Both Obama AND Biden thank and praise Bush: Is this smart or stupid politics?

[yurbud]

Poll question: Both Obama AND Biden thank and praise Bush: Is this smart or stupid politics?

That it spits in the face of reality, including on the Bush/Cheney/GOP record on even concern for the troops is beyond dispute. Has anyone forgotten:

• cavalierly starting two wars, one entirely unrelated to 9/11, the other prosecuted in a way that will increase animosity toward the US rather than reduce it.
  
  
• resisted deploying latest body armor and up-armored vehicles
  
  
• allowing contractors to provide shoddy services to our troops, including showers that electrocuted them.
  
  
• rebuilding Iraq with crony contractors who did a shitty job, and pocketed most of the money
  
  
• hiring unaccountable mercenaries whose reckless violence toward Iraqis doubtless increased resentment of the occupation and therefore violence against the troops
  
  
• fighting against increased spending on the VA for returning vets
  
  
• letting VA and military deny PTSD and other injury claims to save money, using the contempible methods of private health insurance companies
  
  
• arguing against more generous GI Bill benefits and demanding that troops serve longer before they kick in
  
  
• banning news coverage of the returning coffin ceremonies that honor our troops

On top of all this, Rumsfeld insulted the troops to their faces when they asked why they didn't have the equipment they needed saying, ''You go to war with the army you have, not the army you wish you had.''

I guess he wished he had all mercenaries who just collected a paycheck and didn't ask questions.

No past administration has shown more contempt for the military and veterans, unless you think wearing lapel pins and pulling the trigger on military action as often as possible is some kind of compliment.


But back to the point: Is this smart or stupid politics?

[impik]

1. Obama didn't thank and didn't praise Bush

[uponit7771]

2. Don't let facts get in the way of a half hearted Obama snipe

[Peacetrain]

3. I was watching Colbert,

and he ginned Biden into that statement. I have not heard President Obama say anything about Bush.. do you have a link on that one?

[napi21]

5. the only thing Obama said was in his prime time speech

where he said "there's no doubt that President Bush supported the troops". I don't have a link, but I'm sure google can easily find one for you.

[dflprincess]

7. Which was bullshit

if Bush had "supported the troops" he wouldn't have sent them to fight a war he lied us into.

Both Obama & Biden covered for him and they were wrong to do so.

[napi21]

8. We don't like it but it's professionl courtesy! Obama didn't REALLY

praise Shrub. Isuspect he his staff searched long & hard to find SOMETHING that he could say with at least some degree of comfort.

I happen to like Randy Rhodes' position on this issue. "The Pubs wanted Obama to give Shrub credit. For What I don't know, but if youwant to give him credit for lying us into a war, FINE! If you want to give him credit for destroying a country, FINE! You broke,, you bought it, it's yours! The only thing Obama deserves credit for is ending it!"

[dflprincess]

14. They are covering for a war criminal - that is not "professional courtesy"

it is complicity.

And it hasn't ended it either. There are 50,000 "non-combat" troops still there (and 2 casualties so far this month - I'm sure their families don't think it's ended) and we're still wasting an awful lot of money on private "contractors".

[otohara]

16. It's Silly Season

on DU.

Read/Watch - Breath vs Subject Line - Hysteria

Truthiness certainly is missing in the written version of Colbert/Biden incident.

[phleshdef]

4. Its neither. Its mundane Presidential politeness BS that no one should get all butt hurt about.

[JuniperLea]

6. Please link to their praise...

Biden grinned and remained a gentleman when pressed. Obama merely stated he called W... how is that praise?

Please explain yourself.

Back to the point... this is really stupid politics... and I'm not talking about Obama/Biden politics.

[yurbud]

9. LINKS:

Biden:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/09/biden-thanks-bush-colbert_n_710364.html

Obama:
As we do, I'm mindful that the Iraq war has been a contentious issue at home. Here, too, it's time to turn the page. This afternoon, I spoke to former President George W. Bush. It's well known that he and I disagreed about the war from its outset. Yet no one can doubt President Bush's support for our troops, or his love of country and commitment to our security. As I've said, there were patriots who supported this war, and patriots who opposed it. And all of us are united in appreciation for our servicemen and women, and our hopes for Iraqis' future.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20015253-503544.html

[JuniperLea]

13. Professional courtesy

I take issue with what Obama said, but it wasn't praise.

[Still Blue in PDX]

22. Courteous, yes. And he may have had his tongue in his cheek.

I don't know that for a fact, but "no one can take issue with . . . " was sort of like Condoleeza saying no one dreamed anyone would fly planes into the WTC when the pilot of the TV show about the Lone Gunman was about just that.

I prefer to give our president the benefit of the doubt. He's lots smarter than I am.

[Still Blue in PDX]

10. If they actually DID do that, it would be stupid beyond belief.

I haven't heard any praise for Bush from either one of them. I guess what Obama said could be interpreted as damning with faint praise, but hardly anything worthy of the ensuing brouhaha.

:wtf:

[Phx_Dem]

17. +1

[WI_DEM]

11. don't really care since to me it isn't a major issue.

[pansypoo53219]

12. biden was on a show for the military w/ a military audience.

some probably voted for the chimp. but the show was to thank the troops. not partisan so much.

[Phx_Dem]

15. Biden didn't bring up Bush, Colbert did. He was put on the spot

and handled it beautifully. There is no way in hell the president of vice president should criticize a former president in front of a military audience. It'd be tacky, rude and inappropriate.

Biden didn't praise the job Bush did.

[maxsolomon]

18. Other: Obama knows that 90% of America was gung-ho to invade Iraq

and, as we "end" our occupation/war crime, he needs to protect their butthurt widdle feewings so a sizeable chunk of that 90% don't vote against the dems - out of resentment of being blamed and judged.

[yurbud]

19. there is something to that. The last president to truly talk to us like adults was Jimmy Carter

that didn't work out to well for him.

[Still Blue in PDX]

21. +1

[Aramchek]

20. is this all you have to throw a fit about? c'mon, I know you can find a better outrage.

[dionysus]

23. slow day for outrage huh? well, if it pisses you off, it must be good.

:hi: