Bush, Bono Have Lunch at the White House

[jasmeel]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20051019/ap_en_ce/bush_bono

WASHINGTON - In town for a concert, U2 rock star Bono was invited to lunch Wednesday with the president. White House press secretary Scott McClellan said the meeting at the executive residence would be a follow-up on talks he had with
President Bush in July at the G-8 summit in Scotland.

"They had a very good discussion about some of our common priorities," McClellan said. "Both share a deep commitment to combating
AIDS, preventing malaria and expanding trade to lift people out of poverty."

Note the difference in the picture to the side of the story-Bono has peace sign-* just waves...

[JDPriestly]

1. Shame on Bono!

What a fraud he is.

[jasmeel]

3. I don't know-he seems like he's making some progress. You have

to meet with * at some point b/c he's POTUS. You can't just meet with people you agree with.

[goclark]

20. I'm with Bono ~ we have to start a dialog

It is a shame that that dialog could not have been started and BIG progress made by Condi or Colin.
But we know they had no influence.

I am delighted that Bono is addressing the AIDS problem!

The Aids problem is about saving lives, not about Bush.

[JDPriestly]

47. Bush is too corrupt to listen to people who mean well.

It is a waste of time and a travesty to try to persuade Bush to do the right or moral thing in any situation. He simply cannot differentiate between wrong and right. He only knows advantage and disadvantage, political expediency and political error. Bush does not -- cannot -- care about other people. He only cares about himself and those close to him. He only has the capacity to care about himself and those close to him. You can forget about changing him or persuading him to do the right thing. He is not capable of doing the right thing.

[gatorboy]

4. I know Bono means well...

But I agree.
How is this helpful? There must be dozens of more qualified individuals that Bush could seriously discuss the poverty problem with. This is nothing more than fluff for the press....

[silvermachine]

18. Egomaniac....

...is the word that comes to mind. He seems to suffer from a messianic complex much like *. I'm not saying they share the same values but Bono has to make such a big show out of everthing he does so that he becomes the story rather than his latest "cause".

[bee]

27. youre so right. Ive had the (pleasure?) of making bonos aquantaince...

Thanks to my (now x) brother-in-law who directs music videos. And in my personal experience... bono was a pompous jackass. Nobody loves bono as much as bono. Even among his "peers" he was a total dick.

[NIGHT TRIPPER]

48. I almost kicked his ass once-nothing happened though

seriously

[madrchsod]

2. bono sucks

sucking up to bush? gross

[dad]

5. Remember when Bono used to call GHW during their concerts

I guess he finally got through

[NYCGirl]

6. And he also had lunch the other day with Nancy Pelosi and "other top Dems"

Sean Penn, schlepping his own bags into the Hotel George, having a drink by himself at a chilly outdoor table Monday night . . . then lunching with Dennis Kucinich at Taverna the Greek Islands, looking "incredibly sexy" . . . then wearing all black, looking "miserable" as he sat by himself at a Dulles gate waiting to board a flight to San Francisco. Sorry, man. We'll try to make your next visit better.

Bono, doing his Third World debt relief thing at a luncheon with House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and other top Dems, in advance of today's meeting with top White House aides and, oh yeah, the U2 shows tonight and tomorrow. . . later bumping into Penn at the Capitol.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/20...

[Rose Siding]

10. He met with the House Dems yesterday

...and spoke highly of Nancy-

Musician Bono drops in on House Dems’ meeting

Even though several Republicans and Democrats are using U2’s concert in D.C. this week to raise money, the band’s frontman, Bono, appeared to show a preference for the Democrats when he graced Capitol Hill yesterday.

Bono dropped in on a meeting of House Democrats to talk about debt relief for developing countries and the global AIDS crisis. The singer is spending several days in Washington on a trip that is part performance, part public policy. U2 performs at MCI Center later this week. Tomorrow, Bono will show Republicans a little love when he meets with President Bush.

In his address to the weekly meeting of House Democrats yesterday, Bono drew attention to a group he founded and dubbed Debt AIDS Trade Africa, which has been working on debt relief. At one point during the speech, he even likened House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to a lioness.

http://www.hillnews.com/thehill/export/TheHill/News/Fro...

[mattclearing]

7. If I could get into a room with Bush to discuss anything, you know I would

Seriously, even if it was just to tell the man off, you have to do it.

He's one of the most powerful men in the world, and he has the ability to help people, if not the inclination.

If Bush were surrounded by more Bono's maybe we wouldn't be in this mess.

