Could be... Could Be.
Mr. President - It is the 'Democratic' Party
- Thread starter michaeledward
- Start date
Could be... Could Be.
Could also be a result of the alcohol and drug abuse in his younger years. Like father like daughters, eh? *snicker*
No, I don't think its Alzheimers at all..... I watched my father die of that a few short years ago, and I've seen others taken by it, too. You watch a guy who was a highly decorated maribe fighter pilot and an airline exec go that way and it makes a definite impression.
Alzheimers is degenerative - sometimes fast, some slow with a few plateaus in there. Bush is not deteriorating - in point of fact he has never been able to speak well publicly and has always made gaffs. Its just that after 9/11, he sounded like 'every man' speaking his rage at al Qaeda. That was refreshing after Bill Clinton who could talk the shingles off a house but seemes a bit slick about it.
Let's not give Bush a disease crutch to lean on. Plain and simple fact is that he's gotten himself into a situation that he's not smart enough or resolute enough to get himself out of. He's fought a terribly destructive war, but a war just the same of half measures. Iraq was supposed to be a trap for "them", but its become that for us. Like the olde 10 Years After Song, Bush "Would love to change the world, but I don't know what to do."
I think I'd beat most of you on a cynical scale.... by the time candidates of either side get to this level, the likes of Abramson or Soros hold 2d mortgages on their souls.
No personal offense taken, by the way - you don't seem at all like those *** who make cheap humor about awful diseases.
Actually, if you listen to his campaign speeches from his election to Governor of Texas, you'd find that the gaffes were fewer and further between, and that there was none of the confabulation-yes, that's the actual word-of words, or creating altogether new ones. Indeed, his vocabulary was a great deal clearer and more lucid. Further, in the last two years he's actually shown some improvement in this area, almost as though he were receiving medication......
This is subjective to a certain point. I never have been impressed with his speaking ability, and the other party has been putting out stuff - including calendars - for quite some time.
My point is that we should avoid forum medical diagnoses when we don't have the evidence. (That's a dangerous road in any event, as other conditions besides dementia can produce these 'symptoms').
Absent proof to the contrary, I'll stick with my beliefs - that this guy is acting confused because he's in over his head, has squandered his capital and doesn't know what to do next.
My point is that we should avoid forum medical diagnoses when we don't have the evidence. (That's a dangerous road in any event, as other conditions besides dementia can produce these 'symptoms').
Absent proof to the contrary, I'll stick with my beliefs - that this guy is acting confused because he's in over his head, has squandered his capital and doesn't know what to do next.
michaeledward
Grandmaster
A couple of thoughts;
I'm not certain that the description of 'the other party' is an accurate description for who is 'putting out' material about Mr. Bush. I think there are many entrepeneurial people who are glad to make a buck from Mr. Bush's challenges with the English Language. Some of those individuals may be members of the Democratic Party; others may belong to other political parties, or be unaffiliated. If we are going to be cautious in describing medical symptons, should we not exercise the same care when describing political activities?
Also, I am not certain that I read a medical diagnosis in the statements made by elder999. I have been pretty forceful on this thread seeking an explaination for the President's behavior. I have offered a few of my own and asked for input from others. elder999's statements provide alternate explainations from my own. He recognized symptom that fit under a medical condition, as has shesulsa. Neither poster has excluded other conditions that present similar symptons. Niether poster has made a definitive argument for the cause of the behavior in question. They have presented possibilities. Each of us can take those possible explainations to our own opinion.
No one here is stating that your opinion; that Mr. Bush's behavior is not caused by Alzheimers Disease, is invalid. And I don't believe anyone has offered a medical diagnosis.
I think, we are, collectively, kicking the can down the road, in speculation to a behavior that I have described as offensive.
I'm not certain that the description of 'the other party' is an accurate description for who is 'putting out' material about Mr. Bush. I think there are many entrepeneurial people who are glad to make a buck from Mr. Bush's challenges with the English Language. Some of those individuals may be members of the Democratic Party; others may belong to other political parties, or be unaffiliated. If we are going to be cautious in describing medical symptons, should we not exercise the same care when describing political activities?
Also, I am not certain that I read a medical diagnosis in the statements made by elder999. I have been pretty forceful on this thread seeking an explaination for the President's behavior. I have offered a few of my own and asked for input from others. elder999's statements provide alternate explainations from my own. He recognized symptom that fit under a medical condition, as has shesulsa. Neither poster has excluded other conditions that present similar symptons. Niether poster has made a definitive argument for the cause of the behavior in question. They have presented possibilities. Each of us can take those possible explainations to our own opinion.
No one here is stating that your opinion; that Mr. Bush's behavior is not caused by Alzheimers Disease, is invalid. And I don't believe anyone has offered a medical diagnosis.
I think, we are, collectively, kicking the can down the road, in speculation to a behavior that I have described as offensive.
Ray
Master Black Belt
This morning on Fox & Friends (Monday Jan 29) a democrat named Shumer was a guest. He a senator? or something, he was pushing his book. I'm pretty sure that he referred to the "democrat party."
But then again, it was early and I was trying to make sure my socks matched, so I could have mis-heard.
But then again, it was early and I was trying to make sure my socks matched, so I could have mis-heard.
Chuck Schumer is a Democratic Senator from New York. While I differ with him on gun control (which can be debated on anothet thread!!), he's a hell of a New Yorker and a fine Senator. He was one of the strategists behind their successful campaign in 2006. Very smart, very quick thinking guy.
Its a miracle if all three of us get out of here with matching socks - if you have a secret on making that happen, that knowledge would be more precious than any martial arts hidden techniques!
There's nothing wrong with you kicking that can - but others of us can kick, too. You have a right to debate and dissent, but so do I.
Alzheimers is a medical diagnosis.
I object to malefactors of every stripe - from street thug to elected official - being able to hide behind pseudo medical diagnoses (read-excuses). Whenever anyone gets caught stealing, raping or starting wars, its always, um, like, alcoholism or sleep apnea or ADD or dementia or too many cupcakes that's to blame........ how about that maybe criminals are just bad people and Bush's just become a poor President on his own (de)merits and should be fully responsible?
There's a cottage industry that's grown up in this country devoted to digging dirt and ridiculing officials of both parties. If you want to look at the Ann Coulters, Rush Limbaugh's, Rosie O'Donnell's, Michael Moore's, Barbara Streisand's and a million more on each side as being 'unaligned', well.......... the can's now on the way back to you.
MR. WILLIAMS: By the way, in the speech, you spoke about the Democrats. You said, you congratulated the Democrat majority. And I notice your prepared text said Democratic majority. I surely think that you know that for the Democrats, they think when you say Democrat, it's like fingernails on the blackboard. They don't like it. They like you to say Democratic.
PRESIDENT BUSH: Yeah. Well, that was an oversight then. I mean, I'm not trying to needle. Look, I went into the hall saying we can work together and I was very sincere about it. I didn't even know I did it.
From the full transcript of the interview of President Bush by Juan Williams at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7065633
PRESIDENT BUSH: Yeah. Well, that was an oversight then. I mean, I'm not trying to needle. Look, I went into the hall saying we can work together and I was very sincere about it. I didn't even know I did it.
From the full transcript of the interview of President Bush by Juan Williams at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7065633
michaeledward
Grandmaster
Yes, I just heard this on the radio.
It would have been even better if Mr. Williams was prepared with an appropriate follow up ... such as "Mr. President you used the same phrase many times during the campaign season. Can we take from this that in the future you will be more careful with your language."
You'll notice, nowhere in the President's reply an apology or an offer to try and do better next time. A similar response would not be acceptable if my daughter offered it. I would expect recognition of offense given and a pledge to try and do better next time. I expect I am not alone in those expectations.
Also in that interview, the President made a few references to his new strategy. As I recall, he answered a question from a service member from Minnesota or Michigan with that term.
A great follow, by a professional reported would have been.
Mr. President, help me out here. You mention this new strategy and asked for us to 'give it a chance'. Can you please just tell us; what was the old strategy? What were the signals that told you that strategy wasn't working? How is the new strategy different from the old strategy? What markers should we look for as indications that we are moving toward success?"
When reporting is about providing air time for the interviewee to present their case, challenge free, it is actually propaganda, and not reporting at all. Isn't it?
Dave Leverich
Black Belt
Hm, what about the inference that one party is Democratic... would that then state the other main party isn't? Wouldn't that be a slight on every other party out there?
I think maybe I'm just amazed that there's 112 posts including mine on this.
Ignore this one in fact, I'm sorry for posting.
I think maybe I'm just amazed that there's 112 posts including mine on this.
Ignore this one in fact, I'm sorry for posting.
michaeledward
Grandmaster
That is the 'reasonable sounding' objection that some in the echo chamber use.
Again, the term Democratic Party is the proper name of the political organization which is derived from the 'Democratic-Republican Party' of the early 19th century. I don't know that anyone in the Democratic Party that would suggest the Republican Party is not democratic.
The source of this phrase in its usage being discussed is as described; it is to "deny the enemy the positive connotations of its chosen appellation". It is curious that the originators of this phrase in the described usage refer to their countrymen as enemies.
One list of references can be found here:
http://mediamatters.org/items/200608160005
It is a place for one to start their own research.
michaeledward
Grandmaster
In memory and rememberance of Barbaro ...
Just surfing a bit in the hotel, and I find this.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070130/D8MVB92O0.html
It seems the ability to use the proper name of the opposition goes beyond just the Presidents verbal skills. The last two sentences of the article are:
I am dubious that the President types up his own schedule.
Just surfing a bit in the hotel, and I find this.
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070130/D8MVB92O0.html
It seems the ability to use the proper name of the opposition goes beyond just the Presidents verbal skills. The last two sentences of the article are:
I am dubious that the President types up his own schedule.
Monadnock
2nd Black Belt
I think it is easy to make the mistake of calling it the Democrat party. Members of the Republican Party are called Republicans. Members of the Democratic Party are called Democrats. It is easy to mistake the name of the party as the Democrat party. I did -- in high school, but I did. I'm guessing that there's a LOT of people out there still doing the same thing.
It goes both ways. But one party cannot find anything substantial to argue, so they choose this.
It goes both ways. But one party cannot find anything substantial to argue, so they choose this.
michaeledward
Grandmaster
substantial to argue?
That's just sweet.
Our senator, by the way, voted against a minimum wage that pays more than $206.00 per full time employment.
