Bush on the Constitution: 'It's just a goddamned piece of paper'

[JackORoses]

Bush on the Constitution: 'It's just a goddamned piece of paper'
By DOUG THOMPSON
Dec 9, 2005, 07:53



Last month, Republican Congressional leaders filed into the Oval Office to meet with President George W. Bush and talk about renewing the controversial USA Patriot Act.

Several provisions of the act, passed in the shell shocked period immediately following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, caused enough anger that liberal groups like the American Civil Liberties Union had joined forces with prominent conservatives like Phyllis Schlafly and Bob Barr to oppose renewal.

GOP leaders told Bush that his hardcore push to renew the more onerous provisions of the act could further alienate conservatives still mad at the President from his botched attempt to nominate White House Counsel Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court.

“I don’t give a goddamn,” Bush retorted. “I’m the President and the Commander-in-Chief. Do it my way.”

“Mr. President,” one aide in the meeting said. “There is a valid case that the provisions in this law undermine the Constitution.”

“Stop throwing the Constitution in my face,” Bush screamed back. “It’s just a goddamned piece of paper!”

I’ve talked to three people present for the meeting that day and they all confirm that the President of the United States called the Constitution “a goddamned piece of paper.”
...

http://www.capitolhillblue.com/artman/publish/article_7779.shtml

[LoKnLoD]

1. We know George boy

you and Cheney have been wiping your ass with it for 5 years.

[roguevalley]

5. he is a complete nazi fuck. his g-dad must be so proud looking up

from hell.

[AuntiBush]

23. Can I Second that Big-Time!?! Really...

Let me add: He can go to hell! Nut-bag, fruitcake, idiot, straight from hell!

He needs to go back, now! No wonder he enjoys shredding our Constiution to pieces.

It's time we put her back together again.

[MrMonk]

2. When did CHB become a "news" source?

Although CHB has sometimes been correct, it seems to be a political gossip sheet.

[NMDemDist2]

he's a newbie so I'm giving him a break LOL

can't fault him for enthusiasm eh?

[Protagoras]

28. If this is true (and it wouldn't suprise me)

I would really really hope that it's reported in another place.

[bloom]

53. It's interesting how they seem to be down on Bush* of late.... n/t

[NMDemDist2]

3. Hi JackORoses

:hi:

Just an FYI, CHB is not considered a Latest Breaking News organization and we already have about 5 threads on this in General Discussion

but Welcome to DU!!

[JackORoses]

6. CHB or no CHB

I'm willing to bet this is true.

[NMDemDist2]

10. never the less, it doesn't belong in LBN and as I said there are

several other threads on this CHB rant today

:pals:

[mattclearing]

4. Once again, a story that could only come from Capitol Hill Blue.

Just once, I would love to see this stuff printed anywhere else.

[AndyTiedye]

7. I Think Mr Bush** Needs a Refresher Course

from Article I section 2:

The House of Representatives shall chuse their Speaker and other Officers; and shall have the sole Power of Impeachment.

From Article I section 3:

The Senate shall have the sole Power to try all Impeachments. When sitting for that Purpose, they shall be on Oath or Affirmation. When the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall preside: And no Person shall be convicted without the Concurrence of two thirds of the Members present.

Judgment in Cases of Impeachment shall not extend further than to removal from Office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States: but the Party convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to Indictment, Trial, Judgment and Punishment, according to Law.

From Article II section 2:

The President shall be Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual Service of the United States; he may require the Opinion, in writing, of the principal Officer in each of the executive Departments, upon any Subject relating to the Duties of their respective Offices, and he shall have Power to grant Reprieves and Pardons for Offences against the United States, except in Cases of Impeachment.

from Article II section 4:

The President, Vice President and all civil Officers of the United States, shall be removed from Office on Impeachment for, and Conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.

[AuntiBush]

25. As a History Major...

... this really ticks me off, among a skywards pile of other things *&Co have forced on us.

Want my Constitutional freedoms, liberties and justice for all "back!"

[long_green]

8. No way.

Capitol Hill Blue is turning into The Onion.

