Iraq.
How fitting then that Bush’s would-be Republican successor John McCain, the man who promised to run a “respectful” campaign, chose this week to launch a wave of attack ads and character assassination against his Democratic rival.
Americans can’t erase the Bush presidency, but they aren’t condemned to repeat it. So with the imminent arrival of the GOP and Democratic national conventions, remember that it was eight years ago that Republican George W. Bush promised us he would “uphold the honor and dignity” of his office.
Happy anniversary, America.
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God wasn’t much help here, was it George?
For the first time in a long time, I wish there was a God and She did help Bush uphold the laws of our land and the honor and dignity of the office of President. Or maybe God is has a sadistic sense of humor?
Just can’t wait for it to end. Anything has to be better than what we have been thru.
It took me five seconds to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that dumbya was a lying sack of fermented pig turd in 2000. Why anything he says should be believed by anyone has always been puzzling to me.
“I fear for my country when I remember that God is just.” - attributed to Thomas Jefferson
We can only hope that this wastrel and his cronies will meet justice before they have the chance to escape by dying.
I want to go to the innauguration in January, and I’ll be yelling from the crowd “war criminal”, and anything else that describes his lies and crimes he has perpetrated against the world and this once great nation.
This pig needs to pay for his crimes, one way or another. Disgusting pig!
I have never wished for winter before (I live in Ohio) but this year January can’t come soon enough!
Thank the FlyingSpaghettiMonster that November comes in the middle to break things up (GObama!)
Impeach the bastards!
It’s sink or swim kiddies
Most people these days can’t remember what happen 8 seconds ago much less 8 years ago.
THE END IS NEAR!!!
SO IS THE BEGINNING!!!
169 Days Left of this Crooked, Smarmy, illegal, arrogant, secret and dark
administration.
L.A. Confidential @ 9:
War crimes are not easily forgotten ………….
God won’t bless America.. if he did Cheney would get the
Ariel Sharon treatment and the Shrub would spontaneously
burst into flames on live TV.
wow, just think of the ratings THAT would garner!!
I will say this for him.
He didn’t get caught getting (or giving) a blowjob in the White House.
Too bad the Pretzel didn’t work. ………………… DAMN!
oh … wait …. cheney, ………………………never mind.
He left that up to Jeff Gannon.
The story of McCains Camp throwing out a Black Reporter should be kept in the forefront. It’s up to us because the MSM wont do it.
So ,it seems God chose not to help another rich fool.
Hey, Bush managed to fuck over the office while fully clothed. He deserves credit for that; it took dry humping to a new level.
☻..Bangkok Bob..☻♫♪ Sawatdee @ 10:
On the previous thread you asked if I was in GB, what is GB?
Back before the 2000 elections a whole lot of people were talking about what a horrible gov bush had been and that he had ruined their school system. If the people who knew him best detested him, I just knew he wasn’t going to be the best thing for the country. But I had no idea how awful he was going to prove himself to be.
The next Obama advertisement should be footage from Bush saying those things about honor etc, then with newspaper articles and quotations about our reduced standing in the world, economy, Gonzales, Valerie Plame, etc….followed up with the end which is a picture of Bush huigging McCain. Last words: We can’t afford eight more years of this!
Just another deserter who happens to have a silver spoon in his nose. The son of privilege and the figure head of a fascist movement that is destroying everything that is good about America. Republicans should hold their heads in disgrace for trusting this fool to keep his word. But then, since when is truth and honor ever spoken of when it comes to the people who form the corrupt, criminal, crony association known as the GOP= Greedy Old People!
FastMovingCloud @ 6:
FastMovingCloud @ 6:
This embarrASSments days are numbered…can’t wait!
pissed off patricia @ 19:
Great Briton …
yes he was a schmuck before and is still. The wealthy privileged spoiled and arrogant son of a wealthy privileged spoiled and arrogant son of a NAZI supporter.
ARE THERE ANY GOOD REPUBLICANS LEFT?
Today’s Republican Party is a freak show of hate-filled sociopaths, immoral faux-religious extremists, insecure, overcompensating, dangerously incompetent, war-mongering imperialists and greedy, exploitive corporate anarchists. Just look at the odious and inadequate carnival barkers and snake oil salesmen the Republican Party had competing to be their presidential candidate. Republicans tacitly welcome homophobes, misogynists, racists, anti-Semites and messianic fundamentalist nut jobs into their party and inherently incorporate their values into their moral fabric and political objectives. Being a child of poverty raised with four younger siblings by a single mom, I’ve never agreed with social conservatives, but compared to Bush’s Republican Party, Eisenhower’s Republican Party was a liberal bastion of social and economic pluralism. Defending the actions of today’s Republican Party is advocating ignorance and evil over common sense and common decency. It would be hard to imagine that any presidential administration, Republican or Democrat, could have been as malicious, polarizing, undemocratic, corrupt or destructively pernicious to the founding causes and defining principles of our republic than George W. Bush’s. I am surprised that I am ashamed for the “good” Republicans, only because I could not have possibly imagined how “bad” some Americans were capable of being.
Well, I guess America can now say it has (just about) survived a psychopath in the White House.
What a dangerous, deceitful, deranged and abhorant individual!
“So when I put my hand on the Bible, I will swear to not only uphold the laws of our land, I will swear to uphold the honor and dignity of the office to which I have been elected, so help me God.”
Sad he couldn’t even keep one of the two promises …. he has run the most despicable, secretive, and corrupt administrations the country has ever seen. May he be rightfully punished for his actions for his attempt to destroy this great nation.
