GEORGE "DUBYA" AND HIS ATTROCIOUS BEHAVIOR 

"There ought to be limits
to freedom..."

— George W. Bush,
commenting on the website
www.gwbush.com

QUOTE OF THE MONTH: "If you don't think it's a gamble to put a man in the White House who believes we should have guns in church, who thinks the Taliban is a rock band, who was such a failure as a businessman that his company was nicknamed "El-Busto," who wants to turn our Social Security system into a Wall Street boiler room, who can't name a single thing he disagrees with Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson on, who smeared a bona fide hero named John McCain, and whose principle policy proposal is to give America's surplus to the idle rich in the form of a $1.3 trillion tax cut, you're either nuts or a Republican."

... Equal Time co-host Paul Begala, shooting the bull.

INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR FOR A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE?

BEHAVIOR ONE.  LYING TO PUBLIC ABOUT DRINKING PROBLEM.   Bush made a statement to the news media that he has not taken a drink of alchohol since 1986.  Contrary evidence is a video interview at a wedding for Jamie Weiss, the daughter of Dubya's close friends Mike and Nancy Weiss.  George W. Bush, seems to be the life of the party--despite his July 1986 vow to never again drink liquor and the statement he made to the public that he hasn't. 

In fact, judging by his rambling performance in this 1992 wedding video excerpt, the GOP nominee's frat boy kookiness seems to have survived intact after he claimed to quit drinking cold turkey.  The video was shot at the August 29, 1992 wedding of Jamie Weiss, the daughter of Dubya's close friends Mike and Nancy Weiss.   Mike, a Lubbock, Texas lawyer and CPA, was Bush's campaign chairman during his first political race (an unsuccessful 1978 congressional bid) and was one of the Texas governor's earliest political appointments. Nancy, also a Bush appointee, had a prime speaking slot on the final night of the recent Republican convention.

She told the crowd, "I wish you could see how he reaches out to people, teasing those who can take it and protecting those who can't."

Indeed, what a teaser!

When cameraman T. Patrick Murray filmed Bush during the wedding reception at a Lubbock country club, the future governor took some rambling--and we presume good-natured--swipes at the newlyweds, the bride's parents, and her brother Kelly (Bush was being quizzed by a member of the bridal party). We love the part where teetotaler George actually disses two of the Weisses for not drinking or smoking. And as for those weird "only in America" cracks--not to mention what's in that glass--your guess is as good as ours...but his appearance and demeanor suggests that he was at best a bit "tipsy".

Considering how Clinton has lowered the bar, we'll leave it for others to determine just what constitutes "unpresidential" behavior (of course, when Dubya was caught on tape, he wasn't even governor yet--just co-owner of the crummy Texas Rangers baseball team). Plus, Matt Drudge's claim that the wedding video caught Bush "appearing sarcastic, obnoxious and plainly intoxicated" was a bit overheated.   Our objection is not with Mr. Bush having a drink or ten.   It's his sanctimonious claim of continuous sobriety since 1986.  If he will lie about taking a drink.  He'll lie about anything!!!

Click here to see Bush in all his "tipsy"glory. (Quick Time or AVI File)

BEHAVIOR TWO  - LYING TO THE PUBLIC BY SAYING THAT HIS CAMPAIGN WAS GOING TO BE CLEAN AND ABOVE REPROACH - THAT HIS CAMPAIGN WOULD NOT ENGAGE IN NEGATIVE ADS.   Obviously Mr. Bush has different standard which he applies to different people.  We were first dismayed at the news that George W. Bush had called New York Times reporter Adam Clymer "a major-league "Asshole" (should asshole be capitalized?)  It caused quite a stir among the news media and not all of them even used the word in their reporting.

Many people find reporters more worthy of complaint than auto mechanics.  But at least in the old days, politicians insulted journalists with flair: They were pusillanimous pussyfooters. Or nattering nabobs of negativism.  They were elevated to an Enemies List.   Now "Dubya" reduces them to an uninspired vulgarity, a mere aside employed in some puerile display of male bonding with "Big Time" Dick Cheney.

The Bushes have a contentious relationship with reporters because they have a bedrock belief in their own goodness.  So they get deeply offended when reporters challenge their deeds, rather than simply accepting them as nice, decent people bred to rule.

That's why they failed to fathom press criticism of Mr. Cheney for his nihilistic voting record on apartheid and Head Start.   Dubya's baptism into Washington politics in '88 was not based in policy; it was to make sure the Bush campaign was responsive to those who had been, in Junior's favorite phrase, "loyal to all Bushes."    Dick Cheney was loyal to all Bushes.  That was the only litmus test that mattered to them.

Journalists are not in a position to be loyal to all Bushes.   "Dubya" was angry at Adam Clymer for an article in April reporting on Texas's abysmal health care record, and for a piece last week that rated the accuracy of a new Republican ad on prescription drugs "zero" on its central claim.

Dubya's comment came before the reporter he denigrated had had a chance to carry out his Monday assignment — asking Mr. Cheney why he had given such a piddling amount of his oil windfall to charity.

The really troubling part of Dubya's epithet was not the noun he used.  The Bushes always resort to an oil-riggers' swagger when they feel threatened.  As in the father's "kick a little ass" line after his debate with Geraldine Ferraro.   The Skull & Bones men feel more manly when they can chomp on some beef jerky and complain about Harvard types from elitist, liberal institutions.

Heaven forbid that anyone should think the Bushies are just flighty preppies thriving on name and connections, looking for a splash more coffee.

No, the really troubling part about the epithet was the adjective that most news papers printed: "major-league."

That conjured up the old Dubya that his handlers keep trying to hide, the inner frat boy, the undisciplined and vindictive smart aleck.

As a friend of mine put it, it's Deke terminology: "We're scoring a two-kegger with the Tri-Delts.  There'll be some major-league drinkage and some totally awesome babe-age. Be there, Dubya, and score some treats."

With this type of behavior, president wanabee Smirk has created a tremendous barrier for himself to being elected.   If  Dubya is not mature enough to hold his tongue around an open microphone during the big kickoff day in a week when he desperately needs to turn things around, how do we know he won't get up to his old frat pranks in the Oval Office, chasing world leaders around bilaterals, trying to brand them with hot metal coat hangers?

Dubya has built his whole campaign on that famous Bush breeding.   As Dick Armey recently told The L.A. Times, "George Bush is going to demonstrate a new axiom: Good manners make good politics."  Hmmmmmm we are still waiting for the good manners from Mr. Bush and his campaign.  And any benediction by Dick Armey, of questionable moral character himself, probably borders on a "kiss of death."

Since Dubya cannot argue that the country isn't thriving, he is running on a promise to restore civility and bring a new tone of congeniality.  (Huh?.....doesn't look like it from here!!)

After his insult was broadcast Monday, the candidate of manners refused to apologize.   His campaign bragged that he was just delivering what he promised: "plain speaking."

Before Dubya makes any more snide cracks about the major leagues, he should remember he's in them.

Now, on the matter of Negative Ads:  Well that didn't take long.  For those of you who believed George W. Bush's pledge to improve the tone of the campaign, the latest ad from the Republican National Committee will prove a disappointment.   The first time Dubya's lead starts to shrink, his promise to elevate the tone of political discourse disappears.   Just like his father, Dubya can't keep his campaign promises.    The spot blasts Gore for "claiming to do things he didn't do." "There's Al Gore reinventing himself on television again," the female narrator says. "Like I'm not going to notice. Who's he gonna be today? The Al Gore who raises campaign money at a Buddhist temple? Or the one who now promises campaign finance reform?" The RNC put the ad on heavy rotation during the Labor Day weekend, hoping to poke more holes in Al Gore's credibility.  The "Really" spot raised the eyebrows -- and lowered the expectations -- of several groups of voters.

This seems to be another pathetic attempt to avoid discussing any issues that might actually be relevant to voters. I'm not sure who has been advising the RNC and the Bush campaign on these ads, but they clearly have no understanding of how to talk to people through advertising.  This ad smells of desperation but offers nothing in the way of telling me why Bush might be a better choice for president.  And if we're going to have a campaign where the ads are focused on misstatements, I can hardly wait for the clips of Bush struggling to make a coherent sentence.  Now that would be entertaining.

This ad seems to have two agendas: To reach out to female swing voters (note the TV in the kitchen and the female announcer), and to turn the public's attention away from issues, where Gore's positions are more popular than Bush's, and back to character. 

It doesn't work.  We already know that Gore has said and done some idiotic things, like possibly fundraising at a Buddhist temple or claiming credit for the Internet.  By now we've factored that into our opinion of Gore.   This ad looks backward; voters think about the present and the future. 

Who likes such characterizations? With the possible exception of "Crossfire" viewers, not women and not men.  What's most unfortunate is that this woman sounds like a female version of George Dubya when he gets all huffy about something.  She sounds, to borrow a phrase, like a major-league asshole.

The real problem, though, was her attitude.  All sarcasm and sneer, she sounds like a cross between Mary Matalin and Sue from "Survivor." "Another round of this and I'll sell my television," she whines.  There goes her credibility. 

NEXT SEE BUSH TEXAS RANKING IN CHRISTIAN VALUES

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