In retirement Bush the Lesser has done two things primarily: engage in a lot of truly God awful painting and snuggle up to liberal elites. I suspect clan Bush has never been conservative, but always primarily political opportunists.
Of course when the reformed alcoholic, and that fact is to his credit, was President, he was attacked with all the fury the Left could muster and was stoutly defended by most conservatives, including me. Well, he was a better alternative than what he was running against, but not much better. The attacks by the Left on him were real. His compassionate conservatism, almost entirely Kabuki Theater. Since leaving the White House he has not lifted a finger to help conservatives and has never missed an opportunity to cuddle up to the heads of the party which proclaimed him a war criminal. This latest bizarre effort is typical of his clumsy crawling to the Left.
Ronald Reagan of blessed memory made a key error when he decided to put Bush the Elder on the ticket, dealing conservatism a blow it has yet to recover from. In order to explain the rise of Trump one has only to look at the two Bush presidents and the failed attempt of Mitt Romney to follow their fake conservative path to the White House. Trump is rude, crude and lies a lot, but he has never engaged in the type of congealed mendacity that Bush father and son ever deployed with rank and file Republican voters.
It’s all about how much they can line their pockets and live a life of indulgence post-retirement. They forget their values and ideals once the spotlight is off them. It’s a pattern.
My father never had nice words to say about Bush Snr or Bush Jnr, when we were growing up- even whilst the international western media were fawning over him like some saviour. I never understood why dad never liked the pair of them, at the time. Well, Bush Jnr eventually showed his true colours. He’s a fraud.
Both Reagan and Trump picked iffy VPs. I suspect the problem is that they need a political insider and there a good bench of true conservatives and patriots to pick from for the team, does not exist in either party
Bush lite has been a complete disappointment in retirement, but not that he wasn’t problematic before then. Compassionate conservatism? Conservatism, by definition, is compassionate. In retirement, though, the picture with the odious Michelle says it all. I really believe these folks hate this country.
I’m mad as a hatter at George W. Bush for his betrayals (saying flat nothing about the IRS scandals, flat nothing about the FBI scandals, flat nothing about the chicanery of DoJ lawyers (Rosenstein, Weissmann, and the demented husk of Robert Mueller), flat nothing about the secular decline in ballot security, flat nothing about the vote fraud last year, flat nothing about Joseph Biden’s mental condition, flat nothing about Barack Obama’s complicity with the FBI and DoJ scandals. Instead, the family engages in social signalling contra Trump through brother Marvin and the late Barbara and then W issues public remarks comparing the much abused 6 January defendants with terrorists. One other thing: the man’s done a great deal of buckraking since leaving office; because he prefers confidential fora in front of trade associations freed from disclosure rules, the bulk of it has gone under the radar. This sort of thing should not be legal. His contribution to public discourse since leaving office has been negative.
The elder Bush had nothing in common with the Clintons other than having been in electoral politics and having passed through fancy higher education. He may have crossed paths with him prior to 1991, but otherwise had no particular association with him ‘ere the two were opponents. Much the same is true in re the younger Bush and the Clintons, with the qualification that they’re much closer in age. It’s true with regard to the elder and younger Bush and the Obamas, with the qualification that the Obamas have the orderly domestic life that the Clintons lacked (something Mooch grew up with that BO did not) and with the qualification that Mooch’s actual interests and tastes are closer to Nancy Reagan’s than they are to Hellary’s. There is really no reason for the Bushes to associate with the Clintons or the Obamas. Among politicians, it should generally be business, not personal. So the cloying scene depicted above is deeply strange. Even moreso is the degree to which Bilge Clinton managed to worm his way into the elder Bush’s circle of friends, to the point that his children (at a time in 2012 when they thought their father might die) were anxious that “Buddy” would end up taking over the funeral. I’ve known women like Barbara Bush and I cannot imagine any of them allowing a character like Bilge through the front door.
In retirement Bush the Lesser has done two things primarily: engage in a lot of truly God awful painting
It’s a hobby. As long as he isn’t exhibiting the stuff, no need to comment. The portrait of Albright looks like a caricature that might adorn a not-exceptionally-respectful magazine article about her. It really shouldn’t be displayed on her death.
Ronald Reagan of blessed memory made a key error when he decided to put Bush the Elder on the ticket, dealing conservatism a blow it has yet to recover from.