As much as I'd like to believe "one aide" (and he's never steered me wrong before), I can't go along with him/her/it on this one.

[54anickel]

11. Come on now, CHB isn't that bad is it? Give me a for instance. Granted

I don't read it very often but the few times I did the story turned out to be true. Got an example of when it was "Oniony"

[long_green]

13. The Onion comment was an exaggeration

I'm just tired of the "White House Staffer Sez W. Prone To Obscene Tirades" stories that come out of there with no one going on the record. Ever.

[jim3775]

48. It is that bad, here is a for instance

"Bill Clinton's long history of sexual violence"
http://www.capitolhillblue.com/Feb1999/022599/clintonwomen022599.htm

[Mojambo]

17. I'm with you

Those quotes read like a bad West Wing script.

[BOSSHOG]

9. Do those who doubt the veracity of CHB

doubt that bush would say such a thing? bush, a man who deserted his military unit to avoid a drug test. bush, who swore to support and defend the constitution. He just walked out the door on that oath because he had a substance abuse problem. bush and his kind care not about the constitution.

Is CHB right or does it have credibility? I don't know.

Does gwb give a fuck about the constitution? Hanging question!!

WELCOME JACKOROSES AND THANKS FOR THE POST.

[NMDemDist2]

12. agreed, GWB hates the Constitution and the paper it's written on

it's just posted in the wrong forum but :shrug: no biggy

[SammyWinstonJack]

32. ** has said in public, on three separate occasions that it would

be easier if he were a dictator so yes I can imagine him making just this kind of statement. If he didn't say it out loud, I bet he thinks it every damn day!

[jazzjunkysue]

43. He said it on video in Moore's F 9/11.

"Just as long as I'm the dictator."

[leveymg]

14. Doug Thompson has a lot of conversations only he can hear.

Not saying it isn't true, just that often nobody else confirms his accounts or seconds his mysterious sources. Entertaining, anyway.

[Loonman]

15. Doesn't matter if it's written in CHB or not

It's pretty blatant how low Bush's opinion of the Constitution and the American people is. Bush has been saying "fuck the Constitution" for years, now.

[Bandit]

16. Republicans wrap themseves in the flag and burn the constitution

Liberals wrap themselves in the Constitution and burn the flag.I am a proud Liberal but have yet to burn a flag...

[driver8]

18. He should have said, "It's just a piece of toilet paper..."

After all, his administration seems to like to wipe their asses with it.

[BigBearJohn]

19. If this is true, this NEEDS to broadly disseminated !!!!!

[ChairmanAgnostic]

20. you just said it all.

a few months ago, some people mentioned CHB about an article that Bush was becoming insular and hiding away from people. I went over there and read it.
A lot of criticism here. no matter.
But last week, several MSM sources all agreed. It strikes me that CHB was ahead of the curve and our insults are akin to the brit physicists who scoffed at relativity in the early 1900s.

heck, even lord kelvin claimed that we knew everything about the universe.
I wonder what he would say about super symmetry, quantum physics and string theory.

I personally do not doubt that what CHB said is true. It makes too much sense, it fits what I personally learn from inside the beltway.

[BigBearJohn]

21. by the way, I'm from Brookfield, Illinois (not far from Cicero)

[ChairmanAgnostic]

24. a tad north and east of mois.

I live in the red part of the southwest suburbs, and am shocked to see a total lack of Bush/Cheney stickers anymore.

Oh SHIT. An Illinoiser, from naperville, was just shown on PBS. He was 19 when he died in Iraq.
NINE - FUCKING - TEEN YEARS OLD, you shithead. (not you, bush)

19
I was but a horny child at the time.

[BigBearJohn]

35. I hear ya. Their life has not even started and it's already snuffed out.

[AuntiBush]

22. Yeah... It's His Way & The Neo-Whig Highway!

Wow! Jefferson "and" Franklin just flipped-over in their ole' graves one more damn time.

[0007]

26. Thanks Jack. The article does fit rather good. So I would say

Doug Thompson is right on.

[under_snow_in_NY]

27. there's better ways to prove he's wrong than this trash

With all the faults that there are to point out and somebody takes the time to sling this trash around. Anyone who blindly accepts this probably has compromised their integrity. It is definetly a possiblilty, aything is, but I'll look to N.O. or the deficit to get my proof that he is doing a bad job. Not some tv drama sounding news article

[AntiFascist]

29. Impeachment time!!! nt

[doc03]

30. The Repugs like to wrap themselves

in the flag and it's just a goddamned piece of cloth.

[under_snow_in_NY]

33. a symbolic one

a symbolic one, but cloth none the less, besides many people of many backgrounds "wrap themselves in it. I just hope someday that there comes a time when this bitter hatred for those who disagree will come to an end, but I tend to dream big I guess. probably from the bud I liked earlier in life

[Rocknrule]

31. Is this a true story?

[wixomblues]

34. That can't be true. Cheney doesn't let * in the oval office.

[Taxloss]

36. If true, if true, if true.

More wishful thinking/political porn from CHB, I fear.

[The Backlash Cometh]

37. Please tell me this is satire, because if true, why then does he want to

be part of a movement to stop burning the flag since it's only a piece of fabric manufactured in China?

[babsbunny]

38. I didn't know "born again Christians" like George

would ever say the Lord's name in vain!

[rosesaylavee]

39. What about the GODDAMN VOW he took

on his blessed bible to uphold that "piece of paper" and all that it stands for?

Well, time to call it a night before I get so mad I can't sleep... again... because of what this man is doing through his ignorance and sheer insanity.

Arrrrrrrrghgggghghghghghghgh!

[Name removed]

40. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Historic NY]

41. Must have been having some vodka on the rocks.............

before his meeting.

[SeveneightyWhoa]

42. LOL...sounds fake as heck.

Nice imagination by Mr. Thompson, though.

Unfortunately, he presents his site as a "news" site when it is in fact a political fiction site -- or, at worst, an attempt to distract, confuse or discredit Bush critics.

[banana republican]

44. Interesting since a military officer's oath of alegiance is to the

Constitution; not the president.

[Deja Q]

45. Far more damning things have been reported by lots of media. WHY NOT THIS?

A cursory search has one and ONLY one link: Capitol Hill Blue.

That strikes me as being a bit strange.

[Cleita]

46. I believe that statement could be regarded as treasonous.

Time to impeach. However, I don't think your source is considered that credible.

[ReadTomPaine]

47. Republicans have been doing this for over a quarter century at least..

I recall being in DC about 20 years ago and hearing a GOP senator chatting with his aids say almost precisely the same thing on the steps of the Capital Building. How's that for "respect for the rule of law".

This is said every day by GOP types in the beltway. They hate that document, it ties their hands all the time. Well, at least it used to.

[BlackVelvet04]

49. CHB is about as trustworthy as

bush is.

[Generic Other]

50. What stories has CHB been wrong about?

Or is it just the fact that the stories come from unconfirmed sources?

I realize stories from such sources aren't the most reliable, but are we saying there's no way this guy could pick up such information? That no GOPers ever flap their lips about what's going on in the Oval Office.

I say if you want dirt on folks, you go snoop around the back door, pick through the garbage, question the upstairs maid. It's a different kind of news. Some might be highly unreliable. But the truth can also be found in this info. The hairdressers of America probably know more about most of us than the FBI does.

[newspeak]

51. I remember the Aspen Group seminar

it was on PBS, oh about approximately 7 or 8 years ago, and the forum was on the Constitution. A discussion on how it was not relevant for today. I remember one caller who called into the show from Canada who said if you don't want your constitution anymore, we'll take it. So you don't believe Bush thinks the Constitution is a joke? The document he has sworn as President to defend?

[Generic Other]

52. I believe he would say something like this

And I believe some staffer would repeat it anonymously for fear of reprisal. I think CHB provides a valuable service by reporting the non-traditional news (aka gossip). Just because it can't be proven as easily doesn't make it a lie. And I thought the quote about the Constitution sounded a lot like Bush.