Bush photo op will cause America to turn against him...

[LeftHander]

The image of a smiling Bush jogging with Christian Bagge will result in a pullout of Iraq...

This is the defining image of our time. A smiling President and a young fit man, perfect except for spring flaps for feet and metal rods for legs.

We will all know now to support the troops, we need to bring them home.

The lies that took us to war cannot justify the legitmacy of this image nor can it be allowed to benefit Bush politically.

I think Mr. Bagge was quite clever.

[MadMaddie]

1. I didn't think about that....you could be right...

If he would have jogged with him without doing the photo op....maybe..but to use a soldier like this.....

[Jawja]

60. Yeah, it WAS a photo op.

I hate that creep with every bone in my body. :mad:

[shadowknows69]

2. I thought it was the most obscene thing I'd ever heard

when I first learned of the pics. I can't even bring myself to look at it. I can't believe the democratic leaders aren't all over this.

[rurallib]

5. Same thought I had - just obscene to jog with the asshole who

was responsible for the soldiers condition. Seeing it pissed me off.

[rzemanfl]

3. I thought the shrub had to give up jogging because of bad knees.

The other guy had no knees to bother him, thanks to the shrub. How does that asshat sleep at night?

[Mz Pip]

4. Bush is a user

He used this kid as cannon fodder for his obscene war. Now he is using him again. It's the "Everything is just great!" photo op.

This kid has no legs and he agrees with me!!!! It must be OK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mz Pip
\:dem:

[wakemeupwhenitsover]

6. I was screaming at the TV.

I turned to DH & said "what you wanna bet that SOB didn't even let Bagge win?"

[RC]

7. Pix here

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2248107,00.html

http://images.thetimes.co.uk/TGD/picture/0,,315030,00.jpg

[skiddlybop]

8. What?

Offended by the sight of Duhhbya and HIS HUMAN SHIELD?

[Redstone]

9. I was that kid, I'd a beaten the smirk off his face with one of my peglegs

But that's just me.

Redstone

[beam me up scottie]

12. That "kid" supports bush.

Forgive me for saying I think he's almost as bad since he's willing to help send other kids to lose their legs.

[Redstone]

15. I can't argue with you there...he's indeed too young (or dumb) to learn.

Has the loss of his legs contributed one iota to freedom?

I doubt it.

Redstone

[beam me up scottie]

16. It contributed to the pockets of his divine leader and his cronies.

How many other kids will have to help the "cause".

[Redstone]

18. "contribute to the fucker who got my legs blown off for no reason?"

I couldn't do that. Just couldn't. In my case it would have been a photo-op with Nixon, me in my body cast, and THAT sure as hell didn't have a chance of happening.

If nothing elese, I'd have gotten someone to roll me over and pointed my evac tube at him.

Redstone

[beam me up scottie]

23. You know what's next, don't you?

Smiling Iraqi child amputees thanking him on television.

I think I'm going mad.

I hope so.

It can't be any worse than this reality.

[cain_7777]

58. That "soldier" supports Bush because...

something as bad as losing both legs will push you in one of two directions. Either he would have become completely disillusioned by the war and his situation, becoming an activist against Bush, or he clings even tighter to Bush's propoganda about the war. He wants to believe that he didn't lose his legs for nothing. I don't agree with him, but he did sacrafice himself when he was called upon by our country and he has every right to be used in a photo op by Bush if he wants to. I do agree with you that it is sending the wrong signal to other "kids" who are still thinking about joining up to fight in Iraq, but I don't think Bush cares. by the way, I like a lot of your posts here on DU, "beam me up scottie."

[beam me up scottie]

59. Thank you, cain_777.

I think you are right.
I've said before that military families also cling to the illusion, because to do otherwise would force them to face the reality that their loved one was maimed or killed for a rich man's war of choice.

My brother just came back from Ramadi.

And you can bet your ass he's not spreading the lies.

That soldier does have a right to jog with a criminal and a murderer.

And I have the right to call him what he is.




btw, from what I've seen, you and I are on the same side of many issues.

