Difference between revisions of "George Walker Bush"

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'''George Walker Bush''' was sworn into office as the 43rd President of the United States on January 20, 2001[http://www.whitehouse.gov/president/gwbbio.html], with a minority of the popular vote, after [[U.S. election irregularities in 2000|a contested election debacle]] which was reviewed up through the [[Supreme Court]]. A [http://uselectionatlas.org/INFORMATION/ARTICLES/pe2000timeline.php detailed timeline of events] notes that on December 13, 2000, the President-elect pledged in his acceptance speech "to deliver reconciliation and unity to a divided nation." The pledge was not fulfilled. In fact, what occurred was very much the opposite of what was pledged. He gained a second term in November 2004 by what evidence indicates to be [[U.S. election irregularities in 2000|another manipulated and flawed election process]].
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{{Navbar-Bush administration}}
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'''George Walker Bush''' was sworn into office as the 43rd President of the United States on January 20, 2001 [http://www.whitehouse.gov/president/gwbbio.html], with a minority of the popular vote, after [[U.S. election irregularities in 2000|a contested election debacle]] which was reviewed up through the [[Supreme Court]]. A [http://uselectionatlas.org/INFORMATION/ARTICLES/pe2000timeline.php detailed timeline of events] notes that on December 13, 2000, the President-elect pledged in his acceptance speech "to deliver reconciliation and unity to a divided nation." He gained a second term in November 2004.
  
 
==Profiles==
 
==Profiles==
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George W. Bush was born July 6, 1946, in New Haven, Connecticut, to parents [[George H.W. Bush]] and [[Barbara Bush]]. Bush spent some childhood in Midland and Houston, Texas.  
 
George W. Bush was born July 6, 1946, in New Haven, Connecticut, to parents [[George H.W. Bush]] and [[Barbara Bush]]. Bush spent some childhood in Midland and Houston, Texas.  
  
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Bush married [[Laura Welch Bush|Laura Welch]], a "former teacher and librarian, and they have twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna."[http://www.whitehouse.gov/president/gwbbio.html]
 
Bush married [[Laura Welch Bush|Laura Welch]], a "former teacher and librarian, and they have twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna."[http://www.whitehouse.gov/president/gwbbio.html]
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{{Template:AntiEnvironmentalArchives}}
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==Bush burnishes his "conservation credentials"==
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[[Image:Bush owl.jpg|thumb|President Bush with screech owl at Patuxent Research Refuge-Endangered Crane Complex, Laurel, Maryland, October 20, 2007]]
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"President Bush used highly choreographed [opinion] photo-ops in Maryland in an effort to 'burnish his conservation credentials.' He looked 'slightly askance' with a screech owl on his hand, remarking, 'Cute little fellow.' He also joked that he loves fishing, but 'the Secret Service won't let me [[Dick Cheney's Hunting Accident|go hunting' with]] Vice President [[Dick Cheney|Cheney]] anymore."<ref>[http://thinkprogress.org/2007/10/20/bush-uses-photo-ops-to-angle-for-conservation-status/ "Bush uses photo-ops to ‘angle for conservation stature',"] ''Think Progress'', October 20, 2007.</ref><ref>[http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/10/20071020-2.html News Release: "President Bush Discusses Migratory Bird Conservation
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Patuxent Research Refuge - Endangered Crane Complex,"] Laurel, Maryland, Office of the White House Press Secretary, October 20, 2007.</ref>
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==Bush: [["We're kicking ass" in Iraq]]==
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==Bush: success equals "comfortable" level of violence in Iraq ==
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While addressing the [[war on terror]] in his May 2, 2007, [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/05/20070502-2.html speech] to the [[Associated General Contractors of America]] at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C., Bush said:
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:"Success is not, no violence. There are parts of our own country that have got a certain level of violence to it. '''But success is a level of violence where the people feel <u>comfortable</u> about living their daily lives. And that’s what we’re trying to achieve.'''" (Emphasis added.)
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==Bush: "I'm the commander guy"==
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In the same May 2, 2007, [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/05/20070502-2.html speech], Bush said:
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:"By the way, in the report it said, it is -- the government may have to [[McCain doctrine|put in more troops]] to be able to get to that position. And that's what we do. We put in more troops to get to a position where we can be in some other place. The question is, who ought to make that decision? The Congress or the commanders? '''And as you know, my position is clear -- I'm the <u>commander guy</u>.'''" (Emphasis added.)
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Video link [http://thinkprogress.org/2007/05/03/video-im-the-commander-guy/ here].
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==Bush the "Decider": "I'm the decision-maker"==
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While speaking to reporters after meeting with his top military commanders on January 26, 2007, Bush said that on matters relating to the escalation of troop levels in Iraq&mdash;"I'm the decision-maker." [http://www.abcnews.go.com/Politics/wireStory?id=2826051]
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See MSNBC [http://video.msn.com/v/us/msnbc.htm?g=05a1123d-f3e7-46b1-b6af-d0bb2bb99f72&f=00&fg=copy video] of Bush speaking to reporters.
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See [http://thinkprogress.org/2007/09/20/bush-decider-petraeus/ "The Decider: 'People Listen To Petraeus, Not To Me',"] ''Think Progress'', September 20, 2007.
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Also see related [[troop surge in Iraq]].
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==George W. Bush's War==
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"[[Bob Woodward]] is wrong. [[Colin Powell]] is wrong. The [[National Intelligence Estimate]] is wrong. [[Brent Scowcroft]] is wrong. The [[Rumsfeld and the Generals|retired generals]] are wrong. [[Richard Clarke]] is wrong. The [[International Atomic Energy Agency]] is wrong. The [[United Nations]] is wrong. [[Bill Clinton]], [[Jimmy Carter]] and all the [[Democratic Party|Democrats]] are wrong. Your common sense and all the news you read are wrong.
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"George W Bush and his dog Barney are right. The last time a man listened to his dog, people got killed. This time is no different."&mdash;[[Taylor Marsh]] [http://www.taylormarsh.com/archives_view.php?id=24624 wrote] October 8, 2006.
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{{Show badges| Tobaccowiki}}
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==Bush and the tobacco industry==
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George W. Bush, his family and many members of his administration have been friendly towards tobacco companies.  Bush's chief political advisor [[Karl Rove]] carried on a dual role as a paid lobbyist for [[Philip Morris]] while also advising George W. Bush when he was Governor of Texas.  Ex-Wisconsin Governor [[Tommy Thompson]], Bush's appointment to head the Department of Health and Human Services, was also friendly to tobacco companies, having taken several trips funded substantially by tobacco companies, according to CorpWatch.[http://www.corpwatch.org/article.php?id=896]  After his failed reelection bid, George H.W. Bush, (G.W. Bush's father) rode in [[Philip Morris]] corporate aircraft, gave talks on behalf of PM, accepted honoraria paid by the cigarette maker and helped PM promote its [[Accommodation Program]].[http://legacy.library.ucsf.edu/tid/vvf94a00]
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As of June 2007, President Bush has refused to sign onto the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, a global treaty designed to  reduce the toll of death and disease caused by tobacco worldwide.  As of June 2007, 148 countries had signed the treaty.[http://www.who.int/tobacco/framework/en/] 
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==[[George W. Bush: The Lame Duck President|The Lame Duck President]]==
  
 
=="The Wastrel Son"==
 
=="The Wastrel Son"==
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:". . . Bush wouldn't have to worry so much about performance if he had a compelling life story to give him gravitas.  Unfortunately for him, he's had the least eventful personal history of any major political figure in modern memory.  Until his 1994 election as governor of Texas, Dubya lived deep in his father's shadow. President Bush was an academic and athletic star at Andover and Yale, a war hero and successful oilman. George W. was an academic slacker at the same schools, a mediocre athlete, a member of the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War and an unsuccessful oilman. Before politics, he was probably best known for the nicknames he attached to people--a hipper and more sarcastic version of the ''Saturday Night Live'' character who gives everyone he meets a name while 'makin' copies.' . . ."
 
:". . . Bush wouldn't have to worry so much about performance if he had a compelling life story to give him gravitas.  Unfortunately for him, he's had the least eventful personal history of any major political figure in modern memory.  Until his 1994 election as governor of Texas, Dubya lived deep in his father's shadow. President Bush was an academic and athletic star at Andover and Yale, a war hero and successful oilman. George W. was an academic slacker at the same schools, a mediocre athlete, a member of the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War and an unsuccessful oilman. Before politics, he was probably best known for the nicknames he attached to people--a hipper and more sarcastic version of the ''Saturday Night Live'' character who gives everyone he meets a name while 'makin' copies.' . . ."
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In Bob Woodward's book, ''State of Denial'', he [http://www.virtualcitizens.com/articles/The_Fog_of_Bush recounts a conversation] that Bush reportedly had with Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the Saudi Ambassador to the U.S. and family friend to the Bush clan. In 1999, when Bush first thought of running for president he confided to Prince Bandar, "I don’t have the foggiest idea what I think about international foreign policy."
  
 
==George W. Bush's Style Characterization==
 
==George W. Bush's Style Characterization==
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"Forget '[[compassionate conservatism]].' While you're at it, toss the 'reformer with results.' Education, taxes, welfare reform -- none of those things really matter. '''For George W. Bush, one issue matters: loyalty. [[Bandwagon|You're with him or you're not]]. There's no in-between.''' It's a lesson that he learned from his mother, Barbara, a fiercely territorial woman who never forgets a slight, and from his father, former president George H.W. Bush. George W. has been fiercely protective of his father, and he believes part of the reason his father served only one term in the White House was the lack of loyalty among his staff members. During the elder Bush's four years as president, W. became his loyalty Doberman. It was George W. who sifted through his father's staffers, demanding that they either commit fully to their father or get the hell out. It was George W. who fired his father's White House chief of staff, [[John Sununu]]. The abrasive Sununu, George W. believed, simply didn't have his father's best interests at heart." --Robert Bryce, [http://weeklywire.com/ww/03-20-00/austin_pols_feature.html ''Austin Chronicle'' (Texas)], March 20, 2000.
 
"Forget '[[compassionate conservatism]].' While you're at it, toss the 'reformer with results.' Education, taxes, welfare reform -- none of those things really matter. '''For George W. Bush, one issue matters: loyalty. [[Bandwagon|You're with him or you're not]]. There's no in-between.''' It's a lesson that he learned from his mother, Barbara, a fiercely territorial woman who never forgets a slight, and from his father, former president George H.W. Bush. George W. has been fiercely protective of his father, and he believes part of the reason his father served only one term in the White House was the lack of loyalty among his staff members. During the elder Bush's four years as president, W. became his loyalty Doberman. It was George W. who sifted through his father's staffers, demanding that they either commit fully to their father or get the hell out. It was George W. who fired his father's White House chief of staff, [[John Sununu]]. The abrasive Sununu, George W. believed, simply didn't have his father's best interests at heart." --Robert Bryce, [http://weeklywire.com/ww/03-20-00/austin_pols_feature.html ''Austin Chronicle'' (Texas)], March 20, 2000.
  
==Related SourceWatch Resources==
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==Resources and articles==
===Articles on George W. Bush===
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===[[George W. Bush/Related SourceWatch Resources|Related SourceWatch articles]]===
*[[George W. Bush and Jack Abramoff]]
 
*[[George W. Bush: Compassionate Conservative]]
 
*[[George W. Bush: Hurricane Katrina]]
 
*[[George W. Bush: Quotes]]
 
*[[George W. Bush: The Culture War President]]
 
*[[George W. Bush: The War President is Missing in Action]]
 
*[[George W. Bush: U.S. Presidential Campaign 2004]]
 
*[[George W. Bush's domestic spying]]
 
*[[George W. Bush's military service]]
 
*[[George W. Bush's military service/External Links 1999-2003]]
 
*[[George W. Bush's military service/External Links 2004]]
 
*[[George W. Bush's military service/Documents]]
 
*[[George W. Bush's news conferences]]
 
*[[Georgeland]]
 
*[[Alaska International Industries]]
 
*[[Bushworld]]
 
*[[Bush-Cheney '04 Inc.]]
 
*[[Feingold resolution for the censure of George W. Bush]]
 
*[[Freedom-loving people/George W. Bush]]
 
*[[September 11, 2001, Remarks by President George W. Bush]]
 
*[[Skull and Bones' Class of 1968]]
 
*[[The case for impeachment of President George W. Bush]]
 
*[[The President of Good and Evil: The Morality of George W. Bush (2004 book)]]
 
*[[When George W. Bush met Ahmad Chalabi]]
 
 
 
===SourceWatch Articles About Bush and the [[Bush administration]]===
 
*[[Abu Ghraib: Bush Administration Reaction]]
 
*[["America is addicted to oil"]]
 
*[[Banana Republicans: Pumping Irony]]
 
*[[Banana Republicans: The One-Party State]]
 
*[[Banana Republicans: The War at Home]]
 
*[[Bush administration and the Clear Channel Communications connection]]
 
*[[Bush administration and the Enron connection]]
 
*[[Bush administration approval ratings]]
 
*[[Bush administration education reform]]
 
*[[Bush administration financial misconduct and lack of accountability]]
 
*[[Bush administration flip flops]]
 
*[[Bush administration leaks]]
 
*[[Bush administration lies that led to war]]
 
*[[Bush administration Orwellian logic]]
 
*[[Bush administration propaganda and disinformation]]
 
*[[Bush administration rationales for war in Iraq]]
 
*[[Bush administration scandals]]
 
*[[Bush administration smear campaigns]]
 
*[[Bush administration: beginning of the end]]
 
*[[Bush League]]
 
*[[Bush lies and deceptions]]
 
*[[Bush regime]]
 
*[[Bush regime characters]]
 
*[[Bush regime delusions]]
 
*[[Bush regime environmental record]]
 
*[[Bush-Cheney '04 Inc.]]
 
*[[Bush's 16 words]]
 
*[[Bush's judicial nominees]]
 
*[[Bush's Rangers]]
 
*[[Bush/Republican Initiatives]]
 
*[[Bush's Speech, June 28, 2005]]
 
*[[Bush's White House Staff]]
 
*[[Bushworld]]
 
*[[Faith-based and Community Initiatives]]
 
*[[Georgeland]]
 
*[[God gulf]]
 
*[[Henry A. Waxman]]
 
*[[intelligent design]]
 
*"[[I've been to war.]]"
 
*[[James R. Bath]]
 
*[[Karl Rove]]
 
*[[Marvin Olasky]]
 
*[[MISLEADER.org]]
 
*[["Mission Accomplished" May 1, 2003]]
 
*[[Operation Iraqi Freedom: Selling the War at Home]]
 
*[[pre-emptive campaign strategy]]
 
*[[Presidential Prayer Team]]
 
*[[rebranding the Bush administration]]
 
*[[religion and empire]]
 
*[[Republican 'culture of corruption']]
 
*[[State of the Union 2003]]
 
*[[State of the Union 2004]]
 
*[[State of the Union 2005]]
 
*[[State of the Union 2006]]
 
*[[Stephen Goldsmith]]
 
*'''terrr'rr''' and [[The Power of Nightmares]]
 
*[[The President of Good and Evil: The Morality of George W. Bush (2004 book)]]
 
*[[Treasongate: Beyond Karl Rove]]
 
*[[U.S. election irregularities]]
 
*[[U.S. presidential election, 2004]]
 
*[[Warrior King: The Case for Impeaching George Bush (2003 book)]]
 
*[[Worse Than Watergate]] (book)
 
*[[Why do they hate us?]]
 
 
 
===Bush Family Members===
 
*[[Bush Dynasty]]
 
*[[Bush Family Genealogy]]
 
*[[Barbara Bush]] (mother)
 
*[[Jeb Bush]] (brother)
 
*[[Neil Mallon Bush]] (brother)
 
*[[Marvin Bush]]
 
*[[Dorothy Bush Koch]] (sister)
 
*[[Craig Roberts Stapleton]] (cousin)
 
*[[Prescott Sheldon Bush]] (grandfather)
 
*[[Jonathan J. Bush]] (uncle)
 
*[[William H.T. Bush]] (uncle)
 
 
 
==External Links==
 
===Directories===
 
*[http://search.looksmart.com/p/browse/us1/us317828/us317851/us4225550/us1141249/ LookSmart - George W. Bush]
 
*[http://dmoz.org/Society/History/By_Region/North_America/United_States/Presidents/Bush,_George_Walker/ Open Directory Project - George Walker Bush]
 
*[http://dir.yahoo.com/Government/U_S__Government/Executive_Branch/George_W__Bush_Administration/Bush__George_W____President/ Yahoo - George W. Bush]
 
 
 
===Biography and Background===
 
 
 
* [http://www.whitehouse.gov/president/gwbbio.html Official White House biography] of George W. Bush
 
*[http://www.rotten.com/library/bio/presidents/george-w-bush/ Bio at rotten.com]
 
*[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Bush George W. Bush] at Wikipedia
 
*[http://sdweiner.home.texas.net/d/archive/election2000/BUSH_texas_record.txt Texas Trouble Spots: George W. Bush's Failed Leadership in Texas]. Comprehensive overview of programs.
 
*[http://www.ipl.org/div/potus/gwbush.html Biographical and Statistical Data on George Walker Bush].
 
*[http://www.usa-presidents.info/gwbush.htm Biography of George W. Bush]
 
*[http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0878291.html George Walker Bush Biography], InfoPlease.com.
 
*[http://www.bushfiles.com/bush_beat_1999.html The Bush Files 1999]; [http://www.bushfiles.com/bush_beat_2000.html The Bush Files 2000]
 
*[http://www.famoustexans.com/georgewbush.htm George Walker Bush], FamousTexans.com.
 
*[http://www.iraqinews.com/people_bush.shtml George W. Bush Biography], Iraqi News.
 
*Jim Ryan, [http://abcnews.go.com/sections/politics/DailyNews/GOPCVN_bushdynasty.html The Bush Dynasty. Election Win Would Bolster Family Legacy], ABCNews, 2000.
 
*Christopher Hitchens, [http://www.truthinjustice.org/govdeath.htm Gov. Death], Truth in Justice, August 7, 1999.
 
*[http://www.mtholyoke.edu/acad/intrel/bush/bush.htm Exhaustive Linked List of Articles and Documents on the George W. Bush Administration] dating from approximately 2000.
 
*[http://www.schonwalder.org/USPresidents/Inauguration%20Addresses/InaugAddPres43.htm Inaugural Address 2001].
 
*[http://www.cia.gov/cia/ciakids/history/bush.html CIA Kids Page: George Walker Bush].
 
*[http://users.cis.net/coldfeet/document.htm The Military Records of George Walker Bush]. Document links.
 
*[http://www.tarpley.net/bushb.htm George Bush: The Unauthorized Biography] by Webster G. Tarpley and Anton Chaitkin
 
*[http://www.usa-presidents.info/inaugural/bush-1.html First Inaugural Address of George W. Bush]
 
*[http://www.usa-presidents.info/inaugural/bush-2.html Second Inaugural Address of George W. Bush]
 
 
 
===Presidential Data===
 
 
 
*[http://www.opensecrets.org/presidential/summary.asp?ID=N00008072 2004 Election Cycle]. [http://www.opensecrets.org/pfds/pfd2001/N00008072_2001.pdf 2001 Income Tax Return].
 
*Christopher Scheer, [http://www.alternet.org/print.html?StoryID=16274 10 Appalling Lies We Were Told About Iraq], ''AlterNet'', June 27, 2003.
 
*The American Prospect, [Almost] [http://www.prospect.org/issue_pages/bushlies.html All The President's Lies].
 
*[http://www.house.gov/reform/min/politicsandscience/ Rep. Henry A Waxman Report on Bush Administration]'s promotion of ideology over science.
 
*[http://www.house.gov/appropriations_democrats/caughtonfilm.htm A chronology of Bush saying one thing then doing another].
 
 
 
===News Articles===
 
*Lois Romano, [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/campaigns/wh2000/stories/whbush092498.htm George Walker Bush, Driving on the Right], ''The Washington Post'', September 24, 1998.
 
*David Horowitz, [http://www.salon.com/news/feature/1999/05/06/bush/ "I'm a uniter, Not a divider"], Salon.com, May 6, 1999.
 
*Alison Mitchell, [http://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/14/politics/14BMAN.html?ex=1052020800&en=1ec1470478802e91&ei=5070 Man in the News: The 43rd President, George Walker Bush], ''The New York Times'', December 19, 2000.
 
*[http://www.guardian.co.uk/bush/story/0,7369,580061,00.html Dubya Dubya Dubya. America has been rallying behind its president since war began in Afghanistan. But how is he faring on the net? Chris Alden picks the best George Bush websites], ''The Guardian''', November 6, 2001.
 
*Tim Shorrock, [http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20020304&s=20020219 Making Money, the Bush Way], ''The Nation'', February 19, 2002.
 
*Eric Alterman, [http://www.thenation.com/doc.mhtml?i=20030127&s=alterman The Roamin' Empire], ''The Nation'', January 27, 2003.
 
*Ed Nicklow, [http://www.buzzflash.com/contributors/03/03/07_scripted.html Does a Scripted "Shrub" Bother You? It Gets Worse], BuzzFlash, March 7, 2003.
 
*Geov Parrish, [http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=15372 The Dubya War Glossary], AlterNet, March 13, 2003.
 
*Dick Wetherell, [http://www.public-i.org/dtaweb/report.asp?ReportID=15&L1=10&L2=10&L3=0&L4=0&L5=0 The Bush 100], The Center for Public Integrity Releases Report on Bush's Top Appointees, April 2, 2003.
 
*Elisabeth Bumiller, [http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/02/international/worldspecial/02ASSE.html?th For Bush, Cold Truths Are Lurking After Pomp on Carrier], ''The New York Times'', May 2, 2003.
 
*[http://www.talion.com/georgebush.html George W. Bush Military Record &#8212; and Misrepresentations Pertaining to Military Records], updated May 2, 2003.
 
*Walter Cronkite, [http://www.denverpost.com/Stories/0,1413,36%7E29003%7E1780424,00.html The unilateral president], ''DenverPost'', November 23, 2003.
 
*Molly Ivins, [http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2003/11/ma_559_01.html The Uncompassionate Conservative], ''MotherJones'', November/December 2003: "It's not that he's mean. It's just that when it comes to seeing how his policies affect people, George W. Bush doesn't have a clue."
 
*Jim Hightower, [http://www.interventionmag.com/cms/modules.php?op=modload&name=Sections&file=index&req=viewarticle&artid=165 Bush's Bubble], ''Intervention Magazine'', December 3, 2003.
 
*George Ochenski, [http://www.everyweek.com/News/News.asp?no=3706 Collapsing credibility. Bush's disinformation policy threatens the nation], ''everyweek.com'', December 4, 2003.
 
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3298443.stm 'Miserable failure' links to Bush. George W Bush has been Google bombed], ''BBC/UK'', December 8, 2003.
 
*Bruce Bartlett, [http://www.nationalreview.com/nrof_bartlett/bartlett200312100850.asp Tricky George? Bush-Nixon comparisons don't bode well for '04], ''National Review'', December 10, 2003: "I believe that President Bush is in danger of creating a perception about himself that may prove equally hard to eradicate: It is the view that he's 'Nixonian,' having an approach toward politics and policy paralleling Richard Nixon's. It is characterized by a willingness to subordinate everything to one's re-election -- to say and do anything to advance this goal, with no concern whatsoever for the long-term consequences."
 
