Bush: Kennedy's Comments About War in Iraq 'Uncivil'

[Maple]

SNIP...."Kennedy said last week the case for going to war against Iraq (search) was a fraud "made up in Texas" to give Republicans a political boost. The longtime senator also alleged that the money for the war is being used to bribe foreign leaders to send troops.

In an exclusive Oval Office interview with Fox News' Brit Hume, Bush said that while he respected Kennedy, the senator "should not have said we were trying to bribe foreign nations."

"I don't mind people trying to pick apart my policies, and that's fine and that's fair game," Bush said in the interview that will air Monday night. "But, you know, I don't think we're serving our nation well by allowing the discourse to become so uncivil that people say -- use words that they shouldn't be using."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,97895,00.html

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. Uncivil?

Someone's pulling my leg, right?

[searchingforlight]

2. Bush and Fox News.

Now there's a marriage of veracity for you.

[ComerPerro]

3. Printed quotations just don't do that man justice

"I don't mind people trying to pick apart my policies, and that's fine and that's fair game," Bush said in the interview that will air Monday night. "But, you know, I don't think we're serving our nation well by allowing the discourse to become so uncivil that people say -- use words that they shouldn't be using."

Of course, the first comma was probably a ten second pause with a blank expression, then the bit after that probably came out quickly and forced. Then, a longer pause of about fifteen seconds, and three seconds for each comma plus a fair two seconds between every three words in that long sentence. And then that dash, that always kills me. The dash is not to be found in most quotations by anyone but this man. But I love seeing the dashes. Its the inevitable point in the quote where he starts to say something, but gets ahead of himself, then has to stop and figure out what he was supposed to say. Ususally those dashes are followed up by the most incoherent, simplistic babbling I have ever seen in my life.

[ixion]

4. this neocon ploy has simply got to be called for what it is and stopped...

As long as we allow the neocons to frame the argument, we don't have a chance. And the only way to do that is to reflect the argument back at them and show them for who they really are: baseless, violent, greedy thugs. Nothing more.

You see how this works?
1) agree with the argument.
2) change the argument to something inconsequential and semantic, then imply something diragatory.

Presto! The original argument has been replaced with a discussion of patriotism or some such ilk. Nothing will ever get discussed if we continue to allow this to happen. Franken and Conason and Ivins and Krugman, they all realize this, and if you listen to them debate (ala the Franken-O'Reilly fight) you can see that Al has mastered this tactic. In my opinion, this is where is must begin, because allowing the original intention of a debate to be shifted to something more emotive and semantic will simply get us nowhere. It's for precisely this reason that people don't think the Dems don't voice opposition to the repugs. There is no way to voice oppoisition when you allow it to be turned into a discussion of who love's 'Murikkka the most.

[Maple]

5. Oh now let's not be uncivil about this

Killing, bribing and lying are perfectly acceptable...it's naming them as such that's uncivil.

[LeahMira]

6. Look who's talking about word usage!

... use words that they shouldn't be using.


Omigosh! Have we really all "misunderestimated" the Shrub!

[sistersofmercy]

14. My thoughts precisely!

[kentuck]

7. He has a lot of gall calling anybody else "uncivil".....

This is a new ploy by the Repub talking heads also. They criticize the Dems for being "uncivil" toward Bush. After the 8 years that they put this nation thru during the Clinton years, why don't they just shut the hell up! ?

[rocktivity]

8. You're calling him "uncivil," Georgie,

but you're not calling him a liar.


rocknation

[sistersofmercy]

15. HAHAHA, great point!

[Q]

9. But notice how Bush* DOESN'T ANSWER the allegations?

- Instead of assuring the American people that he is indeed not bribing/intimidating other countries to participate in his slaughter...he completely ignores the question and makes his own accusations.

- Answer the questions Mr. Bush*. Where is the money...the billions of dollars going? How much is going to your friends and supporters? If you can't account for it then you're in trouble.

- Bush* couldn't pull a 'coalition' together to fight his private oil war...so he has to pay them (with our tax bucks) to make it seems as if his warmongering has at least SOME support.

- The truth is the Bushies are buying mercenary forces and pretending it's a 'willing' coalition.

[searchingforlight]

10. It has always been thus, Grasshopper.

We are just now discovering it.

[ComerPerro]

11. Thats why they are so good at politics

He is careful not to deny the allegations. Its easier to distract the public by attacking your accuser, and calling him unAmerican.

[Jacobin]

12. Translation

Bush: "When I do something awful and illegal like starting a war using lies, and kill lots of people and raid the treasury and it all turns out to be a failure, it's not civil to discuss it."

[Davis_X_Machina]

13. It's the rhetorical equivalent...

...of saying "I bitterly resent your bringing up the fact that I murdered my wife and buried her in the basement. It was hurtful of you to mention it, and does nothing to build team spirit."

[sistersofmercy]

16. Thanks Maple, these are my favorite threads, call * on his nonsense!

[Maple]

17. Well I wasn't going to post it

because it was Fox...which gets roundly booed here.

But it was so hilarious, I couldn't resist.

It sorta redefined chutzpah. :D

[sistersofmercy]

18. I'm glad you did. Personally, can't bear to watch faux but I'm happy

to get the reports. I'm not rational when I watch faux, I just curse at my tv which makes absolutely no sense at all.

[BeatleBoot]

20. Boooooo!

But thanks anyways!

[HawkerHurricane]

19. Bribery is such a ugly word.

No doubt, Bush prefers 'payoff'.

In a episode of M.A.S.H., Hawkeye and BJ put pressure on Frank Burns;

Burns: This is blackmail!
Hawkeye: Blackmail is such an ugly word.
BJ: We prefer extortion.

[Ramsey]

21. Waaaaaaaaaaaa

Planet Earth to George: Who cares what you think!!

[proud patriot]

22. hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

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