Krugman: Not the Fake Scandals I Expected

[ProSense]

Krugman: Not the Fake Scandals I Expected

OK, Republicans have surprised me, at least so far. Based on the experience of the Clinton years — not to mention all that stuff about how the Obama administration is the “most corrupt in modern times” — I expected a proliferation of fake scandals over mowing the White House lawn, or Sharia law presidential hit squads led by the reanimated corpse of Vince Foster, or something. Maybe that’s still in the pipeline.

But what we have so far are complaints that the president plays too much golf and is too into basketball.

If that’s the best they can come up with …

August 29: HURRICANE KATRINA — MOST DESTRUCTIVE HURRICANE EVER TO STRIKE THE U.S.



President George W. Bush joins Arizona Senator John McCain in a small celebration of McCain's 69th
birthday Monday, Aug. 29, 2005, after the President's arrival at Luke Air Force Base near Phoenix.
The President later spoke about Medicare to 400 guests at the Pueblo El Mirage RV Resort and Country Club
in nearby El Mirage. White House photo by Paul Morse

source




President George W. Bush and Margaret Cantrell break out in laughter on stage Monday, Aug. 29, 2005,
at the Pueblo El Mirage RV Resort and Country Club in El Mirage, Arizona. The 82-year-old retired
Scottsdale grandmother was on hand to lend support to the President's Conversation on Medicare.

source

Bush on track to become the vacation president

<...>

The presidential vacation-time record holder is the late Ronald Reagan, who tallied 436 days in his two terms. At 418 days, and with 17 months to go in his presidency, Bush is going to beat that easily.

Even so, this year's August vacation for Bush is a contrast to previous years such as 2005, when he dragged out vacation in Texas to five weeks. That was also the year Bush remained on vacation immediately after Hurricane Katrina hit.

<...>

487 Days At Camp David For Bush

<...>

Yes, that's 487 days. And Camp David is not even where the president has spent the most time when not at the White House: Knoller reports that Mr. Bush has made 77 visits to his ranch in Crawford during his presidency, and spent all or part of 490 days there.

<...>

President Barack Obama talks on the phone in the Oval Office with Homeland Security
Secretary Janet Napolitano and Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator
Craig Fugate regarding the earthquake in Japan and the tsunami warnings across the
Pacific, March 11, 2011. Listening in the background, from left, are: Assistant Press
Secretary Nick Shapiro, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security John Brennan;
Richard Reed, National Security Staff Senior Director for Resilience; and Daniel Russel,
National Security Staff Director Asian Affairs. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)


March 11 press conference:

<...>

Q Thanks, Mr. President. Experts say they can’t recall a time when the U.S. ever had to rush assistance to a nuclear power plant in another country before. What can you tell us about how serious this is with the U.S. rushing coolant to Japan because of the nuclear plant there?

<...>

THE PRESIDENT: On point number one, when I spoke to Prime Minister Kan, I specifically asked him about the nuclear plants and their potential vulnerability as a consequence of the earthquake. He indicated that they are monitoring the situation very closely. So far, they have not seen evidence of radiation leaks. But, obviously, you’ve got to take all potential precautions. And I’ve asked Steve Chu, our Energy Secretary, to be in close contact with their personnel to provide any assistance that’s necessary, but also to make sure that if, in fact, there have been breaches in the safety system on these nuclear plants, that they’re dealt with right away.

<...>

Q Japanese press -- Mr. President, from the Japanese media?

THE PRESIDENT: From the Japanese media, because of -- because, obviously, we’re concerned about what’s happening in Japan.

Q Thank you, Mr. President. I’m Toshi Ogata with Asahi Shimbun, a Japanese newspaper. I have two questions on the tragedy in Japan. You already touched on the issue in your opening statement. I’d like to ask about your personal feeling on the situation. You went to Japan last year; you went to Kamakura. Now a tsunami hit the coast of Japan and waves washed away cars and houses, and Japanese people are devastated. I just want to ask about your personal thoughts and feelings on that.

And secondly, you also touched on the possibility of assistance from the United States to Japan. And the Japanese government publicly said that Japan asked for help from U.S. forces in Japan. Are you ready to provide those assistance?

THE PRESIDENT: The answer to your second question is yes. And so I already told Prime Minister Kan that we will provide whatever assistance that they need. My understanding is that the main assistance that we’re going to be able to provide them is life capacity, the ability for us to I think help in the cleanup.

Obviously, when you have a tsunami like this as well as an earthquake, you have huge disruptions both in the infrastructure -- you have boats and houses and cars that are washed into main thoroughfares, and that requires heavy equipment. And so, any assistance that we can provide, we will be providing.

I’m heartbroken by this tragedy. I think when you see what’s happening in Japan you are reminded that for all our differences in culture or language or religion, that ultimately humanity is one. And when we face these kinds of natural disasters, whether it’s in New Zealand or Haiti or Japan, then you think about your own family and you think how would you feel if you lost a loved one, or if your entire lifesavings were gone because of the devastation.

And the Japanese people are such close friends of ours, and I have such a close personal friendship and connection to the Japanese people -- in part because I grew up in Hawaii where I was very familiar with Japanese culture -- that that just makes our concerns that much more acute.

But I am very confident, though, obviously, that the Japanese people are so resourceful, Japan is such a powerful economy and such an advanced economy technologically, that Japan will successfully rebuild. And it has experience dealing with natural disasters. It has dealt with them before and will deal with them again. And Japan, I’m sure, will come back stronger than ever -- hopefully with our help.

<...>

[Arkana]

1. The best they can do is say that he plays too much golf and basketball?

Haha, I knew electing a guy who was so straightlaced he makes Jimmy Carter look like a wild man would give them fits.

[dionysus]

2. some DUers say the same exact thing.... i'm waiting for someone to say "bracket-gate"

:shrug:

[RC]

3. "bracket-gate"

Whatever that is. (Not into sports)

[Arkana]

4. Obama filled out an NCAA Tournament bracket and was videotaped making his picks.

This, you see, makes him a horrible person and means that he hates workers in Wisconsin and tsunami victims in Japan and the rebels in Libya and he doesn't care about doing his job.

Because he took ten minutes out of one day to fill out a tournament bracket.

[checks-n-balances]

6. How can something be so pathetic & hilarious at the same time?

:eyes: :rofl:

[RC]

7. How horrible. Bush would never do anything like that!

Oh, wait... All those month long vacations Bush took might have this beat.

[ProSense]

5. Filling out a bracket

is the same as taking more than 120 vacation days each year.