Again, your problem has been Republican voters. From 1960 to the present, roughly 1/3 of them have had the same candidate every time: The Guy Whose Turn It Is. This was, as a rule, the incumbent or the runner up in the last competitive contest (bar when the runner up was someone like Pat Buchanan or Rick Santorum, who give evidence of sticking to their views in the teeth of poll results; such people are deemed ‘divisive’). In 2000, Republican voters opted for the son of the former President. The years 1964 and 2016 were the years The Guy Whose Turn It Is did not take the nomination; 1980 and 1984 were the years that That Guy was actually someone with a set of fixed principles. I suspect one thing that enrages characters like Bitc* McConnell is that the 2016 donneybrook revealed that the careerist / opportunist sort is so thoroughly rejected by Republican voters nowadays that even a PR trainwreck like Donald Trump can put them away.
I’ve seen in fora like this astonishingly rude comments about Albright (see over at Althouse). That’s poor form in just about any circumstance. It’s exceptionally poor form in hers. She was an academician who cultivated connections in the Democratic Party, was not adverse to tiresome public patter, and was willing to associate herself with Hellary’s presidential campaign. Not the most admirable of creatures but not someone who in office or out of office was making the world worse in any appreciable way. (The palaeo / red haze types are out and about claiming she’s somehow to blame for ‘the deaths of 500,000 Iraqi children’).
The “Laura and I are heartbroken” yap is wretched. The woman was 84 years old. Her children may miss her, but they’re unlikely to be heartbroken. To the Bushes, she was just another figure in official Washington.
I came across yesterday a news report about a 52 year old retired Army officer with a wife and school age children. He and his family were driving home from an athletic event in which his children were enrolled, driving two cars – him in one and she and the children in the other. A drunk driver slammed head on into his vehicle while his family watched. For whatever reason, drunko survived and papa was killed. That actually is heartbreaking.
Don L is quite correct. Biden violated the rule of balance and look what he got and we have to put up with.
That painting of the now-late Madeline Albright is truly frightening. Perhaps George W. Bush truly caught Albright’s inner person.
The recent Viva Frei Barnes live-stream sidebar had Trump attorney Jenna Ellis on where they talked about the 2020 election and the dirty pool that the establishment Republicans were engaged in. The sidebar also went into Project Veritas. The live-stream had some mentions of the Ukraine situation but they were fairly brief. The live-stream starts with a tweet about the situation in Canada. Jenna comes on around the 4:00 minute mark and is on for about an hour.
*
Jenna Ellis is a pleasant young woman, but she is typical of the fifth rate attorneys Trump tends to have in his service.
Both Reagan and Trump picked iffy VPs.
How was Pence “iffy”?
Re: Paintings.
At least Dubya ain’t paid for his eye-scarring art work.
Which brings to mind – I have Dubya and Hunter on the same list of bad people.
Whoever wrote Ms. Albright’s Obit is a professional, credentialed biologist.
Trump “lies a lot.”
Got any examples? You DO know the meaning of “examples”?
At least Dubya ain’t paid for his eye-scarring art work.
Vint Lawrence made some dough illustrating magazine articles with caricature. (Not his specific style, as he seldom if ever made use of color). Don’t think W could make a living off it, but he might be able to make a few bucks.
Al Hirschfeld made a satisfactory living at it. He was strictly pen-and-ink however.
Yep, a few of hundreds:
https://thehill.com/business-a-lobbying/donald-trump-falsely-claims-biggest-electoral-win-since-reagan
https://www.wkyc.com/article/news/nation-now/fact-check-trumps-puffery-on-gdp-growth/465-bcbb0ae4-e812-4c86-8eb0-3bddc7332942
“Mark my words, Mexico will pay for the wall.”
“No one respects women more than I do.”
“I’m going to be working for you. I’m not going to have time to play golf.” — Aug. 8, 2016
I also want to know like respondent Arthur McGowan what are Trump’s lies. He is a premiere salesman and like most salesmen exaggerate about things but that’s not lying. Babe Ruth said it ain’t bragging if you accomplish what you promised you would do.
Also Ted Cruz who worked for Bush elder said the Bush’s just gave lip sevice to pro-lifers where as Trump was very supportive of Prolife activists. Trump addressed Susan B Anthony conference while President and did a lot for promoting religious freedom.
I also want to know like respondent Arthur McGowan whacft are Trump’s lies. He is a premiere salesman and like most salesmen exaggerate about things but that’s not lying. Babe Ruth said it ain’t bragging if you accomplish what you promised you would do.
Also Ted Cruz who worked for Bush elder said the Bush’s just gave lip sevice to pro-lifers where as Trump was very supportive of Prolife activists. Trump addressed Susan B Anthony conference while President and did a lot for promoting religious freedom.
Oh, I back Trump Dave,as my series Miss Me Yet demonstrates, but I also know that he is a facile liar. More than the average politician if you exclude puffery, boasting and comments on subjects that he is ignorant of? Perhaps not.