*[[David Frum]], [http://www.nationalreview.com/frum/diary121403.asp They Got Him], ''National Review'', December 14, 2003: "For now, let's say that while the President's opponents have made much sport of the idea that God called George Bush to the presidency, '''it's becoming increasingy difficult to doubt that God wants President Bush re-elected.'''"
 
*Richard W. Stevenson, '''[http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/18/politics/18PREX.html Remember 'Weapons of Mass Destruction'? For Bush, They Are a Nonissue]''', ''New York Times'', December 18, 2003.
 
*[http://dailytelegraph.news.com.au/story.jsp?sectionid=1258&storyid=916439 Bush 'paid for abortion'. President Bush faced an extraordinary claim last night that he once paid for a girl-friend to have an abortion], ''Daily Telegraph'', February 18, 2004: "The pro-life president arranged for the procedure in the early 1970s, according to porn publisher Larry Flynt. ... The controversial publisher of Hustler magazine told the New York Daily News he will make the claims in a book coming out this summer. ... 'This story has got to come out,' said 61-year-old Flynt. 'There's a lot of hypocrisy in the White House about this whole abortion issue. I've talked to the woman's friends. ... 'I've tracked down the doctor who did the [[abortion]], I tracked down the Bush people who arranged for the abortion I got the story nailed.' ... But Flynt would not disclose if he plans to name the woman."
 
*Margaret Kimberley, [http://www.blackcommentator.com/78/78_fr_bush.html George W. Bush: The Master of Low Expectations], ''Black Commentator'', February 19, 2004: "When President Bush sat down for an interview with Tim Russert on Meet the Press he single-handedly proved that [[affirmative action]] is a bad thing. George W. Bush is the poster child for affirmative action."
 
*[http://www.g0lem.net/PhpWiki/index.php/BushsPetGoat George Bush's Pet Goat].
 
*William Douglas, [http://www.realcities.com/mld/krwashington/12304921.htm "Bush's loyalty raises doubts about his political judgment,"] Knight Ridder Newspapers, August 4, 2005.
 
*Jerome Doolittle, [http://badattitudes.com/MT/archives/003903.html "Mission Almost Accomplished,"] ''Bad Attitudes'', May 17, 2006.
 
*John Aravosis, [http://americablog.blogspot.com/2006/06/did-george-bush-deface-american-flags.html "Did George Bush deface American flags in Vienna, Austria today?"] AMERICAblog, June 21, 2006.
 
*[http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/blogs/sfgate/detail?blogid=3&entry_id=8758 "Moby to Bush: 'Stay Out of New York'. Bald techno boffin tells president to take a hike,"] ''San Francisco Chronicle'', September 11, 2006.
 
*Sidney Blumenthal, [http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2006/09/12/book_excerpt/print.html "How bad is he? Bush ran as a moderate, tacked right and governed ineffectually&mdash;before 9/11. Since then he's become the most radical American president in history&mdash;and arguably the worst,"] ''Salon'', September 12, 2006.
 
*Nicolle Bell, [http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/09/25/olbermanns-special-comment-are-yours-the-actions-of-a-true-american/ "Olbermann’s Special Comment: Are YOURS the actions of a true American?"] ''Crooks and Liars'', September 25, 2006. Note: See 10:30-minute Video.
 
*Billmon, [http://billmon.org/archives/002764.html "Land of Opportunity,"] ''Whiskey Bar'', September 29, 2006.
 
 
 
===Web Sites Calling for Bush's Impeachment===
 
*[http://www.thefourreasons.org/ The Four Reasons], The Four Reasons why "We the People" must uphold the Constitution of The United States of America and hold those who violate it accountable.
 
*[http://ImpeachCentral.com/ Impeach Central], a grassroots movement to publicize the crimes of Bush and to petition Congress to begin investigations leading to [[impeachment]].
 
*[http://ImpeachBush.meetup.com/ Impeach Bush meetup] has monthly meetings to organize Impeach Central activities.
 
*Francis Boyle, [http://www.conspiracyplanet.com/channel.cfm?channelid=39&contentid=729 Impeach Bush Now] and other articles on Conspiracy Planet.
 
*[http://www.votetoimpeach.org/ VoteToImpeach Campaign] initiated by Ramsey Clark, former Attorney General of the United States, a non-[[partisan]] grassroots campaign to convince Congress to initiate impeachment proceedings.
 
*[http://www.impeachnow.org/ ImpeachNow.org], The National Coalition to Impeach Bush & Cheney.
 
 
 
===Less-Than-Flattering Articles and Web Sites===
 
 
 
*Marie Lovern, [http://www.now.org/nnt/summer-2000/mollyivins.html Molly Ivins Digs Up Bush's Texas Roots. "Shrub: The Short But Happy Political Life of George W. Bush" by Molly Ivins and Lou Dubose, Random House], Review NOW.org, Summer 2000/[http://www.wkonline.com/a/Shrub__The_Short_but_Happy_Political_Life_of_George_W_Bush_0375757147.htm another review].
 
*Mike Schafer, [http://www.ihatepatrobertson.com/archives/category/bush-administration/ George Bush and the Religous Right from I Hate Pat Robertson]
 
*Robert Sterling, [http://www.konformist.com/2000/god-save-the-shrub.htm God Save the Shrub], The Konformist, December 2000.
 
*Jim Ridgeway, [http://www.organicconsumers.org/monsanto/frankenbush.cfm Franken Shrub--Bush's Ties to Monsanto], ''Village Voice'', January 2001 in Organic Consumers/[http://www.villagevoice.com/issues/0104/ridgeway.shtml also].
 
*Matthew Rothschild, [http://squawk.ca/lbo-talk/0011/0236.html Shrub Bush's Supreme Court], ''The Progressive'', October 28, 2000.
 
*Harvey Wasserman, [http://www.commondreams.org/views01/0120-04.htm The Unelected President. How George W. Bush Stole the White House from America's Voters], Common Dreams; published in the January 18-24, 2001 issue of ''Columbus Alive''.
 
*Greg Palast, [http://www.gregpalast.com/detail.cfm?artid=74&row=1 Scrub Helps Shrub], February 5, 2001.
 
*[http://residentbush.com/articles_Evict_the_Resident/John-Walker-Lindh.html residentbush.com].
 
*[http://www.misunderstood.cc/politics/bushfamily.html#II George Walker Bush].
 
*[http://www.greaterthings.com/News/Dubya/ DUBYA. George W. Bush. Insider Choice for NWO Promotion], Greater Things.
 
*Susan J. Douglas, [http://inthesetimes.com/comments.php?id=499_0_3_0_C Dissing Dubya], ''inthesetimes'', December 16, 2003.
 
*[http://economist.com/images/20040403/20040403issuecovUS400.jpg Front page from the April 3-9, 2004, ''The Economist''].
 
*[http://www.buzzflash.com/editorial/04/04/edi04028.html "GOP Hypocrite of the Week: George W. Bush,"] ''BuzzFlash'', April 10, 2004: "Message to [[Osama bin Laden]] from BuzzFlash: Next time you fly airplanes into American buildings, Bush wants you to draw him a map."
 
*"[http://www.georgewbuy.com/ America's National Forests: Millions of Acres of America's National Forests Are on the Auction Block!]", satirical auction by Public Campaign.
 
*[http://www.billionairesforbush.com/overview.php Billionaires for Bush] says it is "a strategic media and street theater campaign whose combustible mix of humor, savvy messaging, grassroots participation, and cutting edge internet organizing tools will flush out the truth about the Bush administration's disastrous economic policies and help turn the fatcats out of power in November."
 
*[http://www.allhatnocattle.net/ All Hat and No Cattle] Critical commentary and background information on the Bush/Cheney administration.
 
*[http://www.americaheldhostile.com/ America Held Hostile] Claims to expose the hostilities of the Bush Administration towards the USA.
 
 
 
*[http://www.awolbush.com AWOL Bush.com].
 
*[http://www.bushcartoon.com/index2.html BushCartoon.com].
 
*[http://www.bushfiles.com/ The Bush Files].
 
 
 
*[http://www.bushisms.com/ Bushisms].
 
*[http://www.realchange.org/bushjr.htm Bush Jr.'s Skeleton Closet].
 
*[http://www.thedubyachronicles.com/ The Dubya Chronicles].
 
*[http://www.thedubyareport.com/ The Dubya Report].
 
*[http://www.dubyaspeak.com/ Dubya Speak].
 
*[http://www.dubyasworld.com/ Dubya's World].
 
*[http://www.gwbush.com/ GWBush.com].
 
*[http://www.neoflux.com/archive/data/002664.shtml NeoFlux.com].
 
*[http://www.shrubadub.com/george_w_bush/links.html Shrub a Dub .com]. Links, links, and more LINKS.
 
*[http://www.shrubbish.com/ Shrubbish.com The Best Bushisms].
 
*[http://www.toostupidtobepresident.com/ Too Stupid to Be President.com].
 
 
 
===Less-Than-Flattering Videos===
 
  
*[http://www.bushflash.com/quicktime/george1.mov Bush wiping his glasses on an unsuspecting woman's Dress on David Letterman's show]
+
===[[George W. Bush/External Links|External articles]]===
*[http://anon.salon.speedera.net/anon.salon/media/2004/10/BushUncensored.mov Bush as Governor giving the camera the one finger salute]
+
Includes links to biographies, profiles, news articles, pro- and anti-Bush websites, and more.
  
===Bush Family===
 
* David G. Armstrong, [gopher://freenet.akron.oh.us/h0/SIGS/JFK/FP/fp.back_issues/.17th_Issue/rambler2.html Sins of the Fathers], ''The Austin Chronicle'', April 10, 1992 (pp. 14, 16): "...in 1934, a shipping line established at the end of World War I in a deal arranged for Brown Brothers, Harriman by Prescott Bush's partner and father-in-law, G.H. Walker, was found by Congress to be subsidizing 'a wide range of pro-Nazi propaganda efforts both in Germany and the United States.'"
 
*Jonathan D. Salant, [http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20031017/ap_on_re_us/prescott_bush_nazis_1 "Bush Ancestor's Bank Seized by Gov't,"] Associated Press (Yahoo), October 17, 2003: "President Bush's grandfather [Prescott Sheldon Bush] was a director of a bank ([[Union Banking Corp.]]) seized by the federal government because of its ties to a German industrialist ([[Fritz Thyssen]]) who helped bankroll [[Adolf Hitler]]'s rise to power, government documents show. ... The new documents were first reported by freelance writer John Buchanan in ''The New Hampshire Gazette''."
 
  
== <b>Recommended Reading</b> ==
+
==References==
* <i>50 Ways You Can Show George the Door in 2004 </i> by Ben Cohen & Jason Salzman (Westview Press, ISBN 0-8133-4282-1).
+
<references/>
* <i>Cronies: Oil, the Bushes, and the Rise of Texas, America's Superstate</i> by Robert Bryce (PublicAffairs, ISBN 1-58648-188-6).
 
* <i>The Republican War on Science</i> by Chris Mooney (Basic Books, ISBN 0-465-04675-4).
 
  
[[Category:Presidents of the United States|Bush, George Walker]][[category:Republican Party (US)]][[category:Politicians (US)]]
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[[Category:Equivocator of Torture]]
 
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Latest revision as of 21:49, 25 December 2019

This article is part of SourceWatch's coverage of the Bush administration:
Main article:
Sub-articles:

George Walker Bush was sworn into office as the 43rd President of the United States on January 20, 2001 [1], with a minority of the popular vote, after a contested election debacle which was reviewed up through the Supreme Court. A detailed timeline of events notes that on December 13, 2000, the President-elect pledged in his acceptance speech "to deliver reconciliation and unity to a divided nation." He gained a second term in November 2004.

Profiles

George W. Bush was born July 6, 1946, in New Haven, Connecticut, to parents George H.W. Bush and Barbara Bush. Bush spent some childhood in Midland and Houston, Texas.

"After working on his father's successful 1988 presidential campaign, he assembled the group of partners [2] that purchased the Texas Rangers baseball franchise in 1989." [3]

"He served as managing general partner of the Texas Rangers until he was elected Governor on November 8, 1994, with 53.5 percent of the vote. He became the first Governor in Texas history to be elected to consecutive four-year terms when he was re-elected on November 3, 1998, with 68.6 percent of the vote."[4] Texas Governor: January, 1995-January, 2001.

Bush married Laura Welch, a "former teacher and librarian, and they have twin daughters, Barbara and Jenna."[5]

Documents Contained at the Anti-Environmental Archives
Documents written by or referencing this person or organization are contained in the Anti-Environmental Archive, launched by Greenpeace on Earth Day, 2015. The archive contains 3,500 documents, some 27,000 pages, covering 350 organizations and individuals. The current archive includes mainly documents collected in the late 1980s through the early 2000s by The Clearinghouse on Environmental Advocacy and Research (CLEAR), an organization that tracked the rise of the so called "Wise Use" movement in the 1990s during the Clinton presidency. Access the index to the Anti-Environmental Archives here.

Bush burnishes his "conservation credentials"

President Bush with screech owl at Patuxent Research Refuge-Endangered Crane Complex, Laurel, Maryland, October 20, 2007

"President Bush used highly choreographed [opinion] photo-ops in Maryland in an effort to 'burnish his conservation credentials.' He looked 'slightly askance' with a screech owl on his hand, remarking, 'Cute little fellow.' He also joked that he loves fishing, but 'the Secret Service won't let me go hunting' with Vice President Cheney anymore."[1][2]

Bush: "We're kicking ass" in Iraq

Bush: success equals "comfortable" level of violence in Iraq

While addressing the war on terror in his May 2, 2007, speech to the Associated General Contractors of America at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C., Bush said:

"Success is not, no violence. There are parts of our own country that have got a certain level of violence to it. But success is a level of violence where the people feel comfortable about living their daily lives. And that’s what we’re trying to achieve." (Emphasis added.)

Bush: "I'm the commander guy"

In the same May 2, 2007, speech, Bush said:

"By the way, in the report it said, it is -- the government may have to put in more troops to be able to get to that position. And that's what we do. We put in more troops to get to a position where we can be in some other place. The question is, who ought to make that decision? The Congress or the commanders? And as you know, my position is clear -- I'm the commander guy." (Emphasis added.)

Video link here.

Bush the "Decider": "I'm the decision-maker"

While speaking to reporters after meeting with his top military commanders on January 26, 2007, Bush said that on matters relating to the escalation of troop levels in Iraq—"I'm the decision-maker." [6]

See MSNBC video of Bush speaking to reporters.

See "The Decider: 'People Listen To Petraeus, Not To Me'," Think Progress, September 20, 2007.

Also see related troop surge in Iraq.

George W. Bush's War

"Bob Woodward is wrong. Colin Powell is wrong. The National Intelligence Estimate is wrong. Brent Scowcroft is wrong. The retired generals are wrong. Richard Clarke is wrong. The International Atomic Energy Agency is wrong. The United Nations is wrong. Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter and all the Democrats are wrong. Your common sense and all the news you read are wrong.

"George W Bush and his dog Barney are right. The last time a man listened to his dog, people got killed. This time is no different."—Taylor Marsh wrote October 8, 2006.

Tobaccospin.jpg

This article is part of the Tobacco portal on Sourcewatch funded from 2006 - 2009 by the American Legacy Foundation.

Bush and the tobacco industry

George W. Bush, his family and many members of his administration have been friendly towards tobacco companies. Bush's chief political advisor Karl Rove carried on a dual role as a paid lobbyist for Philip Morris while also advising George W. Bush when he was Governor of Texas. Ex-Wisconsin Governor Tommy Thompson, Bush's appointment to head the Department of Health and Human Services, was also friendly to tobacco companies, having taken several trips funded substantially by tobacco companies, according to CorpWatch.[7] After his failed reelection bid, George H.W. Bush, (G.W. Bush's father) rode in Philip Morris corporate aircraft, gave talks on behalf of PM, accepted honoraria paid by the cigarette maker and helped PM promote its Accommodation Program.[8]

As of June 2007, President Bush has refused to sign onto the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, a global treaty designed to reduce the toll of death and disease caused by tobacco worldwide. As of June 2007, 148 countries had signed the treaty.[9]

The Lame Duck President

"The Wastrel Son"

Paul Krugman wrote in a May 18, 2004, New York Times Op-Ed:

"He was a stock character in 19th-century fiction: the wastrel son who runs up gambling debts in the belief that his wealthy family, concerned for its prestige, will have no choice but to pay off his creditors. In the novels such characters always come to a bad end. Either they bring ruin to their families, or they eventually find themselves disowned.
"George Bush reminds me of those characters and not just because of his early career, in which friends of the family repeatedly bailed out his failing business ventures. Now that he sits in the White House, he's still counting on other people to settle his debts not to protect the reputation of his family, but to protect the reputation of the country."
"As long as political figures aren't willing to disown Mr. Bush's debt the impossible situation in which he has placed America's soldiers there isn't much they can do.
"So how will it all end? The cries of 'stay the course' [in Iraq] are getting fainter, while the calls for a quick exit are growing. In other words, it seems increasingly likely that the nation will end up disowning Mr. Bush and his debts.
"That will mean settling for an outcome in Iraq that, however we spin it, will look a lot like defeat -- and the nation's prestige will be damaged by that outcome. But lost prestige is better than ruin."

The April 13, 2004 news conference

"I'm sure something will pop into my head here in the midst of this press conference, with all the pressure of trying to come up with an answer, but it hadn't yet." [10]

George W. Bush and the Constitution

On March 11, 2004, syndicated columnist Marianna Means wrote that "Bush loves to tinker with [the] Constitution."

"When President Bush called for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution banning same-sex weddings, he warned that such a radical step was essential to 'prevent the meaning of marriage from being changed forever.'
"It was, he said, 'a serious matter of national concern.'
"What he didn't say is that his proposal is meaningless. It isn't going to happen. There is no supermajority in Congress for mauling our most fundamental governmental document to permanently discriminate against a specific group. (Constitutional amendments require approval by two-thirds of those present in both chambers of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the states.)
"Bush also didn't say that this is the seventh amendment he has embraced, reflecting breathtaking contempt for the principles embodied in the work of our Founding Fathers."

George W. Bush and White House Hospitality

Remember the Clinton administration "Lincoln Bedroom for sale" smear? Well, Sharon Theimer, writing March 10, 2004, for the Associated Press, said that Bush fund-raisers were among the overnight guests at both the White House and at Camp David:

"In all, Bush and first lady Laura Bush have invited at least 270 people to stay at the White House and at least the same number to overnight at the Camp David retreat since moving to Washington in January 2001, according to lists the White House provided The Associated Press.
"Some guests spent a night in the Lincoln Bedroom, historic quarters that gained new fame in the Clinton administration amid allegations that Democrats rewarded major donors like Hollywood heavyweights Steven Spielberg and Barbra Streisand with accommodations there."
"Bush's overnight guest roster is virtually free of celebrities - pro golfer Ben Crenshaw is the biggest name - but not of campaign supporters.
  • "Mercer Reynolds, an Ohio financier, former Bush partner in the Texas Rangers baseball team and former ambassador to Switzerland. Reynolds is leading Bush's campaign fund-raising effort. He was a guest at the White House and the Camp David retreat in Maryland's Catoctin Mountains.
  • "Brad Freeman, a venture capitalist who is leading Bush's California fund-raising effort, has raised at least $200,000 for his re-election campaign and is also a major Republican Party fund-raiser. Freeman stayed at the White House.
  • "Roland Betts, who raised at least $100,000 for Bush in 2000, was a Bush fraternity brother at Yale and a Texas Rangers partner. Betts stayed at the White House and Camp David.
  • "William DeWitt, a Bush partner in the oil business and Texas Rangers who has raised at least $200,000 for Bush's re-election effort, stayed at the White House.
  • "James Francis, who headed the Bush campaign's 2000 team of $100,000-and-up volunteer fund-raisers and was a Bush appointee in Texas when Bush was governor. Francis was a White House guest.
  • "Joseph O'Neill, an oilman and childhood friend who introduced Bush to Laura Bush and raised at least $100,000 for each of Bush's presidential campaigns, stayed at the White House.
  • "Colorado Gov. Bill Owens and New York Gov. George Pataki, who each raised at least $200,000 for Bush's re-election campaign, were White House guests.
  • "James Langdon, who raised at least $100,000 for Bush, is a Washington attorney specializing in international oil and gas transactions. Langdon, whose clients include the Russian oil company LUKOIL, is a member of Bush's foreign intelligence advisory board and served on Bush's 2000 presidential transition team on energy policy."

George W. Bush's lack of 'speed and smarts'

Jonathan Alter asked in the November 22, 1999 issue of Newsweek "Is George W. Really Ready? A leader with a gentleman's C may no longer cut it in a world where speed and smarts rule."

". . . Bush wouldn't have to worry so much about performance if he had a compelling life story to give him gravitas. Unfortunately for him, he's had the least eventful personal history of any major political figure in modern memory. Until his 1994 election as governor of Texas, Dubya lived deep in his father's shadow. President Bush was an academic and athletic star at Andover and Yale, a war hero and successful oilman. George W. was an academic slacker at the same schools, a mediocre athlete, a member of the Texas Air National Guard during the Vietnam War and an unsuccessful oilman. Before politics, he was probably best known for the nicknames he attached to people--a hipper and more sarcastic version of the Saturday Night Live character who gives everyone he meets a name while 'makin' copies.' . . ."

In Bob Woodward's book, State of Denial, he recounts a conversation that Bush reportedly had with Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the Saudi Ambassador to the U.S. and family friend to the Bush clan. In 1999, when Bush first thought of running for president he confided to Prince Bandar, "I don’t have the foggiest idea what I think about international foreign policy."

George W. Bush's Style Characterization

"A conservative, authoritarian style, with public appearances in military uniform (which no previous American president has ever done while in office). Government by secrecy, propaganda and deception. Open assaults on labor unions and workers' rights. Preemptive war and militant nationalism. Contempt for international law and treaties. A carefully manufactured image of "The Leader," who's still just a "regular guy" and a "moderate." "Freedom" as the rationale for every action. Fantasy economic growth, based on unprecedented budget deficits and massive military spending." [11][12]

"Forget 'compassionate conservatism.' While you're at it, toss the 'reformer with results.' Education, taxes, welfare reform -- none of those things really matter. For George W. Bush, one issue matters: loyalty. You're with him or you're not. There's no in-between. It's a lesson that he learned from his mother, Barbara, a fiercely territorial woman who never forgets a slight, and from his father, former president George H.W. Bush. George W. has been fiercely protective of his father, and he believes part of the reason his father served only one term in the White House was the lack of loyalty among his staff members. During the elder Bush's four years as president, W. became his loyalty Doberman. It was George W. who sifted through his father's staffers, demanding that they either commit fully to their father or get the hell out. It was George W. who fired his father's White House chief of staff, John Sununu. The abrasive Sununu, George W. believed, simply didn't have his father's best interests at heart." --Robert Bryce, Austin Chronicle (Texas), March 20, 2000.

Resources and articles

Related SourceWatch articles

External articles

Includes links to biographies, profiles, news articles, pro- and anti-Bush websites, and more.


References

  1. "Bush uses photo-ops to ‘angle for conservation stature'," Think Progress, October 20, 2007.
  2. [http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/10/20071020-2.html News Release: "President Bush Discusses Migratory Bird Conservation Patuxent Research Refuge - Endangered Crane Complex,"] Laurel, Maryland, Office of the White House Press Secretary, October 20, 2007.

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