Average

I am starting to feel sorry for Bush. I have a good education, but if you started parading me in front of world leaders with cameras flashing and shouted questions at me, I wouldn't know what to say, either. Guess that means I'm not qualified to be president, huh? Poor George. The strain must be tremendous.

Cindy

Hey Cindy, Gridlock might be the best thing for this country. " The Government that governs least, governs best." Thomas Jefferson Read your history books.

Cindy

Hey Cindy, Gridlock might be the best thing for this country. " The Government that governs least, governs best." Thomas Jefferson Read your history books.

mark

Ronald Regan amd George Bush Sr lied about Iran Contra. Nixon lied. JFK had sex with Marylin Monroe. Hoover wore fish net stockings. The ballot fiasco was nothing but lawyer hystrionics - either side would have done whatever it could have if the other side was winning. Politicians have been lying to the American public for a long time. (It's rumored that Mayor Guiliani took bribes - I wouldn't be surprised) Politics is a dirty game - the average American doesn't want to face this reality. When someone starts to scream about eithics/morality or political idealogy, I get very suspicious. Our constitution speaks of religious freedom - not tolerance. In other words, no one religion (political view point) is absolute. To have taken the stance that a certain religion was THE right one would have thrown our country into religious civil wars (much like Europe). I think the same can be said for political idealogy (republican or democratic). <BR>Shifting gears: <BR>When I hear someone talking about bringing morality back to the White House what is being pushed is a conservative lifestyle - it has nothing to do with who our President had sex with - it's about controlling people's lives. Hillary suffer's from the Fatal Attraction catch: if you're female, powerful and successful, you're perceived to be a psychopathic bitch. If you're a stay-at-home dismissive wife, then you're perceived as a good female. People who think we can turn back the clock to some nostalgic 50's-esque America are ignorant fools (I know that's a harsh appraisal). <BR>

rusty

Anona, you said you would be fired for doing what Clinton did. I have worked among the most respected organizations and place of work available and I can tell you, it goes on. Whereever you work now, if there are more than 20 people, two of them have something going on---and it could be the boss. The issue is it is kept a secret like it should be and people are not wearing microphones taping nd trying to sell to organiazations that are back by large amounts of money from a rival. I worked in a company where the President was well-respected, married and yet, he would venture out at the Christmas party and leave with one of the young women. I did not loose respect for him (or hold respect for him), but I knew it was none of my business and that gossiping or talking about it--- was not good. Sometimes you have to say--"it is none of my business---it is theirs." And yes, the women were willing and adults. (early twenties) just as Ms. Monica. It goes on everyday, but it does not make it right, but it is none of my business until it is my wife or daughter---than I should take care of it. No need to hire 1000 lawyers to catch someone in a lie and embarrassment. Look out your window at your neighborhood. Your neighbors are having affairs also. You know it is not right but you also know it is none of your business ! ! ! !

Erica

Didn't I see the America Firster making the racist comment on another thread? I couldn't tell the difference. <BR> <BR>Dubya (Dumbya, Shrub, President-Select, Commander-in-thief, take your pick) personifies the affimative action subhumans like you sterotype: someone who knows nothing and gets pushed along anyway. And Dubya's the very personification of this: he's gotten a Gentlemen's C through life (not to mention school), all of his businesses have been stunning failures (but always depends on others to bail him out, like the taxpayers did for brother Neil his failed S&L Silverado) and has people around at the ready to explain away his deficiencies and do the heavy lifting. Do you REALLY think people don't buy their way into universities? With the a family money tree like his, it's pretty hard to fail, and he's obviously tried hard to test the theory. The man can't even make a simple declarative sentence w/o extensive preparation. The media has lots of faults, but doesn't put words in his mouth...or perhaps they do in some "sublimable" way. <BR> <BR>And if you haven't noticed, there ARE other countries in the world other than ours! We have to be concerned a/b what goes on across our borders, our hemisphere, across the globe.

Come On

Specifics: <BR> <BR>Bush admits he doesn't like to read books. <BR> <BR>Just this year, Bush didn't know the names of several foreign leaders of countries that were in the news. <BR> <BR>Bush blundered late in the campaign by expressing outrage that the Democrats wanted Social Security to be "some kind of government program." <BR> <BR>Bush admits to having had an alcohol problem. <BR> <BR>Bush has been arrested twice. One was a DWI conviction, not just an arrest. The other was for stealing a wreath. <BR> <BR>Bush was ejected from a football game for drunk and disorderly. <BR> <BR>Bush's oil business failed. <BR> <BR>Bush had a problem with drugs. <BR> <BR>Bush lost his bid for Congress. <BR> <BR>Bush ran Texas during a time of unprecedented prosperity nationwide and declining crime. Also (and opinions differ on this) the governorship of Texas is more ministerial and less hands-on than other states. Bush has many limits on his power as govenor, such as the inability to spare a convict from the chair (he can only grant a 30-day reprieve). So his ability to govern really hasn't been tested. <BR> <BR>I don't understand why conservatives feel they have to make the case that Bush is smart and accomplished. You don't hear me saying Clinton is a faithful husband who would never tell a lie, do you? Just admit you man's shortcomings and move on. <BR> <BR>Anyway, this is all off the top of my head. I apologize if I got anything wrong, and I'm sure you'll all correct me if I do.