Thousands dead. The constitution in tatters. Torture. Domestic surveillance. The deliberate undermining of every government agency possible…etc., etc., etc…
BUT…
not one drop of unaccountable semen anywhere.
Success!!
I am shocked to realize that a politician lied continually. It’s just so unreal. A politician that once elected, lied, cheated, stole, and basically broke every law and international treaty that previous liars…..er…I mean…politicians signed. I’m in shock.
☻..Bangkok Bob..☻♫♪ Sawatdee @ 24:
Nope, I’m in Florida, USA
McCain’s history is way to close to bush’s. Famous dad, party boy in college, never been financially responsible for anything he’s done.
And that’s just the beginning. Plamegate, the Libby pardon, the Abramoff affair, doctoring scientific reports, the end of habeas corpus, detainee torture, the politically-motivated firings of U.S. attorneys, illegal domestic surveillance, the theory of the unitary executive and the unprecedented assertion of executive privilege all show a President committed to doing neither what is legal nor right. And then, of course, there’s Iraq.
to say nothing of the blights of which we yet have no knowledge.
For example: 8 or 9 US Attys were fired for having too little appetite to serve their local political masters. There are (or were) around 100. 8 or nine were fired for, essentially, having a shred of integrity.
So what fell deeds have those US Attys done to inoculate themselves against dismissal by this most partisan, most politicizing Regime since the rise of European fascism? To what kinds of mischief and miscreance have they been up? Is anybody even looking? These guys have their scalpels on the aorta of freedom…
The Siegelman case in Alabama hints at the depths of the skullduggery in which they are capable, skilled, and eager to engage.
An Average Joe @ 26:
The movie will be amazing when we sit there and realize we lived through this nightmare. I hope I live to see it.
Let me raise a glass of mosquito-larvae infested Florida pond water, followed by a Raid chaser, in toast.
I cannot imagine that this fascist will voluntarily leave office. I fear that the worst is yet to come. And the sheeple, myself included, will do nothing.
An Average Joe @ 26:
dont count your chickens before they hatch…6 months to go…it aint over till its over!
…bird flu? …attack/invade Iran? …another homegrown terror attack? ….financial collapse?
If any one of these events listed above were to happen…it would be a good reason (for neo-cons) to hold off on having an election.
November surprise anyone? …feel free to add to my list.
The all to sad truth is that as of this date, Bush and his administration have not been held accountable. Not one time in eight years. Pondering that makes my brain hurt.
Jay Severin Has A small Pen1s @ 13:
I wish he had!! He would have been impeached long ago the SOB!
Osage, here’s one. ::points at himself:: I’m registered Republican but haven’t voted the party line in decades because I’m appalled at what has happened to the Party that gave us Abe Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt and Ike.
Mick Piobr @ 34:
I am thinking that too! Scary isn’t it.
Just wait for his list of pardons!!
And that’s just the beginning. Plamegate, the Libby pardon, the Abramoff affair, doctoring scientific reports, the end of habeas corpus, detainee torture, the politically-motivated firings of U.S. attorneys, illegal domestic surveillance, the theory of the unitary executive and the unprecedented assertion of executive privilege all show a President committed to doing neither what is legal nor right. And then, of course, there’s Iraq.
And THAT’s just the beginning. The busheviks have planted bureaucratic and administrative bombs throughout every branch, bureau, department, or office of government, from top to bottom, through and through. The personnel they cannot fire might still have 25-year careers ahead of them, protected ironically by the very rules they violated to get those positions. They’re in the infra-structure, inside the wall, so to speak. You’d have to bolt the doors and raze the buildings to clean ‘em all out.
as we get closer to the actual, putative ‘election,’ what worries me is what mischief have the US Attys been up to, of the kind that permitted them to keep their jobs, when the 8 or nine who were not enthusiastic enough tools of their local political patrons were fired?
but probly I’m just a worry-wart, hunh?
Jay Severin Has A small Pen1s @ 13
“I will say this for him.
He didn’t get caught getting (or giving) a blowjob in the White House.”
That is probably because the only dick bush has is an old man with a bad heart.
It is SO wrong to say bad things about a sitting president in a time of war. I’m sure when Obama is president Hannity and crew will respect this mantra that they put forth so many times. Stalin would agree too. I want to go to the GW Bush liberry and take a crap in some remote corner. I encourage everyone else to do so as well. Eventually the crap pile will be so huge that the Lie-Berry will be forever enshrined in something purer than itself.. I consider myself a patriot and I LOVE America and believe in our flag. That’s why I hate this crew so much- They hate America and us the average citizens..
My goals, at home and abroad, by G. W. Bush, with help from Dick Cheney:
Sink the government into a crippling recession. Check.
Kill one million Iraqis. Check.
Completely ignoring international and domestic law, engage in torture. Check.
Completely ignoring the Constitution, spy massively on Americans. Check.
Tell the stupid liberals that history will redeem my presidency. Check.
ron @ 42:
LOL!!!
What a novel idea, Ron.
Yeh but Nane Eyelavan chaynged everyfiynk.
What a tool.
ron @ 42:
Good one!!They will be afraid to open that “lie-berry”! NeoCons will be monitoring 24 hours/7 days every darK corner of that joint! :-)
My, my, what a lot of hate-filled, emotion-driven little commenters you have here. Perhaps Bush was thinking of the previous President’s propensity for BJs in the Oval Office and new and unusual uses for cigars when he mentioned restoring dignity in the White House.