[leesa]

11. Surely Bono doesn't think Bush intends to do anything about this problem

How many false promises does he have to get from the guy before he wises up? He should not meet with Bush necause Bush only has disdain for poor people and has zero interest in having them fed.

[makeanoise]

33. AMEN!

maybe if we all were surrounded by more BONO's we would be better off...but Bush is suppose to be the most powerful leader in the world, yet we all know Cheney is the president....that is unti he resigns....

[Cha]

8. No, bush gives his hitler

fucking salute. Has * given that $15 Million to Africa, yet?

Does bono think What is going to come from this..being seen so chummy with the war criminal? And, yet, he won't let the politicians use his concerts for politics?

[Iris]

9. The headline on yahoo - Bush, Bono to talk poverty at White House

Oh, yes! Now I take back every bad thing I ever said about the Miserable Failure!

He MUST be cool! He's having lunch with Bono!

[soleft]

12. Did Bush ask him what it was like to be married to Cher?

[Sabriel]

13. Before you excoriate Bono

Remember Clinton's ability to work across and among diverse groups. He wasn't squeamish about working with people that I personally find abhorrent, because his goal was higher than that.

Consider what Bono is attempting to do through his various projects. Who the hell else would you expect him to meet with?

[...of J.Temperance]

14. I HATE Bono, he's such an ass licker

He's also so full of his own self importance, he needs to shut up and get OVER himself.

Also his band is crap.

[ryanmuegge]

15. Amen, brother!

n/t

[...of J.Temperance]

16. Sister...but thanks for your support!

I just needed to say what I needed to say.

[bee]

22. LMAO! right on sista! couldnt agree more.

[makeanoise]

26. WRONG

Full of himself? Come on now....
You think he's trying to help the children of Africa because he's bored? Look, we all sometimes have to deal with a&$holes, it's politics and he's looking at the goal, which is hopefully helping millions of people....no, he's not full of himself, not at all....

[...of J.Temperance]

39. I don't like third-rate "entertainers" going off on ego trips

And preaching to me. How much of his own money has Bono contributed? I bet NOT as much as he can afford.

He's NOT Nelson Mandela and he should stop pretending that he is. Going around sucking the Chimp's dick is disgraceful, considering the Chimp HASN'T even handed over that $15 million for AIDS in Africa that he promised Bono he would last year.

The height of Bono's bloated self-importance was the ABSURD situation that he was being considered as head of the World Bank. Of course, nobody ever said who was "considering" him...it could have been Homer Simpson for all we know.

Bono jumps on whatever bandwagon he thinks is popular, whatever bandwagon he thinks can give his massive ego more exposure and massaging. Then he goes off on Hillary for fundraising at his crap bands gig, saying it wasn't a "political event". WHAT a hypocrite, his crap band is in town for a gig and he hot foots it over to the WH to babble to the Chimp...what and THIS ISN'T a "political event" I suppose?

Also he's in his 40s, Bono is as stupid as Scooter, he's a grown man and he should have a grown man's name, not some name that one might give their pet Labrador.

Bono's what you call a poser...I STILL remember when he came out and basically said he'd discovered The Blues..."Oh Hell, I've found this musician called John Lee Hooker and I'm going to record with him."

John Lee Hooker HAD been recording since the 1940s you posing asshole, YOU DIDN'T "FIND" HIM, he'd ALREADY been found DECADES ago.

[Bridget Burke]

41. Especially Irish ones.

How are things in the UK?

[...of J.Temperance]

43. It could be WORSE, it COULD be Daniel O'Donnell!

The UK? Well I returned several days ago, after being in Texas and Louisiana. The weather in Britain is really BAD and I'm certain I'm coming down with the flu, due to being in nice hot weather and then straight back to awful weather.

The big non-story here is Bird Flu and the mediawhores trying to frighten people. Oh and the Tory leadership race, which is snoozeville already. Oh and Heinz workers nearly went on strike and then didn't. Oh and the Yorkshire Ripper hoax tape nutjob has finally been caught after nearly 30 years.

Apart from all of that, things are swell.

On edit: I notice you're an Astros fan, I've supported the Cardinals since I was a child...tonights the night and I'm as nervous as hell.

[zbdent]

17. Bono opened up the eyes of one (now fired) Bush staffer

(Paul O'Neill) when the two of them toured the third-world countries and Bono pointed out that we (the US) could do so much more for our image and for the health of the world by bringing clean water to these countries than any bombing mission could ever do.

When O'Neill came back and told of his findings and pushed for what could have made the US a TRUE "Bright shining beacon" (like Reagan claimed), he was smacked down and shut out of meetings, then was removed.

Bono was smart enough to work with the system and was smart enough to open the eyes of someone with intelligence.

However, he may have a hard time trying to drag a coherent thought out of the gaping black hole which is the mind of * . . .

[Megahurtz]

19. Thanks a lot, Bono!!!

Thanks a fucking lot for diverting attention OFF
OF THE CITIZENS HERE IN AMERICA who are destitute and who need help!!!
YOU TRAITOR!!!

[LoZoccolo]

21. LoZo's guide for the new DUer: non-angry-to-Bush* "turncoat" threads

In these threads, a figure who has been helpful to the causes of many DUer's is excoriated for not doing a more angry thing than they could have during a meeting with Bush*, or for even meeting with Bush* in the first place. Do not be stunned by the irony of this sentiment: despite doing something which would be considered good in isolation to the Bush* presidency, or even doing much more than most DUer's would ever do for a cause, the figure is still given a thorough drubbing as a traitor to "progressives" across the nation.

To use your time effectively, avoid getting involved in arguments which try to convince the drubbers of the good of the particular meeting, or the overall good of the figure's cause. These are already well-known to the drubbers.

Welcome to DU, and enjoy your stay!

[NYCGirl]

25. Is that listed before or after the "comedic pundit who fails to yell

loudly at right-wing guest star and thus must have 'gone to the dark side'"?

[Megahurtz]

28. Nice Try......

[LoZoccolo]

32. positive responses to reply #25: 1

positive responses to reply #19: 0

More like "he shoots, he SCORES!"

[Megahurtz]

34. Uh Huh......

...whatever.....

Later Dude!

[LoZoccolo]

35. Dude, even Bush* has done more than you about AIDS.

And Bono did more in that one meeting than you'll ever do, too. So how pathetic is it for you to sit around and start complaining that someone else who wanted to get something done didn't think they had a responsibility to go do some complaining for you?

[Megahurtz]

37. You can judge Bush or Bono

but you cannot judge me because you know nothing about me.(Obviously) Or do you?

And I really did not appreciate your indirect condescending remarks in response to that post.

My view on the matter is different than yours and it's "pathetic" arguing with you.

Good luck on your endeavors!

[tx_dem41]

45. Great post, LoZo. n/t

[Catch22Dem]

46. You're absolutely right. A lot of DUers suffer from...

"Well, if that was me I would have..." syndrome. It's like the guy who watches his buddy get his ass kicked at a bar then says, "I wish that fucker would have tried that shit with me." The, the "fucker" kicks his ass too. Same thing.

[Loonman]

23. Bono does his homework and puts his money where his mouth is

Unlike other performes who just carp and moan and whine.

[makeanoise]

24. NOW, NOW, NOW PEOPLE!!!!

Listen, in order to help people, sometimes you have to work with people that are low in moral character, and, intelligence....
Bono cares deeply about AIDS and African Hunger & Debt....in order to try to help those people he has to deal with devil....

Bono has done a lot of good and all know that he would much rather have Bill Clinton in the White House than Dumya....BUT, again, sometimes you just have to bite the bullet...and your tongue...

Such is the game we call politics....

Peace

[devilgrrl]

29. I had no idea that Bono enjoyed talking to walls.

Talk to you're blue in the face bud - it'll go in one ear and out the other.

[makeanoise]

31. worth a try!

maybe Dumya has a tiny heart in his puny chest...who knows...
especially since he screwed up New Orleans so bad, maybe this is the perfect time....

[superconnected]

30. Good luck bono. At least you can tell your kids you tried.

[imouttahere]

36. If BushCo really cared about the AIDS problem....

he would start by getting rid of the "abstinence-only" requirement for the funding to Africa - for more about that, see www.34millionfriends.org

As for poor people, we've seen from the aftermath of Katrina how much he cares about poor people - Good luck, Bono

[The Stranger]

38. Bono is revolting -- and he cannot seem to talk about the WAR,

the elephant taking up the entire room. He is nothing more than an 80's era, dated has-been, who was mediocre and uncreative even back then.

Bono is absolutely worthless to the progressive cause.

[killbotfactory]

40. Bush: I like that record you did about the tree...

Bono: Thank you, now lets discuss the problem of AIDS in Africa...
Bush: That one song was really catchy, what's it called, again?
Bono: Uh...
Bush: Nice talkin' to ya, Boner.

[funflower]

42. Bono is the new Billy Graham - a sincere guy who politicians try to use to

legitimize themselves.

[babydollhead]

44. Bono has said that he would shake the hand of the devil himself

He is a powerful charismatic sex god. he is jesus without the virgin birth or the celibate crucifiction. He's had death threats. he tell the truth. of course.