Former President George W. Bush appeared on the Today Show this morning, and he sounded a lot more intelligent than I’ve ever given him credit for. Or perhaps it’s just the comparison to Trump. Among the former president’s observations:
“I consider the media to be indispensable to democracy. We need an independent media to hold people like me to account. Power can be very addictive and it can be corrosive. It’s important for the media to call to account people who abuse their power.”
I couldn’t have said it any better.
…it feels not a little weird to be thinking there’s a possibility he could have been this lucid 16-years (!) ago.
It’s bizarre, isn’t it? I despised him so much that my son made up some name for my Bush-induced emotional problem. And now he seems quite reasonable compared to Trump …
“And now he seems quite reasonable compared to Trump…”
…gawd that’s depressing.
I know. I haven’t words …
Never finished my comment, accidentally hit the enter key I suppose… Please Delete!
I understand what you mean about Bush sounding intelligent. By comparison to 45, he’s a Nobel Laureate.
Intelligent. Calm. Thoughtful. Who knew?
I submit that Bush hasn’t gotten any smarter at all, the comparison just makes him look that way. Who on god’s earth would have even thought we would be seriously discussing whether the press was essential to democracy? That’s a measure of just how far we’ve fallen in a month!
I’ve not written about it because the concept, and the man who proposed it, leave me dumbstruck.
I now kind of feel sorry for George Dubya, it’s always been obvious that he wasn’t the sharpest knife in the block, and he relied on the wrong people to give him the right advice. I could not come at his smug countenance.
The job was too big for him, and he should never have emulated his father (become POTUS), his father wasn’t that sharp, and I don’t think that daddy’s role model was that sharp either..
The US has only had a 40% success rate for the last 5 occupants of the Oval Office, which doesn’t say much for the voters of the US.
An aliens point of view of course,
“40% success rate”?
3 Republicans Bush 1 & 2 trump,
Clinton, Obama the 2 for the Dems
Got it. Math was never my strong suit.
So… all Democrats would be 100% ? LOL
I will not get into any argument with you on Pied pages; I have too much respect for Pied and her work.
LOL = Little Old Lady I believe!
I’ve been shocked by my own reaction to Bush’s latest comments about the press and the dangers of power. I found myself nodding and agreeing. I guess it’s all in the context, eh?
I do wonder if he’d have said these things when he was president. He’s had some time to think about it and gain some perspective. Still, you’d hope anyone running for president would already hold strong beliefs about and a deep understanding of democracy, a free press, and presidential powers and responsibilities.
A friend of mine had a great Facebook post today: “Has anyone besides myself noticed that former President George W. Bush remained almost entirely silent for eight years, refraining from any direct or even indirect criticism of Obama and/or his administration, but is now taking broad swipes at the current Republican president and his style of leadership?” I thought that was pretty astute.
I saw him on the Ellen show this afternoon, and that was my first thought — that he’d been absolutely silent for eight years and suddenly was speaking up again. He was promoting his memoir that’s just been released, but even the timing on that makes one wonder.
Oh, and I see he’s on Kimmel tonight, too. Definitely making the rounds for his book, but it doesn’t hurt that his opinions about a free press, etc., are getting lots of exposure now.
Not exactly a memoir
It’s categorized as biography and memoir, and he called it a memoir, so that works for me.
You’re right. Presidents can even call into question the definition of the word “is.”
LOL. Yep.
Funny how many people are saying this now. Time heals all wounds? HA HA
And he is a “free man” now – not a target or holding the responsibility anymore. Almost sounds grown up ( and away from his pushy father)
(OMG Perry is sec. of energy. We used rot say about him “Just like Bush but not as smart.”)
(I still think Bush was guilty of war crimes … )
Yeah, Perry is scary. Any grown man who thinks printing is a signature … If only that were the only problem. And Trump appointed him as secretary of the deparment he forgot and wanted to eliminate … Sheesh, I’m getting too old for all this nonsense.