GWB surprises troops at DFW airport

[GannonFan]

While you can certainly argue and look poorly upon his tenure as President for a host of reasons, the one thing that almost always came across was that he certainly seemed like a very down to earth and decent person.

LMAO at the Uber-conks on this thread

So I'm now classified as an "uber-conk"? Wow, who knew? I think Bill Clinton would be a good guy to hang around with too, what does that get me tarred with now?

[Benne]

Class move.

[Grizalltheway]

I'm not giving him any Brownie points for this. He started this damn war in Iraq. He needs to do this until ALL of our Brave Men and Women come home.

He'll be at it a while though cuz your boy ain't doing shit to get them out of there is he?

I mean at least he isn't sending any more right? I'll give ya that I guess...

All combat troops will be out of Iraq by the end of the month...

[GSUAlumniEagle]

I'm not giving him any Brownie points for this. He started this damn war in Iraq. He needs to do this until ALL of our Brave Men and Women come home.

Ya know, I was having lunch with a coworker of mine yesterday who is a conservative and still in the military. Did a tour in Afghanistan, the whole shebang. We debate politics a lot, but in a very cordial manner. He's become my favorite person in my office. Learned a lot from him.

The more we get into Obama's term the more I realize that perhaps GWB wasn't as bad as I thought. And I know the joke here will be "Haha, you think Obama sucks now too." Nope. I still agree with Obama on most issues. But on the war policy and privacy note, I've had to do some reflection. Before he left office, I had in my head that somehow GWB had a watered down view of privacy of the American people and a watered down view of human rights in regards to "soldiers" (and I do use that term VERY loosely when it comes to the people we're fighting). When Obama campaigned on those things, it was obviously preaching to the choir.

But many/most of those things haven't changed since inauguration day. So while reflecting, eventually I've had to come to the realization that maybe, just maybe, the fact is that this world is so eternally fucked up that when Obama read his first briefing memo he realized that maybe GWB wasn't so batshit crazy after all. Perhaps as bad as we all think it is over there, it's much worse when you actually have to read a confidential military briefing.

So yea, that being said. Let's get back on topic. One thing I'll never say about GWB is that he's a bad guy. All the props in the world for him doing this.

[Wedgebuster]

LMAO at the Uber-conks on this thread

So I'm now classified as an "uber-conk"? Wow, who knew? I think Bill Clinton would be a good guy to hang around with too, what does that get me tarred with now?

Nah! Never seen an "Uberconk"post from the reasonable one. Just got a bang out of the down to earth and decent part of your post.

I'll agree, he comes off as the guy you would enjoy a beer with. I have a lot of doubts he is really as decent as his fans portray, and that he promotes him self as. Too damn many shady oil buddy buddy and kissy face with Saudi royalty dealings for me to ever consider him as a shoo in for a honesty medal of honor.

Guy was a terrible president, and if the twin towers had not been attacked (on his watch ) and had he not that great photo opportunity with the old firefighter on the rubble pile, he would have nothing to show for his first term, and it would have been his last. The chicken hawks did a fabulous job of keeping the populace scared to death, and them in power. They did a wonderful job of baiting and switching to paint Iraq as the bad guys after 9/11 and posters here still believe they had a hand in the attacks, it had nothing to do about oil, no bid contracts to Haliburton was a-ok, and Elvis lives in Jackson Hole.

[BDKJMU]

Class move but dare I say I was kind of thinking along the lines of mrklean's post...

It would be a classier move if his family weren't bidniz associates of the bin Laden family.


Worst President Ever.

Peanut Farmer

[JohnStOnge]

LMAO at the Uber-conks on this thread still wanting to worship and slather slobber upon the extremely microscopic testicles of this deposed ex-president of the most least intelligence in our nations history.

1) Bush was not "deposed." He won both his elections and was not eligible to run for a third term.

2) I have to kind of figure out what you mean by "most least intelligence." But I'll try to cover it with two lines of thought.

If you're talking about people voting for him, exit polls consistently imply the the least intelligent vote overwhelmingly for the Democratic candidate in Presidential elections. By that I mean Democratic candidates consistently enjoy overwhelming majority support among the least educated and lowest income groups. He was not supported by the "least intelligent."

If you are talking about his intelligence, his SAT score was 1206 after taking the test in the 1960s. If you go to http://www.iqcomparisonsite.com/Pre1974SAT.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; you will see that would result in estimating his IQ at 129. Given the standard deviation of the IQ test referenced, that would put him at about the 97th percentile of the population in terms of intelligence. Now, there is some error there. But the bottom line is that he is WAY more intelligent than average. More intelligent than most of the people who insist on calling him stupid.

Frankly, when people say "Bush is stupid" they simply confirming their own ignorance.

BTW. It's impossible to find anyting to provide objective insight into Obama's intelligence. Try finding HIS test scores on line. You'll fail. I think that's interesting.

Remember, presenting a nice TV image and appearing articulate and intelligence are not the same thing. John F. Kennedy, who was directly tested and found to have an IQ of 119, killed Richard Nixon in terms of looking and sounding good on TV even though Nixon had an IQ of 143.

Me, I think the idea that Obama is an intellectual giant is a complete myth. But I can't know because any objective evidence one way or another is conspicuously hard to find.

[houndawg]

LMAO at the Uber-conks on this thread still wanting to worship and slather slobber upon the extremely microscopic testicles of this deposed ex-president of the most least intelligence in our nations history.

1) Bush was not "deposed." He won both his elections and was not eligible to run for a third term.

2) I have to kind of figure out what you mean by "most least intelligence." But I'll try to cover it with two lines of thought.

If you're talking about people voting for him, exit polls consistently imply the the least intelligent vote overwhelmingly for the Democratic candidate in Presidential elections. By that I mean Democratic candidates consistently enjoy overwhelming majority support among the least educated and lowest income groups. He was not supported by the "least intelligent."

If you are talking about his intelligence, his SAT score was 1206 after taking the test in the 1960s. If you go to http://www.iqcomparisonsite.com/Pre1974SAT.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; you will see that would result in estimating his IQ at 129. Given the standard deviation of the IQ test referenced, that would put him at about the 97th percentile of the population in terms of intelligence. Now, there is some error there. But the bottom line is that he is WAY more intelligent than average. More intelligent than most of the people who insist on calling him stupid.

Frankly, when people say "Bush is stupid" they simply confirming their own ignorance.

BTW. It's impossible to find anyting to provide objective insight into Obama's intelligence. Try finding HIS test scores on line. You'll fail. I think that's interesting.

Remember, presenting a nice TV image and appearing articulate and intelligence are not the same thing. John F. Kennedy, who was directly tested and found to have an IQ of 119, killed Richard Nixon in terms of looking and sounding good on TV even though Nixon had an IQ of 143.

Me, I think the idea that Obama is an intellectual giant is a complete myth. But I can't know because any objective evidence one way or another is conspicuously hard to find.

That's only because you're busy falling in love with the sound of your own bullshit.

Harvard Law Review.

[Baldy]

While you can certainly argue and look poorly upon his tenure as President for a host of reasons, the one thing that almost always came across was that he certainly seemed like a very down to earth and decent person.

Albeit not the type of great inspirational leader who would without regard for his own personal safety ( ) lead a contingent of conscripts up San Juan hill either.

Then again, I don't think Bush would declare an entire race of people as "imbeciles" or "degenerates" like the 'tard who rode up San Juan Hill did, either.

Just sayin;...

[CID1990]

Albeit not the type of great inspirational leader who would without regard for his own personal safety ( ) lead a contingent of conscripts up San Juan hill either.

Then again, I don't think Bush would declare an entire race of people as "imbeciles" or "degenerates" like the 'tard who rode up San Juan Hill did, either.

Just sayin;...

I prefer not to to judge too harshly people of earlier days through the lens of modern morality.

[Gil Dobie]

Can't believe a whole thread and Wedgie didn't mention Sarah Palin and Houndy didn't mention NDSU's team speed.

[CID1990]

Can't believe a whole thread and Wedgie didn't mention Sarah Palin and Houndy didn't mention NDSU's team speed.

Like Bill Maher, they put too many miles on that schtick and the wheels have now fallen off it.

[houndawg]

Can't believe a whole thread and Wedgie didn't mention Sarah Palin and Houndy didn't mention NDSU's team speed.

I would have mentioned their team speed if they had any.

Sarah Palin is faster, she could start for the Bison.

[Gil Dobie]

Can't believe a whole thread and Wedgie didn't mention Sarah Palin and Houndy didn't mention NDSU's team speed.

I would have mentioned their team speed if they had any.

Sarah Palin is faster, she could start for the Bison.

You ain't nothin' but a houndog

[Col Hogan]

He'll be at it a while though cuz your boy ain't doing **** to get them out of there is he?

I mean at least he isn't sending any more right? I'll give ya that I guess...

All combat troops will be out of Iraq by the end of the month...

You believe that, don't you...

50,000 U.S. troops will remain in Iraq...do you think they won't have weapons...won't be involved in shooting incidents...that they'll have no combat ability...

What is out of Iraq are the large combat maneuver elements...Special Forces remain...military police, intelligence, combat aviation, etc...will all be there...

Yea...all combat troops will be out of Iraq by the end of the month...

[houndawg]

I would have mentioned their team speed if they had any.

Sarah Palin is faster, she could start for the Bison.

You ain't nothin' but a houndog

[Chizzang]

A ridiculous to defend - impossible to explain - war about nothing...
Where the only clear winner were a few corporations

[native]

...The chicken hawks did a fabulous job of keeping the populace scared to death, and them in power. They did a wonderful job of baiting and switching to paint Iraq as the bad guys after 9/11 and posters here still believe they had a hand in the attacks, it had nothing to do about oil, no bid contracts to Haliburton was a-ok, and Elvis lives in Jackson Hole.

1. "Chicken Hawks" did not create 9/11 or make it up, unlike the Obama inner circle which routinely gyrates from one manufactured crisis to another, pouring gas instead of water on the flames after starting the fire in the first place....health care "crisis," financial "crisis," global warming "crisis..."
2. It was a good idea to get rid of Saddam Hussein. It was a bad idea to get rid of the Republican Guard and Baath Party.
3. Iraq is the geo-strategic center of the middle east. Unlike the rest of the Arab world, it had an educated, religiously pluralistic, urban, secular middle class and a potentially powerful economy with the possibility of becoming a peaceful, stable and functioning democracy. Unfortunately, the Bush team had no more idea of how to do nation building than Clinton's team in the Balkans, but were better at it in Iraq than is Obama's team in Afghanistan.
4. Haliburton is both an example of the Bush team's lack of preparedness to chew what they bit off, and an irrelevant excuse for you to whine.

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

Then again, I don't think Bush would declare an entire race of people as "imbeciles" or "degenerates" like the 'tard who rode up San Juan Hill did, either.

Just sayin;...

I prefer not to to judge too harshly people of earlier days through the lens of modern morality.

Nice. I can't remember what thread but that was my take a while back too. I think it's funny that we put our judgment's from modern day on those that came before us from much harsher and different times that allowed us to develop these modern day moralities.

[mrklean]

...The chicken hawks did a fabulous job of keeping the populace scared to death, and them in power. They did a wonderful job of baiting and switching to paint Iraq as the bad guys after 9/11 and posters here still believe they had a hand in the attacks, it had nothing to do about oil, no bid contracts to Haliburton was a-ok, and Elvis lives in Jackson Hole.

1. "Chicken Hawks" did not create 9/11 or make it up, unlike the Obama inner circle which routinely gyrates from one manufactured crisis to another, pouring gas instead of water on the flames after starting the fire in the first place....health care "crisis," financial "crisis," global warming "crisis..."
2. It was a good idea to get rid of Saddam Hussein. It was a bad idea to get rid of the Republican Guard and Baath Party.
3. Iraq is the geo-strategic center of the middle east. Unlike the rest of the Arab world, it had an educated, religiously pluralistic, urban, secular middle class and a potentially powerful economy with the possibility of becoming a peaceful, stable and functioning democracy. Unfortunately, the Bush team had no more idea of how to do nation building than Clinton's team in the Balkans, but were better at it in Iraq than is Obama's team in Afghanistan.
4. Haliburton is both an example of the Bush team's lack of preparedness to chew what they bit off, and an irrelevant excuse for you to whine.

I can't believe you really said this!

[native]

1. "Chicken Hawks" did not create 9/11 or make it up, unlike the Obama inner circle which routinely gyrates from one manufactured crisis to another, pouring gas instead of water on the flames after starting the fire in the first place....health care "crisis," financial "crisis," global warming "crisis..."
2. It was a good idea to get rid of Saddam Hussein. It was a bad idea to get rid of the Republican Guard and Baath Party.
3. Iraq is the geo-strategic center of the middle east. Unlike the rest of the Arab world, it had an educated, religiously pluralistic, urban, secular middle class and a potentially powerful economy with the possibility of becoming a peaceful, stable and functioning democracy. Unfortunately, the Bush team had no more idea of how to do nation building than Clinton's team in the Balkans, but were better at it in Iraq than is Obama's team in Afghanistan.
4. Haliburton is both an example of the Bush team's lack of preparedness to chew what they bit off, and an irrelevant excuse for you to whine.

I can't believe you really said this!

Please read carefully what I said and what I did not say, kleanie. There is nothing extraordinary, beyond the pale, or untruthful in my words. I am not denying that oil played a part in Bush's geostrategic calculations. In fact, I am joining you lefties in excoriating the Bush team for poor pre-combat planning and post-combat execution of nation building tasks in Iraq. I neither support nor oppose his decision to go into Iraq. In hindsight, I can see both sides.

Like it or not, here's where you guys usually go way off the tracks:
1. Oil alone may not be a sufficient reason for geostrategic decisions, but it is certainly a valid component of any geostrategic calculation.
2. Haliburton may have made some mistakes and should be held to account, but Haliburton is not nearly as inexcusably corrupt and evil as, say, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, or the GM/Chrysler bailout deal, or for that matter the healthcare deal.
3. The leftie complaints about WMD are a canard. Everybody important besides GWB thought they were there, the Chinese, Russians, French and Germans were caught red-handed breaking the UN oil embargo in exchange for providing non-humanitarian technical support for various weapons programs, and some of it was there and ready to be used, as evidenced by the large stocks of captured atropine.

[01lugrad]

He'll be at it a while though cuz your boy ain't doing **** to get them out of there is he?

I mean at least he isn't sending any more right? I'll give ya that I guess...

All combat troops will be out of Iraq by the end of the month...

You are aware that W was the one who negotiated the timetable for the withdrawl of US forces with the Iraqi PM before leaving office in 2008, right? Did Hope and Change forget to mention that during his "This is All Bush's Fault But Don't Blame Other People For Your Problems" tour across the country?

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

I can't believe you really said this!

Please read carefully what I said and what I did not say, kleanie. There is nothing extraordinary, beyond the pale, or untruthful in my words. I am not denying that oil played a part in Bush's geostrategic calculations. In fact, I am joining you lefties in excoriating the Bush team for poor pre-combat planning and post-combat execution of nation building tasks in Iraq. I neither support nor oppose his decision to go into Iraq. In hindsight, I can see both sides.

Like it or not, here's where you guys usually go way off the tracks:
1. Oil alone may not be a sufficient reason for geostrategic decisions, but it is certainly a valid component of any geostrategic calculation.
2. Haliburton may have made some mistakes and should be held to account, but Haliburton is not nearly as inexcusably corrupt and evil as, say, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, or the GM/Chrysler bailout deal, or for that matter the healthcare deal.
3. The leftie complaints about WMD are a canard. Everybody important besides GWB thought they were there, the Chinese, Russians, French and Germans were caught red-handed breaking the UN oil embargo in exchange for providing non-humanitarian technical support for various weapons programs, and some of it was there and ready to be used, as evidenced by the large stocks of captured atropine.

My favorite thing about that canard is that you could have talked to about anybody and all believed that Iraq had WMD's up to and including the Clinton administration.

[Grizalltheway]

All combat troops will be out of Iraq by the end of the month...

You are aware that W was the one who negotiated the timetable for the withdrawl of US forces with the Iraqi PM before leaving office in 2008, right? Did Hope and Change forget to mention that during his "This is All Bush's Fault But Don't Blame Other People For Your Problems" tour across the country?

Payback for Reagan stealing Carter's thunder with the hostage crisis.

[Ursus A. Horribilis]

You are aware that W was the one who negotiated the timetable for the withdrawl of US forces with the Iraqi PM before leaving office in 2008, right? Did Hope and Change forget to mention that during his "This is All Bush's Fault But Don't Blame Other People For Your Problems" tour across the country?

Payback for Reagan stealing Carter's thunder with the hostage crisis.

I know you're joking on that one.