A belated welcome to DU. :)

[tom_paine]

72. That was very well said. I agree.

n/t

[AllNamesHaveBeenUsed]

19. That kid requested to jog with Bush

That was the story on MSNBC this morning... The two met at Walter Reed AMC, about six months ago. The amputee said his dream, at the time (post injury), was to jog with the pResident.

[me b zola]

24. That doesn't make it any less obscene

...maybe more so.

[watercolors]

49. The kid is smart, he's using *!

I have a feeling politics are in his future. prez can photo op, but I think he was one up this time!

[Jawja]

61. And would have been appropriate for

* to jog with him with CAMERAS OFF. But he used it has a photo op and I really, really, really detest this piece of shit of a human being. :puke:

[goclark]

10. Mr. Bagge is a big supporter of Chimp's

[Critters2]

11. According to CNN

the kid asked the president for the opportunity to jog with him. I don't understand it...I'm just sayin'.

[Mabus]

20. I'm very cynical

and if I were even more cynical I would suggest that jogging with Bush helps Mr. Bagge's chances of selling his story for movie/book deals. :spank:

[Critters2]

21. Could very well be eom

[cynatnite]

13. bush acted like he was doing that guy a favor...

I caught that today on TV and that was the first thought I had after bush said something along the lines of 'this guy gets to run with the president'. Talk about fucking ego :eyes:

If anything, bush should be the one to be honored to run side by side with someone who put on a uniform for real and served his country. I don't care if the guy supports bush or not. He served and sacrificed...something bush doesn't have a clue about. This shit pisses me off :grr:

[ray of light]

39. good point!

And maybe the idea of jogging with the President was the hope this soldier needed to recover.

We can not flame this soldier for serving our country. If he supports Bush, it's his right and he fought for it. We have no proof that he'd use it to help the 'left'.

And I disagree with anyone who says that the left should use it. If the soldier is happy, then leave that situation alone. It's tacky to use someone. It's different if the soldier was making the statement.

[bullimiami]

14. either clever or stupider than his jogging partner.

[bdamomma]

17. it is just sickening

how bush keeps exploiting our troops, 9/11 anything for a photo op. Bush has no remorse and no shame. Geez, he is just a sick disgusting man.

[Canuckistanian]

22. I wonder if a German soldier, injured in Stalingrad

Would have posed with Hitler?

[w4rma]

25. That's the first picture of an amputee from this war I've seen in a major

newspaper. Maybe this picture will get more folks thinking about the healthcare that vets deserve that Repugs are defunding? Maybe this picture will get folks to think about the true costs of war and who is paying them? That's a very good photo.

[jillan]

26. That is soooo fucking sad.

[eleny]

27. Coulter asked who W has exploited

It was just the other night when she demanded the names of people who W exploited. She asked a Dem strategist. Here's another name to add to the growing list. Christian Bagge.

[Gold Metal Flake]

28. Your Kid Is Next.

Your Kid Is Next.

[Beausoir]

54. That gave me the chills. VERY effective.

[roguevalley]

29. its unbelievable the lifetime of pain he's facing. my sis lost her leg,

my dad part of his hand and even after decades, he still feels pain in the missing parts.

[Clarkie1]

30. I think you are wrong.

I don't think it will change anyone's opinion one way or the other. It's meant to show a patriotic American who has been wounded in Iraq supporting *...and by extension imply that the troops in general support *. That's how it will be interpreted by many. Of course, we here on DU see it differently.

[Qanisqineq]

35. I agree with you

...and by extension imply that the troops in general support *.

I think you hit the nail on the head.

[Rosco T.]

31. One of my Bumper Stickers/T-Shirts says it all...

www.cafepress.com/democatic

[procopia]

32. Here's another one

"Attached is a picture of Mike McNaughton. He stepped on a landmine in Afghanistan Christmas 2002. President Bush came to visit the wounded in the hospital. He told Mike that when he could run a mile, that they would go on a run together. True to his word, he called Mike every month or so to see how he was doing. Well, last week they went on the run, 1 mile with the president. Not something you'll see in the news, but seeing the president taking the time to say thank you to the wounded and to give hope to one of my best friends was one of the greatest/best things I have seen in my life. It almost sounds like a corny email chain letter, but God bless him."

http://www.snopes.com/politics/bush/jogging.asp

This was from 2003. The freepers thought this proved what a great guy Bush was.

[Terran1212]

33. How does he always look at the camera?

[ray of light]

41. true! There's this one from NOLA--look at his expression!

[doc03]

34. And that bitch says 911 widows use their husbands

death for political purposes!

[renate]

66. well said!

:applause:

[SoCalDem]

36. I saw this picture (or one just like it) MONTHS ago

and some of the people did turn away from him :evilgrin:

[procopia]

37. Was it the one on post 32?

That one was from 2003, and I saw it posted on freeper sites with comments like, "You gotta love this guy!"

[ray of light]

40. very cute image.

Can you make it appropriate for the election year and have it say "Republicans know what they're doing"?


(I just think we have to make sure people connect the dots between the W and the R.

[SoCalDem]

70. I did not make the image.. I found it online..

a fellow DUer (forgot who) did animate it..I'll try to find ourt who it was.. maybe they can change the words :)

[Straight Shooter]

38. He'll run with the maimed but he won't go to any funerals.

Sickening. Pathetic. Disgusting. Obscene. Vile, absolutely vile.

[alcibiades_mystery]

42. You give Americans too much credit

Most will dab a sentimental tear, talk about Bush's compassion (I mean, he's the President of the United States - he didn't have to give that man the time of day), and nod gravely about the need to stay the course.

Smile, Smile, Smile
by Wilfred Owen

Head to limp head, the sunk-eyed wounded scanned
Yesterday's Mail; the casualties (typed small)
And (large) Vast Booty from our Latest Haul.
Also, they read of Cheap Homes, not yet planned;
For, said the paper, "When this war is done
The men's first instinct will be making homes.
Meanwhile their foremost need is aerodromes,
It being certain war has just begun.
Peace would do wrong to our undying dead, -
The sons we offered might regret they died
If we got nothing lasting in their stead.
We must be solidly indemnified.
Though all be worthy Victory which all bought,
We rulers sitting in this ancient spot
Would wrong our very selves if we forgot
The greatest glory will be theirs who fought,
Who kept this nation in integrity."
Nation? - The half-limbed readers did not chafe
But smiled at one another curiously
Like secret men who know their secret safe.
This is the thing they know and never speak,
That England one by one had fled to France
(Not many elsewhere now save under France).
Pictures of these broad smiles appear each week,
And people in whose voice real feeling rings
Say: How they smile! They're happy now, poor things.

[Ganja Ninja]

43. I was hoping the guy would take one of his prosthetic legs off and

jam it up smirky ass.

[CanonRay]

44. The same thought struck me the minute I saw the video...

IF the Democrats have the balls to use it in an ad. Maybe Move-On?

[newportdadde]

45. Talk to the President? Either loose two legs or give Abramoff 100k.

[leftyladyfrommo]

46. tALK ABOUT A WHAT WERE THEY THINKING MOMENT

This is just ghastly!

Its like its all OK because we can just stick artificial legs on these guys and they are just fine.

I just can't believe they actually did this.

[blogslut]

47. I'm glad the young man

...was able to realize a dream scenario. If he supports that asshole, that's his choice. However, that photo is no recruiting poster. It doesn't make the war look any more justified. It doesn't make Dubya look any better.

[Cha]

57. Good point! It's

no damn "recruiting posting".

The jogger doesn't want to face reality that he lost his legs because of the guy's LIES jogging next to him.

How fucking sad is that?

[stanwyck]

69. Bush was the one who looked clumsy

and awkward. Clearly, he didn't want to do this photo opp. But how do you get out of something like that? Bush was knocked off balance, again, and it showed.

[Tracer]

48. There was a segment on this photo-op on my local news ...

... and the female "newsreader" introduced the film as a "poignant moment".

