Laura Bush sinks her claws into Condi

[kpete]

Yer over the line, Mrs. Bush…as in “catfight”…

Norah O’Donnell interviewed Laura Bush on MSNBC Live, and the first lady ripped the media about coverage of Iraq. How pre-ISG….but almost unreported were the first lady’s snide remarks about First Rival Condi Rice…

Mrs. Bush referenced Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and noted that while she would be a “really good candidate” (for president,) Rice is not interested in the job.

“Probably because she is single, her parents are no longer living, she’s an only child. You need a very supportive family and supportive friends to have this job,” the First Lady said.

If you haven’t lived in the South, you may not pick up on the slicing and dicing going on here. Trust me. This is ugly.

http://seesdifferent.wordpress.com/2006/12/15/over-the-...

[JNelson6563]

1. A reminder for Condi?

Who the real wife is?

Julie--not from the south

[Javaman]

11. Laura is the work wife.

[napi21]

2. Sorry kpete, but I don't see any slicing and dicing, and Ive lived in the South for 20 years.

Please explain.

[Stephanie]

5. "Condi can't even get a man."

So she's not presidential material.

[catzies]

85. Nailed it.

Mee-OW.

[goforit]

95. LOL!! But Laura, sweetheart, she has George!

[Cha]

100. And pickled has george, too... and what

kind of "catch" was that? I'd rather have no one than the village creep from hell.

[neoblues]

104. Only the "boyish" parts.

Somehow "manly" didn't seem appropriat with this chickenhawk.

[lonestarnot]

115. And that whimp is a man?

Where?

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

123. Condi describes GW's "hunk" quotient

Questions and answers with Condleeza Rice:

Is President Bush (or as we like to call him around here "President Hunk") really as dreamy in real-life as he seems to be on Fox News? Please say he is! *swoon*

Dr. Condoleezza Rice:

You know, it's interesting how often I find myself fielding this question these days. Back when I first started working in the White House, all anyone wanted to know was how I could tell the difference between the President and his mother. But now, with two wars under his belt and who-knows-how-many more to come, Southern ladies such as yourself seem to find the President's humpability quotient to be directly proportional to the number of Arabiacs he orders killed. At this rate, I figure we only need to annihilate another 50,000 or so Muslims before People magazine declares him the "SEXIEST MAN ALIVE!"

As for me, I don't really notice such things. Why, even when I was elbow-deep in that flight suit arranging wadded-up tube socks around the First Giblets, the President was still little more than a meal ticket for me. Besides, for me to do my job right, it's necessary to maintain the kind of mental discipline that keeps my honey pot as arid as the hardscrabble patch of fire ant-infested prairie behind the President's Crawford stables where Mrs. Bush insists I sleep whenever I visit.

http://www.whitehouse.org/ask/crice.asp

[madeline_con]

102. She might even be a (gasp!) lesbian! n/t

[rebel with a cause]

132. I've heard that

but bushie is the one that likes to tell young men how pretty they are.

[EFerrari]

109. That is exactly my mom's reading. n/t

[Infinite Hope]

112. Just because it *could* be seen as offensive, doesn't mean that's the accurate intent.

It makes no sense in a discussion if presidential elections to talk about whether she can or can't get a man. Laura doesn't work that way, especially given her past comments about Condi. The basis for that conclusion is very weak.

[WillYourVoteBCounted]

119. Laura didn't get HER name on an oil tanker

[Uncle Joe]

136. Looks like, she is lacking in the "supportive friends" category as well n/t

[Frustratedlady]

12. "she’s an only child" jumps out at me...

and I'm not from the South, either. However, I've seen some of the tactics kpete referred to.

Of course, we butcher and analyze all their words, so she might not have meant anything other than the fact she has no immediate family to rely on for support. It just sounded to me like she was letting her know she was too young and to stay in her place.

If I were Laura, some of those photos that were captured of the endearing looks between Geo and Condi would be enough to set me off.

[fooj]

72. Isn't Laura an only child?

[rebel with a cause]

133. Oh but that is different

She is in her place as first lady, not president.

[Annces]

13. Someone who moved to the South said it the way of insulting someone

with sweet words.

[ChickMagic]

28. We have a term for it

The Nice Nasties.

[Lurking Dem]

51. "Bless her heart."

[ChickMagic]

58. "you pore thang"

[Shakespeare]

59. Just to clarify--that phrase is not always a negative. It's the context that matters.

"Bless your heart" can also be an expression of gratitude, sympathy or compassion.

[Uncle Joe]

137. I agree, it can be a positive or a negative, depending on the circumstance n/t

[BamaGirl]

121. I call this the Southern Belle Kiss of Death lol

"Bless his/her/your heart" means, dude! You better get the fuck outta my way or your life is over! It amazes me how many ppl don't get that lol.

[rebel with a cause]

134. Now that's a baby.

Barbara Walters way of getting around telling you that your baby is ugly as sin. I hate it!

[Bucky]

18. Laura's comment deconstructed. This is small town "refined lady" version of trash talk.

Yes, it's pretty ugly. Rice is also from a small southern town--she'll get this. A society lady does NOT say another society lady is in anyway inadequate to her job. In public a lady should only say complimentary things about a friend of the family. Rice was part of Poppy's circle in his White House years--and as you know the Bushes always make personal friends & vassals out of their top employees(which to them makes more sense than hanging out with social peers who might not depend on them so much).

If a lady does get called upon to comment on another lady's performance and that performance is subpar, it's required that she say only complimentary things, nothing tougher than "she's managing quite welll in a very tough job," and really ought to blame the critics (who are lower class) for not understanding what a marvelous job she's doing or at worst note that she was thrown into a job where she was given no proper support. You only criticize someone if you're trying to cut them down. Otherwise, the inviolate rule is "kind words."

If she does manage to criticize another lady's work, the dead last thing she should ever, ever blame it on is her lack of family, lack of roots, lack of solid homelife. Commenting that a 50 year old woman is unmarried is the pinacle of social ugliness. My guess is that Rice, being an academic, considers herself a bit above such social pettiness. But she's got deep enough Southern roots that there's no way she doesn't get that Laura is officially Not Her Friend.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

53. Thanks for the detailed play by play

I appreciated it. She's a jerk, and so is Condi.

[Morgana LaFey]

67. But I am ROTFL --

Okay, I get it, it's a huge put down. But ya know what? I'm laughing hysterically because only a small percentage of anyone who even heard it will GET it. Stupid Southern Code Talk.

And I'm not putting down the South or Southerners. Just sayin' -- if you want to be clear, say it like it is, dammit!

[Clark2008]

82. We're just not raised that way.

So, in essence you DID put down Southerners for not understanding that many Southern ladies of a certain class simply aren't raised - and don't know how - to "say it like it is."

I, as a Southern woman, am no lady and would have told Condi to stay the fuck away from my man, whilst telling the man that if he didn't like what the good Lord gave him in me, he could take his wandering pecker and cram it up his happy ass.

[question everything]

105. Obvioulsy, Laura is no lady (nt)

[jaysunb]

107. You truely " nailed it!"

[xultar]

25. She just called her a bastard who has no friends or family...who like her and support her.

[The Backlash Cometh]

44. And that she's a potential Homo?

God bless the woman who can stand to be near her.

[xultar]

47. Yes. I forgot to add homo to that list. Buhwawa!

[catzies]

86. Oh snap!

[Matariki]

75. AND a child n/t

[bridgit]

31. i think the subject/title was more specious than the piece called for...

'Laura Bush Get Snippy & Snarky w/Condi Though As A Member Of The BFEE What's New About That?' would have been nearer the mark

[Shakespeare]

56. I'm born and raised southern, for more years than you've lived there, and I know exactly what....

...the poster means. I'll translate, since your southern-dar is apparently malfunctioning:

"We don't think Condi should run (we've already decided to throw our support behind someone else), and besides, everybody's going to think she's a lesbian, and she's already got that black thing working against her."

Bush loyalty goes only one way (TO the Bushes). As soon as you're no longer useful, you're cast aside, usually in less than pleasant ways.

[karynnj]

66. The most discordant phrase for me

a midwesterner transplant to the NYC area is "supportive friends" - the implication that she doesn't have them is obvious. That is nasty.

It's interesting that it didn't even come up when Bob Kerrey was running that he was single at that point. I also think that Feingold would not be hurt by not being maried at this point.

[spooky3]

78. must be a midwestern thing because that was my reaction too

also a transplated midwesterner


If Pickles had stopped after the comments about the family, I would think it was just a bias against unmarried women stereotype kind of thing that the Rethugs (and some Dems) have a problem with. But Pickles was much, much uglier than that. I suspect Pickles is quite jealous of Rice. Can you imagine a stay-at-home husband saying something like this about, say, a male corporate VP with whom his wife works?

[Stephanie]

126. Kucinich was single too when he ran

And it was seen as cute.

[tanyev]

127. As much time as Condi reportedly spends with the Bush family,

she might have been under the delusion that they were her supportive friends. I guess Laura's doing her a favor by clarifying that.

[spooky3]

129. good point

[DoYouEverWonder]

93. She was putting Condi in her place

and since Condi no longer has her own family, she better not start thinking she's part of the Bush's.

[Name removed]

3. Deleted message

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

[conscious evolution]

46. It implies that Condi is gay.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

52. ahhhhh. Glad we have bilingual people here. thanks.

[formercia]

62. I wish I had two tongues

[Lurking Dem]

63. We all wish you had two tongues.

[eppur_se_muova]

68. "childless (absent W)" **snarf** That was pretty good.

Bu**sh** is more likely her pampered darling baby boy than any romantic interest. Laura should give thanks she can get someone to babysit.

[WI_DEM]

4. In effect, Laura is saying that Condi has no friends!

"You need very supportive family and supportive friends..."

[gratuitous]

6. Laura didn't say "bless her heart"

So I'm a bit confused, too.

[PDittie]

10. LOL

[cwydro]

16. As a fellow southerner

good one!

[Captain Hilts]

30. Yeah, you've gotta have the "bless her heart" in there. That means it might not be a dig.

Though it still could be.

Laura's sooooo Kappa Kappa Gamma!

[Celebration]

48. Actually Kappa Alpha Theta!!

Gotta love those Texas sororities

[hootinholler]

57. Would that make it a (wait for it)

KAT fight?

GDRFC

-Hoot

[Rosemary2205]

37. This southern woman agrees.

"Bless her heart" is the key to these kinds of slams.

[Sugar Smack]

40. OMG!! LOL!!

That was brilliant!

[KT2000]

73. What does it mean

when people say "bless her heart?" My mother was from the South and said that often. What is it supposed to mean? A slam in disguise? condescension or what?

I must say that growing up in the NW with a mother from the south involved some code breaking but I guess I never got the "bless her heart." I thought it was a term of endearment.

[Contrite]

113. I lived in Tennessee for two years and heard this alot.

I heard "bless ITS heart" alot too. Like you, born and raised in the northern states, I thought it was a term of compassion. I never guessed it was any kind of a put-down, although it did always seem to preface some kind of comment indicating something/someone was "sub-par" somehow. Oh well, guess we've all learned now what "compassionate" means to these people now, as in "compassionate conservative".

[rebel with a cause]

131. I heard this too from my mother and she was a mid westerner

I think when it is said, like "bless her heart, she just can't help herself." it meant "she's wrong but you have to over look it because she is just not as strong, smart, etc as we are."

[Crankie Avalon]

7. HAH!!! Oh, man...Laura Bush puts the "assive" in passive aggressive!!!

How on earth can some people still think of her as a sort of sweet librarian lady when she's so obviously such a nasty piece of work?

[Annces]

15. Right - when I see her genuinely laughing at her husband's

cruel sadistic jokes, I think she is pretty dark herself.

[Homer Wells]

69. One can Almost understand why

the Little guy in the White House is such a major jerk when he is "Prezidentin".

Having to live with those two nasty women ,(Big Mama and Pickles), he probably gets nagged and harassed by them at home.

I worked for a guy, in my teenage years (1962), who was extremely hen-pecked at home, and was the nastiest SOB I had seen in all my 16 years.

[Kookaburra]

8. I caught it kpete...

She's good -- didn't even use the requisite "bless her heart" after the slam either. Ugh!!! I grew up around those kind of women, and SWORE I would never become one of them.

[NoodleyAppendage]

9. Most definitely a dig...particularly the "single..only child" part.

Unlike the other poster, I've lived in the Deep South for 38 years; have dated many a Southern Belle; and Pickle's comments are prototypical of the Southern woman "backhand slap."

J

[sam sarrha]

14. well if you F*ck "with" the president... the wife is going to find out, she's lucky it is only claws

in her..

[havocmom]

88. LOL, no lead, the Secret Service frowns on First Ladies packing heat

and she has drivers now, so no bumper tag these days

[sam sarrha]

92. she KILLED one cheating bastard.. broadsided him at high speed thru a stop sign and got away with it

[havocmom]

101. Yes, I know, thus the reference to the fact that she has drivers now

and can't use her bumper.

[Imagevision]

117. Laura already gave her blessings to Jeffie Gannon for Bush, she also does photoshots...

[Raiden]

17. Oh man!

I'm from Eastern KY and even I can see the subtle (but brutal) jabs!

"Probably because she is single..." ("Condi can't get a man")
"...her parents are no longer living..." (Ouch!)
"...she’s an only child..." ("She's a spoiled brat!")
"...You need a very supportive family and supportive friends..." ("Condi doesn't have any friends")
"...to have this job." ("George and I made it, Condi is a tag-along peon...Back off, Condi")



This is series!!!111!!!!1!

[Maggie_May]

19. I just figured it out

Laura is jealous of Condi. Well just think about Laura has George as a husband. Condi doesn't have a crazed mother-in-law or brats for kids. And lets face it you know Condi has more shoes than Laura. Whats not to be jealous of?

[Bucky]

21. Rice may have more shoes... But Laura's got more hip waders.

And she fills them out better, too!

[Captain Hilts]

41. Tweeeeet!!!! Flag on the play - the hip waders comment. nt

[femrap]

64. Condi has title of SoS and Laura is the first lady....

who has to go out and kiss people's asses. Yep...jealousy. Good one, Maggie May.

[Bucky]

20. Don't overplay the "my husb-- the president" business. Rice does date around.

The current most likely candidate is Peter McKay, reputedly "Ottawa's most eligible bachelor."

[The Count]

27. And I thought it was Alec Baldwin (or his CEO character from 30 Rock)

Looks to me there's a concerted effort here to "normalize" the Condalize (how can I resist?)
In case you missed it, the promo for that show hinted at THAT story line (or obscure reference)

[Bucky]

34. Some shots of Pete & Condi on their date

"If we're going dutch, then I'll just have a coffee."

McKay is an MP. Instead of "districts", Canadian legislators are elected from "ridings." So Dr. Rice got to thank the Honourable Mr McKay for inviting her up to see his riding. And perhaps then he got to thank her for letting him see her riding.

"Sorry, pops, no one talks to da secretary."

"I want to thank Peter for showing me this big tube."

"When you said 'meet the folks,' I assumed you meant your parents."

"Yes, Condi, that face there. Don't make it any more."

[QuestionAll...]

138. lol! Condi in 'houndstooth'. nt

[Captain Hilts]

32. And for a moment, I thought you were serious.....nt

[Captain Hilts]

49. MoDo must be in therapy or detox to keep from using the "husb..." in one of her columns.

Since it happened at a private NYT event, no doubt they won't let her use it.

[flordehinojos]

22. a definite put down if ever there was one. Old Barbara Bush couldn'thave thought of a better one

her own self!

[The Count]

26. Great challenge! Babs: "She is a beautiful woman whose skin color only reminds us

of how fortunate we are to live in a country where ANYBODY can climb"

[wryter2000]

45. OMG, you're scary

You have Bar down. Did you have to practice long to get that evil?

[The Count]

76. No. Once you go in Babs' mind, you NEVER forget!

[Jim Sagle]

99. Kinda like profiling serial killers, ain't it?

[The Count]

23. Flattering with contempt, backhanded compliments - * is her husb...

I get it (even if I am not from the South). Gone are the days when Pickles used a car to make her points...
I guess she made some strides in her "Please don't divorce me" negotiations.
Does it mean they also revoked Jeffy's press pass?

[ninkasi]

24. The only thing that would have made her comments

even worse, would have been to add "bless her heart."

[Le Taz Hot]

29. Interesting phraseology

"sinks her claws" and "catfight." If those terms are not appropriate for Pelosi/Harmon, neither are they appropriate for Mrs. Bush/Condi.

On edit: Speeling

[The Count]

33. Why?Did Pelosi/Harman exchange personal remarks while fighting over some guy?

because if that happened, I missed it.
Which brings the interesting point: I very rarely saw the women put down terminology to deal with Condi re: her job. But this is obviously personal. The terminology more than applies.

[deepthought42]

35. Hell, I'm not from the South, but damn!

Even I picked up on that insult. Now, I'm not a fan of Condi, but geez, that was just plain rude of her to say...about anyone.

[derby378]

36. Can't wait for the steel cage match

I expect Nero and his buddy Karl will be sitting ringside doing this:

[npincus]

38. Ouch.

[youthere]

39. at least she didn't call her "perfectly nice"..isn't that the kiss of death?

[latebloomer]

42. Well, georgie couldn't have gotten a job as a street sweeper

without "very supportive family and friends".

So I get where she's comin from!

[wryter2000]

43. All she needed to make it perfect

"Bless her heart."

[peekaloo]

50. Yeah, you need people who help rig elections, silence the media

and generally clean up after your sorry ass to have this job.

[blogslut]

54. They smile in your face...

All the time they wanna take your place
The backsatabbers...

The O'Jay's got your number, Laura.

[Beetwasher]

55. "Condi, You Are ALL ALONE IN THIS WORLD AND WORK FOR US

Don't you ever forget your place."

That was the message.

[kpete]

61. That is exactly

How I read it -

Like minds with you - Beetwasher.

kp

[Bridget Burke]

60. Butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.

(Laura's, that is.)

I was raised in the South, too.

[stanwyck]

84. Ah, yes. Laura does the classic

say something totally insulting, just follow it with "bless her heart" and you're still a lady.
"Why Condi couldn't attract a husband, have children, and doesn't have friends because she's one of those hard-edged "working women".
Bless her heart.

[Cleita]

65. I'm not from the South, but I certainly picked up on the

cattiness of those inappropriate remarks. All she had to say when asked the question was the part about Rice as a "really good candidate". That's all. The rest of the remarks were snarky and petty. I guess ole Laura is one prize bitch, southern magnolia.

[Fleshdancer]

70. I would give ANYTHING to hear Condi's response to this

[hwmnbn]

111. While taking off her wig and removing her earrings.......

"Oh no you di'n't, bitch!!"

[HuffleClaw]

71. i'm certain some spokesperson will 'clarify' those remarks

her and georgie boy just can't speak at all without a script.

[stanwyck]

74. So, our First Lady doesn't believe single people

or people who are only children have the right background to be president?
Unlike spoiled, entitled men from influential families?
I'm just not following her reasoning here.
Also, is she saying if your parents are deceased, you're also not a good candidate?
And she also is implying Condi has no friends.
Wow.
I guess ole Dubya did marry someone just like dear old Mama, didn't he?

[spooky3]

80. why would anyone with a good heart, head or character marry *?

Someone could have, I supppose, but she would have left him long ago.

[goclark]

81. This only child resents Pickles and Condi

I can't take either one of them.

Being an only child should not be a problem. If we look at GW, it would be better for this earth if his parents had not had any children.

Pickles should be ashamed.
She shouldn't talk about " the other woman" that way.

Wouldn't it be delicious if Condi and GW got married!

[kerry-is-my-prez]

77. Some tabloid has been claiming Bush & Condi are having an affair

There's one national enquirer type tabloid (not sure which one) that seems to always have stuff about that every week. I always look at the covers of all of the magazines while in line at the grocery store and noticed there's been a bunch of articles about it. I always kind of snickered and thought it was probably b.s. - but maybe it's not so crazy after all.

I might have to stoop to buying one of them - much as I hate giving money to those outfits.

[annabanana]

91. (maybe not so crazy)

[LyndaG]

110. Well ...

Remember the time Condi referred to W as her "husband"??!! Hmmmm ...

[KingFlorez]

79. How long before they're sparring like Krystle and Alexis?

LOL

[dflprincess]

87. I'd pay to see that

n/t

[yurbud]

83. they probably both think he's cheating on him with the other when he's really getting those scrapes

on his face from Jeff Gannon.

[jaysunb]

114. OUCH !!

n/t

[seesdifferent]

89. Olbermann picked up this story for tonight's show

KO on Countdown did a few minutes on this issue, had a guest commenter. They stopped just short of the catfight language, but did get into the issues raised here, particularly the "single" issue, but also touching on the "with friends like this..." issue.

[Jacobin]

90. Hi Sees!!!

Welcome to DU

[seesdifferent]

135. hey, back atcha

you undergrounders are alllll right !

[cadmium]

94. A New England version of this wouldn't be quite so

nasty; Something to the effect that:

She's very nice, but she has been under a lot of pressure. I'm sure she misses California and misses her books.

[Raine]

96. I would expect no less from

the scorned wife directed toward her husband's "squeeze".

[gulliver]

97. "this job?" Shouldn't it be "that job?"

This seems self-aggrandizing.

[nadinbrzezinski]

98. Oooohhh ow... ouch

this is quite the verbal catfight

[jaysunb]

103. " First Rival " bawahahahahaha !

[Swamp Rat]

106. LOL!

Go get her Laura!

[Pachamama]

122. Swamp'r! Your alive!

Long time no see!

[Infinite Hope]

108. How does the South have anything to do with this?

To me it says "she doesn't have the stereotypical family association that the public likes to see in a candidate." Laura's spoke very favorably of Condi before. There's nothing to make this seem like a snide remark. Laura's talked candidly about candidates and their pros/cons before...this is nothing new.

This statement alone provides no solid basis for negative meaning....especially viewing it in light of past comments, it's very much just an explicit statement of fact meant to indicate that while Laura would like to see Condi run, it would be difficult for her given public mentality toward candidates.

Do you really think Laura, of all people, would be discussing presidential politics in a nation-wide broadcast and make snide remarks about not being able to get a man? It makes no sense. It has nothing to do with presidential politics. That's not Laura, ever-poised. If it were Falwell, then perhaps. But Laura? I think such negative intent is very far-fetched. She wouldn't say something like that in a major broadcast when discussiong a serious issue (she sticks to serious discussion....that's her method). Links:
http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/01/13/laura.bush /
http://www.newsmax.com/archives/ic/2006/1/13/200306.sht...
http://www.ovaloffice2008.com/2006/01/condoleezza-rice-...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/20...

I don't see how being from the South makes this any more significant...maybe it's allowing you to see it in a unintended context? I live in North Carolina. Elaborate please.

[spooky3]

128. please read through the numerous posts above

that elaborate and explain alternative interpretations different from yours.

Please note that she didn't merely make comments about supportive family. She also claimed Rice did not have supportive friends. She didn't talk about what the public likes to see; she talked about what candidates must have, which she claimed Rice lacks.

[Imagevision]

116. Chevron named an oil tanker after Rice, perhaps Rice can hire some of her girlfriends

Like Rove inviting Jeffy Gannon over to the whitehouse.

Rice is top shelf when it comes to the neocon loyalty, it seeems that it's time to test the waters and become familiar with a display of confidence to which many of the $$$ doners noticing from the side lines.

[madrchsod]

118. ouch! condi-you have no "supportive friends"

wow! dig those claws in deeper pickles

[yurbud]

120. Doesn't this sound like a scene from BEDTIME FOR BONZO?

"Bonzo is sleeping with ME tonight!"

"Oh no you don't! He's MY husband!"

[Recursion]

124. Condi never killed her high school boyfriend either, right? n/t

[moondust]

125. As a single person,

FUCK YOU PICKLED POOP

[Bobbie Jo]

130. Every time Pickles opens her mouth...

She knocks the level playing field for women back 30 years....SUFU