Closed Doors

Rusty," <BR>"It" probably does go on behind closed doors, but not in the CEO's office (oval office). The Oval Office belongs to the people. I don't want my tax dollars used this way.

Buyer

Well now, lets look at this from a historical perspective shall we? Every large, civilization/empire gets to a point where it slowly disintegrates and slips into the minor leagues.... I guess it's America's turn. When we can "sort of" elect a man, who doesn't know his "you know what" from a hole in the ground... who has a history of drug abuse and makes us the joke of the International community, by giving tax breaks to the ultra-rich and ....oh well I could go on and on, but I think I'll just take my money and reinvest in tobacco companies, insurance and big oil... because they are the real winners of this election.

Cindy

Touche, Cindy. Since I didn't think much of Bush's platform, gridlock might be better than some of Bush's proposals. <BR> <BR>By the way, I'm feeling a little de ja vu. Bush Sr. made tax policy promises ("read my lips") and then the economy soured and he had to break his pledge. Bush Jr. made tax policy promises too, and now the economy is starting to sour. So will Bush Jr. ram through the tax cuts anyway and risk a deficit, or will he abandon his promises? And will we forgive him either way? Hmmm.

All of us

Shirley: <BR>I'm glad you told us the STUFF about the economy that GWB doen"t know. His two companies were very successful. <BR> Tell us who you think should be Preident and why.

Come On

As for Bush's mastery of economic policy, see the above anecdotes from Duuuh and Gettin'. <BR> <BR>My understanding is that Bush's oil business failed, and George Sr. arranged a complex sweetheart buyout so Bush Jr. could claim victory.

SharonM

I had no idea we had so many interested Europeans in here! wow.

anona

Rusty: Point taken, but the fact that it happens does not make it right. And echoing what has been said, I don't want it happening in "my" (the taxpayers') oval office. What you and others may be questioning, though, is: Must you be a good person to be an effective leader? I'm afraid the answer is "no." And that could lead to an interesting debate or a regurgitation of Machiavelli (sp?) <BR>"Buyer": Please provide us with a little more of your analysis: Is the election of Bush a symptom or the start of the decline of the US? <BR>"Erica" can we refrain from calling names? Typically that indicates a weakness in our own position. <BR>And for all (and this gets back to the start of this post, perhaps): It is my understanding that a very good president, Harry S. Truman, had a fondness for wiskey (or was it scotch or bourbon), failed in business, and arguably came to power with the backing of an arguably criminal element in Kansas City. Yet, he was forthright and this made for a good president.

Rusty

"Closed Doors"---Me either, but it none of my business. What bothers me more is I don't want my tax dollars to go to some Fat Cat as a prop to keep him/her in gold and diamonds. Educate a child, offer a program to promote medical insurance at affordable rate, give it back to me. Again, it is none of business and it never was !!!!!!!!

please

Oh, please, JOhn, Mr. America First, you can't be for real, complaining that "Dubya" is disrespectful and not even the left liberal press uses it. The NY Post, which has one of the most right-wing editorial lines in the US, uses "Dubya" to refer to GWB almost daily. <BR> <BR>And sorry, folks, but Shrub's oil business failed miserably. Yes, he made millions on the sale of the Texas Rangers, but a) he only put up $200,000 to buy them, the rest was kicked in by his rich business friends, and b) he had nothing to do with the financial management of the team.

anon

Nobody is perfect. Regardless if GWB blew a million lines of coke in his life if he doesn't "blow it" in office I wouldn't hold his past against him. People make mistakes and people eventually learn from them....sometimes. <BR> <BR>Clinton's sexual affairs may not be any of my business, but it certainly does tell something about his judgement. <BR>

Just Say No

Sure, the mere fact that Bush did drugs doesn't make him unsuited for high office. The problem is the drug abuse fits into a larger picture of a guy who just isn't very serious about life and never was. Too bad the economy is going south. Perhaps George was hoping to ride the wave of Clinton's economy all the way to the beach. Looks like he might have to paddle himself instead. Uh oh.

Sheila

I hate to intrude on private grief... but the question was what we Europeans thought of him.<BR><BR>I'm with David West on this issue. But you guys sure have a problem with the great unifier..or he has a problem with you

Carole

Just got back from Europe & was ask about it a lot. They don't understand how someone with the experience of Gore could be beat by a non-intellectual. They attribute it to the fact that Americans need to like their president. Why non-intellectual--one of the news channels reported that one of its cameramen had a good view of Bush during a Q&A sessions with reporters. The reporter asked a "what do you think" question. Bush shuffled through his notecards and obviously didn't find any talking points on that topic so he made some non pertinent remark and moved on. Duh! <BR>You, who are not from TX, will find out how bad he can be and TX doesn't even have a strong governor system. <BR>Of course, they thought it was funny that the US, who has to oversee all these countries' elections for fraud should have had observers in FL. We are the 900-lb. gorilla and they enjoy us having some pains because we lord over them. And the ballots--they are really shocked that we have such arcane voting in the almost 21st century.