In order not to vomit, I immediately switched channels.

[tomreedtoon]

50. Idiots! This will "humanize" Bush to his base.

"See, he's jogging next to that poor unfortunate brave soldier. He really DOES care about military veterans and their families."

That's what everybody else will think when they see this picture.

The only way this could have been changed is if one of the Democratic "front-runners" had protested it, pointing out how many veterans and their families have been hurt because of Bush's decisions. And NONE of them did.

When will Democrats learn how to fight to win elections?

[ComerPerro]

51. Yeah right. If anything, Bushists will use this pic

as a way of showing how compassionate and caring Bush is, and how much Bush loves the troops.

The guy is a tool

[LeftHander]

53. Bush's legacy in pictures will haunt him forever.

This picture illustrates how blantantly dumb Republicans are on the Iraq war.

They think everything is normal. War is good for America and our President displays how strong he is. How much resolve HE has and how loyal our troops are.

But the vast majority of America will see the irony, sadness, anger and tragedy behind it. Bagge IS America in this picture. We have been crippled by a smiling doof in the White House and we pick ourselves up and run along side believing that all is normal and we will be okay. But we aren't okay. Our constitution is being torn apart and forces in this nation are trying to divide us everyday. They are making us poor, sick and stupid.

Images go beyond intended purpose. This is one of those images. Bush's Presidential legacy will be defined by images and his presidnecy if filled with irony. The short term benefit of the images is destroyed as time and truth work their way into the public perception of the events that generated these staged photo ops.

Kudos to the photographers who spotted these timeless images and made sure that they would not allow Bush to escape his place in history.

These images will stay with Bush forever. And will ultimately define his presidency. that is why it is pretty safe to say his is a failed Presidency.




What accomplishment?



Bush plays guitar like Nero as NOLA drowns.



The pure abject defeat of Bush in dealing with Katrina.



Look at the fear and panic.

[ComerPerro]

56. Like any of those pictures will ever be captioned in context

[NastyDiaper]

71. "Mission Accomplished" and "Katrina flyover" are my top 2.

In relative terms, I don't get the outrage in the OP.

[earth mom]

52. War is Peace, ain't that right?!

:puke:

I am sickened beyond words!

[lonestarnot]

55. Caption: Look what I did to this guy and he still likes me Heh heh heh

[butterfly77]

65. That sounds exactly like what he is thinking...

[smoogatz]

62. It's a complicated moment, all right.

I've read stories about amputee Iraq vets asking to be sent back to Iraq in order to rejoin their units. To my knowledge none have actually gone back. But here's this guy, by all appearances a fan of Bush--which is his right--taking the Pretzeldent up on his offer of a jog, and no doubt grateful for the opportunity. And there's Bush, simpering and smirking, thinking "What the fuck am I doing here, exactly?" Because obviously the message IS very mixed for those who are capable of thinking past the initial statement: Hey, look--there's President Bush jogging with a horribly wounded vet. But wait--isn't Bush responsible for getting the guy's legs blown off in the first place? As photo ops go, this one's only slightly less risky than Bush posing with, say, the bloated corpses of black people drowned in New Orleans. Rove must have been on the phone with Ken Blackwell when they set this thing up.

[eleny]

63. I wonder what demeaning nickname he gave this veteran? n/t

[truthpusher]

64. The photo you didn't see....

...was after the jog...when Bush and Christian were having a laugh. Christian had his legs off and was sitting on the ground while Bush was laughing and acting like the legs were his...putting his knees in the prosthetics and saying "hey look Christian...look at me...I got me some pretend legs...hey looky here...woooo...this is kind of fun" This brought a tremendous smile to Christians face as he thought to himself..."GW, he really does care...he can play with my legs anytime"

[uppityperson]

67. That's a positive way of looking at it.

Glad they both jog in shorts, shows a big difference.

[malaise]

68. The photo speaks volumes about his arrogance

His lies are responsible for Christian Bagge's devastating injuries but he feels that the young man is really privileged to be running with him.:puke: :puke: