(AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
Listen To You Tell Me Texas Friday 9/23/16
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Seldom am I disappointed by politicians. After 40-plus years of voting, my eyes are wide open. Like millions of people living in democratic societies, I am, with respect to political office seekers, appropriately cynical.
Yet I was gobsmacked this week by a man I have long admired.
Former president George H.W. Bush has himself now confirmed that he intends to vote for Hillary Clinton.
As my high school daughter and her friends constantly text to one another, OMG!
For his part, George W. Bush is ducking questions as to his intentions. That, of course, tells you everything.
I have long admired the Bush family. Bush the elder and Bush the younger are, in my estimation, two of the most fundamentally decent men ever to be president.
Neither was perfect. Neither achieved greatness while in office. (To be fair, in the weeks following the attacks of 9/11, George W. Bush was solidly on the greatness path.)
But they are both good men. While in office and in the years following, the Bushes 41 and 43 have been unfailingly honorable.
I speak from some personal knowledge of George W. Bush. He and I are members of the same Methodist church and we were on a first name basis before he ever ran for Texas governor. I like him.
And I completely understand why the Bushes don’t like Donald Trump.
Yet I am appalled by their stance on this election. As Alabama senator Jeff Sessions said in an interview this week, the Bushes are forgetting who supported them through four campaigns for president and five campaigns for governor.
Papa Bush’s declaration in favor of Hillary is sure to be used against Donald Trump. It thus is a thumb in the collective eye of millions of Republican voters hoping for a Trump victory – voters who, in years past, hoped with equal fervor for Bush victories.
And what about the pledge Jeb signed saying that he would support the Republican nominee, whomever that turned out to be?
Whether they mean to or not, the Bushes are validating the idea of an elite ‘establishment.’ They are acting like a dynastic political family more intent on remaining in good standing within their coterie rather than respecting those that support them.
The Bushes have never uttered a negative word in public about Barack Obama. That makes it harder still to understand such a sharp public rebuke of Donald Trump.
Moreover, it’s a violation of the William F. Buckley rule which says that you support the most conservative candidate who can win. For whatever flaws one might find in Donald Trump, he is certainly more conservative than Hillary Clinton.
The Bushes have the same right to vote as they see fit that you and I have. And Trump will either win or lose no matter what they say or how they vote.
Which is why I am so disappointed that Papa Bush tarnished my opinion of him so badly by not, at the very least, keeping his ballot box intentions to himself.
I reject any claim that any Bush has any fidelity to the Constitution and is a genuine patriot with allegiance to America, if they can vote for the most dangerous Marxist candidate ever to run for the Presidency. This type of Bushy idiot is either ignorant or is a full-fledged supporter of the elimination of our national identity and morals as founded in 1776 in favor of a global “box of chocolates” (internationalists) that promotes the subjugation of the individual to the whims of the international elite that would rule us as beasts of burden. What do you call 90% of the human population of the world that is “managed” by egomaniacal dictators? That is what tyranny is all about. Hillary is just one more con-artist to suck-in fools that will vote for her, such as these “phony patriots” like the sorry Bushes that are utterly without any redeeming social value, now, that they have exposed their real sympathies.
Jeb Bush, to me, as a life long conservative voter, is no GWB #43, when he {Jeb} was running for President in this 2016 race for The White House. He made policy statements and took positions which were completely out of sync with the concerns of American voters. Perhaps Jeb’s most serious error, was, that it was clear, he had ZERO intentions of securing our border. Donald Trump made that a priority when he first announced his candidacy on June 16, 2015. And citizens of the United States of America want our border and our visa system secured to protect the integrity of our Constitutional Republic.
A nation without a border cannot long remain a nation.
Jeb Bush, as a Republican, who gave his word as his bond signing the GOP pledge, should endorse the nominee, Donald Trump. His failure to do so, in my humble opinion, is sour grapes, which has led to the failure of the Bush Family to put forth their substantial political clout behind Mr. Trump to defeat Hillary Clinton. And sadly it appears, shockingly so, that GHWB #41 may well cast his ballot for the opposition party “the progressive democrat party” candidate Hillary Clinton! Ronald Reagan would have NEVER gone down that road – he would support the Republican nominee, Donald Trump. I still have hopes the Bush Family will too, because at this time in our history, our country is at stake as we know it, and as it was established by our Founding Fathers.
It was “papa” bush that uttered the NEW WORLD ORDER and evidently that is what he intends to head us into on a greased road to hell by voting for the most corrupt and ruthless individual in our political arena! Remember what “papa” bush utter that jerked him out of a second term…NO NEW TAXES, yet that is exactly what he intended to do, raise taxes. Junior did a lot for the Texas economy, but the one thing I was extremely disappointed in him on was the border. No president has made the concentrated effort to secure our borders, which is of a MAJOR concern now days with all the muslim terrorists coming in across our unsecured borders!!! I never cared for Jeb Bush because he was so wishy washyand was so transparent that all he was interested in was continuing the bush dynasty!!! We do not need that now in these perilous times we are in. We need someone who is willing to put the AMERICAN CITIZENS first! We were a great nation, but along the way we have allowed the likes of bill clinton and the resident illegal to destroy our military and render us almost toothless as far as military might goes. We need to shore up our military and make AMERICA GREAT ONCE MORE!!! The only way to do that is with TRUMP! A vote for the hildabeast is a vote for the destruction of this once great nation!!!
This one is really easy to understand. #41 would rather vote for a longtime establishment politician than for someone who will upset the establishment apple cart even though she is a lying un-indicted felon and socialist. It is simply a move to try to hang on to power. I believe he would have done the same if Cruz had won the nomination.
Only a former president can know what it takes to shoulder that responsibility.
Fine. Then vote accordingly and keep quiet. Don’t disrespect the millions of voters who once supported you by openly supporting the opponent of the candidate they support now.
RE “Vote accordingly and keep quiet:”
You’d be equally irked if Bush Sr. stated he WOULD vote for Trump?
And you’d be more comfortable if Cruz HADN’T now caved?
I’d be perfectly happy if Elder Bush came out in support of Trump. Ditto Cruz. That’s what you’re SUPPOSED to do for a member of your own political party. It’s when you decide to break ranks and vote for the other side that you should keep quiet. Speaking out is giving aid and comfort to the enemy. The point of the piece is that millions of Republican voters who are now supporting Trump that ONCE SUPPORTED THE BUSHES feel betrayed. And rightly so.
You don’t see that distinction?
Really?
It’s that “distinction” you tout that is so disappointing.
WHOEVER our-side-comes-up-with MUST be better than The Other Guys?
(And Trump is whoever in the extreme.)
And President Bush should bite his tongue? America owes him, end every president, a debt of gratitude. Unlike Trump, he displays conscience, and sticks-up for his sons, good decent men whom Trump has insulted.
But hey, nobody can say KTBB isn’t a big tent. While you’re damning President Bush, joker TED CRUZ now skates out of the penalty box to which you so recently sent him? And there’s absolution for Trump, previously a Democrat, until his recent convenient conversion?
Wave the GOP team colors now.
You may look back on this differently in the future.
http://www.newsweek.com/some-things-are-more-important-party-loyalty-501786
Yes, all wonderful and I couldn’t agree more. But the article is about GOVERNING. We’re still in the ELECTION. You don’t get to govern until you’re elected.
This is election is not of the day and time of Daniel Patrick Moynihan. For whatever reservations I might have about Donald Trump, and I have them, they are as nothing compared to my reservations about Hillary Clinton. As I have said in this space now multiple times, Donald Trump MAY turn out to be a disaster. But Hillary Clinton will most CERTAINLY be a catastrophe. Given the choice between possible disaster and certain catastrophe, I have no trouble making a decision.
And neither should Elder Bush.
And one more thing: If “only a former president can know what it takes to shoulder that responsibility” then by the logic of your argument, presidents should only be selected by former presidents. We mere voters are, by your reasoning, not sufficiently qualified to judge.
Really?
After four years, Candy Crowley will be relieved to read here that you’re now diagramming MY sentence instead of hers.
To clarify, I’ll re-phrase: “WHO BETTER than a former president could understand the responsibility a president shoulders?”
Try your pretzel logic on that.
There is no “pretzel logic” here. As my dad used to say, “If you can’t help me, boy, at least don’t hurt me.” I have boundless respect for George H.W. Bush. I just think that if he is unable, in good conscience, to help Donald Trump, he is obligated to avoid hurting him.
Paul, the arrogance of the supreme, self-worshiping, egomaniacal elite that continue to dismiss us “cattle” as incapable of thinking for ourselves, never ceases to amaze me. That is why we ordinary citizens are always in jeopardy of losing our freedoms when these elite are determined to force power over our “unalienable rights” to accomplish their demented goals of ultimate tyranny (with them in charge, of course). You don’t have to be a despicable dictator to believe that a free society should be abolished in order to reach their Utopian vision, hence, the incurable Progressives that have plagued our society, and always will.
The Progressive DNA Disease (PDNAD) apparently has no cure, once infected. Maybe it came from outer space. Normal human beings as they grow up, learn “humility” as they recognize their “fallibility”. That is why the Constitution is such a brilliant document. It comprehends the evil nature of some men to want to rule over others that are deemed to be their inferiors. The Constitution is the immunization that can protect us from PDNAD, if we would only follow it.
RE “Donald Trump MAY turn out to be a disaster. But Hillary Clinton will most CERTAINLY be a catastrophe:”
OK then.
That settles it.
But what’re you doing in Texas? If you know what’s-about-to-happen with SUCH certainty, run-do-not-walk to the high stakes table in Vegas and clean ’em out?
Unless you were among those singing-along with predictions by Mr. Newt and other cocksure soreheads who so-specifically pegged the Dow (thru the floor) and gas prices (thru the roof) by the time B. Hussein Obama dropped the microphone.
Hillary Clinton is a known quantity and that quantity is that her politics would have all the finesse of a “wayward out of control wrecking ball” on The United States of America as founded as a Constitutional Republic “Of, By, and For The People.” I don’t see how ANY person in good conscience could EVER cast a ballot for Hillary Clinton. She is diametrically the opposite of everything I believe in about AMERICA, that our nation is EXCEPTIONAL, that this a country of people of GOODWILL not of bigotry which she has tried to tar & feather Mr. Trump with who most certainly is NOT a racist. She does not recognize that “political correctness” is “killing” our grand country, and the if she is elected, The Supreme Court thus The Constitution will be imperiled, and our country lost in the chaos of a corrupt administration the likes of which we have never known. NEVER>Hillary.
Go TRUMP!
President George H.W. Bush may or may not be voting for Hillary, as this has not been verified by anyone; only a leaked Facebook post by Kathleen Kennedy Townsend. I would not believe anything that is hearsay and released by this Progressive and Hillary supporter. However, at the advanced age and questionable mental capacity of Pres. GHWB, I would not be surprised if he cast a write in ballot for Donald Duck……”read my lips”? Yes,Paul, GW deserves a lot of credit for his leadership after the 9/11 attacks, but he also deserves our criticism for some of the bonehead decisions he made, especially in addressing the financial crisis near the end of his term. As you point out, he also deserves our scorn for not defending conservatism while President Obama was shredding the constitution and ridiculing his administration; however, he is perfectly willing to criticize the Republican candidate. In the final analysis, Trump may be better off without any of the Bush dynasty support.
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/10/barbara-bush-poses-in-werewithher-photo-229008#ixzz4LvzfkFjZ
Perhaps the Bush family cannot support a game show host with a serious personality disorder that causes him to lie even when he knows he is lying. Someone with zero experience GOVERNING. Someone with excessive experience declaring pompous privilege while defaulting on debt. Someone who has no problem publicly discussing with his wife, their sex like de on a national radio program. You can cover your world in goldplate and call yourself ‘class’ but you fool no one except another fool. Now can one buy humilty or peace. President Reagan is turning over in his grave over the RNC nominee. G-d bless the Bush family. They do care about America and the presidency.