After reading this NYT article about Douglas Wead’s secret tapes of Bush in 1998, i’m siding with the commentors on Daily Kos who feel that these tapes can only help Bush. It makes him sound human, even likable to those who don’t recognize him for being the worst president in modern American history. It’s a fence building move with moderates, trying to distance Bush from the most extreme right-wing evangelicals, probably a controlled, sanctioned action.
I’m somewhat skeptical of this being an attempt to bury the Gannon story, but nothing can be put past these people. More likely it’s just damage control, resculpting Bush’s public image as more socially tolerant than his recent domestic policy decisions have been. I don’t care what Bush thinks privately in this case, as he cynically exploited the bigotry of others for years.
I thought the exact same thing. Now that his second term is in the bag, it was time to lance that ugly boil.
Perhaps there was something looming that made them break this now.
Who knows?
Sure would like to get my hands on it though.
I’ve known Doug for about 42 years, give or take a couple, and he’s always been extremely enterprising. HOWEVER, in all of his ambition, he has also been honest and fair. I’ve chatted with Doug about this latest development and while he would not do it again, for obvious reasons, he has to live with the way the media has jumped all over his actions. He started taping Bush in the first place with Dubya’s consent and continued because Doug is an historian and he felt these conversations could one day be historical. I am NOT a Bush fan, having lived under his “rule” in the Great State of Texas, however, after hearing pieces of Doug’s tapes, I now see Bush in a different, kinder light. He’s human and nothing that he said on the tapes proves him to be dishonest, greedy or otherwise unlikeable. C’mon, let’s give Doug a break! He was a good guy for the four decades of our friendship and he still is.
If it involves giving Bush a break, no, I’m afraid that i cannot do that.
Bush’s record as a a businessman, a governor, and a president has proven beyond all doubt that he’s dishonest, greedy and unlikeable.
I had nothing against Wead. I’m still not sure if i do. However, i’m not thrilled with Wead’s involvement in any “accidental” public relations attempts to humanize a man that belongs in federal prison for the rest of his life for the frauds that he has perpetrated on this nation and the world.
Point taken and I can’t say I disagree with you. As I said, I lived under his rule in Texas and he just about bankrupt the state. He made campaign promises, especially regarding education, that were never meant to be kept. He took credit for good things others did… even insignificant personal courtesies. It was reported that he paid for a funeral for a young boy who drowned on his ranch… a boy DID, in fact, drown on his property after coming in uninvited and swimming in a pond but the boy’s family and the funeral home paid for the funeral.
My point in saying that listening to the tapes gave me an insight into Bush, the Man, was to say that Doug did him no harm by releasing them, as the media would have you to believe.
I’m sure Doug regrets his error in judgement but we’ve all been in that position at one time or another.
I agree. Wead did no harm, but helped Bush in leaking the tapes, trying to show the man that is his friend.
The question is not whether Bush has ever done good things in his private life. The question is why is the Bush that is president so different of a person from Bush the private citizen?
I fall for a few media narratives, but Wead’s tapes of Bush being damaging is not one of them.
As i stated originally, this is a deliberate, backchannel public relations ploy, probably sanctioned by Bush’s own people.
You could very well be right about this being orchestrated by Bush’s people. I can’t help but wonder how Bush can have someone like Wead and many other highly educated, intelligent, common sense people I know so snowed! Maybe I just saw a different side of Bush when I lived in Texas or maybe I’m just a cynic, I don’t have an answer but it bothers me that the man made so many campaign promises, and even some that were after his election, and has already broken most of them and yet he still maintains a following! I’m a registered Democrat but I do actually vote for the person, not the party, if the circumstances are right. So, my opinions aren’t fueled by being a dyed in the wool Democrat.
I do find it interesting that not much has been said recently about the entire situation. Also interesting that Bush’s “poodle” across the Pond has taken a public stand against Bush’s policies lately. What does it all mean?
Think we can get grouds for an impeachment???