I would like to have a beer with Clinton. We could easily have a conversation about my favorite topic. Girls!!!!!
May I be coy: why does that matter? The President doesn't have to be the do-all, know-all guy. He needs to have vision and leadership. Just because a guy is not quick-thinking on his feet, many want to deep-six him. I simply don't buy that kind of evaluation.
Regarding the War on Terror, which conservative principles has Bush abandoned. Give me something besides truth-telling because I can see that one coming.... 95% of the critical dialogue about President Bush centers on the War, so I think we need this abandonment discussion to focus on that. Fiscal disappointments abound for sure, too, I grant you that. Mind you, I'm not "granting" the truth-telling accusation, I just know it is coming!
giddyup: If you go back and look at the 2000 campaign you'll find that the number one, MAIN point of GWB's foreign policy was his opposition to nation building which was coupled with his call for a more humble approach to international affairs. It's actually been his biggest flip flop too, bar none. And it's the issue on which most conservatives are abandoning him, where conservatives are abandoning him. mrpaige, in particular, has said he'd vote for a Republican if one was running. I was just taking issue with your assertion that Max or Cohen looking away from Bush meant they were no longer conservative. If I were them I'd find that insulting. I'm not, so I just fine it naive. On the other thing you mentioned, I'm not saying we should elect a professor-in-chief, but Bush's lack of intellect -- and even more, his prideful lack of intellectual curiosity -- is really exceptional. My point, earlier in the thread, was that I just want a president that's smarter than I am. It's not a terribly tall order. I consider every other president in my lifetime (R and D) to have been smarter than I am. I consider this one to be dumber than I am and dumber than virtually every person I know. If Kerry or Bush Sr. or Clinton or Ford or Carter came on to this board to talk policy with us, every single one of them would blow us away with their depth of knowledge on the issues we discuss daily here and presidents deal with daily in office. If Bush came here and tried it, he'd look worse than Jorge. No joke. Worse. Than. Jorge. Think about it. I was just wondering if you thought Bush was smarter than you or you were smarter than him. If you don't want to answer, that's fine.
pretty great post MB. my only complaints are, 1) i didn't get to ask a question, and 2) you never get around to your question, which i assume was "mr. president, who won the battle of actium?" or should i just assume you think bush doesn't know his asp from a hole in the ground?
The man may not articulate everything well always.. but he is not UNINTELLIGENT... even if he was a c student at yale.. that is a heck of a lot more than MOST people could do. Since a lot of you went to UT, a&m etc.. I'd venture to say it is harder to make a C at yale than it is to make an A at those schools. He may not be the smartest president ever, but he isn't unintelligent
What has always bothered me more than the typo is that the title of the book is "1984" not "Nineteen Eighty-Four." Regardless of context, I would be interested in talking to Bush.
Normally I would think people are joking, but I think some of you are serious about being more informed than the president about politics etc.. Most of what we know about the current political situation is stuff leaked to the media or that the administration has commented on. He has meetings with the top people.. he calls leaders of countries around the world. Whether you like him or not.. he is more informed than we are.
He certainly should be. That's why it's so incredible he's not. I hated his dad as president. I hated Reagan too. And also Clinton. I liked Carter, though things didn't work out so well for him. But I have no problem acknowledging that every single president until this one was brighter than I am. Not this one though. Even with the incredible machine behind him, that can make lesser intellects look smart, he looks like a stone cold dummy. Not even average, not even below average. Just dumb. You can say that it's unfathomable that a president would be dumb and I'd generally agree with you. But check it out. It came true. First time in our modern history. Our president really is very, very, very dumb. And getting back on topic, that's the main reason people want to have a beer with him. Weird as heck but true as hell.
I just think with a degree from yale you have to be at least average... He must be smart enough to do something right because he got himself elected to the most powerful position in the world
I know he doesn't always come across that great, but I think some of it is him just trying to appeal to the average person in the way he talks etc. It could all just be a briliantly planned way to appeal to the average american.. afterall whatever he did worked in 2000
mc mark.. he ended up with the most electoral votes.. the courts voted that the florida results stood.. therefore he then won the election
No! The courts stopped the recount; they did not vote that the results stood. He did not win the election. He was selected by the SC. And do you really believe that the "average person" want's to be talked down to? but we're getting off topic here
MacBeth: Brilliant! (sadly..that exchange is pretty standard fair for most polititians and spokespeople)...
As we bask in our intellectual superiority, we should at least recognize that George does have a degree from Yale, and an MBA from Harvard. And while it's true his family connections got him into the schools, one would hope they don't routinely hand out those degrees to those who do not earn them. How many of us geniuses sport those pieces of paper on our walls? So what is this 'intelligence' you speak of? Certainly not booklearning and fancy degrees, because George has those. Certainly not sound bites and elocution, because we're much too deep for that. (or are we???) George may play the dumb yokel on TV, but don't be fooled into thinking he's not intelligent. He's shrewd. He's politically savvy. And he's been tremendously more successful than countless other 'fortunate sons.' I disagree with most of his policy positions. But I'd be a fool to underestimate his 'smarts.' And so would the Democrats if they want to win in November. Oh...and about the beer. I would LOVE to sit down and have a beer with George. I'd bet he'd have great stories to tell, and he'd be more candid than most stuffed shirt politicians. I would cringe at having to listen to him in an intellectual debate -- well...unless i'd already had a few beers, in which case i'd probably laugh hysterically -- but a beer and a chat -- count me in.
Originally posted by Batman Jones giddyup: If you go back and look at the 2000 campaign you'll find that the number one, MAIN point of GWB's foreign policy was his opposition to nation building which was coupled with his call for a more humble approach to international affairs. It's actually been his biggest flip flop too, bar none. And it's the issue on which most conservatives are abandoning him, where conservatives are abandoning him. mrpaige, in particular, has said he'd vote for a Republican if one was running. <b>Here it comes: 9/11 changed everything.</b> I was just taking issue with your assertion that Max or Cohen looking away from Bush meant they were no longer conservative. If I were them I'd find that insulting. I'm not, so I just fine it naive. <b>And I was just being light and taking note of Max's and Cohen's recent and relative loss of support for President Bush. The other reason is that in order to illustrate my point I needed more names of conservative posters and (since we are hugely overwhelmed here in numbers of regular, recognizable participants) I had to "borrow" Max and Cohen with temerity.</B> On the other thing you mentioned, I'm not saying we should elect a professor-in-chief, but Bush's lack of intellect -- and even more, his prideful lack of intellectual curiosity -- is really exceptional. My point, earlier in the thread, was that I just want a president that's smarter than I am. It's not a terribly tall order. I consider every other president in my lifetime (R and D) to have been smarter than I am. I consider this one to be dumber than I am and dumber than virtually every person I know. If Kerry or Bush Sr. or Clinton or Ford or Carter came on to this board to talk policy with us, every single one of them would blow us away with their depth of knowledge on the issues we discuss daily here and presidents deal with daily in office. If Bush came here and tried it, he'd look worse than Jorge. No joke. Worse. Than. Jorge. Think about it. I was just wondering if you thought Bush was smarter than you or you were smarter than him. If you don't want to answer, that's fine. <b>That's an unusual requirement that your president be smarter than you because you obviously are a very bright guy. I want experience, vision and leadership out of my President. How do you explain Bush's supposedly solid performance before the 9/11 Commission? Reports had him handing most of the questions himself with Cheney definitely taking a backseat. That's not what you expected. Do you have a basis for thinking that all those other presidents are smart enough for you or is it conjecture? The reason I was coy is that an overwhelming intelligence is just not that important to me in a quality of my president... here come the jokes! Obviously, s/he has to be sharp. Intelligence is a complex quality. As far as book-learning goes, though, I'm probably smarter than Bush though as someone pointed out I didn't go to Yale... nor could I have... unless I was a Bush I suppose!</B>
