The Ugly Bush: He Smirks As He Wrongly Smears Kerry

Published on October 14, 2004 By blogic In Politics

A moment where we learned something troubling about Bush:

Sen. John F. Kerry caught President Bush off guard during their final debate Wednesday night, asserting that the president once said he was "not that concerned" about hunting down Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

In one of the testiest moments of the evening, Bush protested, "I don't think I ever said I'm not worried about Osama bin Laden. That's kind of one of those exaggerations."

But during a news conference at the White House on March 13, 2002, Bush said something close to what Kerry quoted. "I truly am not that concerned about him," the president said, according to the official White House transcript.

Last week, I talked about how the problem with Bush's claim that he wasn't an owner of a timber company isn't that he made a mistake, it's that Bush made a theatrical production of buffooning Kerry as Bush made that mistake. He pandered to the audience and the camera, climaxing in the bizarre moment where he said to the moderator: "need wood?"

If you watched last night, you know Bush made a show of the word "exaggeration," drawing out each syllable, while he grinned at the camera.

Too bad Kerry was right.

The problem here isn't that Bush makes mistakes, it's that he belittles his opponent with showy antics, even when he has no idea if his opponent has actually made a mistake. He's done this same behavior in two debates. Once might have been an unpleasant aberration, but we now know this is an ugly part of Bush's fundamental character.

Comments (Page 2)

sandy2

on Oct 15, 2004

worried and concerned are syns.

SameOldRat

on Oct 15, 2004

It does not matter who was right or who was wrong, As far as I am concerned they are both owned by the same people with Bush just being owned by more of them. They are both wrong and at the end of the day it doesn't really matter now does it. All that I can say is that if President Bush is re-elected this country is going to go down the shitter. He can't admit he was wrong, even when he was asked what three things were he would've changed looking back on his term, all he did was mumble (which he is very good at by the way) for two minutes never admitting to any mistaske. Kerry flip-flops. That is the actual best thing that he can do. He can admit when he is wrong, and then take a proactive approach to the situation and change his mind. For the sake of this country, VOTE KERRY.

WiseFawn

on Oct 15, 2004

Lovely blog! It is a very ugly part of Bush's character. And it really comes out in the debates.

drmiler

on Oct 15, 2004

Reply #13 By: sandy2 - 10/14/2004 9:07:07 PM
Even if John Kerry is elected, if this makes it through then Kerry won't be president for long. Now the e-mail I'm getting ready to post should in no way be considered fact. However I *can* say that the petition is real.

Even if the petition gets action to be taken, how has Kerry commited Treason?

Go and read his testimony (1971) before house senate committee. And while you do remember he was still a member of the armed forces.

drmiler

on Oct 15, 2004

Sandy, you of all people have no right to say that. If drmiller does this for kerry, you do exactly the same thing for Bush.

I said that to Drmiller because in another post he called someone who had the same viewpoint as me a jerk. I said he acted like a jerk in doing so.

And BTW since you weren't the one I called a jerk, what gives?

dabe

on Oct 15, 2004

I was the one you called a jerk. Sandy was just pointing out the fact that you have this proclivity to call people names. It doesn't matter that it wasn't directed specifically at her.
So, I reiterate my comment to you drmiler. Grow the F*** up!!

drmiler

on Oct 15, 2004

Reply #21 By: dabe - 10/15/2004 11:48:49 AM
I was the one you called a jerk. Sandy was just pointing out the fact that you have this proclivity to call people names. It doesn't matter that it wasn't directed specifically at her.
So, I reiterate my comment to you drmiler. Grow the F*** up!!

You know when I first started reading your post I was thinking to myself you should apologize. But after finishing reading I realized you weren't worth it. So I say to you again..... "Shut up!

drmiler

on Oct 15, 2004

BTW shows what you know. She was pointing out nothing of the sort. She called me a jerk.:

Reply #3 By: sandy2 - 10/14/2004 7:40:17 PM

Bush is a lying fool. Eat your words Drmiller, because every time anything comes up about Kerry you profoundly support it and everytime anything is said about Bush you act like a jerk and start calling people names, flapping your arms about and using mixed up thinking to try to prove to yourself that you are right.

So I say again, what's up?

drmiler

on Oct 15, 2004

Just an FYI. I believe ( I could be wrong on this. And if I am I'm sure someone will say something) that you are the only one that I have really called a name. So what does that say about you?

blogic

on Oct 15, 2004

you are the only one that I have erally called a name. So what does that say about you?

Talk about blaming the victim.

drmiller, I have often enjoyed your comments -- even though I do disagree with some of them -- but I'm not sure this is the only time you've done this, and I see neither are you. Maybe you could check and let us know?

drmiler

on Oct 15, 2004

Reply #25 By: blogic - 10/15/2004 12:38:02 PM
you are the only one that I have erally called a name. So what does that say about you?

Talk about blaming the victim.

drmiller, I have often enjoyed your comments -- even though I do disagree with some of them -- but I'm not sure this is the only time you've done this, and I see neither are you. Maybe you could check and let us know?

I would but not really sure how? With almost 500 posts it would take forever to go one by one.

Dr Guy

on Oct 15, 2004

Bush is a lying fool. Eat your words Drmiller, because every time anything comes up about Kerry you profoundly support it and everytime anything is said about Bush you act like a jerk and start calling people names, flapping your arms about and using mixed up thinking to try to prove to yourself that you are right.

That is the pot calling the kettle black Sandy.

Daiwa

on Oct 15, 2004

worried and concerned are syns.

Sandy, sometimes I wonder if you can read. The key word is THAT - as well as the remainder of his comments that conveniently got lopped off in the replay of the sound bite.

Not that any of this would influence you.

Cheers,
Daiwa

bakerstreet

on Oct 15, 2004

" worried and concerned are syns."

*boggle*

The key word was THAT, sandy2. Bush said that he was not THAT concerned, meaning he is SOMEWHAT concerned, but not OVERLY concerned. So when Kerry said that Bush had said he WASN'T concerned, he lied. You and blogic and the rest, being what you are, like to perpetuate lies...

This election has really brought out the worst in people. Said people should consider the fact that the election will be over soon, but the taint on them will remain...

blogic

on Oct 15, 2004

Hi everyone, I hope you don't mind if I interrupt the effort to prove Sandy2, do you?

FactCheck says that Kerry was right on this.

Here's what Kerry said:

Kerry: Six months after he said Osama bin Laden must be caught dead or alive, this president was asked, "Where is Osama bin Laden?" He said, "I don't know. I don't really think about him very much. I'm not that concerned."

This is how Bush responded:

Bush: Gosh, I just don't think I ever said I'm not worried about Osama bin Laden. It's kind of one of those exaggerations. Of course we're worried about Osama bin Laden. We're on the hunt after Osama bin Laden. We're using every asset at our disposal to get Osama bin Laden.

Here's FactCheck's confirmation that Kerry was right:

Bush stumbled when he denied making some remarks about Osama bin Laden that Kerry had accurately paraphrased. Bush accused Kerry of "one of those exaggerations."

In fact, Bush said almost exactly what Kerry quoted him as saying. It was in a news conference at the White House on March 13, 2002, after US forces had overturned the Taliban regime in Afghanistan:

Q (March 13, 2002): Mr. President, in your speeches now you rarely talk or mention Osama bin Laden. Why is that? . . .

Bush: So I don't know where he is. You know, I just don't spend that much time on him, Kelly, to be honest with you. . . .

Q: But don't you believe that the threat that bin Laden posed won't truly be eliminated until he is found either dead or alive?

Bush: Well, as I say, we haven't heard much from him. And I wouldn't necessarily say he's at the center of any command structure. And, again, I don't know where he is. I -- I'll repeat what I said. I truly am not that concerned about him. I know he is on the run. I was concerned about him, when he had taken over a country. I was concerned about the fact that he was basically running Afghanistan and calling the shots for the Taliban.

Now, I see how you can argue that Bush didn't say he was "not worried" about Osama bin Laden, but Kerry didn't accuse him of that, and of course, Sandy2 is right that those are synonyms. Kerry said that Bush stated he was "not that concerned" about bin Laden. Bush had said that, but made a production of it as he told America that Kerry's claim was an example of a Kerry exaggeration. That's either a Bush lie or a Bush mistake.

Sandy2 was right.

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